How do I wire this lot up?

Question

VCR, DVD player, TV and surround amp. Where can I get a good wiring diagram. Most of it's obvious but does the aerial go into the amp or the VCR first? How many phono leads does the sub-woofer require?

Answer 1

(This is long, but thorough)
There are quite a few options for you, but not knowing the type of TV that you've got and what type of connectivity options that you have its impossible to answer your question. I'll take a few shots based on most popular connections.

Antenna (aerial) - Will connect to the VCR first to the RF input (coaxial input). Then to get Antenna signal to your television, run a coaxial cable from the RF output (coaxial output) to the TV's antenna input. Then using the menu on both devices, do your channel programming so that all your channels are saved. Now you will be able to record a program on your VCR and watch another on your Television.

VCR to TV and Surround Amp: If your VCR is stereo and your TV is as well, then you will utilize Audio/Video Cables (yellow/white/red). If you don't care about sound from the TV for your VCR, then run the Yellow Cable to the TV for picture to an input of your choice, then run the audio (white and red) cable to your surround amp to an input of your choice. Now when you want to watch your VCR, put the TV on the correct input and the amp on the correct input and you will have picture and surround sound. Another option for connectivity is to go from the audio output on the television to your amp. This way whatever sound is coming through the TV will also come through the Amp.

DVD Player to TV: This all depends on your TV and DVD player connection options. Here's your options from lowest resolution to highest resolution. Just choose whichever is your best option and connect directly between the two devices. Switch input on the TV for correct source.
Composite Video (Yellow)
S-Video
Component Video
DVI or HDMI

DVD to Amp: Depending on if you have Digital Surround Sound or not will decide the type of connection.
Non Digital - run an analog audio cable from the DVD to the Amp to a selected input.
Digital - connect either a Fiber Optic or Digital Coaxial cable between the two.

There are also options for running through the Surround Amp and then to the Television, but that's a whole other discussion. I hope this helps, but if you have additional connection questions, contact me through email (through my profile), or check my blog and ask me there.

But also look at this site: http://www.ceaconnectionsguide.com/ all it is for is to help with connectivity.

Answer 2

Hmm, tricky if you don't know. Aerial should go into the VCR, then from the VCR into the TV. The amp should take audio inputs from the VCR & DVD, the DVD should output scart cabling to the VCR, the VCR then scarts to the TV (assuming the VCR has two scarts, if not just DVD to VCR Scart then tune the TV into the VCR. Watch all your TV through the VCR then you can have surround sound on it by switching to the VCR channel on the amp. If the amp is a Video switch unit, then the VCR and DVD should be cabled into it (audio & video), then the amp cabled to the TV (audio & video). If the subwoofer has two phono inputs, it will have a left & right bass channel. Connect this to the output on the amp. The numbers of inputs/outputs from the amp to the sub usually match but not always. If not, your local AV stockist can provide an AV phono splitter that will allow 2 to become one or the other way around.

Good luck

Answer 3

Sub should be 1 single phono.
aerial into VCR then to TV.
DVD to TV.
audio leads from Tv to amp.

This would work but it does depend on your components inputs/outputs etc....you may be able to set it up better.

Answer 4

Follow this diagram from Sony. Just check the boxes to suit your equipment.

http://support.sony-europe.com/Tutorials/TV/Diagrams/diagrams.asp?l=en