Aboutcleggsan Expertise Consumer Electronics of all kinds. Audio, esoteric audio systems and components, video, tv. Digital equipment for consumer use. Ham radio and automotive electronics. Note: I give advice on tv repair based on general consumer electronics engineering experience but I am not engaged in actual repair of sets.
Experience Electrical Engineering; recording, broadcasting, design, international standards, tv and radio theory and practice.
Organizations FELLOW of AES (Audio Engineering Society)
Senior Life Member of IEEE (Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers)
International Consulting Organization
Publications IEEE Spectrum
Various Consumer Electronic publications
Education/Credentials BSEE
MSCS
MBA
Awards and Honors Famous Engineer for Digital Audio
Question I just purchased Samsung HLM507W with hd monitor and dlp technology. First of all I want to know the best way to connect all my components. I have tivo, vcr, dvd, and home theatre system with receiver. I know have everything going though my receiver and I have my tivo set up where I can record while watching through the tv. I don't think I have it set up correctly because if I watch tv through my tivo(which I always do unless recording) I cannot get sound from my tv, just my surround sound. And the picture is less than desirable probably because I have just basic cable but I need to know the cheapest way to get a better picture and get hd channels. Someone told me rather than buying the expensive hd antenna for your roof that you can buy the old type roof antenna and get a better hd picture than the expensive ones the satellite companys are selling. I hope you can help me because I know nothing about all of this. Thank you so much! Amy
Answer Well, let's take one thing at a time.
ONE: Antenna cost is not the determining factor for best reception. Design and location/mounting of the antenna is the key. The higher the elavation of the antenna when mounted and the bigger the elements of the antenna are the two most key factors.
TWO: To get a good picture, I suggest you use a dvd player with progressive scan. Then with a good dvd (they are not all so good), you can get spectacular video on HD. Then, you can compare the off-air quality against that of good dvd. You should be able to approach the dvd video from cable or off-air.
THREE: Hookup. There are books written on the subject. I do not recommend running everything through the receiver. Audio is okey, but video is best when it goes directly from the ouput of the tivo or vcr or dvd player directly to the inputs on the tv - if you can do it. There is always some loss of signal when video is passed through an a/v receiver.
So far as hooking them up; it is your choice. It really depends on what you are most interested with your system. There is no perfect solution; but depends on whether you are going to be doing lots of recording off - air or from camera or if your most frequent use will be viewing movies. And so on.
Take a look at this site below. They spent a lot of time figuring out some of the best ways to connect systems together. T his, along with the manual from the DLP monitor should give you some good ideas on how to hook up. Then, after getting it all going good, you will probabl want to change things around from time to time.
