Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
- emmline
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Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
So, maybe you can help.
I will do this tomorrow, as I am too tired to do anything other than watch American Idol, season premiere, tonight.
So, yes...this means that I got the HD flatscreen functioning, at least so far as watching tv goes, but I'm having trouble
with the peripherals. Here are pictures:
This is the plug-in place, on the back of the tv.
There are also these extra ports, on the side:
The guy at Radio Shack sold me this thing. It's a switch-a-ma-bob:
Here's the back of the digital cable box. Currently, the white coax. cable is coming from the wall, and
the blue one is running from here to the tv: (there is apparently no other connection option for this, apart from coax and the red/yellow/white pluggies.)
Here is the back of the dvd player:
And the old, very basic, (dusty) VCR:
There is also a PS3 (which comes with a red/white/yellow type cord)
And a Wii (same thing. red/white/yellow)
In theory, I should be able to connect the switch thing to the tv, and plug everything else into the switch thingy. So far, I have tried the
dvd. It is plugged into the central port of the switcher, and the switcher is plugged (using a red/white/yellow cord) to the side port of the tv.
But, so far, the tv is not recognizing that anything is plugged into it. (Yes, I know to change the source channel on the tv. There should, at this point only need to be 2 sources--the cable box, and one auxiliary, where the switch is plugged.)
Maybe the switchy-box is a big mistake, and I should be plugging everything directly into the tv? If so, I need something other than red/white/yellow cables, which is what I have left over from my old tv set-up.
Any thoughts on best way to do this?
(thing is, 15-20 years ago, I was the only family member who could, e.g., hook up the video cam to the tv, or record from one vcr to another. Technology, evidently, has left me in the dust.)
I will do this tomorrow, as I am too tired to do anything other than watch American Idol, season premiere, tonight.
So, yes...this means that I got the HD flatscreen functioning, at least so far as watching tv goes, but I'm having trouble
with the peripherals. Here are pictures:
This is the plug-in place, on the back of the tv.
There are also these extra ports, on the side:
The guy at Radio Shack sold me this thing. It's a switch-a-ma-bob:
Here's the back of the digital cable box. Currently, the white coax. cable is coming from the wall, and
the blue one is running from here to the tv: (there is apparently no other connection option for this, apart from coax and the red/yellow/white pluggies.)
Here is the back of the dvd player:
And the old, very basic, (dusty) VCR:
There is also a PS3 (which comes with a red/white/yellow type cord)
And a Wii (same thing. red/white/yellow)
In theory, I should be able to connect the switch thing to the tv, and plug everything else into the switch thingy. So far, I have tried the
dvd. It is plugged into the central port of the switcher, and the switcher is plugged (using a red/white/yellow cord) to the side port of the tv.
But, so far, the tv is not recognizing that anything is plugged into it. (Yes, I know to change the source channel on the tv. There should, at this point only need to be 2 sources--the cable box, and one auxiliary, where the switch is plugged.)
Maybe the switchy-box is a big mistake, and I should be plugging everything directly into the tv? If so, I need something other than red/white/yellow cables, which is what I have left over from my old tv set-up.
Any thoughts on best way to do this?
(thing is, 15-20 years ago, I was the only family member who could, e.g., hook up the video cam to the tv, or record from one vcr to another. Technology, evidently, has left me in the dust.)
- mutepointe
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Ask The Kid. Why you asking us? If he doesn't know, he has a friend, doesn't he?
Rose tint my world. Keep me safe from my trouble and pain.
白飞梦
白飞梦
Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
and the tv remote has a button that will allow you to select which of the sets of inputs on the back of the set it is to use at this time....(this is not a channel thing, this is a FM, cassette, CD thing)
Picture a bright blue ball just spinning, spinning free
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.
- emmline
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
He's not smart in this way. A friend, maybe.mutepointe wrote:Ask The Kid. Why you asking us? If he doesn't know, he has a friend, doesn't he?
I'm not wondering about buttons...I'm wondering about where everything should plug in, and by what means.
- BigDavy
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Hi emmline
Plug the PS3 directly into the tv with an HDMI cable.
The video goes to the antenna in on the back of the tv.
The cable goes to the bottom row of connections - the yellow plug into the one surrounded with yellow and marked video the red and white ones into the ones to the left where it says AV in 1.
Do the same for the DVD by plugging the yellow, red and white plugs from it into the connections immediately above the cable ones. (edited to add Or just use the PS3 to play your DVDs and forget the DVD player altogether).
The Wii connections go into the yellow, red and white connections at the side.
That should mean you have a forest of cables behind the tv and no need for the switch box.
David
Plug the PS3 directly into the tv with an HDMI cable.
The video goes to the antenna in on the back of the tv.
The cable goes to the bottom row of connections - the yellow plug into the one surrounded with yellow and marked video the red and white ones into the ones to the left where it says AV in 1.
Do the same for the DVD by plugging the yellow, red and white plugs from it into the connections immediately above the cable ones. (edited to add Or just use the PS3 to play your DVDs and forget the DVD player altogether).
The Wii connections go into the yellow, red and white connections at the side.
That should mean you have a forest of cables behind the tv and no need for the switch box.
David
Payday, Piping, Percussion and Poetry- the 4 best Ps
- emmline
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Thanks David--
I'll get an HDMI cable and try this in the morning. That's exactly the kind of directions I was looking for.
I'll get an HDMI cable and try this in the morning. That's exactly the kind of directions I was looking for.
Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Take it back. You have plenty of inputs and can useThe guy at Radio Shack sold me this thing. It's a switch-a-ma-bob:
the remote to switch between them.
Get 1 component video cable (red, blue, green)Here is the back of the dvd player:
and 1 audio RCA cable (red and white). Connect
it to the bottom row on the back of the TV:
When you're using the remote to select the source,
the DVD will then be something like "AV IN 1".
Connect the yellow/red/white cable to the TV side:And a Wii (same thing. red/white/yellow)
Go to Comcast and demand a digital box with an HDMIHere's the back of the digital cable box.
output. Use an HDMI cable to connect to TV.
EDIT: I just read Davy's post. Yeah, do what
he said for DVD & Cable box
Use coax to connect from the "Out TO TV" connectorAnd the old, very basic, (dusty) VCR:
on the VCR to the "Ant IN" connector on back of TV.
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
assuming that none of your things gets moved around a lot, then like other people have said, with a few new cables everything should just work out and you can remove the switch
an HDMI cable of the PS3 will give you a clear place to plug it in, and then the PS3 will be giving you a better image
and then for either the dvd player or the Wii (or both if you wanted), get a red/blue/green component video cable. Which ever got the new cable will go into the "AV in 2" slot, while the other can use the yellow/red/white cable for "AV in 1".
and finally the rest can be done like this wall>cable box>VCR>tv all using the standard coax
this all leaves you with the side ports open for whatever may come
but if anyone's moving the video games around a lot, then they might do best on the side ports to keep people from messing around with the other connections
(btw, if you have the cables to do it, none of these red/blue/green/white/etc cables have to be the same colour as the ports, so if you have extra red/white cables, like I tend to end up with,you may not need a new cable, but this gets confusing making sure you get everything plugged in correctly)
Of course you could use the switch box if you figure out what's going on with that, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth.
an HDMI cable of the PS3 will give you a clear place to plug it in, and then the PS3 will be giving you a better image
and then for either the dvd player or the Wii (or both if you wanted), get a red/blue/green component video cable. Which ever got the new cable will go into the "AV in 2" slot, while the other can use the yellow/red/white cable for "AV in 1".
and finally the rest can be done like this wall>cable box>VCR>tv all using the standard coax
this all leaves you with the side ports open for whatever may come
but if anyone's moving the video games around a lot, then they might do best on the side ports to keep people from messing around with the other connections
(btw, if you have the cables to do it, none of these red/blue/green/white/etc cables have to be the same colour as the ports, so if you have extra red/white cables, like I tend to end up with,you may not need a new cable, but this gets confusing making sure you get everything plugged in correctly)
Of course you could use the switch box if you figure out what's going on with that, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth.
- BigDavy
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Hi emmline
As an addendum to my previous post I would agree with fearfoin in getting an upgraded cable box, one with an HDMI socket - that will give you the best picture options.
I also agree with him re the DVD player in that an RGB cable would be the best option for picture quality from your existing player. Though to my mind the best option would be to use the cash you get from returning the switch box and put it to an upscaling DVD player with an HDMI output.
David
As an addendum to my previous post I would agree with fearfoin in getting an upgraded cable box, one with an HDMI socket - that will give you the best picture options.
I also agree with him re the DVD player in that an RGB cable would be the best option for picture quality from your existing player. Though to my mind the best option would be to use the cash you get from returning the switch box and put it to an upscaling DVD player with an HDMI output.
David
Payday, Piping, Percussion and Poetry- the 4 best Ps
- emmline
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Thanks to all.
I have a good, composite idea of best set-up now, and am off to return a switch box in exchange for a cable or two.
As for obtaining a Comcast cable box with hdmi--the thing is, I subscribe to basic digital. HD is an option, but I am
not such a connoisseur that I'm interested in paying more...at the moment. Still, since I was upgrading the tv (from a
roughly 10 year old basic, square (heavy) model (in the days when a largish tv could be obtained for $200,) it would
seem silly for it not to be an hdtv...for (I hope) long-term usefulness. Hence, if I eventually decide to pay more for HD
cable service, I'm sure I will get a box with the required connections at the time.
I have a good, composite idea of best set-up now, and am off to return a switch box in exchange for a cable or two.
As for obtaining a Comcast cable box with hdmi--the thing is, I subscribe to basic digital. HD is an option, but I am
not such a connoisseur that I'm interested in paying more...at the moment. Still, since I was upgrading the tv (from a
roughly 10 year old basic, square (heavy) model (in the days when a largish tv could be obtained for $200,) it would
seem silly for it not to be an hdtv...for (I hope) long-term usefulness. Hence, if I eventually decide to pay more for HD
cable service, I'm sure I will get a box with the required connections at the time.
Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Oh, if you're just getting SD TV, then justemmline wrote:As for obtaining a Comcast cable box with hdmi--the thing is, I subscribe to basic digital. HD is an option, but I am not such a connoisseur that I'm interested in paying more...at the moment.
go ahead and use the coax through the VCR
as suggested. Though, you may want to ask,
they might have an SD box with HDMI (the
connector is not inextricably linked to HD
content).
- Doug_Tipple
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
There is usually a large-format diagram that shows hookup options that comes with most electronic devices. They were included with my HDTV's. I can't follow the written directions in the instruction manual very well, but photos or diagrams are what I rely on. Just connect the blue wire from there to there. I can handle that. Back in the days of point-to-point wiring, I built several stereo audio amplifier and a ham transmitter using that method.
Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Ah, that's your problem, emm.Doug_Tipple wrote:There is usually a large-format diagram that shows hookup options that comes with most electronic devices. They were included with my HDTV's.
Should have shopped at IKEA.
- Charlene
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Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
Does anybody else miss the simplicity of just plugging the TV in, hooking up the antenna, and turning it on?
Charlene
Re: Help: Too dumb to set up TV peripherals...
The HDMI standard is meant as to bring those days back.Charlene wrote:Does anybody else miss the simplicity of just plugging the TV in, hooking up the antenna, and turning it on?
I'll believe it when I sees it.