A/V system cable - *simple* questions

[Slickone]

I have a chance to get some cheap cable right now so I'm going ahead and buying some, but will be upgrading my A/V system very soon so am buying for the new system. Thus the reasoning for my questions.

Do mid-high end ($500 - $1000, say an M&K) subwoofers now require a special cable or is standard analog RCA OK? Also, stereo or mono?

Will most of my audio components use digital optical (toslink) cables? When would coax dig. cables be used? I have a '95 Pioneer LD player but can't remember it's connections (or model #). I'm pretty sure it does have optical out. Also have a DVD player and will have satellite.

Another question, if using an A/V receiver's S-video switching and the receiver is off, will any of the S-video connections still let the signal through? In other words, if I had my satellite's S-video (along w/ DVD and laserdisc) running through the receiver, would I always have to have the receiver on to watch satellite?

 

[Slickone]

Wow, already off the first page.

<Bump>

 

[Viperoni]

99% of the time, the receiver sends out a mono LFE signal, so it's only a single RCA cable that takes the signal to the sub, regardless of the fact the sub's amp may have left and right low level inputs. Check out my sig if you want a cheap, and extremely effective cable

Coax digital connections have slightly more bandwidth and slightly less jitter than optical ones.... I would say not noticeably though. I only use a digital coax because I need a right angle adapter on the back of my reciever due to very little rearward clearance in my TV stand.

Not sure about the last one, but I always run my DVD player's S-Video cable straight to the TV

 

[DaveSimmons]

<< In other words, if I had my satellite's S-video (along w/ DVD and laserdisc) running through the receiver, would I always have to have the receiver on to watch satellite? >>

Yes, no power = no video switching. You could always buy a separate s-video switchbox and only feed audio through the receiver, but that assumes your sat box has 2 audio outs (1 for receiver 1 direct to TV) otherwise you need the revcr on for the audio anyway.

 

[Slickone]

Why not get a switch box that has both S-video and audio (RCA) then run S-video and audio from the DSS receiver to both the A/V receiver and TV? Then the A/V receiver doesn't have to be on for audio and video.
But I think most DSS receivers have to video outs, so only an audio switch box would be needed.