reciever setup

stott281
stott281 Posts: 18
edited November 2001 in Technical/Setup
I appreciate all the advice I've gotten so far. I have a question about hooking up my reciever. In the manual it says to hook the video inputs into the reciever and then I guess run them to the TV. Right now I just have the S-video cable running from my DVD player to my TV. Am I supposed to run the S-video to the input on my reciver and then run another S-video cable from the output on the reciever to my TV? What is the purpose or benefit of this? I have a new Sony Vega 32" and the picture is amazing as it is, I don't see how it could get any better. Also, right now I am just using the analog audio out on my DVD player. I have the polk RM6000's and my reciever has dolby digital. Should I notice a big difference if I used the optical audio out? I usually play movies using Pro Logic 2 with the center channel off and it sounds awesome. Just wondering if I am missing anything. Thanks in advance!!
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  • jcaut
    jcaut Posts: 1,849
    edited November 2001
    The only real reason you would want to run your video sources through your receiver is for switching purposes. For example, if you have a DVD player, satellite receiver, and VCR, and your TV only has 1 video input. You could run them all to the receiver and then whatever source is selected on the receiver would be output to the TV. Also, if your receiver has an on-screen display, you could see that also.

    Keep in mind that few (if any) receivers will convert composite video signals to S-Video, so all your components would have to have S-video connections if you were going to connect them that way.

    If all you're hooking up is a DVD player, then I'd say it would be best to leave it as you have it, with the S-video cable from the DVD to the TV.

    As for the audio, unless your DVD has a built-in DD decoder and you're using the 5.1 analog outputs, you're missing out on the Dolby Digital sound by not making a digital connection from your DVD to your receiver. You may have to make some changes in the setup menu on your DVD player to make sure it is outputting the Dolby Digital information. It should make quite a difference.

    Hope that helps.
    Jason
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  • stott281
    stott281 Posts: 18
    edited November 2001
    Thanks for the advice. This is my first real home theater setup. (we had the DVD player running through a little AIWA shelf unit.) This setup blows me away. Have a good one!!
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  • schumach
    schumach Posts: 199
    edited November 2001
    Also keep in mind that many receivers use on-screen display for setup. This would be another reason to have the S-video cable from the DVD player connected to the receiver and the receiver connected to the TV.

    I have the Wega 36" and I have to agree that it has a great picture. Does the 32 inch have different picture modes. I have 4 different settings that I can preprogram. This way I can set my picture best for TV, VCR and DVD viewing.
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  • jcaut
    jcaut Posts: 1,849
    edited November 2001
    I'm not personally familiar with any receivers that output the on-screen display using S-video. More than likely, if you're going to use a receiver's onscreen display, you'll have to use the composite video jacks.

    I imagine that the Sony Wega TV's mentioned above have more than one input, anyway.

    stott281,
    I'm sure you're enjoying your new gear. I'll bet if you make that digital connection to your receiver you'll find DD to be a substantial improvement over ProLogic II.

    Jason
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  • schumach
    schumach Posts: 199
    edited November 2001
    I have a HK AVR500 and it will do the on-screen display in S-video or composite. The newer models will even do it using component video. The Wega has an S-video connection in the front and back. I also have both S-video and composite going from my receiver to the TV and the two will attempt to use S-video, but if the source being received by the receiver is composite, the receiver will send the composite video to the TV and the TV will auto-switch. I hope this sounds clear.
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  • jcaut
    jcaut Posts: 1,849
    edited November 2001
    Really? I didn't know that. The only ones I've ever used would only pass-thru the s-vid or component video.

    Guess I learned something!
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  • sgtgto
    sgtgto Posts: 310
    edited November 2001
    Hi:

    Won't most receivers allow on screen display if they just have one video out to the tv. I don't believe you have to have any video going in.

    Gary
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  • schumach
    schumach Posts: 199
    edited November 2001
    You are correct in saying you do not any video going into the receiver. If you are going to plug the video device into the same port that the receiver is plugged into, you would have to use a "Y" cable to do this. I have never tried this on video. Or you will have to have each device plugged into a seperate video input on the TV and switch between inputs.
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