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TV input question (1 Viewer)

Mark Murphy

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 20, 2002
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626
This may be a dumb question, but since its my first here, please forgive me. I'd like to know if its possible to use two video sources for the same input. Here's my scenerio. I have an S-video cable coming from reciever to the TV. Underneath, on the same "Video 3" input is a composite input and stereo inputs that are unused. Can I connect a composite cable from the reciever to that composite input as well even though there is an S-video going to the same "video 3"? There is another composite input on the TV, but I use to directly connect a Direct Tv reciever so that I can use PIP. There was nothing in the manual telling me not do so. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Carl Johnson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 6, 1999
Messages
2,260
Real Name
Carl III
It depends on the set. The television in my bedroom has both s-video and composite jacks on the back but they can't both be used at the same time. On the other hand, my home theater television I can alternate from s-vid to composite with the tv video button on the remote.
 

Bob McElfresh

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 22, 1999
Messages
5,182
You can try it, but I dont think it will work.

When a input like "Video 2" has both composite and SVideo, the TV often defaults to the highest quality source: SVideo. As soon as it detects a signal on the SVideo feed, it will ignore the Composite input. Even if the SVideo source powers off. You need to power off the TV to get it to recognize the Composite input.

You have not told us everything you are trying to do, but may I make a suggestion.

First, forget PIP.

Second, go to Radio Shack and buy the cheap $20 Composite to SVideo converter. Use this to feed only SVideo to your AV Receiver, then one SVideo feed from the receiver to the TV.

Hope this helps.
 

Mark Murphy

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 20, 2002
Messages
626
I'll look into getting an S-video converter. I like PIP for football so I'll be using it til at least the end of the month. I have two video game systems (Gamecube & PS2), a DVD player, a VCR and two Direct Tv recievers hooked up and I wanted to have everything connected all the time. At the moment, I have the DVD player connected with component cables/optical, the VCR w/RF cable, one DSS rec w/S-video and the other with composite. I've been connecting the game systems to the front A/V inputs in my TV when I use them but my two year old likes to pull them out.
 

Bob McElfresh

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 22, 1999
Messages
5,182
The problem with PIP is that it expects both the video and audio to be directly connected to the TV.

To get the best performance, the audio for nearly everything is run through the receiver.

Your best bet to have both worlds is to use the RF (CATV Coax) connection from 2 sources going directly into the TV. This works because your DSS receivers and VCR's both offer this, the audio and video are together, and you do not pass these connections through the receiver.

Good Luck.
 

Cary G

Auditioning
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Messages
9
If you want to convert RCA to Svideo or vice versa, Radio Shack has a nicely integrated plug that will do this for less than 10 bucks.

Wish I had known this some time ago when I needed to send all outputs to one Svideo, and some of the inputs were RCA only (from my VCR).
 

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