Connecting TV/VCR/DVD & Receiver?? (1 Viewer)

[Walter_C]

Ok, here's a [stupid] question that I could use help with
My existing projection TV is hooked up to my existing VCR via a/v cable. I just purchased a DVD player and an audio receiver.
How do I connect my TV and VCR and DVD player and audio receiver? The DVD player manual says to connect the DVD unit directly to my TV, not through my vcr. How do I manage to use either my VCR or my DVD player through my TV - do I need a splitter or some type of A/B switch?
Projection TV has:
hi-fi out audio jacks,
input1 audio jacks,
input2 audio jacks,
surround out audio jacks,
selected out audio jacks,
s-video connector,
input 1 video jack,
input 2 video jack,
select out video jack
VCR is VHS.
Receiver is a Panasonic SA-HE70,
digital in (optical and coax),
video out,
audio outs,
s-video terminals in (tv, vcr, dvd),
video in,
audio in
Thanks!
Walter

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Walter,

You route all your sources (VHS and DVD) to the receiver and then to the TV.

The receiver has audio and video inputs which allow audio and video switching. If you plug the Video outputs from the DVD player into the DVD input on the receiver, and plug the the Video outputs from the VCR into the VCR input on the receiver-- then the receiver will act as a router and switcher for your video signals.

Your receiver will ahve a "monitor output" which you run to the video input on your TV set-- and then when you select VCR on the receiver, it will route VCR video to the TV. When you select DVD on the receiver, it will route DVD video to the TV.

I would suggest lookin over the "HT PRIMER" link in my signature, as video swithcing and hookup is touched on in that post. Look under heardware and you'll see topics like:
"General Hookup Tips", "Why receivers have video ins and outs", "Options for Routing Audio & Video"

-Vince

 

[Walter_C]

Thanks Vince.
Your FAQ/Primer mentions two ways of routing audio/video signals.
I understand both ways but frankly think routing both dvd video and vcr audio/video directly to the tv might be better. Anyway, it saves one cable as I don't need an s-video from dvd to receiver and then another one from receiver to tv
This also would mean just my dvd digital optical cable would route directly to my receiver for audio.
I'll need to test out both ways to see if there is any [noticeable] difference.
Routing to the receiver first though does centralize video/audio switching.
Thanks again!
Walter

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

No prob! I personally prefer receiver routing, but to each his own!

-Vince

 

[Allan Jayne]

If your TV has only one choice for Video on the remote and there is just one of each of yellow and S-video jacks behind the TV, chances are you cannot use both of those jacks at the same time. You then have two choices (1) connect both DVD player and VCR to receiver using composite (yellow jacks) (2) get a composite to S-video converter for as little as USD 20. at Radio Shack and connect VCR output to that and then connect it and DVD player to receiver using S-video.
The advantages of connecting things to the receiver and then to the TV are (1) you can turn just one knob and both picture and sound will change to match, and (2) if there are not enough jacks in back of the TV for everything. With composite or S-video, you will probably not notice a difference in picture quality if the equipment is connected through the receiver or directly to the TV.
Generally, composite to S-video converters costing less than USD 250. will degrade the picture although you might not notice if the source is VHS tape.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Walter_C]

I see your point.
My ProScan has both an S-Video as well as input video 1 and input video 2 jacks.

If I do connect all sources to the Receiver first (as Vince mentioned) then I would connect my DVD via s-video to the receiver and my VCR via composit (audio and video) then back to my ProScan TV via s-video.

Thanks,
Walter