Home theater question again

[adamred]

To the experts on the board. My JVC receiver from around 2-3 years ago only has one "optical" input and one digital coax input for digitally processed sound.

My new DVD player only has optical out and RCA out.

My HD cable box has optical out and something called SPDIF that looks like RCA out. I don't see anything obviously digital coax out.

I purchased an optical "splitter" at Radio Shack but it sux. when one source is hooked up the sound blows, when the 2 sources are hooked up neither work.

Any options here other then having to reach behind and switch everytime I change from HDTV to DVD?

Thanks.
Adam

[adamred]

Oh also, the JVC has no component video but of course the TV, HD box and DVD player all have them so I have hooked the video up directly, not running it through the JVC receiver.

[ErVikingo]

SPDIF is digital out. Actually Sony Phillips digital interface. Use the Optical for the DVD and the SPDIF for the HDTV box.

IMHO, most switchers add a lot of "noise" to the signal path.

[adamred]

Thanks Juan:
What sort of cable do I use for SPDIF, digital coax, or something else?

[ErVikingo]

I use a digital coax on mine.

In theory you should be able to use any (RCA terminated) interconnect.

However,the digital ones are supposed to have different shielding or shielding specifically tailored for digital signals.

[ErVikingo]

BTW, IMHO SPDIF works better than optical !

[adamred]

Alright, I'll give it a try tonight. Last question until tomorrow on this, can you just do a direct connect or does SPDIF require other connections to be made in tandem?

There are RCA connection right next to it should I make those as well?

[ErVikingo]

SPDIF will have all information (video & sound data) that will be sent in digital format to your receiver to decode (DAC). No need to use any other cables.

[ErVikingo]

Did this workout?

[adamred]

Hi Juan:
Thanks for checking in, not exactly. When I connect the dig coax cable (high end monster cable) to the spdif on the cable box and the dig coax in on the receiver I get no sound at all. Do you think I then need to make a video connection back to the tv? Problem is there is no component video on my receiver only "s" video which I understand is lower quality...

Any ideas?

Adam

[ErVikingo]

??? Let me think about this. I'm out of town currently.

On the S Video vs component, there is supposed to be a difference but IMHO its very hard to notice.