only downside that coax has when compared to optical is that you could run into some RF/electrical interference. optical has jitter to worry about. basically both should give you the same sound, after all - digital is digital.
- Aug 28, 2001
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About video switching... how do you send that 1 signal from my receiver (containing audio/video signals) to the tv? I have 4 video in's and 1 DVD in, but only 1 video out and 0 DVD outs. These are all composite connections (bought cables from Walmart as recommended - going to component/optical later).
Well, what kind of IN/OUT do you have? By kind, I mean composite, s-video and component. Thats how you need to group them.
EDIT: Okay, looking at your receiver's back end (select zoom and then rear view) here we go.
You have two component inputs and one component output, those get grouped together (this would be DVD and XBOX I assume).
You have 4 video inputs (composite and s-video grouped together) and 2 video outputs (video 1 and monitor). Monitor is the one you want here. Note, you can only use one of the two per input selection.
That help?
- Aug 28, 2001
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Just using composites for now... just doing a simple DVD composite connection to receiver, then to tv...
Onkyo Receiver connectors ... thanx.
Okay, here we go in a clean post.
For component, send the DVD and XBOX to the receiver's inputs. Send the output to the TV. Be sure to group the appropriate audio input to the component input here.
For S-Video/composite, send the SatTV and VCR to the receivers inputs. Send the monitor out to the TV. Again, be sure to group the audio to the appropriate video input here.
One thing to consider and I honestly don't have the answer for you. Could a composite input be swtiched over to a S-Video output. That is, could your VCR be sent into Video 2 as composite and sent to the TV on Monitor via S-Video? I've always wondered this and have no idea.
For component, send the DVD and XBOX to the receiver's inputs. Send the output to the TV. Be sure to group the appropriate audio input to the component input here.
For S-Video/composite, send the SatTV and VCR to the receivers inputs. Send the monitor out to the TV. Again, be sure to group the audio to the appropriate video input here.
One thing to consider and I honestly don't have the answer for you. Could a composite input be swtiched over to a S-Video output. That is, could your VCR be sent into Video 2 as composite and sent to the TV on Monitor via S-Video? I've always wondered this and have no idea.
Amused
Elite Member
- Apr 14, 2001
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Most receivers will not do that. There is, however, and inline converter you can buy that converts S-video to composite, and vice-versa. Radio Shack has them and so does PartsExpress.
So you convert your composites to S-video between the unit and the receiver. Then just use the S-video out on the receiver instead of both the composite out AND the S-video out.
This place has a bunch of converters:
http://www.hometech.com/video/svconv.html
- Aug 28, 2001
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Don't have the Sony TV/DVD yet for the component cable stuff (on order)... so just plugging into a regular tv and dvd player for now... and the xbox. So the DVD and XBOX are connected to receiver via composite, and a single video composite from MONITOR OUT (which I didn't even know about until Nord's last post (thanks!) to composite TV IN.
BTW, wasn't I reading how if we pass these video signals in through the receiver... and then back out, it degrades the quality?
BTW, wasn't I reading how if we pass these video signals in through the receiver... and then back out, it degrades the quality?
Yeah, on any decent receiver (which yours is more than decent) you most likely will not be able to tell the difference.
And good luck on getting it setup!
(Hard to type when half drunk).
woot, time to go and rant...
types of cabling used for ANALOG video in the united states. they are listed in order of quality.
F-Type (coax-shielded, used for antenna, used for audio and video)
composite (coax-shielded, rca)
svideo (twisted-pair-shielded, DIN)
component (coax-shielded, RCAx3)
Any current television or video source made today will have composite. There is no point in F-Type anymore except for signal to some receiver or cable\satellite box. Composite makes use of one coax cable where the entire video feed is sent on one conductor. Svideo does one better by using 2 conductors (2xtwisted pair) for the video feed. The increase in quality is very obvious since most machines with svideo out use high resolution media with high quality video, such as DVDs, video game consoles and digital cable\sat. Component does one better using 3 coax cables. The quality increase is not as obvious compared to svideo, but when it matters, the difference is noticable. Only higher end DVD players, and digital devices use them. Component is pretty much the best out there in terms of analog connections for video.
As for audio, there are 2 types of cabling used. One is speaker wire, which are just 2 wires side by side, or sometimes even twisted. These are generally to connect speakers to a source (amp or stereo or what not). The other is a coax cable with rca ends which is what most people use to connect between machines.
Dont get conned into getting those very expensive "monster cables" which can cost $100 for a very short cable. Sure the quality is there, but you can get the same quality for MUCH LESS. There is also another term used, "oxygen free". This is something that you dont have to get, but i do recommend it. The quality of the copper is much better in these cables, and that means a better signal quality through the cable.
Some things to consider:
Svideo is a very singular use cable. you cant use the cable for anything else. component, composite, and audio cables all use coax cables with rca ends (generally called rca cable). this means that you can use the same cable for all of those applications. of course, a cheap rca cable is bad. everything else is just marketting, and cable labels. this comes in handy when you cant find a cable ;-) note: video cables are often of much higher quality than audio cables. you will find some bundled "dubbing" cables have a nice thick cabling for the video, but thin ones for the audio. I use ones where all three are equally thick (as opposed to equally thin). if you can find some nice bulk coax cabling, you can make yourself some nice audio and video cables without the fuss of svideo which uses a different cable and connector.
as for the receiver issue, the higher quality signal you get INTO the receiver, the better it is coming OUT of the receiver.
digital audio...
the signal is digital. unless you have some insane noise, optical is not worth the price. besides, spdif uses rca cabling, so... see above.
types of cabling used for ANALOG video in the united states. they are listed in order of quality.
F-Type (coax-shielded, used for antenna, used for audio and video)
composite (coax-shielded, rca)
svideo (twisted-pair-shielded, DIN)
component (coax-shielded, RCAx3)
Any current television or video source made today will have composite. There is no point in F-Type anymore except for signal to some receiver or cable\satellite box. Composite makes use of one coax cable where the entire video feed is sent on one conductor. Svideo does one better by using 2 conductors (2xtwisted pair) for the video feed. The increase in quality is very obvious since most machines with svideo out use high resolution media with high quality video, such as DVDs, video game consoles and digital cable\sat. Component does one better using 3 coax cables. The quality increase is not as obvious compared to svideo, but when it matters, the difference is noticable. Only higher end DVD players, and digital devices use them. Component is pretty much the best out there in terms of analog connections for video.
As for audio, there are 2 types of cabling used. One is speaker wire, which are just 2 wires side by side, or sometimes even twisted. These are generally to connect speakers to a source (amp or stereo or what not). The other is a coax cable with rca ends which is what most people use to connect between machines.
Dont get conned into getting those very expensive "monster cables" which can cost $100 for a very short cable. Sure the quality is there, but you can get the same quality for MUCH LESS. There is also another term used, "oxygen free". This is something that you dont have to get, but i do recommend it. The quality of the copper is much better in these cables, and that means a better signal quality through the cable.
Some things to consider:
Svideo is a very singular use cable. you cant use the cable for anything else. component, composite, and audio cables all use coax cables with rca ends (generally called rca cable). this means that you can use the same cable for all of those applications. of course, a cheap rca cable is bad. everything else is just marketting, and cable labels. this comes in handy when you cant find a cable ;-) note: video cables are often of much higher quality than audio cables. you will find some bundled "dubbing" cables have a nice thick cabling for the video, but thin ones for the audio. I use ones where all three are equally thick (as opposed to equally thin). if you can find some nice bulk coax cabling, you can make yourself some nice audio and video cables without the fuss of svideo which uses a different cable and connector.
as for the receiver issue, the higher quality signal you get INTO the receiver, the better it is coming OUT of the receiver.
digital audio...
the signal is digital. unless you have some insane noise, optical is not worth the price. besides, spdif uses rca cabling, so... see above.
Can someone tell me which would be better to use, a coaxial cable or optical cable from my dvd to my reciever.
The manual(yup, i rtfm) actually recommends using coaxial instead of optical, i figured optical would be better no?
Btw the coaxial cable looks identical to an rca cable, are they that much different inside?
The manual(yup, i rtfm) actually recommends using coaxial instead of optical, i figured optical would be better no?
Btw the coaxial cable looks identical to an rca cable, are they that much different inside?
Coax is better than optical for audio. Monster says otherwise because they charge more for the optical cables...again, they are in the Bose league when it comes to selling overglorified and overpriced crap.
Optical cables are also known as Toslink and this connection type is known to suffer from jitter problems in some implementations. For some reason, coaxial connections fare better. More importantly, you can use cheap RCA patch cables in leiu of special coaxial digital cables. I connect the AC-3 output of my DVD player to my receiver with a 99 cent patch cable. Based on the audio quality, I don't see how fancier (expensive) cables would improve anything.
Yup, thats the way it is. Coax is easier to deal with as the cable can be bent around corners more easily without causing problems. But coax has a chance to have interference, which is why you need to use good cables.
Optical is supposed to be better but can be pain to bend the cable. It also has problems with jitter.
Will you be able to tell a difference between the two? Almost definitely, no.
Use whatever is cheaper and more convenient for your system. Like I use 2 coax digitals and 2 optical digitals because I am forced to. DVD player and CD Changer both use coax and only have coax connections. PS2 and SatTV only have optical connections. Which works great because my receiver only has 2 of both (least on the back, has 1 more pair of each on the front).
So don't really worry about the two, just use whats easier and cheaper.
I dont know why i didnt do this before and if i wouldnt of seen this thread i probably wouldnt do it either.
But i switched from rca's from my dvd/tv to svideo, and from rca's to coaxial on my dvd/reciever and now i finally have glorious dolby digital.
And the pretty blue Dolby Digital led lights up on my reciever now
But i switched from rca's from my dvd/tv to svideo, and from rca's to coaxial on my dvd/reciever and now i finally have glorious dolby digital.
And the pretty blue Dolby Digital led lights up on my reciever now
Originally posted by: shabby
I dont know why i didnt do this before and if i wouldnt of seen this thread i probably wouldnt do it either.
But i switched from rca's from my dvd/tv to svideo, and from rca's to coaxial on my dvd/reciever and now i finally have glorious dolby digital.
And the pretty blue Dolby Digital led lights up on my reciever now
Glad we could help you with your setup and enjoy it!
- Aug 28, 2001
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But HEY! You guys were helping ME! Alright... my Sony 57" widescreen & DVD come in 3 weeks... you guys better get cocked and ready.Originally posted by: nord1899
Originally posted by: shabby
I dont know why i didnt do this before and if i wouldnt of seen this thread i probably wouldnt do it either.
But i switched from rca's from my dvd/tv to svideo, and from rca's to coaxial on my dvd/reciever and now i finally have glorious dolby digital.
And the pretty blue Dolby Digital led lights up on my reciever now
Glad we could help you with your setup and enjoy it!
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