Help!

[darcy s]

Hi, I just found this site and I'm hoping someone can help me with what is probably a simple connection that I cannot seem to figure out.

I have a Sony t.v. a digital cable box and a Denon 101 home theater system.

I am able to get the home theater system to work when I play DVD's, but not when I am watching cable. There are three connections (red, green, blue) on the Denon player that seem to be the only relevant cables.

I would have assumed this 3 cable combo would have had jacks for 3 in from the cable box, 3 out to the TV. No such luck.

So, I'm assuming the answers I will get will be either "simple do this" or this is no where near enough info. I took pics of the back of the three components, but I keep getting a message that the file is too big when I try to upload it. Can anyone tell me how to compress this so I can share the pics?

thanks to anyone who can help in any way. Sorry if this is a really dumb post, but I thought some experts might take sympathy on a rookie. thanks

Darcy

 

[MDS]

The 3 cables are component video and they are only for video. Even if your cable box had component video outs, you'd still need to make an audio connection. Because you have digital cable, you'd want to use a digital audio connection (optical or coax) so you can get digital audio from the stations that use digital audio.

You'll have to use whatever video format is supported by the cable box (either composite or s-video - both jacks are yellow).

The image file size limit is 100K. Your computer should have MS Paint installed by default if you are using Windows. You can use that to scale the image down and reduce its size.

 

[darcy s]

thanks

that's great info thank you for taking the time.

I have digital audio jacks on all three components. So all I need is the cable and I go from the cable box to the DVD to the T.V. correct?

Will this take care of all audio or just digital?

thanks again

 

[MDS]

Is the dvd player built-in to the receiver because this is an all-in-one home theater in a box system? If so, you must have already connected some kind of video cable to the TV to view the DVD.

It's doubtful that the system will convert from one video format to another so you'd have to use the same kind of video cable from the cable box to the receiver and from the receiver to the TV.

For audio, the digital audio connection will only give you audio from the stations that broadcast digital audio. If your cable system is like mine, some of the stations still use analog audio. You'll have to connect both analog (red/white cables) and digital audio.

 

[darcy s]

Yes, it's a theatre in a box and yes the DVD player and receiver are all in one. Okay, I get what your saying on the auio part (red & white cable), but were back to square one withthe analog then.

I have tried to connect the red & white audio cables from the cable box, to the receiver and then the tv. I got nowhere.

As far as the video, I think I know what your saying, but unless I am missing something, that was my original question. Those three video cables (Red,Green & Blue), were the only ones there i.e. only the one set on the receiver. I have those going from the receiver to the TV right now. As a result, the DVD''s play, the speakers work and it's all good. What I don't have is any audio from the receiver when the t.v. is on. Hopefully I will have it for digital channels once I get the cables/connections done that you have mentioned, but I'm still at a loss on the analog connections. I "think" I have tried to go in/out from cable box to receiver, to TV, but with no luck.

thanks again

 

[highfihoney]

There may be a simple way around your cable box,does your tv have an "audio out"on it,the audio out should be a white & red rca output,if you have this you can run rca cables from the tv to auxillary "aux" on your reciever,you tv will work through the home theater this way but you will have to select "aux" on the remote every time.

 

[MDS]

I tried to go the Denon site and get the manual so I could see the capabilities for myself but the page for the S-101 info gives an error.

I thought you said the cable box doesn't have the r/b/g component video outputs. Do you have any other video cable from the cable box to the receiver and can see video but get no audio?

 

[darcy s]

Success!!!

I tried to use the TV audio out and it worked!! Great call Hi-Fi Honey, thank you so much.

MDS, I had the same problem when I went to the Denon site (which is why I came here).

I cannot thank you enough. I have been stewing on this for weeks and never knew about this forum. You have been great and I thank you sincerely.

Have agreat weekend!!

Darcy

 

[MDS]

I found the manual in the archives section.

The manual doesn't give all the pertinent details but it looks like you can use component video to the TV for the DVD BUT if you want to output over composite or s-video you must make sure that the DVD is set to interlaced instead of progressive.

If you want just one connection to the TV (so you don't have to change inputs on the TV) use s-video from the cable box to the receiver and from the receiver's 'monitor out' to the TV. Make sure the DVD is set to 'interlaced'.

It also looks like the receiver will automatically detect analog vs digital audio, so you can connect both digital audio (either coax or optical - whichever the cable box has) AND analog audio from the cable box to the receiver.

 

[Davemcc]

I tried to use the TV audio out and it worked!! Great call Hi-Fi Honey, thank you so much.

MDS, I had the same problem when I went to the Denon site (which is why I came here).

I cannot thank you enough. I have been stewing on this for weeks and never knew about this forum. You have been great and I thank you sincerely.

Have agreat weekend!!

Darcy

If you have it hooked up the way I think and your audio is going cable box->TV->receiver and you are using the red and white rca outs on your TV, you won't be getting digital audio to the receiver. Does the receiver identify a Dobly or Digital signal at all?

 

[darcy s]

thanks

I will try doing what you have suggested in your second paragragh MDS, but honestly, I haven't a clue what your first paragragh means. This may sound horrible on an audiophile site, but I have sound coming out of my speakers for both my tv and dvd. I'm pretty happy relative to where I was. For that, I thank everyone regardless of whether this makes a difference or not.

Darcy

 

[darcy s]

Dave

By identify, do you mean some type of indicator on the front?

Can I not add the cables mentioned earlier to get the digital signal?

 

[Davemcc]

I downloaded the owner's manual to see just what was going on. First impressions are that this is a little short on connectivity.

First, I suggest not using this to switch video at all. Just plug this into the TV via the red/green/blue set for DVD's and plug the cable box into the TV as well via its best mode (component, DVI, HDMI) and switch video sources from the TV input selection menu.

Second, I suggest running audio from the cable box to the Denon via optical or coaxial if your cable box supports these. On the Denon, Aux 1 & 2 are coaxial and Aux 3 is optical. Select your source for listening according to whichever you choose. This gives you a digital signal and should light up one of the digital icons on the front screen, according to the source. (DTS, dolby symbol, PLII)

Finally, you can run the red/white audio from the cable box to your TV as well (unless you are using HDMI into the TV), so you can watch TV with the internal speakers without using the Denon.

Try this and see if it helps.