A/V cables

[rh71]

Have a tv, dvd, xbox, and home theatre system to hook up to each other. Where's the best (cheapest) place to get composite cables for them? Would a radio shack be ok or is there someplace online that's dirt cheap for good quality ? I don't mind waiting.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: rh71
Have a tv, dvd, xbox, and home theatre system to hook up to each other. Where's the best (cheapest) place to get composite cables for them? Would a radio shack be ok or is there someplace online that's dirt cheap for good quality ? I don't mind waiting.

Radio Shack is your best bet locally. Don't fall into the Monster Cable trap. It's hype, and you pay dearly for it.

 

[rh71]

Someone tells me s-video is a better cable than composite... is this true (obviously I don't know much about these things) ? Now if s-video takes care of the video, then I'd still have to buy RCA/composite for the audio... they sell just audio composites?

 

[bmacd]

svideo is better than RCAs, and Optical is better than RCAs too, but not every AV component supports it.

-=bmacd=-

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: rh71
Someone tells me s-video is a better cable than composite... is this true (obviously I don't know much about these things) ?

Yep. S-video separates the luminence from the color, giving a better picture.

Now if s-video takes care of the video, then I'd still have to buy RCA/composite for the audio... they sell just audio composites?

Yes. You can also also buy cables that have S-video, and two RCA plugs for audio all in one.

 

[Damage]

s-video is much better than composite.. If your DVD has a progressive out and your TV supports it, you should go for component output.. I have that for both my DVD and my PS2.. Works great.. I also use the optical digital connectors .vs the digital coax out for audio.. They just seem smaller and easier to use..

Post you setup and I'll help you out.. Crutchfield has a great PDF home theater guide to help you too.. and Monster cables web site has good info... just don't pay the $$$$$$$$, $$$$$$, $$$$$.$$ for thier cables.

 

[nord1899]

For composite (yellow video, red/white audio cables) Radio Shack should be fine. The quality of the image on those is low so the cables don't need to be that good.

S-Video is a very nice step up. Again, Radio Shack is okay for this. AudioQuest (something like that, cables with blue wrapping) is also good and no where near as expensive as Monster.

Component (three cables just for video) is the top. But as has been mentioned in other threads, only useful for high end TV sets.

Edit: My setup is like this.
SatTV Receiver with S-Video and Optical Out to A/V Receiver.
PS2 with S-Video and Optiocal Out to A/V Receiver.
DVD Player with Component to TV (Sony Wega) and Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
CD Player with Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
A/V Reciever with S-Video to TV.

Works, sounds and looks beautiful to me.

 

[alm99]

Unless RadioShack has changed, you will be payin $$ for their branded 'Radio Shack' cables. o save yourself a few bucks and go to BB and buy your cables.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Damage
Post you setup and I'll help you out.. Crutchfield has a great PDF home theater guide to help you too.. and Monster cables web site has good info... just don't pay the $$$$$$$$, $$$$$$, $$$$$.$$ for thier cables.

Very helpful guys... we'll be getting some good stuff soon... kinda shameful I don't know much about the connections yet...

Sony 57" widescreen
Sony DVP715 DVD
Onkyo TX-SR600 Receiver
Onkyo SKS-HT500 speakers
XBOX (w/ high definition AV pack)
VCR (composites)
DirecTV receiver (don't recall connections)

I believe the top 4 support component video so should I be okay with that plus regular composite audio? I don't know if I should do the optical audio for some and only composites for others, etc. Gets quite complicated with more hardware I throw into the mix.

 

[Damage]

ok.. do you want to run all the video through the reciever? It will switch two component sources.. The Sony.. (I have the 600 model).. Has several inputs..

you want to run Component from the progressive scan DVD to the TV, and if you can do the same for the xbox.. do that too..

Audio.. run TOSlink optical.. easy to connect.

You can run S-video for the rest.. I think..

It's probably easier to run the video direct to the TV and not through the reciever...

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: nord1899
For composite (yellow video, red/white audio cables) Radio Shack should be fine. The quality of the image on those is low so the cables don't need to be that good.

S-Video is a very nice step up. Again, Radio Shack is okay for this. AudioQuest (something like that, cables with blue wrapping) is also good and no where near as expensive as Monster.

Component (three cables just for video) is the top. But as has been mentioned in other threads, only useful for high end TV sets.

Edit: My setup is like this.
SatTV Receiver with S-Video and Optical Out to A/V Receiver.
PS2 with S-Video and Optiocal Out to A/V Receiver.
DVD Player with Component to TV (Sony Wega) and Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
CD Player with Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
A/V Reciever with S-Video to TV.

Works, sounds and looks beautiful to me.

I do my video switching with my receivers.

So my typical setup looks like this:

HDSat- Component and optical out to receiver
SATTivo- S-video out and optical to receiver
DVD - Component and coaxel digital out to receiver
CD - optical out to receiver
S-VHS - S-video and RCA out to receiver

Receiver - Component, S-video out to TV

I notice no loss of picture quality compared to running the component cables out straight to the TV, so video switching with the receiver makes life a little more simple for me 🙂

 

[Mutilator]

You'll be fine with composite audio with the component video... that's how the cables are anyway. Your eyes are much more sensitive to video quality then your ears are to audio quality.
If your VCR and Sat Receiver have S-video use that instead of composite video. Makes a big dif, especially on the onscreen guides.

 

[LikeLinus]

PartsExpress is awesome.


The Dayton line is their own "House Brand" and does a great job. The AR PRO II Series (Acoustic Research) are cheaper than anything Monster Cable puts out, but the quality is as good or better.

This isn't the "cheapest" option, but if you want high quality cables for low prices...this is where it's at.

All Cables

Audio Cables (Left and Right Channel)

Audio/Video (Audio Left/Right and Video)

The thing i like most is the cables that are so damn cheap. Monster Sells 3' Optical Cables for $39.99.

AR Pro 6' are 23.95 and the Dayton is 9.50!!! They rock to say the least.

You will want to use the Optical for your DVD player and XBOX. If your Direct TV receiver has an optical, no reason not to use it also. It also depends on how many optical ports your receiver has.

Use the composite (3 colors) from your DVD player to the HDTV for best picture and HD quality.

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: nord1899
For composite (yellow video, red/white audio cables) Radio Shack should be fine. The quality of the image on those is low so the cables don't need to be that good.

S-Video is a very nice step up. Again, Radio Shack is okay for this. AudioQuest (something like that, cables with blue wrapping) is also good and no where near as expensive as Monster.

Component (three cables just for video) is the top. But as has been mentioned in other threads, only useful for high end TV sets.

Edit: My setup is like this.
SatTV Receiver with S-Video and Optical Out to A/V Receiver.
PS2 with S-Video and Optiocal Out to A/V Receiver.
DVD Player with Component to TV (Sony Wega) and Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
CD Player with Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
A/V Reciever with S-Video to TV.

Works, sounds and looks beautiful to me.

I do my video switching with my receivers.

So my typical setup looks like this:

HDSat- Component and optical out to receiver
SATTivo- S-video out and optical to receiver
DVD - Component and coaxel digital out to receiver
CD - optical out to receiver
S-VHS - S-video and RCA out to receiver

Receiver - Component, S-video out to TV

I notice no loss of picture quality compared to running the component cables out straight to the TV, so video switching with the receiver makes life a little more simple for me 🙂

Yeah, I do all the S-Video switching with the Receiver. But I sent the Component (DVD) straight to the TV since there is only one of that type of connection. No point in buying two cables for it (1 to Receiver and 1 to TV).

Real easy to switch between SatTV and PS2, just one button on the Receiver remote. DVD is a bit more, a button on the receiver and TV remotes.

I have a VCR, but since I have a TiVo knock-off in the SatTV receiver, I didn't even bother to hook it up.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: nord1899

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: nord1899
For composite (yellow video, red/white audio cables) Radio Shack should be fine. The quality of the image on those is low so the cables don't need to be that good.

S-Video is a very nice step up. Again, Radio Shack is okay for this. AudioQuest (something like that, cables with blue wrapping) is also good and no where near as expensive as Monster.

Component (three cables just for video) is the top. But as has been mentioned in other threads, only useful for high end TV sets.

Edit: My setup is like this.
SatTV Receiver with S-Video and Optical Out to A/V Receiver.
PS2 with S-Video and Optiocal Out to A/V Receiver.
DVD Player with Component to TV (Sony Wega) and Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
CD Player with Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
A/V Reciever with S-Video to TV.

Works, sounds and looks beautiful to me.

I do my video switching with my receivers.

So my typical setup looks like this:

HDSat- Component and optical out to receiver
SATTivo- S-video out and optical to receiver
DVD - Component and coaxel digital out to receiver
CD - optical out to receiver
S-VHS - S-video and RCA out to receiver

Receiver - Component, S-video out to TV

I notice no loss of picture quality compared to running the component cables out straight to the TV, so video switching with the receiver makes life a little more simple for me 🙂

Yeah, I do all the S-Video switching with the Receiver. But I sent the Component (DVD) straight to the TV since there is only one of that type of connection. No point in buying two cables for it (1 to Receiver and 1 to TV).

Real easy to switch between SatTV and PS2, just one button on the Receiver remote. DVD is a bit more, a button on the receiver and TV remotes.

I have a VCR, but since I have a TiVo knock-off in the SatTV receiver, I didn't even bother to hook it up.

Buy a good all-in-one remote. A good one for around $100 is the Sony AV-3000. There isn't anything it can't do, that your other remotes can do. No more remote switching 🙂

 

[rh71]

I want all the audio to come out of my receiver/speakers. The tv has 2 component video-in so I guess I can go directly from DVD and XBOX component outs to my tv's component in's... the composite audios to those directly into the receiver. I assume it'll work just as well from what I'm gathering.

One other important thing... are component video cables + composite audio packs much more expensive than a pack of video/audio composites ? I'm thinking about 6 ft of each will do.

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: nord1899

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: nord1899
For composite (yellow video, red/white audio cables) Radio Shack should be fine. The quality of the image on those is low so the cables don't need to be that good.

S-Video is a very nice step up. Again, Radio Shack is okay for this. AudioQuest (something like that, cables with blue wrapping) is also good and no where near as expensive as Monster.

Component (three cables just for video) is the top. But as has been mentioned in other threads, only useful for high end TV sets.

Edit: My setup is like this.
SatTV Receiver with S-Video and Optical Out to A/V Receiver.
PS2 with S-Video and Optiocal Out to A/V Receiver.
DVD Player with Component to TV (Sony Wega) and Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
CD Player with Coax Digital to A/V Receiver.
A/V Reciever with S-Video to TV.

Works, sounds and looks beautiful to me.

I do my video switching with my receivers.

So my typical setup looks like this:

HDSat- Component and optical out to receiver
SATTivo- S-video out and optical to receiver
DVD - Component and coaxel digital out to receiver
CD - optical out to receiver
S-VHS - S-video and RCA out to receiver

Receiver - Component, S-video out to TV

I notice no loss of picture quality compared to running the component cables out straight to the TV, so video switching with the receiver makes life a little more simple for me 🙂

Yeah, I do all the S-Video switching with the Receiver. But I sent the Component (DVD) straight to the TV since there is only one of that type of connection. No point in buying two cables for it (1 to Receiver and 1 to TV).

Real easy to switch between SatTV and PS2, just one button on the Receiver remote. DVD is a bit more, a button on the receiver and TV remotes.

I have a VCR, but since I have a TiVo knock-off in the SatTV receiver, I didn't even bother to hook it up.

Buy a good all-in-one remote. A good one for around $100 is the Sony AV-3000. There isn't anything it can't do, that your other remotes can do. No more remote switching 🙂

I have a Pronto lying around somewhere. Just too damn lazy to program it. As such, I can easily deal with the remotes I have. The SatTV remote, the receiver remote and occasionaly the TV or DVD remotes (both are only used in playing DVD's).

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Amused
Buy a good all-in-one remote. A good one for around $100 is the Sony AV-3000. There isn't anything it can't do, that your other remotes can do. No more remote switching 🙂

I already have the Onkyo receiver that came with this remote... hopefully it'll do the job...

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: rh71
I want all the audio to come out of my receiver/speakers. The tv has 2 component video-in so I guess I can go directly from DVD and XBOX component outs to my tv's component in's... the composite audios to those directly into the receiver. I assume it'll work just as well from what I'm gathering.

One other important thing... are component video cables + composite audio packs much more expensive than a pack of video/audio composites ? I'm thinking about 6 ft of each will do.

Component video cables are just three RCA cables. Don't pay twice for something marked "component" when you don't have to... unless you want all the pretty colors on your cables to match the pretty colors on your jacks. If you find three RCA cables for half the price of the component cable, give them both a try and tell me if you see any loss of video quality. I can't.

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: rh71
I want all the audio to come out of my receiver/speakers. The tv has 2 component video-in so I guess I can go directly from DVD and XBOX component outs to my tv's component in's... the composite audios to those directly into the receiver. I assume it'll work just as well from what I'm gathering.

One other important thing... are component video cables + composite audio packs much more expensive than a pack of video/audio composites ? I'm thinking about 6 ft of each will do.

Well for one thing, use digital audio whenever you can rather than composite audio. Digital as in either optical or coax, either one is fine.

Just plug all the video feeds into either the TV or Receiver then the TV and plug all the audio feeds into the Receiver. All you do then is program the Receiver as to what audio source matches what video source and just hit that input button to select it. Sounds a bit complicated but it really isn't.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Amused
Buy a good all-in-one remote. A good one for around $100 is the Sony AV-3000. There isn't anything it can't do, that your other remotes can do. No more remote switching 🙂

I already have the Onkyo receiver that came with this remote... hopefully it'll do the job...

It will run all your most needed basic functions. But it wont do higher, menu based commands for the TV, DVD, etc. At least, not easily. And the button labels aren't changable and customizable as they are on an LCD touch screen remote.

Of course, I shouldn't be telling you this. I was perfectly content before I played with my brother's mega bucks touch screen remotes.

 

[LikeLinus]

TV: Mitsubishi 46" HDTV Widescreen
Receiver: Denon 3802
Speakers: Klipsch Reference 3 series II (RF3, RC3 , RS3)
Sub: Klipsch KSW 15"
DVD: Sony NS715P (Progressive)
CD: JVC 5 disk + 1 tray (want a new Denon CD player though)
DTV: RCA/Microsoft UltimateTV DirecTV

Consoles:
Microsoft Xbox (A/V HDTV Adapter = SWEET picture)
Sony PlayStation2
Nintendo Gamecube

HTPC:

My HDTV has 4 composite imputs. Here is how it is hooked up

1. DTV Receiver - Composite
2. DVD Player - Composite (progressive)
3. XBox
4. HTPC

I don't do any switching via the receiver because it's supposed to degrade quality a bit and the fact i dont have 4 conposite input/output on the back. I think my Denon only has 2.

I do my Audio as following

1. DVD to receiver via Optical AR PRO cable
2. UltimateTV to Reciever via Optical " "
3. Xbox to receiver via Optical " "
4. HTPC to receiver via Digital COAXIAL cable (Using the digital port out of my TB Santa Cruz)

I don't play my gamecube or ps2 as much anymore...but i leave them on the rack hooked up via AR Pro A/V cables.

I do have to switch my TV and Receiver when i need to change components, but it's a minor hassle to keep image and sound quality at it's best.

I use the Sony RM-AV3000 For my remote. It has macro modes so i can switch everything at once, power on everything at once..and do anything i want. It's a learning remote and can learn any IR/RF device (Including lights and all kinds of cool stuff). It's touch screen and buttons. I got it for $100 at CC and It's been great.

So i really dont have to press a bunch of buttons.

 

[LikeLinus]

Lol while i was typing that all together Amused talked about the remote i have. Hands down it's probably the best learning all-in-one remote there is. I didn't want to pay a ton of money for the pronto to get the same functionality the Sony has. I've been very happy with it. The thing that makes it easy is you just line your other remote up, press "learn" and then the button you want to learn, and then press the other remotes button. So basically you can map ANY button to any button on the Sony. I love that feature.

But the best feature is that "System Command" buttons. I think there are up to 12, with 3 of them being normal buttons, the rest via the "more" button. I have buton 1 setup to turn on the TV, DVD, Receiver, Sat and then turn to channel 206 (ESPN 😀 ) my button number 2 turns on everything and goes to Nick (for my son). Button 3 turns all the units to DVD ready to play. I haven't gone any further to setup more buttons...but i love having those quick 3 to turn everything on and off. So like when you press "1" again, it will power everything OFF, unlike how it powered everything "on" the first time.

 

[Amused]

LikeLinus,

It sounds like you figured out how to clear and reprogram System 1 and 3. I can't figure that out and doing exactly what the instruction book says does not clear the stock settings and allow me to create a new macro under 1 and 3.

How's it done?

 

[rh71]

Wow so this is what grown-ups are into. 😉 I feel like a newbie thinking all people who know how to use a PC are Gods.... except this is with A/V stuff.