Direct TV (1 Viewer)

[CoreyK]

Time and time again people post and say that they are newbies well it dont get no newer than me. I have a Denon 1802 reciever, RCA Direct TV receiver, Sony 43HT20, Sony DVP-NS700P DVD Player, Sony CDP-CE575 5-Disc CD Changer. My problem is conecting all of these things to the reciever. I want to know what should I connect to what and get the best video, audio,movie expierience I can possibly get. All replies are greatly appricieated. Again forgive this newbie!!

 

[Marc Rochkind]

Here's a very brief summary:

1. All sources go to the receiver. (Exception: If receiver has no component video, component video outputs go straight to TV.)

2. Video output from receiver goes to TV. Connect all types (composite, S-video, component), as an input of one type generally can't be upgraded by the receiver to another type.

3. For audio, digitial is preferred over analog. Optical or coax digital makes no difference.

4. For video, the order of preference is component, S-video, composite, and coax antenna (which you won't use in this setup).

5. Each source connected to the receiver needs only one audio and one video connection.

6. Use 12-gauge speaker wire that you buy from, for example, Radio Shack.

Your receiver manual has connection diagrams. These are probably very cluttered and hard to read, but the effort is worthwhile.

I've written a book on this subject... email me if you'd like info on how to get it.

Hope this helps!

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Corey,
Unfortunately you probably assured minimal responses to your thread with title you chose (which has really nothing to do with your situation), but hopefully we can get you lined out.
Marc has already got you started, but perhaps I can give some more detail.
What I like to stress to “Newbies” is “keep it simple.” The simplest thing is to run all audio and video signals to the receiver, and only one video feed to the TV. This way a single selection from the receiver’s remote gets you both sound and picture. Many people well-versed in home theater recommend sending video signals, especially from the DVD player, directly to the TV, but that’s an extra step you will have to remember – changing the input on both the receiver and the TV.
There are three types of connections in a home theater – audio, video and RF (aka “radio frequency” or “antenna” signals). I’ll take them for you one at a time.
Video comes in three varieties these days:

• Composite, which uses the yellow RCA jack you find on most components.
• S-video, which uses a specific connector different from other video connections.
• Component video, which uses three RCA cables and jacks, typically red, blue and green in color.

The thing to remember about video is that none of these formats are compatible with each other. The only way you can “mix and match” them is if you have a receiver that up-converts lower formats to more a more advanced ones. If not, you will have to use the format that is common to all your equipment. Typically this means either S-video, or more commonly, regular composite video (i.e., the yellow RCA jacks).
Audio signals come in two subcategories, analog and digital. Analog audio is easy – just connect the red and white jacks from the various components to the red and white jacks on the receiver. This is all you need to do with the CD player and a VCR. Typically the white jacks designate the left signal, and red designates the right audio signal.
However, 5.1 Dolby Digital audio from the DVD player is a little trickier. To make things needlessly complicated, there are two types of digital connections: (fiber) optical and coaxial. The coaxial connection is yet another RCA jack, typically orange in color. Whichever you chose, coaxial or fiber optic, you have to have the same connections available on both the DVD player and the receiver.
On the receiver you may have noticed that the inputs for audio and video are logically labeled – “VCR,” “CD,” “Satellite,” etc. You may have noticed the digital inputs may not be. Some have digital inputs labeled for the appropriate input, like “DVD,” Sat” etc. But they may be simply labeled as “Digital 1,” “Digital 2,” and so forth. If that is the situation, you have to go into the receiver’s menu and tell it which digital input the DVD player etc. is connected to. You will have to consult the receiver’s manual for this.
Further complicating matters, you will have to tell the DVD player to send a 5.1 digital signal to the receiver. You will have to do this from the DVD player’s menu. Again, you will have to find directions for this step the DVD player’s manual.
RF (radio frequency) signals are the third kind you will deal with in a home theater. Again, RF signals come from a variety of sources like TV antennas, feeds from the local cable company and/or satellite antennas. The RF signals from the antennas go to the appropriate tuner: TV, VCR, cable box, and satellite receiver.
There are two types of coaxial cables commonly for used home-theater-related RF signals, RG-59 and RG-6. RG-59 is suitable only for a TV antenna. It should not be used with cable TV or satellite feeds. Cable and satellite feeds require RG-6 exclusively. However, you can use RG-6 with TV antennas, so you can “keep it simple” by using RG-6 for all your home theater RF connections.
I don’t know if you get your local channels from your satellite or from a TV antenna, but if it is the latter, the “keep it simple” method would be to connect the TV antenna to the VCR, not the satellite. This would allow the VCR to become your TV tuner, and use the satellite receiver for (obviously) satellite programming.
Logically interfacing equipment with RF feeds into the system can be complicated. The “keep it simple” method, in my opinion, is not run any RF signals to the TV. The TV, cable, and satellite feeds go to their appropriate tuners only. The tuners connect to the receiver via the audio and video RCA jacks, and the receiver’s “[Video] Monitor Out” delivers the picture to the television via the TV’s video “Line In” jack. Thus the TV always stays in “Line In” mode and becomes merely a monitor for the picture, and the sound system is on anytime the TV is. As I mentioned, with this connection method a single selection from the receiver’s remote gets you both sound and picture - simple.
Many satellite and cable boxes these days have digital audio feeds. With these follow the directions given for DVD players, above.
Many people want to the ability to record their TV programming. Recording of local TV programs is easy; just set the VCR to the right channel. Recording satellite is a little trickier. Most sat receivers have two sets of audio and video outputs. One set is already going to the receiver, so send the second set to the VCR’s “Line In” jacks. Thus the VCR would be set to “Line In” for satellite recording.
Hope this gets you going, Corey. If you have any more questions I’m sure we can help you.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Gustov Sliwa]

Wayne,

Where does the 15 pin monitor connection come in as far as video connections? I'm planning on running windvd on my PC and hooking my PC to my NEC HT1000 projector. Should I use the 15 pin PC monitor hook up, or should I use an adaptor to hook my pc to the composite or component hook ups on my projector? Where does that 15 pin hook up come in as far as quality? Ahead or behind the composite and component hook ups?