One of the biggest frustrations with home theater systems is getting them to work. The most common problem is that everything doesn’t connect together and so there is no sound. In this article, we will go through the different types of connectivity options that are available on modern home theater receivers.
We will start with the basics, namely analog audio and digital audio connections. We will then move on to the more advanced options like HDMI, composite video outputs and component video outputs.
Analog connectors are the easiest type of connector to use for connecting your devices to your receiver. They have three basic forms: RCA, DIN and BNC. RCA connectors are the cheapest type of analog connector and are used in all sorts of consumer electronic equipment such as DVD players and televisions. DIN connectors are more expensive and difficult to find, but they do have a very high quality sound when compared to other types of connectors. BNC connectors offer the very best sound quality, but they are also very expensive and hard to find.
Digital connectors are much easier to use than analog ones because they only require one cable instead of two or three cables. A digital connection is generally made up of an optical cable which carries data from one device to another, an electrical cable which carries power from
My home theater system has been working almost effortlessly for the last seven years. I recently decided to upgrade my receiver, but quickly realized my knowledge of how to connect all the components had gone out the window.
As a home theater enthusiast, I wanted to make sure I fully understood how my new receiver would connect to all of my components, including Blu-ray players, digital TV boxes, and game consoles. My goal was to produce a comprehensive guide to help me and others understand their AV receiver options.
I combed through many reviews from CNET.com and Amazon.com as well as other resources to find the most up-to-date information on each connection type, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
I breakdown what you need to know about HDMI, Component Video (YPbPr), S-Video, Composite Video, Optical Audio, Coaxial Audio and Stereo Audio connections.
If you’re shopping for a home theater system, you’ll want to make sure you have the right connections for your components. Here’s a quick guide to help you understand what’s available, and the pros and cons of each type of connection.
The more connections your receiver has, the more things you can connect to it. But just because there’s a jack on the back of your receiver doesn’t mean that all connections are good connections. In fact, some types of connections are better than others. The best receiver connection is HDMI since it carries both audio and video signals in one cable. An HDMI cable is capable of carrying uncompressed high-definition video and up to eight channels of digital audio data in its single cable.
You can also use component video cables, which are five separate cables that carry three video signals (blue, green, red) and two audio signals (left and right). Component video delivers better picture quality than composite video cables but not as good as HDMI or DVI cables. Composite video cables are the standard yellow-and-white cables that most home theaters use for DVD players and basic cable/satellite receivers. This type of connection carries only one signal for both audio and video. As you might expect, it delivers low-quality picture and
The first step in connecting your home theater system to an AV receiver is understanding the connectivity options available. This page will give you a general overview of the connectors, cables and adapters that are used for setting up a home theater system.
The first step in connecting your home theater system to an AV receiver is understanding the connectivity options available. This page will give you a general overview of the connectors, cables and adapters that are used for setting up a home theater system.
There are three main types of connections between a source component and an AV receiver:
Analog Connections:
RCA interconnects (red & white): This type of cable is most commonly used to connect audio sources like CD players, media streamers, or turntables to your AV receiver. If you have multiple audio sources, you will need one pair of RCA interconnects per source component.
Composite video: Composite video cables are used to connect lower quality video sources like VCRs or media streamers to your AV receiver. You can use either an RCA composite cable or an S-video cable with a composite adapter to make this connection. You should only use one type of connector at a time with each video source. If your TV has component
Most connections on the back of your home theater components will be either High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) or some variety of audio cable. The most common audio connections are digital optical, coaxial, and analog stereo. If you have an older receiver with component video inputs, you can still use that as well.
Most people will be able to get by without HDMI for a few years, but it’s a good idea to consider it as more and more equipment supports it. A receiver is one of the few pieces of equipment in which it makes sense to invest in HDMI now.
The reason is simple: HDMI carries both high-definition video and multi-channel audio over a single cable. Your home theater system is probably already composed of several components with varying degrees of audio/video capabilities. You only need to look at the back of your receiver or DVD player to see how many cables are required just to set up a basic home theater system. With HDMI, all you need is one connection between each component and your TV and one connection between each component and your receiver. This means less cable mess behind your entertainment center and fewer wires that can cause interference or other problems.
So you’ve bought a new AV (Audio Video) receiver and it doesn’t have a CD/DVD drive. You may be wondering how you are going to listen to your CDs or play your DVDs? We’re here to help!
How to play CDs on an AV Receiver without a CD player
There are plenty of ways to listen to music in our digital age, so it isn’t surprising that the majority of new AV receivers don’t come with a CD drive. But what if you want to listen to the music on your CDs? Or watch your DVDs? Fear not – there are plenty of ways that you can still do this even if your AVR doesn’t have a built-in CD player. In no particular order, here are some options:
1. Use the CD Player on an existing AV component in your system
If you already have another device in your system that has an internal CD player (an old AV receiver, perhaps), then simply connect that device’s audio output directly into one of the inputs on your new AVR. For example, if you connect the analog audio outputs from an old DVD player into one of the inputs on your new receiver, then select that input when listening to CDs and DVDs, the sound will be sent out through the
Audio, video, and home theater components are often connected to each other using wires. But with so many types of wires and connectors available, how do you know which one to use? Why can’t there be a single cable that handles everything?
This guide will help you sort out the confusion. It describes the different types of cables and connectors that are commonly used in home theater applications, and explains what each are used for. Additionally, it offers suggestions on how to use these cables and connectors to create various home theater configurations.
The sections include:
Types of Cables & Connectors
Cables & Connectors for Audio-Only Applications
Cables & Connectors for A/V Receiver applications
Cables & Connectors for DVD Player Applications
Cables & Connectors for TV Applications
Cables & Connectors for Home Theater Speaker Applications