Hookup help for a serious noob?

Hi all,

I'm very new to this as I'm a recent college grad who's just begun to make real money.

Thus, my knowledge is very limited. I have done large amounts of research, but still feel I need some personalized info. From my research I now know what the cables are and which ones are better, but am not sure how to make all them work, etc.

Just got a new setup and have no clue where to begin.

Purchased a new HDTV (built in tuner) and want to connect the following to it:

1) Charter Cable box with DVR. Has coax, s-video, composite ports.

2) DirecTV. Same options as above.

3) DVD. Still a crappy one, upgrading soon, but not now. Same ports as above

4) VCR. Does not have S video, but has three sets of composite.

After first of the year I'll also want to connect a PS3.

The television has the following inputs:

1 - HDMI (but none of the devices do)

2 - RBG Component (but none of the devices do)

2 - S Video

3 - Composite

1 - Ieee

Thus, my question is, how do I hook all this up?

Since the VCR ONLY has composite or coax will I lose a lot of quality if I bring either Charter digital or DirecTV through the VCR?

If I did that it'd be direcTV into VCR, from VCR to TV with Composite

Then Charter digital into TV with S video

DVD into the 2nd S video.

Another issue is that the 2nd S video port is on the side which would be somewhat unsightly. Is there a switch or whatever that I could attatch to the back S video input and make it two that I could switch between, and what would that be called?

Do the new progressive scan DVD's have component outputs? If so then I could connect the DVD that way and not bother with the 2nd S video connection.

Charter says it offers a HDTV subscription. I do not have this yet, but will get it soon. Right now I have regular Digital Cable with DVR. How can they offer HDTV if their box does not have HDMI or component outputs? Is this possible? Maybe they'll send me a different box when I sign up? Anyone know?

Once my new notebook arrives I'll want to show some slide shows on the TV. I assume I can plug that right into the Ieee though?

Thanks all help appreciated for this newcomer. No info too small or infantile. lol.

Also, Circuit City is selling Monster Cable at $35.00 for Svideo and component for $87 and HDMI for $125. Then, I go onto TigerDirect and see other companies cables for $6, $17, and $20 respectively. This is one DRASTIC difference. Are the Monster Cables really that much better, or are the TigerDirect ones REALLY that bad or is Circuit City just giving unknowing people baths?

I just purchased a 50" Philips Plasma 50PF9630 and I have a Direct TV HD Receiver and a Sony upconversion DVD Player and I am using an HDMI connection for each. I know thats the best and clean way to connect all 2 items. Eventually I want to add surround sound and I would like to know what would be my best choice on hooking up all the componets with a A/V receiver.
Do I need to get a A/V receiver with HDMI connectors or one without the HDMI connectors?
I was looking at the new JVC A/V receiver that has 3 HDMI connectors 2 IN & 1 OUT. So the connection I was thinking would be connecting the DVD Player and the Direct TV HD receiver to the A/V receiver using HDMI & connect the A/V receiver to the HDTV using an HDMI cable. Or connect the Direct TV HD receiver and the DVD player using an HDMI cable to the HDTV and connect the Direct TV HD receiver and the DVD player to the A/V receiver using an Optical cable? or or do I just need to connect from the HDTV to the A/V receiver using the optical cable? OR
just get a A/V receiver (Karman Hardon) without HDMI connectors and connect the Direct TV HD receiver and the DVD player using an HDMI cable to the HDTV and connect the Direct TV HD receiver and the DVD player to the A/V receiver using an Optical cable or do I just need to connect from the HDTV to the A/V receiver using the optical cable?

SpectreMan, all your video sources are only SDTV quality... you need HD res signals from HD digital cable, HD digital sat, or HD OTA... these must use the HD capable connections like HDMI/DVI or Component or Firewire.

Hi all,

I'm very new to this as I'm a recent college grad who's just begun to make real money.

Thus, my knowledge is very limited. I have done large amounts of research, but still feel I need some personalized info. From my research I now know what the cables are and which ones are better, but am not sure how to make all them work, etc.

Just got a new setup and have no clue where to begin.

Purchased a new HDTV (built in tuner) and want to connect the following to it:

1) Charter Cable box with DVR. Has coax, s-video, composite ports.

2) DirecTV. Same options as above.

3) DVD. Still a crappy one, upgrading soon, but not now. Same ports as above

4) VCR. Does not have S video, but has three sets of composite.

After first of the year I'll also want to connect a PS3.

The television has the following inputs:

1 - HDMI (but none of the devices do)

2 - RBG Component (but none of the devices do)

2 - S Video

3 - Composite

1 - Ieee

Thus, my question is, how do I hook all this up?

Since the VCR ONLY has composite or coax will I lose a lot of quality if I bring either Charter digital or DirecTV through the VCR?

If I did that it'd be direcTV into VCR, from VCR to TV with Composite

Then Charter digital into TV with S video

DVD into the 2nd S video.

Another issue is that the 2nd S video port is on the side which would be somewhat unsightly. Is there a switch or whatever that I could attatch to the back S video input and make it two that I could switch between, and what would that be called?

Do the new progressive scan DVD's have component outputs? If so then I could connect the DVD that way and not bother with the 2nd S video connection.

Charter says it offers a HDTV subscription. I do not have this yet, but will get it soon. Right now I have regular Digital Cable with DVR. How can they offer HDTV if their box does not have HDMI or component outputs? Is this possible? Maybe they'll send me a different box when I sign up? Anyone know?

Once my new notebook arrives I'll want to show some slide shows on the TV. I assume I can plug that right into the Ieee though?

Thanks all help appreciated for this newcomer. No info too small or infantile. lol.

Also, Circuit City is selling Monster Cable at $35.00 for Svideo and component for $87 and HDMI for $125. Then, I go onto TigerDirect and see other companies cables for $6, $17, and $20 respectively. This is one DRASTIC difference. Are the Monster Cables really that much better, or are the TigerDirect ones REALLY that bad or is Circuit City just giving unknowing people baths?
First, see if you can upgrade your cable box to a HD DVR without subscribing to HD service (tell them you plan to and don't want to be charged extra for the HD box). As for HD now, since you have a built-in tuner, go to antennaweb.org and figure out what free HD is available and what kind of antenna you need. Ideally, you can get a $20 antenna and pick up free HD local channels.
As for cabling, try to connect components directly to your TV: VCR to TV, DVR to TV, DVD player to TV. And use as short of cable length as possible. Do not go crazy with buying expensive cables especially since you're still setting up your home theater and tinkering with the best set-up now. There are great deals on eBay for name brand cables, but you have to know what you're looking for. Amazon, Buy.com, and even Radioshack are good sources, but definitely price shop here first: www.pricegrabber.com. Prices vary alot from store to store.
As for your VCR, plan on buying a DVD recorder to get rid of it! I've seen prices as low as $100, and a low frills one is still better than a high-end VCR (analog, yuck).

Doggie,

This is great info, thanks. I think I can get the HD box for free anyway as my live in GF works for Charter. She's been told that she can have one box and subscription for free, but she's out of the country on business now and so I'm not sure.

If I'm not subscribing why ask for the box? So I can use the better connection like composite?

I will connect everything directly to the TV then. It certainly does have enough ports.

I was thinking about getting a DVD recorder and trashing the VCR. I recently watched some stuff I taped off the DVR and it looked worse than a highly compressed mpg. Just AWFUL. Regular VHS tapes look awful on this TV anyway. I can't see that I'd ever watch a VHS on it, it just looks way, way too bad.

It amazes me how much worse a lot of things look on this set. Weak signals are just too bad to look at.

Thanks