HD Receiver connection
harddrive747
Enthusiast - Level 3

I'm looking for information for a possible change down the road.

Currently, I have FIOS TV and I love it.  I am currently using a SD STB.  I'm thinking of upgrading my TV to a flat panel LED TV.  I'm thinking SamSung, but haven't made a final decision.  If I go with the SamSung TV, it would have 4 HDMI connection and one shared componet connection, which in a way sucks for what equipment I currently have.

I have a VCR/DVD combination with all the RCA connections on the back.  I would want to connect the DVD portion directly to the TV, so that I would get a better picture and get progressive scanning.  The issue with doing that would be connecting the VCR side of the house.  I currently use the COAX cable to send all video and sound to the TV.  I guess that I could continue to use the COAX for the VCR.

Now if I get the new TV, I would want to upgrade my STB to a HD receiver.  I noticed on the HD receiver that Verizon provides has a set of RCA connector "in" for video and audio.  My question is could I plug the VCR out into those ports and then use the HDMI cables to run the video to the TV?

Thanks for letting me know.

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Re: HD Receiver connection
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

I have a similar setup, using a Panasonic DVD/VCR combo. Here is how I have it:

Wall ----> (Coax) ----> "FiOS TV In" on STB

Composite Video Out on STB -----> (RCA/Composite) ----> Composite Video In on DVD/VCR

Composite Video Out on DVD/VCR ------> (RCA/Composite) -----> Composite Video In on TV

HDMI Out on STB -----> (HDMI) ------> HDMI In on TV

...That's all you need; to watch a tape or DVD, all you have to do is change the input on the TV to Video/Composite. You don't need a coax connection between the VCR and TV unless you want to use Channel 3/4 instead, but that would be redundant.

My new Samsung doesn't specifically have a composite in connection, but when I looked closer it actually has a joint component/composite input, so that the Yellow (from RCA) and Component Video (Green) are the same input, and it detects which one is connected.

This setup will also allow you to record video from your STB to your VCR, or if it's a DVD recorder, a DVD.

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Re: HD Receiver connection
harddrive747
Enthusiast - Level 3

Sounds good, but not exactly what I was thinking.  Let me try to explain a bit better.

Wall ----> (Coax) ----> HD STB

Composite video/Audio out on VCR ---> (RCA/Composite) ---> Composite video in on HD Receiver

Composite video/audio out on DVD (For progressive scan) ---> (RCA/Composite) ----> Composite Video in on TV

HDMI out on HD STB ----> (HDMI) ----> HDMI in on TV.

Perhaps at some point

Blue Ray Player HDMI -----> (HDMI) -----> HDMI in on TV.

I can also put the composite video/audio out on the STB ----> (RCA/Composite) ---> composite video/audio in on VCR.

So I'm wondering if I can do the first part.

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Re: HD Receiver connection
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

The HD STB (the 7100 at least; my older 6200 does) doesn't have a composite video in. I don't see why you would want/need one.

Your "Composite video/audio out on DVD (For progressive scan) ---> (RCA/Composite) ----> Composite Video in on TV" should also make the VCR work fine, but it could depend on the model of the DVD/VCR. Mine has a button that switches the mode from DVD/VCR, but uses the same output (composite to TV). I don't need a separate connection to view both VCR and DVD video.

Bottom line is, I don't think any of the newer HD STBs have any input options. Any of your AV components should be outputed to your TV, not your STB.

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Re: HD Receiver connection
harddrive747
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks for the information.  I guess the best thing to do is when the time to make a decision arrises just to go with the flow and make it work.

Thanks.

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Re: HD Receiver connection
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

That's usually what it boils down to.

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