Composite Video Splitter

[Youth Minister]

Is there such an animal?  My Sony HDTV has 6 inputs, 2 of which are composite video.  I now have a DVD player, TWC Box, and DirecTV box which all have Composite Video Out.  Currently have the DVD player using S-Video, which isn't horrible, but just wondering if there's a fix I could use.

[drgingras]

I think you might mean component, not composite?

If so, I have and use both of these:

JVC Manual Switcher

Audio Authority 1154

Both have worked for me. You can also look at radioshack and bestbuy. I believe they both carry such products but I can't comment on their effectiveness or quality.

Also, a search on component switching here might give you a few more results. I remember this subject coming up a few times in the past.

Dave

[Youth Minister]

Thanks.  And yes, I did mean component.  Mondays and bad enough, but after a Packers loss....

[Tom Snyder]

I use this guy:

http://www.inday.com/rgb4x/rgb4x.htm

It switches and does it by remote control. The remote can program your universal remote, and if you have something like a TSU2000 or Home Theater Master, you can add the codes to a macro.

My TWC cable box is input 3 and my DirecTV box is input 4.  When I hit my CBS58 icon on the TSU, it tunes the Cable box to 58's digital signal, switches to the proper input and turns my tuner to the input for the Cable audio.  If I hit the HBO HD icon, it tune the Satellite box to Channel 88, switches to the proper input and turns my tuner to the input for the Sateliite box.  

It was little pricey for a switcher, but my wife wanted a setup that would allow her to pick up the remote. Hit a picture  of the HGTV logo with her finger and get there regardless of where the TV was presently tuned.

[Gregg Lengling]

Originally posted by Tom Snyder


It was little pricey for a switcher, but my wife wanted a setup that would allow her to pick up the remote. Hit a picture  of the HGTV logo with her finger and get there regardless of where the TV was presently tuned.

But then she has no reason to keep you around does she....I believe in keeping things hard to do....that way the wife NEEDS ME!:)

[Paul S.]

Originally posted by drgingras

Audio Authority 1154

Dave, I'm looking for something like this.

Is this considered a low-end type?

[Matt Heebner]

AA's  products are considered to be pretty good.  And FYI...I do think Flanners carries these at their store.

Maybe our resident Flanners  guy can fill  us in.....John?


Matt

[Gregg Lengling]

The bandwidth is spec'd at 100MHz which is good.  Also it looks very nice with the priority setting for automatic switching.  Looks like a good buy..I've got the panasonic manual switcher which is fine if you want to get up to change inputs (and it's about 70 bucks less).  But I don't think you can go wrong with the AA switcher.

[Paul S.]

Sweet! :guitar: Now I just hafta save up for it...

[Joseph S]

The only problem I've had with the AA unit is with videogames. On the rare occasions I've used it to play PS2 and Gamecube games I have had video drop outs due to a loss of sensing of the signal.

For my HTPC and my HD sources it works perfectly even with an additional AA Audio switching unit hooked up in series to one of the audio ins.

[Paul S.]

Ha, thats one of the main reasons why I need it lol

[StarvingForHDTV]

Originally posted by Gregg Lengling
The bandwidth is spec'd at 100MHz which is good.  Also it looks very nice with the priority setting for automatic switching.  Looks like a good buy..I've got the panasonic manual switcher which is fine if you want to get up to change inputs (and it's about 70 bucks less).  But I don't think you can go wrong with the AA switcher.

Hi Gregg,

Can you take a look at my receiver's specs and tell me if you think it's component switching would degrade my picture quality?

http://yamaha.com/cgi-win/webcgi.exe/Specs/?gAVR00010HTR-5280

I currently route directly to the back of my TV, but if my component input/outputs on my Yamaha receiver are good enough it might make sense to route that way first.

Thanks in advance,

Starving

[Gregg Lengling]

Unfortunately they don't spec the Component Video Bandwidth on that receiver.  Unless there is a lab review on the net someplace I can't make a statement.  I'd try it and see if you are downgraded at all.  However make sure you use good quality cable sets on any connections.

[brewtownska]

I did a little extra searching into the owners manual for Starving's receiver.  It mentions "Frequency Response (Monitor Out)" and then under it is "Composite, S-Video = 5Hz to 10MHz" and "Component = DC to 30MHz".  So does that mean the receiver only has a 30MHz bandwidth?  If so, isn't that fairly low...is that only enough to pass 480p?  I'm throwing around the idea of getting a new receiver, and noticed a lot of them are around 50 or 60MHz.  The Denon I'm looking at even has 100MHz, which sounds like it would mate perfectly with the switcher that's being talked about in this thread.

Mike

[Gregg Lengling]

You really only need 20 to 30 mhz of response..but the higher the better because then the feedthru is more balanced.  If you have a couple dB difference between cables it'll screw up your picture.  I personally would go for at least 50mHz that'll give you double the bandwidth required.