Noob Help! What connects to what?

[JustinJDog]

Be kind to the noob. Basic Home Theater set-up. I getting ready to start wiring and I want to make sure I'm covered before I start hanging drywall.

My questions are the connections, mostly the dvd recorder

DVD Player
video - connected to projector
audio - connected to receiver
VCR Player
video - connected to projector
audio - connected to receiver
PC
video - connected to projector
audio - ??connected to receiver
DVD recorder
video - ?????????
audio - ???? receiver

I will use my PC to copy any DVD's. So the recorder is basically for any VHS tapes or camcorder. Not sure where I run it thru. Also, right now I have no video connection to my projector from my receiver. Do I need one? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[mytzen]

The dvd recorder should have a manual with diagrams on how you should connect it to your vcr.

With the connections you listed I dont see why you would need video running to the receiver, it looks like all of the video is going directly to the projector which should work fine.

 

[JustinJDog]

Thanks for the response. I thought you would say that about the manual. That's the first thing I did and for some reason the manual is in Spanish. My wife bought it a couple of years ago. Maybe she bought it in Mexico. I can speak a little spanish but not when it comes to this stuff. I looked closely at the recorder and It looks like a fine piece of equipment. Since I may use it once or twice a year, I'm gonna keep it. Can't justify being a new one for that reason. Off to find my Spanish Dictionary.

 

[jmrife]

Thanks for the response. I thought you would say that about the manual. That's the first thing I did and for some reason the manual is in Spanish. My wife bought it a couple of years ago. Maybe she bought it in Mexico. I can speak a little spanish but not when it comes to this stuff. I looked closely at the recorder and It looks like a fine piece of equipment. Since I may use it once or twice a year, I'm gonna keep it. Can't justify being a new one for that reason. Off to find my Spanish Dictionary.

I don't see a mention of the manufacturer of your DVD recorder. Many of the more reputable brands have OMs for download on their web sites. There is also a company that provides hard copies of most OMs. Can't remember the name, maybe you can find the company with a Google search?

 

[mnnc]

Be kind to the noob. Basic Home Theater set-up. I getting ready to start wiring and I want to make sure I'm covered before I start hanging drywall.

My questions are the connections, mostly the dvd recorder

DVD Player
video - connected to projector
audio - connected to receiver
VCR Player
video - connected to projector
audio - connected to receiver
PC
video - connected to projector
audio - ??connected to receiver
DVD recorder
video - ?????????
audio - ???? receiver

I will use my PC to copy any DVD's. So the recorder is basically for any VHS tapes or camcorder. Not sure where I run it thru. Also, right now I have no video connection to my projector from my receiver. Do I need one? Any help would be appreciated.

How many inputs does your pj have and by running all components to it you are not getting the best pic possible. What I mean is the inputs are limited. My pj has m1/dvi, component, s-vid, and composite. If I ran all sources to it directly I would have to sacrifice pic quality as I would run out of inputs. In my case I connect source components to recvrs component in's and then run a single 25ft component vid cable out to the ceiling mounted pj. One cable from recv'r to pj! You should consider running as much through the recv'r and then a single vid cable out of recv'r to the pj. Unless your recv'r has hdmi in/out you could opt to run digi vid from dvd straight to pj for a pure digi signal. The whole purpose is to obtain the best pic quality and ease your switching capabilities which is why when you have components run through the recv'r you can switch between sources with the press of a button or two.

 

[JustinJDog]

mnnc,
That answers it & would make it easy. I have the panansonic PT-AX100u and it looks like it has one of everything. HDMI, componet, s-video. I have read that it's best to send the video from the DVD player straight to the projector for the best picture. You're saying that's not the case??? If it doesn't matter I would really like to do just what you've said. One cable to the projector thru the receiver(other than PC).

 

[MDS]

The theory behind sending everything directly to the video display is the same old 'shortest path' argument - that the shortest path results in the best picture quality. The reality is that in the vast majority of instances a receiver with adequate video switching bandwidth will not degrade the image quality in any noticeable manner.

I would take mnnc's advice and switch everything thru the reciever. Fewer cables and the ease of switching far outweighs that small scintilla of extra 'image quality' that may or may not be gained by running everything directly to the display.

 

[Seth=L]

There might not be noticable difference in video, I think that HDMI will carry audio and video to your receiver even on a DVD player, but I am not sure.

 

[no. 5]

yes it will, but a few recivers will only act as a HDMI passthrough, not using the audio streem at all (then what's the point of using HDMI ), however, the only reciver I can think of right now that does that is the Sony STR-DG800.