Help, Video Input Sharing? (1 Viewer)

[BrianGC]

Hi,
How do sets with video inputs that accept different input formats work exactly?

Say the input has regular composite and it also has either S-video or Component for the same input. If I was to hook up a VCR to the composite and then hook the video signal from a DVD player to the same input through either S-video or Component (w/ audio going directly to receiver), how would the set handle that?

Do the sets like that work ok with the 2 different input types plugged in at the same time, with only one live? And what happens if you're watching a DVD and the VCR were to be turned on, would it stay on the DVD or just go crazy?

Thanks,
BrianGC

 

[Bill Slack]

Totally depends on the set. Some can not take more than 1 plugged in, at all. Others only let one source be on at a time, and still others will simply have a pecking order for which one gets displayed (e.g., component overides S-Video which over-rides composite.)

Most every set has multiple video inputs anyway though. My Toshiba has 2 tuner (F connector) inputs, three video (a combination of s-video and composite) and 2 component.

I have four component sources so I need to use an external switchbox to handle things correctly. I no longer use any of the other inputs.

 

[Allan Jayne]

Avoid buying a TV with just one composite jack, just one S-video jack, and just one video (or A/V, or video camera) input according to the remote. Chances are you will have to unplug one jack in order to use the other. Which means you can really only have one thing connected at a time.
If you are going to use component video and S-video, and composite video, and some home theater setups work best this way, the TV needs to have three video selections on its remote where component video and S-video are on different input banks according to the instructions.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm