Connection problems... Help, required for novice, Please

[admin_exported]

I have been given a hint that Father Chrismas might bring me an Apple TV this year.

Great! Only problem - connecting it. I have a Panasonic Plasma TH-37px70 on the recommendation of WHFSAV, and I am VERY, VERY happy with it - beautiful picture for the money. It has 2 HDMI and 1 component input (plus scart, s video). The TV display only has 720 lines, not 1080. We currently have connected:

1.) Sky HD - Badged Samsung - Has HDMI and SCART out

2.) Sony BDP-S360 - HDMI and component out

The Apple TV has only a HDMI connector.

Question 1 Is there any way that I can get an HD signal to the TV from all three sources?

I've looked in the manual and it says that component inputs will only accept 576i or 576p as the "Aspect Control Signal" and another page states "Input signal that can be displayed" and lists everything from 480i to 1080i, including 720p

Question 2 Will the Blu-Ray player output blu-ray disk picture at 720p over component output.

I have heard that the player might output the picture of some protected material as 480p or 576p over component due to lack of HDCP support on the TV's component input. Is this correct?

Question 3 If the player will output 720p, I'm planning to use the following connection types into th Panny, would anyone recommend a different setup. I'm trying to get the best picture from all 3 sources before I buy an AVR later this year and connect everything using HDMI.

Sony BDP-S360 - Component - outputing 720p

Sky HD - HDMI - into HDMI 1

Apple TV - HDMI - into HDMI 2

I have never used component input before, so I would really appreciate any feedback you can offer. Many, many thanks in advance.

D.

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, reading more from the Sony Blu-Ray manual...

Component output looks like protected content IS downgraded to 576p, at best.

I think the answer here might be an HDMI switch until I buy the AVR. Does anyone know of any decent low-cost ones I should try?

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have the sky HD box with a component output in addition to HDMI, you could use that and RCA left and right for audio. ( some boxes do, some don't).

 

[Anonymous]

Dr Mcr:
Actually, reading more from the Sony Blu-Ray manual...

Component output looks like protected content IS downgraded to 576p, at best.

I think the answer here might be an HDMI switch until I buy the AVR. Does anyone know of any decent low-cost ones I should try?

I have bought from http://www.hdcable.co.uk before, there seemed to be no loss in picture from the one I used to have.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks MArk,

I think my Sky HD box is one of the newer ones that didn't have the componebt out, or that could have been an option for me. Thanks for the suggestion anyway...

and for the switch box recomendation.

From ths, I'll need to spend about £30-£40 for a box that will auto switch. The question is now, do I buy this switch and buy something like the Yamaha 667 later in the year, or do I bite the bullet and buy one of last years buget amps (to do the HDMI switching) with some speakers, forsaking 3d for now (that my TV does not support anyway) and buy a 3d amp a couple years down the line?

Decisions, decisions.

At least I know now what I need to do if I don't want to go down the receiver route just yet.

Thanks to everyone who took time to look at this for me.