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Hi. I have a Panasonic RP62 player (with S Video and component capability) and a mediocre, small Proscan TV (also with S Video capability), and I'd like to supplement the puny sound of the TV by plugging in a spare Yamaha audio receiver and a couple of bookshelf speakers. But I'm not sure what connects to what.I assume that I'd want to connect the DVD player to the TV using an S Video cable. But how do the audio components factor in? Do they connect to the TV or the DVD player? Or do I connect the DVD player to the TV using not only the S video but also the relevant audio inputs, and then connect receiver to the TV separately? I have a digital cable box -- does this factor into anything? I'm really not sure, so any advice would be much appreciated.
Alternatively, does anyone know of a cheap but effective way to improve TV sound (e.g. using something akin to a Bose Wave or equivalent (I have Cambridge Model 88)? Same interconnect question would obtain.
Last question -- when I hook my Cambridge Soundworks 88 up directly to my TV, the sound is pretty awful when I watch cable TV. Is there an intermediate device I'd need to clean this up?
Many thanks and happy ny.
Jim
First off, your TV won't support a progressive signal (480p) on its S-video input. Only component video can carry 480p and above. That means you're not getting the benefit of the Panny's excellent progressive output for DVDs. So plan on getting a new TV in the not too distant future.As regards audio, you generally want to run all your audio sources into a modern receiver using digital interconnects (either optical or digital coax). Then you set up the receiver to switch between the various inputs and apply appropriate surround and/or other processing modes.
Based on your "couple of bookshelf speakers" comment, I'll assume surround is out of the question as is a subwoofer. I'll also assume your receiver is not capable of handling modern digital interconnects. Therefore, you will be connecting RCA analog interconnect cables between your sources and the receiver. So, get a pair of RCA cables and plug them into the L/R audio output on the Panny. Run the other end into a pair of inputs on the receiver (something labelled "DVD" would be nice). Similarly, run a pair of cables from your cable box's L/R audio outputs to a second input pair on the receiver ("Cable/SAT" would be the usual input name). Run your S-video or composite connections directly to the TV using separate inputs for each (ie. INPUT1 or VID1 for the Panny and INPUT2 or VID2 for the cable box). Finally, run a pair of RCA cables from the TV's L/R audio output to a third pair of inputs on the receiver ("TV" would be nice).
To watch analog cable (assuming you have the cable split to feed both the TV (analog) and the cable box (digital)), fire up the TV only and you'll be listening through the TV's speakers (I call this "wife" mode). To get better sound watching analog TV, fire up the receiver, switch it to the third set of inputs ("TV") and mute the TV speakers. You now are processing the analog cable's audio through your receiver.
To watch digital cable, fire up the TV and switch it to INPUT2 or VID2. Fire up the receiver and switch it to the second set of inputs ("Cable/SAT").
To watch a DVD, fire up the player, the TV and the receiver. Set the TV to INPUT2 or VID2 and switch the receiver to the first set of inputs ("DVD").
To listen to a CD, do the same as watching a DVD only leave the TV powered off.
Hope this helps.
Austin
I've had the best luck running video sources (DVD & cable) directly into TV, and audio (DVD & cable boxes' audio out) into receiver.Unless your receiver is an audiovisual, or A/V, one that passes through S-video signals, you might have to use the composite (sinbgle yellow-coded RCA-connector cable) from cable box to TV. If your receiver is NOT an A/V with internal digital decoders, you'll have to run a pair of regular RCA-ended interconnects from DVD player into whatever receiver input you want (except phono, which is a different input impedance). Same for cable box -- pair of interconnects into receiver. Then you chance the TV's inputs for video and the receiver's inputs for audio. This should work.
An A/V receiver makes everything SO much simpler (one digital cable for 5.1 surround sound, accepts multiple S-video inputs with only one output to TV) that it's worth the $200-300 that a decent one costs these days. I've heard the lower-priced Panasonics are very good values for the $$$, and I happen to own and like Yamaha.
Good luck and post any additional follow-on questions if this isn't adequately clear.
You're right -- my receiver is an old audio-only one, though I also have an integrated Linn Majik amp that I could use that may be slightly more useful (but priobably not).Just to be clear, what will the TV be connected to, aside from cable box and DVD player?
Thanks again for the very helpful answers.
Jim
Jim,TV will get "processed" video feeds from both the cable box and the DVD player. TV may or may not get "unprocessed" feed directly from incoming cable. Let me explain this.
"Digital" cable channels are added onto the existing analog channels. The physical cable wire thus carries both the analog and digital channels. If you split the cable into two feeds (one directly to the TV and one to the cable box then via S-video or composite to the TV), you will be able to watch the analog channels either directly on your TV or via the cable box. You will, of course, only be able to view the digital channels via the cable box input. In many cases, the cable box degrades the picture quality of the analog channels. Therefore, to watch analog channels, you would switch away from the cable box and onto the direct feed to your TV. If this is not true in your situation, you may do away with the direct feed and view all your TV through the cable box.
As far as audio, everything goes into your receiver and on out to your bookshelves. You've already seen (heard) that running ANY audio to your TV speakers is a waste of time. The only exception is the "wife" mode configuration where you allow viewing of direct fed analog channels and audio via the TV's speakers.
Let me know how it goes - I think you might be very impressed with what you end up with once you shitcan the TV speakers.
Austin
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