absolute newbie w/ questions (1 Viewer)

[bigjune62]

hey all,
i'm very new to home theater and with some advice, bought the following equipment:


yamaha rvx 2600
yamaha dvd-c950
focal 806 stec front speakers
focal cc 800 stec center channel
3- polk tc 60 i for in ceiling rear
martin logan abyss b sub.

i have a mitsubishi ws 65513 w/ a m-link/dvi-hd input. i also have an older samsung vcr that i would like to hook up.

i see all these inputs/outputs and can't make head or tails on how to hook up these components for best audio/video. and any help would be very much appreciated.

i see hdmi, dvi, s-video, fiber optics ,etc. heeelllppp, i'm lost.
i for got to add ,i also upgraded to hd/dvr cable box from cox cable....

 

[Alon Goldberg]

First some quick questions to get you started:

1. Do you have a DVD Player? Does it have HDMI Upconversion?
2. Will you be using your VCR for recording, or only for playback?
3. Do you want to be able to watch one channel, and record on another channel at the same time? Do you need to record digital channels?
4. I can't find the Yamaha CDP 950 on the Internet.. is this a CD Player?

As your TV is limited to only one DVI input, you'll need to decide if you want to use this input for your Cable Box, Reciever, or for Upconverting DVD. This will be easy to decide after going through the above questions.

 

[bigjune62]

thanks for responding alon as for the answer to your questions,
1 . the dvd player is a yamaha dvd-c950, i misqouted the part #
2 . the vcr will be only for playback.
3 . it would be nice to be able to watch one while recording another. i'm not sure if i will be recording digital channelsbut it would be nice to know that i would be able to.
4 .the dvd player does have an hdmi connection/port.

also the new cable box is a scientific atlanta, model# explorer e8300hd. it also has a hdmi port.

i noticed the receiver has 2 hdmi inputs and an hdmi out.

thank you.

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Last question... just to clarify, will the VCR be used for playback only? Or do you also intend to record (Question 3).

If you do intend to record using the VCR, please let me know which option you prefer:

1. Watch one channel and record on another channel at the same time, but not be able to record digital channels
2. Watch one channel and record the same channel you are watching, with the ability to record digital channels

 

[bigjune62]

the VCR will be strictly playback only, if i want/need to record a show/game etc., i'll try to use the cable box with dvr once i get how to use it....
again thank you alon.

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Here you go, give this cabling setup a try! Let me know if you encounter any issues getting a picture from your Cable Box - some cable companies won't allow you to use HDMI Switching. In this case I'll redesign this setup to use Component Video for your Cable Box, along with Digital Coax or Optical Audio.

Also, I highly recommend purchasing a Universal Remote Control - take a look at the Logitech Harmony 880.

Last but not least - when purchasing HDMI cabling, the $15 no-name brand cables will perform equally to $150 Monster cables, over short cable runs (e.g. 15 ft or less). Return the cable only if you see sparklies. Don't pay more than $15-$20 for HDMI cables.

 

[bigjune62]

alon,
thank you, i will try this set up and will let you know how it turns out.i've read a bit in the forums and i will purchase cables from bluejeans ! it looks like i'll need:
2- hdmi cables
1- hdmi to dvi cable
1- s-video cable
1-pr.l/r audio cables

i have 12ga. speaker wire, will this be sufficient? also, what do i use for cable to the subwoofer? did i miss anything?

regards

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Yes 12 AWG or 14 AWG speaker cable is perfect. You'll also need a subwoofer cable. I'd typically recommend a 15ft subwoofer cable so that you can move her around in the future.

You may also want to purchase a component cable, just in case there are any issues switching your Cable Box through your receiver via HDMI.

 

[bigjune62]

thank you alon,
i'll be purchasing the cables by next week, i will let you know how it turns out!!

 

[bigjune62]

i just purchased my cables from blue jeans cable! i could not believe the great prices!