Ok, so I am going this weekend to TV shop. I have an idea what I want, but not exactly sure. I have narrowed it down to LCD (DLP's are nice, but I kinda want a smaller set for my tv stand). I am looking at a 32" Sharp Aquos. My friend can get it for me for about 1400 out the door, retail is about 1600 I think. They have it at Circuit City for 1199 but its out of stock. I would wait, but I have Time Warner coming next week to install all my lines.

I requested an HD box, only because I know now that any TV I get will be HD. Don't know if I will ever watch anything in HD, but who knows. My question is what cables will I need to get the best picture from my cable box and my DVD player. I have regular progressive scan Sony DVD player, will I need to upgrade to a different one? Fill me in on what kind of cables I will need, how many, and which brand to get. I see all these different cables and my head hurts.


Cliffs:

1. Buying most likely a 32" LCD tv this weekend
2. Don't know what kind of cables I will need for the HD box and DVD player
3. Should I buy a new DVD player?
4. Any other recommendations for an LCD tv 32" around 1600-1700 bucks
5. I will not be setting up a surround system, no room for it.

Gracias in advance

 

1 - Great choice on TV, sharp is good for that price and quality tho look for samsung if you can splurge a few hundred more
2A - cables for HD box - Usually, when you pick up a box from a TV provider, they give you componant cables (Blue, Green and another color lol) that are the standard for HD. These cables are different from the RCA plugs (Red, While, Yellow) because they split the picture into 3 different inputs for better quality (note - you will need separate audio wires (Red, While) for sound for the componants are just for picture.
Try to get a hDmi cable from a place like best buy or radioshack, might cost $100 plus tho but these are the best for and picture and data transfer. (you will need audio plags, hdmi is only for picture.
2B, 3 - DVD player - you will not need to upgrade for progressive scans already produce a good picture. Upconversion DVD player are great, but there is no need unless you have a huge TV. look for componant cables for usually there are no HDMI outputs

4 - like i said, the samsung is the best pic. around for an LCD in my opinion

5 - i do wish you would reconsider a surround sound system for TV speakers are not that well. You will be luck if you can get 20 watts of decent power from a TV, let alone an LCD
a theater in a box option is best for your need

hope this helps, PM me if you need in detail help

 

Actually HDMI carries sound as well, it's an all in one cable. Component is your next best bet as Acuraluvr stated.

Don't pay $100 for an HDMI cable though, order it from www.monoprice.com for $20.

I recently bought a new upconverting DVD player when I got my new plasma and I don't use the upconverting functionality. I set it to display at 480p because my TV seems to do a better job upconverting than the DVD player does. I would have returned it and gotten a regular progressive scan DVD player, but i like the fact that it had an HDMI out and it was only about $30-$40 more than a regular player.

 

^

Listen to Danny on the cable issue. I've purchased about 4 HDMI and DVI/HDMI cables from Monoprice and never paid more then $25 shipped for any of them (price varies based on size of the cable). And yes, HDMI carries both audio and video, so you'd only need one cable. If your cable box does not have HDMI and only had DVI, then you'll need seperate audio cables (example, by HD-DVR on the main TV is HDMI, but my regular HD box in the bedroom is DVI).

Oh and yes... as Acuraluvr mentioned, reconsider the surround sound thing. Even a fairly inexpensive Home-Theater in a box (HTIB) will blow away the built in TV speakers. If you're not going to get good sound then don't even bother hooking up a DVD player to this TV...

 

Thanks for the replies.

So, I bought these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

these
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

And this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Now, this is for my cable box to tv, dvd player to tv, and PS2 to tv.

Do I undertand correctly? I need to buy a SEPARATE audio cable for the PS2 and DVD connections as well? The cables I bought are Video only? Just want to make sure I get everything.

 

You need seperate audio cables for all three: PS2, cable, and DVD.

HDMI does carry audio, but since that cable converts it to DVI you will need a seperate audio cable.

 

For my cable box, can I use the audio cable that came with teh HD set?

 

Is this the right cable I need for the ps2 and dvd?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Monster-Cable-8f...QQcmdZViewItem

 

you need some of these

or this if you have optical audio inputs/outputs.

 

Did I buy the wrong HDMI cable for the cable box ===> TV?

 

That will work.

As far as the audio cable that came with the HD set, I don't know. What is it?

 

it depends on the TV you got. If it has an HDMI input, i would just use an HDMI to HDMI cable. If it doesn't then the HDMI to DVI (like you got) is the best, but then requires another cable for audio. What inputs does your TV have? it may not have both of those.

 

It looks like a component cable. 2 ends on each side. I am still waiting for the HDMI cable to get here so I can see what I am missing, but it seems I still need 3 audio cables for any of this to work. Those cables I just showed you on ebay for audio will not work?

 

I actually bought a 32" Sony Bravia, got it for a good price.
It has an HDMI input

 

^ that sounds like an RCA audio cable, which will work fine.

The audio cables on ebay you posted will work
http://cgi.ebay.com/Monster-Cable-8...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I would buy another HDMI to HDMI cable then so you don't have to worry about the audio.

 

Ok, so then I need 3 audio cables, right? unless I can use the ones the cable co provided that is. This is confusing

 

Here's what I'm talking about, you should use this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._BID_Stores_IT

Instead of this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

but he's charging $40 shipping for that, so I'd go to monoprice.com for it

 

Sorry, this is getting confusing...

Here's what you need:
DVD player - component cable you bought from ebay + audio cable
PS2 - component cable you bought from ebay + audio cable
Cable - HDMI to DVI cable you bought from ebay + audio cable (if your TV has a DVI input, otherwise get a new HDMI to HDMI cable.)

 

Ok, I'll see if I can return the one I already bought, if not, I'll just use a separate audio cable for it.

 

Danny, thanks for your help and patience. I'll let you know what happens

 

no problem, it will all work out sooner or later

I just checked on the 32" Sony Bravia, I don't know which one you have, but I pulled up this one: http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/...cation.do#tabs

That one doesn't have a DVI input so that HDMI - DVI cable you bought won't work. Your TV could be different, but if it's a newer model, chances are there's no DVI, those are getting phased out in favor of HDMI.

 

Nope, I have a different model, and I just looked, there is no DVI input. Crap.

Also, the cables that time warner hooked up to the box are red/white audio cables. Everything else is hookede up with separate components (blue/red/green)

Now I have to see if I can exchange the cable.

 

Also, I just noticed the tv only has 1 component cable output???? So I will not be able to connect everything all at once??

Input, sorry

 

you got the cable box? Does it not have HDMI out?

 

Heres the tv I have

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/ser...ductId=1001428

 

ooh that does suck. You could just plug the PS2 in with the composite cables that came with it (red/white/yellow)

 

Digital Video Out,, yes it does

 

Looks like Im gonna have to. And I just got the component cables today for the
PS2.

I should have done more research, this was my own fault.

So I need a new HDMI-HDMI cable, one audio cable for the DVD player


And the PS2 will be composite, hmm, how about S video connection for the ps2???b

 

Yes. But it sounds like you already have enough audio cables around. Just use the one the cable company hooked up after you get your new HDMI cable and connect to the box that way.

that would be better than composite, but I've never looked into that.

 

Ok, this is my gameplan I guess.

New HDMI cable, that will free up the component spots, I will use that for the dvd.

S Video cable for the PS2, I think I got it now.

Just wish I knew that before I bought these 2 things.

 

That sounds about right.

The cool thing about that TV is that it's really easy to hook a computer up to.

 

or i would just use the regular RCA cables that came with the ps2....... not really a huge difference

 

BTW im sorry i didnt elaborate this in my first post..... i also made the hdmi - dvi cable mistake

 

Yeah, of course thats the cable sony supplies with the tv, the one I'll probably never use Ok, so I wasted about 60 bucks so far, let's try not to waste any more.

Thanks for the help again.

 

Dont worry about it. As you can see I am learning the hard way.

 

Yeah, I will use those for a little bit. I really want to get the cable box/dvd player set up first.

PS2 will be last.

 

i was just thinking, with that component PS2 cable you bought, how do you get audio out of the PS2? I haven't plugged my PS2 up in a while so I may be remembering wrong, but everything comes out of one output on the PS2 right? And it looks like that component cable replaces that standard cable, but it doesn't carry audio. So where else can you get audio out of the PS2?

 

i was going to ask this, but i was gonna look @ my ps2 first..... but all does come out of the multi output on the back....

 

this pic seems to suggest there is a way to plug 2 things into the PS2



I'm going to have to take a look at that when I get home