Help setting up HT with HD TV, Receiver, DVR, Satellite (1 Viewer)

[bluangel]

Hello,
This is my first time posting here, don't know for sure if this would be the correct forum or not.

I just bought a new Samsung 550P HD TV, and I need to get it set up with my home theater system. I have an Onkyo receiver, HT-S780, with no HD jacks, a Panasonic DVD Recorder (with VHS) with one HD out jack, and the TV has two HD in jacks. The satellite box has one HD jack currently hooked up directly into one of the HD in jacks on the TV.

Before I had all my components running through the receiver with no problem, I hooked them all up myself, and surprisingly, as I was and still am pretty much a novice, it worked wonderfully. I would like to do it myself again, but, I can't find comprehensive instructions on hooking everything up with the HD television. I've tried to figure it out several times, but so far I've just wound up with a bad headache. Is it possible to do this myself, or will I have to throw in the towel and hire a professional? I would greatly appreciate any advice you can send my way!

 

[Ed Moxley]

In a home theater system, the tv is used only for video. If you had everything running through your receiver before, and it all worked, hook it up exactly the same way again. The only difference is the tv. Run your HDMI cable, or component cable, from the "Monitor Out", on back of the receiver, to an HDMI input, or component input on the tv. That should be all there is to it.

If the receiver has no HDMI inputs and output, you'll just need to use the same kind of output from the receiver to the tv, that you used from the source to the receiver for video. If you use component cables from sat box to receiver, use component cables from "Monitor Out" on receiver to a component input on the tv. If you have both component and s-video, going in to the receiver for video, you'll need both component and s-video going out from receiver to the tv.

Then for audio, use digital coax or optical to receiver, depending on which one the source has for output.
Good luck! Hope I didn't confuse you more.........

 

[bluangel]

Yeah, I think I got it, but what about the DVR? Do I hook it up directly to the other HD jack on the TV and run the audio through the receiver?

 

[Ed Moxley]

You can do that, but when you want to watch something recorded on the DVR, you'll need to choose the button for the audio input you used for it, and choose the input on the tv, you used for it. That's why I said it's easier and less confusing to run everything through the receiver first (easier switching sources). If you don't have another video input on the receiver for it, you don't have much choice...........
Isn't the sat box and DVR the same thing?

 

[Robert_J]

I have a very similar situation with a receiver that has no HDMI connections. I have 3 satellite DVRs connected to my TV (projector) using a HDMI switch box. My audio from each source is connected to digital audio inputs on the receiver. My DVD players are connected to the reciever via component video and digital audio. The component video output goes to the component video input on the TV. Switching sources can take up to 5 different remotes. I solved that problem with a single Harmony 880 remote. A single button press changes everything. A single remote also can control multiple components at the same time. The remote volume controls the receiver. The remote channel buttons work on the different DVRs. The aspect ratio button works on the TV. I NEVER has a reason to grab a second remote to control anything. If I do ever run across that need, I just tweak my remote setup and add that functionality in a few minutes.

-Robert

 

[bluangel]

When I got my new TV I upgraded to a HD DVR, but I already had a DVD recorder (with VHS) that I'll just use as a player now. So, you're saying that I should just run the DVD through the receiver using either the s-video, digital or component video? That means the DVD won't play in the HD format, right, because it's not hooked up through the HDMI? Am I making this more complicated for myself?

 

[Robert_J]

I should have put a summary at the bottom of my post - Use the best video connection possible even it means connecting directly from the source to the TV. Then connect the best audio connection to the A/V receiver. This makes switching among sources more complicated but even that can be simplified with a quality universal remote.

-Robert

 

[Ed Moxley]

If the dvd player upconverts to 1080p, you'll need to use HDMI cable straight to tv from the player. If it only upconverts to 1080i, it may do that over component. Double check in your owner's manual to find out.

 

[bluangel]

Well thanks for all the input, Ed and Robert, I'll try your suggestions and let you know how things work out.