Simplifying AV switching.... (1 Viewer)

[Dan McKevitt]

Hey guys – setting up my parents system, and had a few questions.

They have cable, no cable box required, and they use a VCR. I had initially wanted to coax into the VCR, s-video out, but the VCR doesn’t have the s-video connections. It seems that if I want to use the Kenwood receiver to do all of the video switching, it has to be from a consistent source, i.e. all s-video or all composite. (Does that sound right?) So, if I use all composite video at the receiver (vcr-in, dvd-in, monitor-out), for some reason the cable wouldn’t feed through the VCR unless it was powered up. I know squat about VCRs, but why would cable feed through the coax output with power switched off and not a composite output?

The whole point of this was to have all of the audio and video switching at the receiver, because they get confused having to switch audio source at the receiver and video source at the TV. On my system it’s easy – my dish receiver has S-Video output. But I’m not sure of the best way when a VCR is thrown in the mix. Any suggestions?

P.S. receiver is Kenwood VR-409, if anyone is familiar....

 

[Bob McElfresh]

With the power off, the VCR just passes the CATV coax feed through.

With the power on, the VCR takes the CATV feed (which is a Radio-Frequency mix of hundreds of channels) and uses the Tuner to extract 1 Video and a L/R audio signal.

Your receiver can only take a Video/Left/Right signal, not the CATV feed. (Your receiver does not have a TV tuner).

Does this help.

 

[John S]

Is that $20 radio shack composite to svideo, a decent conversion? Sounds to cheap for what it is doing to me is all?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Of course not. It's a cheap filter that takes the place of the more-accurate (and expensive) Comb filter in the TV.

But..if high-quality is an issue, what in the heck are they doing with a VCR when sub $90 DVD players are available?

Basically - it works with a bit of sharpness loss. But not totally crappy.

 

[Jason_A]

If I understand this Does the tv have an output that is connected to the VCR. When the TV is off the VCR doesn't record. Is this what your saying?

Split the cable with a splitter and have the cable go into the TV and the VCR. Composite out of VCR into VCR in on the receiver.

Set the tv at video one or whatever and turn the receiver on and press the VCR button on the receiver or remote.

Jason

 

[Dan McKevitt]

Bob (and everyone) that does help alot - I feel the fool for not taking into account what they'd use as their tuner, what with the lack of a cable or dish box. I think they're used to using the VCR as a tuner, but this does eliminate the need to switch channels whenever my mother wants to record a show or watch an old tape (this does actually result in the occasional call for help).

 

[John S]

Thanks Bob, that was for my own information, not really related to the thread so much.

Alawys looking for helpfull gadgets is all.