Just can't get it all working!!!!

[kwboom]

Hi there, And even befor I start........ right now I can't afford a new reciever so that is out of the question.........

Well here is my problem...... My current reciever only has 2 video inputs (Kenwood VR-406) and I have way too much to hook up to it........

Here is my list........


.....Reciever.....Kenwood VR-406

.....T.V............Older Sharp 36" with 2 video inputs no video out and the s-video and the component video do not work if both are connected (no composit)

.....DVD............Phillips with Progressive.(optical out for sound)

.....Satillite........s-video and component and antenna

.....Cable...........component and antenna

.....PS2.............component

.....VCR.............component and antenna

.....Magnavox DVD recorder......s-video in and out and component in and out and antenna

......Technics CD player...... with RCA audio and optical


Is there any way to hook all this up so that I can run all this with minimal switching back and forth of wires and also be able to record off the videos of all the units (not at the same time of coarse) to the DVD recorder, or the VCR..........

I also have a 4 way switcher with component or s-video options (cheaper one) that I can use.......



Sorry for the long post but this one is over my head and like I said befor.......I am too broke to buy another reciever, so I just have to make do.....

 

[Seth=L]

How many digital inputs does the Kenwood have (optical and Coax counted seperate)?

Your options are using switch boxes and having tons of cables running everywhere, or getting a receiver. Unfortunately, you have to decide between two things you don't want to do.

By far the easiest solution is the receiver upgrade. Start saving those pennies I would say, short of that you are sure to have many complications.

PS: Too many of the components listed have component outputs according to the post, but VCRs for example don't have component video output unless you have one of those HD VCRs but those are incredibly rare and expensive. Composite is a yellow single wire video connection, S-video is a mini-din single wire connection and Component is Red, Green, Blue (RGB) three wire connection.

I know that none of this is really helping you because it doesn't get you exactly what you want, but you have to face it, if you want nice features you have to pay a price for them.

 

[Johnd]

Yeah, I have to agree with Seth on this one. That's an awful lot of "stuff" to be passing through "two video inputs." I count six video components. With your 4-way, that leaves out one...buy another 4-way. That would leave you two available slots. Can you say cable management?

 

[Audioholics]

Wow... lots of source components. I'd save your money but even with a new receiver you're ultimately always going to need an external switch unless you migrate some products to HDMI or get a new display with some additional inputs.

 

[kwboom]

thanx for the replies there guys........

I have no problem running my ps2 through the inputs on the front of the tv. So that will free up one of the inputs. The biggest thing that I want is the ability to record anything I want to the DVD recorder...

I am thinking on running everything through the 4 way (except the PS2 and the DVD recorder) and running that into the video 1 on the Kenwood and using the video 2 as a monitor with the DVD recorder on that. The Kenwood can switch that. Would this work do you think????

 

[Seth=L]

What kind of video connections are you using for the DVD recorder, DVD player, and the DVR?

Newer receivers can switch many video sources (composite, S-video, Component, HDMI). One of the coolest and most convinient features they have now is they can take all your composite video inputs and S-video and convert it to component. So you feed all your sources to the receiver and it sends video for all the components over one set of component video cables. This will allow you to use the component video connections on the TV and you will never have to switch the input on the TV unless you wanted to watch TV using the antenna.

 

[kwboom]

Well here is a update.....

I think I got it all working......

I have the Satillite, Cable and the VCR going into the 4 way switcher using composit. Than going to the Video 1 on the reciever than using the monitor out video and the audio out from video 1 I am going into the DVD recorder and using s-video going out to the TV for the video. The DVD player is hooked to the DVD input of the reciever with composit video (does not have s-video in the reciever) and using optical for the sound. The PS2 is than running on the video 2 of the reciever.

This way I have less switching that the wife has to worry about to watch what she wants, there is no switching of the input on the tv, and I hope that I can record off of eather the sat, cable or off vhs. Not too worried about recording off the DVD cause I do that on the PC.

I will update when I get a chance to try recording off all of them. I just don't want to waste disks just for trial and error.

PS I am running the sound from the DVD recorder to the 4th input of the switcher to get volume from it to the reciever.