[duc916]

I bought a Sony home theater system for Christmas (HT 6800 DP), but am having some difficulty deciding how I want the cabling to be. Should I run component, s-video, fiber, etc? Any audiophiles out there will to give me some advice? I am hooking up a Sony 5 disc cd/dvd; RCA dish; VCR; to the Sony HT 6800 DP system and a digital projection big screen TV. Thanks for the help.

Dan

 

[kerry_129]

'Composite' (1 RCA plug) = standard, S-Video = better, Component (Y-Cr-Cb) = best

(There's also RGBHV & DVI which are a notch up from Component, but you don't have to worry about those unless dealing with a plasma or CRT/DPL projector)


Component video is the cleanest 'standard' signal mode - and the only one capable of HDTV (720p or 1080i) resolution. That's what you will want to run from the HT output to the TV.

S-Video is much better quality than 'composite'.
Unless the CD/DVD is fairly 'high-end', it may only have S-Video output - use that if it doesn't have component output (If it's an el-cheapo & only has composite, do yourself a favor & get a better player).

The VCR might have S-Video out, otherwise you're stuck with Composite (not really a big deal, since the VHS format is the weak link there, rather than the signal bandwidth).

Oh - and if your DVD player supports progressive-scan, make sure to switch it to that mode (assuming the TV accepts 480p in - it should if it's relatively new).


I've been researching & piecing together a H/T system myself.
:thumb

 

[lespaul85]

I'm assuming this is the correct back side right?

So first thing's first, if you have the ability to use component (i.e. the red/blue/green, NOT composite yellow type) video with your TV, then it's a definate use for video. If so, go out of the top row green/blue/red from your DVD player here(see picture) for video either directly to your TV or even better to the input on the reciever and then out again to your TV through the reciever:

As for Audio, it's up to you whether you want to use optical or coaxial, you'll never be able to tell the difference, but you'll probably have to select which one maps to which input somehow (at least it's that way on my onkyo) so if it's a pain to set up one way, you can always just try the other way and it may work without setting anything up in the menu's. Unlike the 2 connections for the video you need to do(dvd to receiver, and reciever to TV), you'll only need 1 for audio between the dvd and reciever and make sure your TV has it's sound pretty much turned off.

With your other stuff, assuming the RCA dish isn't an HDTV feed, you'll have to use either s-video or composite (yellow) connectors. s-video is "better" but it won't make much of a difference. You'll also have to then run a second line to your TV from your reciever and just feed those other things into the reciever. It all depends on what those other units are capable of. for that VCR, it's probably just 2 rca cables for audio and 1 for video I'm guessing. Does any of that help?

 

[lespaul85]

oh yeah, that little switch there for progressive in the second picture, use it if you can, but your TV has to be capable of it so if it isn't working, switch it off. I think if it's going over anything other than the component lines though, it'll automaically be in non-progressive mode even if progressinve is selected. I could be wrong there though, since I only use component

 

[kerry_129]

+1 what LesPaul said on the audio connections - I think coax is generally the more 'standard'.

But you will probably want to run the outputs from ALL the devices through the receiver - that way the receiver switches both audio & video (without having to mess with the TV), and you can use the 'monitor' output to record your sat. TV if you want).
If you forsee wanting to listen to a CD while TV is on in the background, watch TV without turning the HT-receiver on, or use 'P.I.P' to switch between DVD/TV sources, you can always run secondary S-Vid & audio cables directly from the sat. to a secondary TV input.

 

[duc916]

Cool, thanks for the heads up. I am going to run component from the DVD to the receiver then to the TV. The dish can only use composite or s-video, but I was going to put it through the receiver, which limits me to composite. The VCR is so shitty compared to a DVD I think I will just use what I have left over.
I have looked around the internet and I could easily dump $500 in cables alone (which it way outside my budget). What are some good quality cables that will not cost me a small fortune? Thanks for all the help.

LesPaul, where did you find those pics??

Dan

 

[kerry_129]

This guy is about the best bang-for-the-buck I've found so far.

You'll find all kinds of opinions varying from 'it doesn't matter what you use' to 'you gotta spend $100+ per foot or it's just garbage'.

Beyond having hi-quality, true 75-ohm connectors (Canare are pretty much the best reasonably-priced ones) and a good shielded, flexible cable....... :shrug I think the rest is pretty-much voodoo-science for 'audiophile' snobs who have more money then sense. I have yet to find a 'blind' listening/viewing comparison where they were able to tell the diff. between 'budget' & 'esoteric' ($$$) cables.

Hell, the mid-grade cables @ Radio Shack will work just fine for ya if you don't want to wait. (Just don't waste your money on the over-priced, over-hyped 'high-end' cables)

 

[lespaul85]

yeah, what he said. I never worry about cables since it would never really matter in overally sound quality except in the utmost in high cost equipment and being that a lot of the signals nowadays are digital, it either "works" or it doesn't in most cases. It would matter just as much your positioning of cables in regard to the running of other cables as it does cable quality(that is crossing cables perpendicular to each other is better than running in parallel or a spagetti coil of wires)... and the magic word for cheap cables is EBAY!
If it's a situation where you would go out and spend money on an s-video cable versus just using a crappy composite cable, use the composite cable. I don't even worry about getting real good coax wire since a good RCA will do the trick. The only thing I want a good cable for is the subwoofer since the the most 'lossy" of all signals. A good (and I mean just slightly better than average) cable there is useful.

By the way, those pictures were just linked over from bestbuy's website since I knew they'd have a picture of the rear of the unit as they usually do.

 

[yamahaki3]

:showtime :soapbox :beat

 

[kerry_129]

Just 'cus your knowledge of audio/video gear consists of clipping speaker-leads to your giblets and crankin' it up..... :shake

.....don't mean you gotta be a hayter! :fookyou

:nanana

 

[ripTOOL]

"Wow, not only can I see the center's testicles when he hikes the ball every Sunday on my big screen tv, but I bet I can hear his sack slapping his cup now! Why dont I gather a bunch of my 'guy' friends, so we can all watch sweaty man ass on Sunday, and secretly tell ourselves we're not gay. "

:eek




:redflip :crackup


Disclaimer:I hate football

 

[kerry_129]

:laughing
+1

My friend David in high school to our physics teacher / the wrestling coach:

"Gee, Mr. Wingo - If only I could put on tights and roll around on the floor getting sweaty with other guys. Then I could be just like you!......"

:lmao

 

[WYD OPN]

:laughing
+1

My friend David in high school to our physics teacher / the wrestling coach:

"Gee, Mr. Wingo - If only I could put on tights and roll around on the floor getting sweaty with other guys. Then I could be just like you!......"

:lmao

Your all a bunch of silly romantics......

 

[yamahaki3]

From stereo hookups to smelling your own nuts, Is that alittle off the subject or does smelling the nut sack make stereo installation easier?
Kerry? Your the autoerotic ball sniffing stereo guru. Does it make that much of a fucking difference?:redflip

 

[Jagdpanzer]

kerry_129 said:
:laughing
+1

My friend David in high school to our physics teacher / the wrestling coach:

"Gee, Mr. Wingo - If only I could put on tights and roll around on the floor getting sweaty with other guys. Then I could be just like you!......"

:lmao

Bet he rode a Harley also:crackup

 

[clint]

you can also use cat5 cable if you don't want to buy high priced cables. I've done it with a buddies plasma at about 25ft and it looks great. cheap ass cables too