Cables, cables, cables

[admin_exported]

I could do with some advice on how I should interconnect my cabling for optimum performance.

I have recently purchased a Philips 37PFL5522D LCD tv and have the following kit feeding it.

Sky + box : Panasonic DZRE20 dvd recorder : Sony 730e vcr : Yamaha RXSL home cinema receiver

As I don't have any HDMI outputs on any kit I connect the tv with scarts as follows:

a) VCR out to Sky + in : Sky + out to DVD rec in : DVD rec out to scart input 1 on Philips tv. However I have switched the output signal on the Panasonic DVD rec to "video with component" rather than RGB to enable me to watch dvd's in progressive scan mode.

b) Sky + to scart input 2 on the tv from the s-video & 2 audio phonos out of the Sky + box using a single JVC adapter lead ( 3 cables into 1 scart plug) but seldom use this option.

c) I also connect the Sky + box and DVD rec to the Yamaha receiver with optical audio cables for surround sound.

I am not too bothered about the VCR but I am considering changing the rest of the cabling from the Sky + box and I am unsure if there will be any resulting benefit so I am seeking some advice on whether I should proceed as follows.

1. Connect the Sky + scart out directly to the TV scart 1 (RGB) in.

(Q1) will this give improved picture quality? ( I suspect the current route of going through the DVD rec won't result in RGB anyway as I don't think the rec input scart is RGB, therefore setting the DVD rec output to RGB would be irrelevant).

2. Connect the "s-video & 2 audio phonos to scart" lead from the Sky + box to the DVD rec input. However I don't know how much "surround sound" detail is passed through the stereo audio cables so

(Q2) will I lose surround sound on playback of any recordings from the Sky + hard drive so encoded which I copy to a blank dvd on the DVD recorder? (In which case should I revert to the original setup of full scarts between Sky + / dvd rec / tv?)

3. Keep the component cables / progressive scan output option for watching dvd's.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="gazstone"]I am seeking some advice on whether I should proceed as follows.

1. Connect the Sky + scart out directly to the TV scart 1 (RGB) in.

(Q1) will this give improved picture quality?
[/quote]

Yes.

[quote user="gazstone"]2. Connect the "s-video & 2 audio phonos to scart" lead from the
Sky + box to the DVD rec input. However I don't know how much "surround
sound" detail is passed through the stereo audio cables so

(Q2) will I lose surround sound on playback of any recordings from
the Sky + hard drive so encoded which I copy to a blank dvd on the DVD
recorder? (In which case should I revert to the original setup of full
scarts between Sky + / dvd rec / tv?)
[/quote]

Yes, you will lose surround sound on any recordings copied to DVD, as both the audio phono output and the Scart audio connection are stereo only. So stick with the Scart.

[quote user="gazstone"]3. Keep the component cables / progressive scan output option for watching dvd's.

[/quote]

Yes, with your set-up that's the best option.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for that advice Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

THREAD MODERATED - no trading please - Mods

 

[professorhat]

I have a feeling he may have purchased any cables he needs by now, given it was a year ago...