Help!! New TV with only 1 S-video jack! Can i hook up multiple components?? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Stephens]

Hi. I just got a new TV that has 1 S-video jack. I also have a DVD player that I would prefer to hook up via the S-video route, as well as a DirecTV receiver.

On my old TV, I had the satellite hooked through the VCR and then into the TV via the 75 ohm coaxial terminal. However, I have found (as I'm sure most of you know) that the signal from the satellite is much better when run through the RCA video connections.

Here's the problem: whenever I have anything plugged into the S-video jack, the TV ignores all other signals (I've heard this is a common problem with some TVs). So, if I have my DVD player hooked up through S-video, my satellite will only be routed through the coax, even if it's plugged into the RCA video in jacks.

I purchased a Denon 3802 receiver but haven't received it yet. I know the receiver has S-video connections, etc. but I know nothing about video switching capability (just the term!) Is there a way to integrate all these components (satellite, DVD, VCR) together via the receiver so that I can bypass this annoying function of my TV?

Also, is there any way to hook up the S-video connections from the satellite AND the DVD player into the receiver first, and then have another S-video cable running into the TV's (one) S-video jack? Will this work? Is there a degradation in image quality?

Sorry if this message is a bit convoluted. I'm trying to make sense of all this mess. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks...

 

[Mike Matheson]

Scott,

You'll be happy when the 3802 arrives. . .

Yes, run all your sources into the receiver (and a single S-vid cable to your TV from it) and allow the Denon to select the audio/video source.

Have fun,

Mike

 

[Allan Jayne]

I didn't see anything in the Denon literature about a comb filter (needed to convert composite to S-video well).
You should not experience any degradation of the S-video sources going through the receiver compared with directly to the TV. But composite sources such as satellite broadcasts may be degraded (or not come out of the receiver's S-video output at all).
If your composite (RCA jack) video sources work OK but don't look too good when switched through the 3802 and onto the S-video cable into the TV, an external composite to S-video converter costing less than USD 100.00 won't improve it. The filter in those things just isn't very good.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Is there a way to integrate all these components (satellite, DVD, VCR) together via the receiver so that I can bypass this annoying function of my TV?

The receiver might not pass both composite and S-video sources through to the TV’s S-video input. So right out of the hole there’s an issue with your VCR, unless it’s Super VHS.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt