does this hook-up scheme sound right? (also vcr question)

[wrongway15]

ok going to start setting up my system again tonight with some different components in the mix and i just diagramed my hookup scheme and wanted to know it it sounds right. thanks in advance.

reciever (denon 3802)
-inputs from tw cable via component/spdif or optical (i hope the new hd box i try to get tonight has these outputs)
-input from dvd via component/optical
-input vcr (no tivo yet) via composite AV
-output video to tv via component

cable box
-output coax to vcr


the only thing i am concerned about is the vcr...can i go in via coax and out via composite to the reciever and then out to the tv via component...i dont think so

what would be my other choices?
-cable to vcr to tv via coax (dont really want to do that)
-i dont think, but am not positive that my old sony vcr has component out

[markw]

cable box
-output coax to vcrAre you referring to "F" connectors or yellow RCA (composite video) connectors? If you mean the latter, then you should be fine but beaeare that all tuning will have to be done via the cable box.


the only thing i am concerned about is the vcr...can i go in via coax and out via composite to the reciever and then out to the tv via component...i dont think so That depends on if your receiver will upconvert composite to component. Maybe the manual of r someone else can clarify this.

[wrongway15]

im talking about the typical F connector

[wrongway15]

i dont think my reciever can up convert....should i just do composite all around or just run the vcr through the tv ( guess i could do just an rca cable from the vcr to the tv and the audio to the reciever but then id have to switch both devices over to vcr mode to operate)

any other options (besides new equipment)

[markw]

If not, then I have a simple solution. If not, then it gets complex.

IOW, can you tune all your TV channels via the VCR tuner or theTVtuner? I have comcast expanded basic (no premium channels) and I don't need an external box. My TVand VCR are capable of doing that.

And, no, no unit can "upconvert" "F" type signal (RF) to anything. It needs to be fed through a tuner. That's like hooking an antenna up to a video input and expecting it to work.

[wrongway15]

i dont know if my tv/vcr is capable of tuning channels (i guess the new tv should be able to), but I know I NEED to have the interactive tv guide.

what i meant in response to your question earlier was that i dont think my reciever can upconvert composite to component

[edtyct]

Forgive me if I misunderstand, which now that I look back, seems likely. But you say that you're getting an HD cable box. In that case, assuming that you're after HD and SD digital, you have to leave the VCR out of the mix as a tuner and let the cable box do the tuning (if the cable box has a DVR, you might be able to dispense with the VCR altogether). It is incompatible with a digital signal, let alone an HD signal.

You may not be asking this question, but someone might so I'll venture an answer. No composite or S-Video output from the cable box can be upconverted later in a receiver to the quality of a feed that originates as component. Think of this sort of transcoding as component doing composite a favor by letting it hitch a ride, so long as it doesn't get the idea that it actually owns the car. This convenience is simply a way to cut down on the number of connections that a receiver has to make into a TV, not a way to transmute an inferior format into a better one. You might save yourself some trouble and maximize performance by feeding any or all of your component outputs directly to your TV. Depending on your receiver, they may not have the bandwidth to handle HD formats, or handle them accurately.

If you're going to time-shift via analog through the VCR and watch digital TV, the connections routed through the VCR will have to be separate from the digital ones. As I said, however, if your cable box has a DVR, you can the best of both worlds.

Please disregard if I've missed your point.

[AVMASTER]

your receiver can not up-convert, try splitting the incoming cable, one the the cable box and one for the vcr. run composite cables from vcr to display. run audio out of display to receiver