New TV, how would you hook it up

[stevenlpkr]

Hi guys,

I come here because I know you have the answers. Right now I have a 625, and two standard tube TV's. I am thinking that for Christmas we may get a LCD FLat screen, which will become a second TV2. I am thinking of the VIZIO 32", 37", or 42 " LCD. I know I could spend more, but the budget is really holding me to $1000 to maybe $1200. The 32" as $700, 37" $1000, and the 42" $1200.

So, any opinions on the TV would be appreciated, but my real question is this; Since I have the 625, which is only SD, I will not really be using the HD capabilitied of the TV at this point unless I get an OTA antenna. How would you hook this up as TV2? I have about 30 top 40 feet to run from the 625 to where the new TV will be. Should I just split the co-ax going to the current TV2 and run it to the new TV? Component cables? Is the distance I have practical for anything other than co-ax? and lastly, do those of you that have this type of setup carry the remote from one TV2 to the other, or can I / should I get another remote?

Thanks in advance for any input

Steve

 

[lakebum431]

Honestly, I wouldn't waste the money unless you are going to get an HD source and box (the 622 for DISH). There is no point in doing 1 without the other.

 

[primetimeguy]

Honestly, I wouldn't waste the money unless you are going to get an HD source and box (the 622 for DISH). There is no point in doing 1 without the other.

Ditto, and you will probably find your SD looks worse on the newer, digital, widescreen TV (assuming you stretch the picture to fill it).

 

[stevenlpkr]

OK, I need to hear from someone that is using an SD reciever with a large LCD. Do you wish you had not made the purchase?

I didn't think all that many shows / channels were in HD, I could be wrong. I would find it pretty hard to pay extra for HD, I'm so cheap I gripe about my bill as it is.

What would someone suggest for a new big TV? Just for comparrison, I am currently using a 19" and 25" which are 9 and 11 years old.

 

[garys]

My second receiver was sd when I got my tv. SD using composite or s-video was horrid as well as the analog via rf. I soon got rid of all my sd receivers and use only HD connections.

 

[stevenlpkr]

Garys,

So what do you do when you watch a show that is not broadcast in HD?

 

[jjjjjreynolds]

With SD, the bigger the TV the worse the picture quality will look. If you don't want HD through E* at this time, I would get an OTA antenna to at least pull in the locals in HD. Go to antennaweb.org and plug in your zip and they will tell you what HD signals are in your area. I use a cheap, $25 UHF exterior antenna from Radio Shack and pull in all networks from 60 miles from the towers. I'm not real handy on the satellite stuff, but I think there are threads out here on how to split/diplex the feed coming in your home.

 

[stevenlpkr]

I probably shoud go to the HD forum if this strays any more off my original question of what cable to use, but.... From what I see, in my zip code, 16411, I don't have any HD OTA available, nor would my dish locals be HD even if I moved to a HD package and reciever. correct me if I am wrong.

 

[kb7oeb]

If I was going to do that I would mix the modulated output of your 625 into the antenna feed going to the tv. You could watch locals in digital and sometimes HD and still be able to tune the analog channel from the 625.

 

[NOHDjunkie]

You have all four big networks, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX and PBS broadcasting digital from Erie PA. you are approx 20-25 miles from the broadcast towers.

WQLN-DT 50.1 PBS ERIE (UHF CH 50) 39.1 kW low power

WSEE-DT 16 CBS ERIE (UHF CH 16) 75. kW low power

WJET-DT 24.1 ABC ERIE PA (UHF CH 58) 1000. kW full power

WICU-DT 12.1 NBC ERIE PA (UHF CH 52) 1000. kW full power

WFXP-DT 66.1 FOX ERIE PA (UHF CH 22) 850. kW full power

For Cables. Monoprice.com

They sell a 50 foot S-video cable with RCA audio for $14

 

[stevenlpkr]

Kb7oeb, you owuld recocmend Co-ax as I understand it.

NOHD junkie, Thanks for the info, I looked at antennaweb, and it didn't say anything about HD in the listings. I will take another look. So you sugest S-Video / RCA.

Thanks guys.

Steve

 

[stevenlpkr]

I just looked, and for TV2, s-video in not an option. So I guess my two options are component video / audo (RCA), or plain old cable. So I guess that is my question, which one is better?

Thanks

Steve

 

[kb7oeb]

Composite should be cleaner than RF, I'm not sure how the distance factors into that. You might consider going the opposite direction and run the RF feed to the standard tv. Are you planning on using an indoor or outdoor antenna?

 

[stevenlpkr]

I have an indoor right now from before I got Dish, so I will try that an see what the results are.

The RF feed runs to a 19 standard TV right now, so I can split that to the new TV, or component cable from the 625 to the new TV.

I guess the other option is to move the reciever and make a ton of changes. If I can make the TV1 remote UHF, which I think I saw here, then I can make this TV1 and then I get S-Video as well.

So your vote would then be composite if the distance is not a problem?

Thanks for the input.

Steve

 

[bhelms]

Here's another option...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i.../V+extender&kw=a/v+extender&parentPage=search

I bought a system similar to this from BB, a "Leapfrog" model, for about $80 per pair, IIRC. Works very well over modest distances (< 50'?)...

 

[jayn_j]

I think the problem is less that SD looks worse on larger screens. I believe the problem is that HD looks better and we get used to it.

I had an older Sony 53" projector recently die. I had absolutely no problem with the image. When it died, we purchased a new Toshiba DLP set. The image was even nicer and I was very happy. Then we bought a 622. The image was increbibly sharp. At that point, it suddenly required an effort to go back to watching SD source.

I would say that if you are only doing SD, you should be fine. Personally, I would recommend going with the highest quality connection available. In this case it would be S-Video. I have successfully run a 50' S-Video connection, but you do need to make cables at that length. It issue becomes one of making sure that all the wires in the bundle are of equal length, or you will have chroma errors. If you do a google search, you can find several manufacturers that market long s-video cables. Here is one that goes to 100'
http://www.svideo.com/mogami4u.html

One more point. I am not sure of your room requirements, but you can still get greater bang for the buck from rear projection. The Toshiba 56HM66 set is going on a Black Friday sale for $1199 this weekend. This is the unit we purchased and we are pretty happy with it. As I mentioned, I don't know your room requirements, so if it doesn't work for you, no big deal, but if it does, there is a big difference between 42" and 56"

 

[dishcomm]

Honestly, I wouldn't waste the money unless you are going to get an HD source and box (the 622 for DISH). There is no point in doing 1 without the other.

I had a w/o the other day for a 625 add on...no dish 1000!..The guy wanted the box but not the hd programming..WTF is that ?.....

 

[lakebum431]

A 625 or a 622?

 

[kb7oeb]

I've ordered 50' s-video cables from mcm for my work, I don't know if they sell to regular people though.

http://www.mcmelectronics.com

 

[stevenlpkr]

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and input. I picked up the TV today, and so far I am completely satisfied. I see the point of those with HD, but since I have never had it, this new TV is bigger, and looks better than what I had. I ended up using just a regular old cable, because I had enough to do it today, and it looks great. I tried my little indoor antenna, and could not get any local OTA HD. So uintil I move to an outdoor antenna, and or HD Dish, this is good enough.

Thanks again.

Steve