DVD cables (SOLVED!)

[ChrisGreaves]

I seek advice on multiple connections to a TV/cable box.
Specifically: I'm wondering if a 3-jack splitter thing is available/useful/recommended for this situation?

My friend's set up is currently a television set and a box from the cable company. I'm not quite sure what the box does, because I don't "do" cable TV.

From the box runs a cable with three jacks - red, yellow and white - and at the other end red, yellow and white plug into the back of the TV.
This works.

My friend has two DVD players, which I have tested on my system by using a second red-yellow-white cable between my DVD/VCR recorder (and hence to my little TV) and the back of the DVD players, one at a time.

I can't plug a DVD player into my friend's system without removing the connector to the cable box (screams of outrage if she can't watch Coronation Street at 6:30 pm).

I'm not sure what setup she used before she moved from the house to a Condo, and I can't see any clues in her carton of "electrical stuff" into which she has tossed all sorts of odds'n'ends.

[jonwallace]

Maybe this forum thread might help...

[Rebel]

Chris,
I think what you are looking for is a small switch box with three or four inputs (composite - yellow, red & white) and one output.

You plug the outputs from the cable box and the dvd players into the inputs on the rear of the switch box, and then plug the output from the switch box into the TV. The switch box has push buttons on the front of the unit (which you will probably want to label with dymo tape). It's then a simple matter of pushing the button on the front of the unit corresponding to whatever device you want to watch. I had this identical setup with a very old television which had only one composite input.

These are inexpensive and available from many different sources. I bought mine at Radio Shack (now the Source by Circuit City). Have a look at this page from the Tiger Direct site. You can see the front and back of the unit by clicking on any of the "3 larger photos" on the page. This one appears to have a small remote control to switch the input source (as well as the push buttons on the front).

Edited to add: And here is the switch box that I purchase many years ago - http://www.thesource.ca/estore/Product. ... ct=1501978 - currently available at the Source (no remote with this one).

[ChrisGreaves]

Maybe this forum thread might help...

ooooh! Jon! A GTA location, too.

Thanks. I gather from the descriptions that my red-white-yellow can be broken down into red-white (audio) and yellow (video).

Once I get my hands back on those 2 DVD players I can experiment by disconnecting the yellow and seeing (!) if I get only sound, or disconnecting the Red-white and seeing if I get only picture.

[ChrisGreaves]

I think what you are looking for is a small switch box with three or four inputs (composite - yellow, red & white) and one output.

Thanks Rebel.
Yes, a switch box would work for my friend.
Quite a difference in price, $50 vs. $30, eh?
Once my friend is settled in she will have a "proper" TV in her bedroom and the smaller TV in the guest room. She will probably want the fancy DVD in her room, the kid-size in the guest room for her grandson.
A lot now depends on the new post-Christmas TV. If it has multiple connectors at the back (cable-in, DVD-in) then she needs just the one switch box for the other TV.
If OTOH she buys 2 new TVs, then I will be assigned to the old one and the problem will become what I think is called moot.

[Rebel]

Maybe this forum thread might help...

Thanks. I gather from the descriptions that my red-white-yellow can be broken down into red-white (audio) and yellow (video).

Exactly - Yellow is the video signal, Red is the Right audio signal and White is the Left audio signal.

[ChrisGreaves]

Exactly - Yellow is the video signal, Red is the Right audio signal and White is the Left audio signal.

Well, Rebel, I pretty well wish you had not confirmed that.
I will spend the rest of the night dreaming up a valid reason for recording only the video, or only the audio of a TV show which I have captured to VCR/DVD.

Soundtracks of interviews don't count, as they can usually be obtained by Juice or similar as podcasts.

[ChrisGreaves]

- and at the other end red, yellow and white plug into the back of the TV. I can't plug a DVD player into my friend's system without removing the connector to the cable box...

Boy oh Boy! Is my face red!
I had an opportunity to re-examine the set up yesterday.
The TV has a second set of red-white-yellow connectors on the left-hand side near the front.

Moral: A TV has 6 faces. Examine each one carefully.

My friend is now cable&DVD equipped.
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

[jonwallace]

Boy oh Boy! Is my face red!

That'll be for the right-audio signal then...

[ChrisGreaves]

That'll be for the right-audio signal then...

Good one, Jon.