Some Good Setup Questions

[Mark Schultz]

I've spend a couple of hours on this site but haven't found a couple of answers (or at least clarifications) for what seem like fairly standard questions as follows: (For reference I'm setting up a medium priced home theatre system in a dedicated 15x20' room)

Is there that big a difference in DVD players from a cheap say Pioneer DV 260 ($80) to the next step up around $250??? I don't really care that much about SACD etc. I'm mainly interested in watching movies?

If I have a DVD player with multi channel outputs and a receiver with multi ins is this primarily for SACD etc or will movies utilize this fuctionality to improve sound (i.e. am I better to let the DVD player decode separate channels or the receiver??)

If I pass say an composite video signal from my VCR to my receiver and then output to my TV (from the receiver) via S-Video or component is the picture going to be better than if I pass it directly from the VCR to the TV (i.e does the receiver just pass the signal through or is it capable of "upgrading" it??)

Opinions whether "brand name cables" are worth the money? Also can someone clarify which cables are the same (i.e. I've read elsewhere that digital audio cables are the same as digital video cables are the same as subwoofer cables are the same as 75 ohm RJ6 wire????)

Thanks in advance

 

[Mudcat]

Is there that big a difference in DVD players from a cheap say Pioneer DV 260 ($80) to the next step up around $250??? I don't really care that much about SACD etc. I'm mainly interested in watching movies?

Yes. Even if you don't care about SACD, generally moving up in price means better parts, software (scaling,decoding, etc.), etc.. You may want to repost this particular in the DVD/CD forum.

If I have a DVD player with multi channel outputs and a receiver with multi ins is this primarily for SACD etc or will movies utilize this fuctionality to improve sound (i.e. am I better to let the DVD player decode separate channels or the receiver??)

It is for SACD and DVD-A. Movies will not use this. Those multi-channel outs and ins (remember the "ole in and out" from Clockwork Orange?) are analog. The movies soundtrack is carried on the digital signal.

If I pass say an composite video signal from my VCR to my receiver and then output to my TV (from the receiver) via S-Video or component is the picture going to be better than if I pass it directly from the VCR to the TV (i.e does the receiver just pass the signal through or is it capable of "upgrading" it??)

The receiver will not improve the incoming signal when it up-converts. Sort of like why a Star Trek technology food replicator or transporter beam will never exist. The basic components need to be at the destination too, they can't be materialized out of thin air.

Opinions whether "brand name cables" are worth the money?

Almost all of the cables in my system are made by me. That being said, almost all brand name cables are worth the money, to a point. All of my cables cost more to make than decent cables from AR, Monster, Blue Jeans, whoever would have cost me.

Also can someone clarify which cables are the same (i.e. I've read elsewhere that digital audio cables are the same as digital video cables are the same as subwoofer cables are the same as 75 ohm RJ6 wire????)

That is most likely correct.