Expert: Bobbert - 10/31/2009

Question
Here is a list of what I am working with.
Phillips 42PFP5342D TV
Comcast DCH3200 Cable Box
Panasonic DMR-EZ37V  VHS-DVD recorder player
Magnavox CDC 745 1701 5Disc CD player
Sony HT-DDW840 Home Theater receiver
Can you give me the best way to hook these up and be able to use the surround sound.

Answer
Connections for each component:

Cable Box:
HDMI or YPbPr (merely depends on what cables you have available) to TV
Optical Digital Audio to Optical Video 2 In on Receiver

CD Player:
Stereo analog to L/R CD input on Receiver

VHS/DVD:
Video to DVD/LD Video In (via CVBS ("Yellow" cable))
Audio to DVD/LD In Coaxial (via Digital Coaxial output on VHS/DVD)
may also require analog audio connection to DVD/LD Audio In for VHS audio (if you could provide me more information about this unit, I can help further here, a manual was unavailable at the time of writing though)

Receiver:
Monitor Video Out to an AV input on TV (don't worry about an audio connection here, you're only sending a video signal for the DVD/VCR device)

In operation:
for viewing TV, you'll want the receiver set to Video 2, and Auto Decode, and the TV set to the appropriate video input

for DVD/VHS playback, you'll want the receiver set to DVD/LD and the TV set to the appropriate video input, again Auto Decode is suggested for the receiver when playing a DVD (I'd also suggest choosing a 5.1 soundtrack, where available)

generally broadcast TV, including HDTV, will not have a 5.1 signal, meaning only a stereo signal is passed to the receiver, you can enable Pro Logic to simulate a surround sound signal, or have output on only the front L/R speakers, and subwoofer (Depending on configuration)

VHS will follow the same rules, except it will always be stereo or mono, as 5.1 is unavailable (due to the technical limitations of VHS), tapes labled as "Dolby Surround" will have a Pro Logic track, enabling this feature will allow this processing to occur


If you have further questions, feel free to post a follow-up.

-bob