Connecting all my stuff (1 Viewer)

[onavi]

What is the best way to connect everything together. Here is what I have:
Sony 36XBR800
Yamaha RXV-2200
cable box

I know how to hook all of the connections from the CD player and stuff so I don't need advice on those things. I just the TV today. So I called and got digital cable. Well the box I picked up at TW today isn't a HD box, they have to come install it. So I took it(the standard one). I know they need access to the back of the TV set up the HD box when they bring it. I was wondering if it is possible to hook up the HD box to the receiver without moving the TV once again for right now. Can I have the HD box hooked up to the Yamaha and have it put out on the Svideo. I dont think I can though. Here is what I am thinking might work the best. I hook the VCR, DVD up to the Yamaha. I hook the Yamaha up to the TV. But I don't always want to have to run the Yamaha if I am just watching something on tape. Does the audio pass through to the TV without having the surround on?

I know this probably isn't clear and I am only confused even more now. LOL. Also, with the HD cable box, I know the box spits out 16:9 but I would like to have it just be at 4:3. My wife hates the 16:9 ratio. Can the Sony just display the HD without having the 16:9? Thanks. I'll probably post back again with more questions.

 

[Allan Jayne]

The HD cable box probably has an S-video output and may have component video outputs. If you already have S-video and/or component inputs from the Yamaha to the TV you can connect the cable box to the Yamahga. Note that if you use S-video, the hi-def channels will come out with just regular picture quality. Also, if the TV is not HDTV capable, the component video output from the cable box may require a manual switch setting (to 480i) or may not work at all.
The two U.S. HDTV formats (1080i and 720p) are inherently 16:9. Very few HD cable boxes will enlarge a 16:9 HDTV picture to fill an 4:3 screen and crop the sides. This is a "sort of" "zoom" function.
Your biggest complication is wanting to not use your Yamaha surround sound only some of the time.
Here are some things you can do:
Connect the VCR audio and video out to the Yamaha but also connect the antenna out of the VCR to the antenna in of the TV. To not use surround sound, get the VCR picture and sound via channel 3 or 4 on the TV.
An example of how to use the DVD player with or without surround sound:
(1) Connect the DVD player component and optical outputs to the Yamaha and the S-video and RCA audio outputs to the TV. This may be cumbersome if you have to use DVD menu selections to choose between S-video and component output.
(2) Get an S-video/audio switch box (I think Best Buy or Radio Shack has them for about USD $40.) and connect it backwards, connect the DVD player S-video and audio to the box common jacks, connect the box #1 jacks to an input bank on the Yamaha and connect the box #2 jacks to an input bank behind the TV.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm