Options for TV with limited inputs

[sommert]

Just picked up a HDTV for the basement. Its a cheaper vizio with no s video or RCA inputs for video. Only component and HDMI. I have two game systems and older DVD and VHS I need to connect. Is the only option going out and getting a receiver that does hdmi or component uplink? I really don't need the power of a receiver. The TV speakers are fine and I am tying to keep costs down. I just need something to handle a wide variety of inputs both new and old and send the audio and video to the tv. I was hoping someone was making something to address this issue.

Thanks For any advice....

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

quite honestly - probably this $88 toy will do 90% of what you're looking for ,
but for not much more you could full featured receiver with much better quality of everything, including much better video processor.
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/MARSR6001/Marantz-Sr6001-Receiver-100w-X-7ch-Hdmi-Home-Theater-Surround/1.html#!specifications


It's essentially - would you buy brand new Chinese brand car or re-certified 5 series BMW sedan for a bit more

 

[TLS Guy]

Just picked up a HDTV for the basement. Its a cheaper vizio with no s video or RCA inputs for video. Only component and HDMI. I have two game systems and older DVD and VHS I need to connect. Is the only option going out and getting a receiver that does hdmi or component uplink? I really don't need the power of a receiver. The TV speakers are fine and I am tying to keep costs down. I just need something to handle a wide variety of inputs both new and old and send the audio and video to the tv. I was hoping someone was making something to address this issue.

Thanks For any advice....

Why in the name of creation did you buy that TV if it was not suitable for your needs? Return it for one that better suits your circumstances of use.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Gotta agree with both people here. Obviously, you should have checked to ensure that the TV had the adequate inputs/outputs for your equipment. Most TVs these days have far more than one HDMI input, so that really is a big suprise that it ONLY has one input.

The component input, which likely is shared as a composite video input, is also typical as 99% of all new equipment has HDMI on it.

My brand new 64" Samsung plasma? 5 HDMI inputs, 1 shared component/composite input.

What do I do?

ANSWER: If you don't want an A/V receiver with upconversion, then just get gear which sports HDMI output on everything!

The Wii has a component cable which you should be using anyway for best video quality.

Magnavox has a combination Blu-ray/DVD/VHS player which has HDMI output and will allow you to play back Blu-ray (HD!!!) discs while giving you the backwards capability of playing back VHS tapes using a HDMI output.

Then your cable box and any other modern game system will have HDMI output.

There certainly are some cheap component video switchers available though, and realistically, that's all you should need.

In the future... when asking for help, feel free to provide actual model numbers of all your gear.

IE: "I just bought a Vizio 46DNLPOS and I have a XBox 360, PS3, Wii, Cable Box (HD DVR), and a old DVD/VCR (Philips JNK1) that I need to connect."

This will help us perhaps give you some better answers to things.

On a shared component/composite input, you can still use a basic component video switcher, but land the video on the input designated for composite video.

S-Video is dead, don't bother thinking about it.

Something like this will work, and likely will sell for under $20...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Phillips-AV-Switch-Component-Composite-S-Video-/200648881149?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb79af3fd