Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater buying cables forTV

OK, so try to pardon my newb HDTV questions here, but I know you're all a friendlier bunch then those at AVS when it comes to this type of stuff. So anyway I picked out the TV, but now I am trying to determine what cables I need.

I have/will have:

Sony KDS50a2000
Onkyo SR600
Panasonic DVD RP62
Pioneer DVD 578A (used for SACD and music mostly)
Zenith VCR
Comcast Digital Cable Box

The TV and digital cable box will be the new items. I assume I need component from the Receiver to the TV (or maybe the cable box) and another set of component for HDMI from the cable box to TV.

This is my first HD set, so I am trying to figure all this out before the TV arrives so I have everything I need. That way I can order from monoprice as well instead of paying whatever BB is charging for cables.

Jason, could you clarify the next-to-last paragraph a bit? What outputs does the cable box have available, are you going to feed the cable to the receiver or directly to the TV, what HDMI connection will be possible, etc.

I'm not sure how I am hooking it up yet...what will make the most sense.

I spoke to Comcast, and this is the box I get: DCT6200

It has DVI and Component, but no HDMI. Only their DVR box has that, which costs even more per month.

So, I guess I can do DVI to HDMI or straight Component. Would I go cable box to receiver to TV? (2 sets of component) It seems like if I am doing DVI to HDMI I am going right from the box to the TV. I would expect the receiver needs to get in the mix somewhere too though.

Jason, go DVI to HDMI cable box to TV, if you are running all your audio through your receiver, run an optical line from your cable box to your receiver and you are done, if you plan on using the TV's speakers run 2 analog cables from your cable box to the same input you have your HDMI connected on your TV.

The TV speakers will be off. That's what the Axiom's are for

So I need 1 DVI to HDMI cable from cable box to TV and one optical from the cable box to the receiver.

How about hooking up the VCR, PS2, and DVD players? If they are going to go into the receiver, doesn't the TV need a video connection to the receiver as well?

Also, not to bring up the Do cables matter debate (although I kinda guess I am, it's just not speaker wire), but I see a "high quality" 24 AWG cable for 15.77 and a 28AWG cable for 5.03, both 6ft. I'd tend to spend the extra $10 to get the better one, but will I really notice a difference?

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So I need 1 DVI to HDMI cable from cable box to TV and one optical from the cable box to the receiver.

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Yes, the receiver does not need a video connection to the TV.
Same setup for all your other equipment, video to tv, audio to receiver, I haven't set up a vcr in a while and I think that may have to go through the cable box, manual should tell you what way is best. Hope this helps.

I think I have everything going through the receiver now, which is what is throwing me off.

Also, on page 19 of the TV manual (available here if you really want to check it out) it appears that the audio connections on the TV next to the HDMI port are analog. Wait a sec...if I have this right, I don't even care about those, since audio will skip the TV all together. I just need a optical/coax cable.

As far as other components go, if the PS2 for example has audio into the receiver, and video to the TV instead of receiver to TV, won't two different things needs to be adjusted when I want to use it. 1 being the A/V input on the receiver and the other being the one on the TV?

Yes, you'll need to adjust both the TV and the Receiver when you want to play playstation.

If you have the money get a 'harmony' remote from logitech. Doesn't matter which one they are all good-the higher end ones have a built in rechargable batter and a color screen. You program the suckers on the internet and it sets the macros up for you. Works very well and has an exceptionally high WAF. With the harmony you'd just hit the 'play PS2' button and it would set your equipment up appropriately.

The audio inputs on the TV next to the HDMI would be connected to the cable box only if you wanted to use the TV's speakers.

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As far as other components go, if the PS2 for example has audio into the receiver, and video to the TV instead of receiver to TV, won't two different things needs to be adjusted when I want to use it. 1 being the A/V input on the receiver and the other being the one on the TV?

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The only thing you will have to adjust is assigning on your receiver the device that your optical, analog or S-video cables are connected to. For instance on my TV my optical one is connected to my satellite and assigned to TV on my receiver, my optical 2 is assigned to DVD on my receiver and connected to my DVD player, and my XBOX 360 is assigned to optical 3.
So yes when watching TV, DVD or playing games the inputs will have to be changed on the tv and the receiver to the corresponding inputs, I'm not sure if connecting video through your receiver would change any of that.
The good news is you can buy a smart remote like the Logitech Harmony where you press one button, as in watch TV, play game or watch dvd and it will turn on the devices you want and set them to the to the correct input as well as control all of your equipment.

You beat me

ha! I have fast post-fu

Jason, since you're running everything through your SR600 now, my view would be to continue that and use component cables from box to receiver and then to TV rather than using the direct HDMI connection. If you do decide to use a DVI/HDMI cable however(and possibly a fancy remote to control everything), for the 6' distance that you'd be running a 28ga cable would be fine. 28ga is commonly used for HDMI connections unless they're longer than about 15', when the lower loss of 24ga might be advisable.

Thanks for the input guys. I actually have a Harmony, so the double switching isn't much of an issue I think I am just in the mindset that I have an A/V receiver, so everything should run through it and then when you switch to a new device both audio and video switch together (even though they effectively will either way once I setup the Harmony for the new config).

It sounds like I have two options:

1. DVI to HDMI cable. Optical cable.

2. Two sets of component cables.

I assume if I had a receiver that could do HDMI, the recommendation would be cable box to receiver to TV, like option 2 with the component cables.

I don't know if this makes sense, but would this third (more expensive cable wise) option work?

3. Buy the cables from option1 (DVI to HDMI and optical). These are used for cable TV viewing. Run AV cables from all other devices into the receiver. Have a set of component cables from the receiver to the TV for these devices. Then the AV stays together through the receiver. Would this make sense? Any downside other then an extra set of component needed?

I was thinking of suggesting option #3, and that is how I would do it. Only the cable box has a DVI or HDMI output, so it would make sense to run all the other sources to the receiver and then run a component cable from receiver to HDTV to handle the all video except from the cable box. Doing so gives you the best of options #1 and #2.

Before you buy any digital audio cables, be sure of your sources digital audio outputs. When I was doing my homework on your equipment, I noticed that two of the 3 had optical outputs only, and one of them had both optical and coaxial. I believe it was the Pioneer 578 (the VCR will only have analog audio outputs, I believe)

Your SR600 has two optical digital inputs, and one coaxial digital input, so you will need to connect the Pioneer with a coaxial digital cable.

I'm a bit confused as to why you would want to run cables through the receiver, does that allow you to not change the input on the TV for different sources?
It seems to me if you have a Harmony remote then you are just adding more cables and connections that aren't necessarily needed.

Cables are going through the receiver so that Audio and video change together. If I am on video2 for example, both the TV and the audio are in sync, without having to adjust what input is being used on both the receiver and on the TV.

So yes, the input on the TV would not need to be changed for different sources.

Ajax, as far as your post goes, the 578A is currently hooked up with the 6 cables (I forget what type they are) that are needed for SACD to work. I only use that player for music and don't watch DVD on it, so I assume I could forgo the coax/optical all together for that one. I have an optical from my other DVD to the receiver currently.

I'll need an optical or coax (I don't know if it matters which with the connections I have available) from the cable box to the receiver for audio.

How about RG6 vs RG59 for component cable? The "premium" is RG6 and about an extra $8 for a 6ft cable. Will the RG6 make a difference? I just did a search and came across this: Link

It sounds like RG6 is replacing RG59, so I think I'll spend the extra money there. Even if it doesn't make much of a difference, it's only $8, not $80.

Here's what I am looking at:

HDMI DVI Cable 28AWG - 6ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold-Plated) $5.03 $5.03

2769 PREMIUM 6FT 3-RCA Component Video Coaxial RG-6 18AWG 75Ohm Cable $12.54 $12.54

2764 PREMIUM 6FT Optical Toslink 5.0mm Cable w/Fancy connector $4.87 $4.87

Sound good?

Just ordered. Had to get it in by 5 eastern for it to ship out today. Thanks for everyone's help.

Well, ever happy to be a day late and a dollar short , I'm sure those are the right cables.

>>How about RG6 vs RG59 for component cable?

From what I remember the RG6 works better over really long runs (far longer than you will see in a home theater) but the RG59 is more flexible. Something like that.

RG-6 is fine, even over 50 feet.

I did the RG6. Comcast was here tonight to look at some Internet issues. The guy happenned to have a digital cable box, so he gave me that as well. We tried to get it setup and were getting some artifacts, so he put in an amplifier. The only box he had with a HDMI connection was the DCT3412, which has a DVR as well. He was just going to have them turn that part off. However, even after it was all setup the box was rebooting itself. They are coming back tomorrow with a new box. They did however, leave a HDMI and component cable here. I didn't know this at the time I ordered cables earlier today, but they provide those along with the box. So it looks like I bought some cables I'm not going to need. Good thing it was only 20 something for all 3 cables.

It was a mess getting the right box, but I ended up having to go there last night to pick one up. Got that as hooked up as I could, and then the TV arrived today!

I have everything going through the receiver. The Panasonic DVD has component connections that go into the video1 input on the receiver. The receiver has component that go from the video out to the TV on input 4. However, I am only getting sound, no picture, when trying to watch a DVD. I haven't had a lot of time to mess with it yet, but thought I'd post here before going to bed to see if anyone had some suggestions.

Never mind. I had the component input set to 2 instead of 1 on the receiver.

I've always been weary of running my video through my receiver. Are most receivers good about not adding noise to the video signal?

Never had a problem with it--although I run much lower res video than most around here.

Now, there are certainly some people who object to "using audio equipment to run video" on what I am interpreting as largely unscientific reasons. Give me more than just that line, and maybe I'll buy it. No reason for receiver manufacturers not to use the same chips as DVD manufacturers or TV manufacturers, or upscaler manufacturers.

I always thought it was considered an Audio/Video receiver. It's designed for both, so why not run it through there? I haven't heard of or seen any degredation.

I played around with this last week. I'm sure that if I didn't use the conversion feature this would be a fine setup. If I do use the conversion feature (IE to go from RCA in to component out) SD video looks really bad. Worse, 480p sources show up in double postage stamp-and since the source is HD my television won't let me zoom to widescreen.

I stand by my assertion that using the receiver to run video should only be used when the television has insufficient inputs. I'm also even more convinced that upscaling DVD players are a waste of money.

Maybe I'll try video through the TV just to compare. I don't really feel like messing with it now that everything is setup. I have heard suggestions to run SD through an Svideo connection and HD over the HDMI. SD supposedly looks better now going over the HDMI.