Help connecting things together!

[Robscim]

Sorry if this is a bit long-winded but I need some advice.

I currently have a 42" Plasma Panasonic tv, a Humax hard disc recorder/receiver, a PS2, a video player, a Wii and a Sony surround sound 5.1 system with wireless rear speakers.

The problem is that currently, we have too many units to connect using the scart sockets as the tv only has 2. Consequently, the kids have to unplug and plug-in the cables when they switch machine.
I originally thought about getting a powered scart switch thingy, but I can't find one (probably because I don't know what they're called!) but then I thought there must be a better way to connect the thing together as I can only use the surround sound when using the DVD. I also can't get an analogue signal, only digital.

So, I'm looking to see if anyone could tell me what one of those switch things is called (and who sells them) and secondly, is there somewhere I could look to see how I should wire all these things together?

Many thanks in advance!!

There, and I didn't once mention the fact that the wife is on to me as "apparently", there are too many wires on show!!

Cheers

Rob

[headcase]

You could do the following,

Humax recorder, they normally have 2 scarts, connect the one labelled TV to the TV (Av1) and the one labelled VCR/Aux to your VCR

Wii, Get a component lead from ebay then plug it into your component input

Sony surround, connect to AV2 on the TV

PS2, Connect to the av input on the surround system (assuming it has one), failing that does the TV have RCA connectors usualy either behind a front flap or on one side of the TV.

to be more specific than that ill need all of the model numbers

There is generally a way of connecting everything up without the need for extra multiswitches.

Edited by headcase on Sunday 21st February 22:26

[Robscim]

headcase said:

You could do the following,

Humax recorder, they normally have 2 scarts, connect the one labelled TV to the TV (Av1) and the one labelled VCR/Aux to your VCR

Wii, Get a component lead from ebay then plug it into your component input

Sony surround, connect to AV2 on the TV

PS2, Connect to the av input on the surround system (assuming it has one), failing that does the TV have RCA connectors usualy either behind a front flap or on one side of the TV.

to be more specific than that ill need all of the model numbers

There is generally a way of connecting everything up without the need for extra multiswitches.

Edited by headcase on Sunday 21st February 22:26

Mark,

Thanks, that's exactly the sort if help I need!!

Tomorrow evening, I can see the tv being moved out of the corner to have a good rummage through the connections, again!

Two questions though; what's a component lead (sorry if its that daft a question!) and secondly, should the co-axial arial lead connect to the VCR, the tv or the humax?

I can sense a resolution to this coming on - thanks again!

Cheers

Rob

[DeputyDawg]

A component lead is next step down from HDMI for picture quality. It can handle high definition pictures but no sound, whereas HDMI can do both. You would need separate audio connectors (L/R) normally colour coded red/white for the audio, or a optical connection if there is the facility?

Order of picture quality with highest:
- HDMI
- Component (Y/Pb/Pr)
- Scart (RGB)
- S-Video
- Composite (yellow)

As for aerial, I would personally go - VCR -> TV. Not sure there is any benefit to having a aerial connection to the Humax.

[headcase]

Robscim said:

Two questions though; what's a component lead (sorry if its that daft a question!) and secondly, should the co-axial arial lead connect to the VCR, the tv or the humax?

I can sense a resolution to this coming on - thanks again!

Cheers

Rob

Wii component lead can be found here, http://www.game.co.uk/Accessories/Wii/GAMEware-Nin...
This is the best quality connector used by the Wii, this wasnt the reason i suggested it that was mainly because there isnt a Panasonic plasma out there that I am aware of that dosent have a component connector so using that would free up one of the scarts for other uses. Its basically a Wii connector to 5 phono plugs coloured Red Green Blue then a Red White pair, there will be 5 connections on the back of the TV with the same colours.

As for the Aerial connection then that will depend on weather you have gone throught the switchover yet. If you have then there isnt much point connectiong it to the VCR.

So I would go Aerial-Humax-VCR-TV if not switched over
or Aerial-Humax-TV if you have switched over
(you will find aerial in and out connectors on the VCR and Humax to allow daisy chaining the aerial to multiple devices)

Edited by headcase on Monday 22 February 17:13

[bobthemonkey]

DeputyDawg said:

A component lead is next step down from HDMI for picture quality. It can handle high definition pictures but no sound, whereas HDMI can do both. You would need separate audio connectors (L/R) normally colour coded red/white for the audio, or a optical connection if there is the facility?

Order of picture quality with highest:
- HDMI
- Component (Y/Pb/Pr)
- Scart (RGB)
- S-Video
- Composite (yellow)

As for aerial, I would personally go - VCR -> TV. Not sure there is any benefit to having a aerial connection to the Humax.

Humax is a Freeview PVR, so it needs an aerial feed for the feed to record. If anything, you can take the VCR out of the aerial chain as post DSO it's going to be playback only, so just use a SCART lead.

[Plotloss]

DeputyDawg said:

Order of picture quality with highest:
- HDMI
- Component (Y/Pb/Pr)

Not necessarily true.

Component has a wider colour gamut than all HDMI versions prior to 1.3a and there are currently few, if any, deep colour sources.

In essence HDMI offers nothing to the consumer over Component, in fact it introduces a good number of problems.