I am trying to run a vcr and a dvd to a tv that is fed by a satellite dish. I have a selector switch that has inputs/outputs that I ran the vcr, dvd and satellite receiver into on the input side via yellow/red/white component cables. On the output side of the switch, the component cable set runs to an RF modulator’s component input port. The satellite coax is going to the input side on the satellite receiver. Another coax comes out of the output port on the receiver and then on to the input side of the RF. Another coax comes out of the RF and goes on to the TV. This exact system works on my father’s tv but he has an antenna with a digital converter box instead of the satellite receiver. I would think input would be input, regardless of whether or not it is from a satellite or an antenna. But, when hooked up this way, there is no signal to the tv from the satellite unless I put a component cable set from the receiver to the component plugs on the TV, then nothing else works. I am getting to the point of jumping right now. Anyone have any clues or suggestions???
I don’t know why it’s not working, but you do know the quality will be terrible if you use a coax cable instead of a baseband video cable (or better yet an S video or component) if you have them?
I’m not sure of the answer without re-reading your questing a few more times to see if I can parse all that better, but I think you’ll get a lot more help if you ask a mod (via the red triangle) to change the title of the thread to something like “Media Center Wiring Question”. I know you were trying to be funny/clever, but all the people on the board that know a lot about wiring and nothing about plumbing aren’t going to click on the thread.
Without re-reading this. Start by making sure each component works. Connect each thing, one at a time to your TV. If that works, then you know all your components, as well as their outputs and wires are all in working conditions. Then, start connecting them back together. Each time you connect something, test everything. When something stops working, go from there. That will help you figure out what’s going on. It might be as simple as a bad switch or one of your components isn’t passing a signal through like you expect it to or you just have a bad setting on your TV.
Has this setup (at your house) ever worked? If it did, when and why did it stop?
Like I said, you don’t have too much going on, I’d probably just yank all the wires and start troubleshooting.
Moderator Note
Thread title changed to better indicate topic.
“TV Plumbing” -> “Media Center Wiring Question”
First, welcome.
Second, the red, yellow and white cables are not component cables. Component in/ outputs only supply video, and there would be green, blue and red connections.
The reason I brought that second bit up, was that you mentioned that you connected the satellite receiver to the tv with “component” cables… Did you mean the red, yellow and white cables? If so, and your switch has three inputs, you shouldn’t need the rf modulator.
Could you give us some makes and model numbers?
And what the RF modulator would need is
- 5 inputs for component, being 3 video and two sound … but who RF modulates componet.
OR
- AV signals, being 3 coax cables… The composite video (yellow), and two sound (red and white), which have those standard colours (but not always).
Composite then comes in PAL or NTSC versions … (and PAL has variations … !),and the RF output can be … UHF or VHF …PAL or NTSC… Like this is complicated to get right…
if you have composite input on the tv (yellow) along with stereo audio (red, white) then you don’t need to use a RF modulator if all your sources have a composite video (yellow) output.
if some source doesn’t have composite video output then you might need to use a RF modulator into the tv antenna/cable input with the tv tuned to channel 3 or 4 (usually).
if your tv has component video (red, blue, green) then if your source has those then you can use them without the RF modulator.
try each source individually into the tv. without the switch. when you have a source working then try all the cables with that source. then try with the switch. if a source doesn’t work then move it to another position on the switch. you will then find if a source, cable, switch (maybe just one position) is bad.
you are using RF (into channel 3 or 4) then those cables are easy to be a problem. the center wire can make a bad connection easily, bend it just slightly to the side can help. those cables need to be connected carefully to work.
I’m guessing that anybody still using a VCR is not going to too concerned about video quality.