Setting up your HDTV doesn't have to be a complicated process. In fact, you should be able to test and use your HDTV with minimal setup if you want - it's only when you start adding devices like DVD players and home-theater systems that the connections get a little spaghetti-like.
Your HDTV probably has a cluster of input and output jacks (a jack panel). You use these jacks based on the devices that you connect to your HDTV.
Jack panels
Depending on the cabinet design, your HDTV may have jacks on the front, at the side, or on the back of your set. Figure 1 shows the input and output jacks you're likely to find on the back of a CRT or projection HDTV.
Figure 1: Your master set of HDTV ports.
Here's a list of the jacks you may find on your HDTV:
- Input jacks: Only receivebroadcast signals and programs from your audio/video devices so you can watch them on your HDTV. You can probably see most or all of the following audio/video input jacks on your HDTV:
• ANT-IN: Two or more ports for NTSC analog and ATSC off-air signals, as well as analog and digital cable-TV signals.
• DVI-D/HDCP IN: A digital-video input, usually teamed with two R/L inputs for audio.
• Video In: Usually these jacks are in sets with composite and S-video video inputs, and standard audio inputs.
• Component Video In: Component video, plus standard audio inputs for accepting signals from component video systems such as DVD players.
• PC inputs: Jacks that connect to the audio and video output ports on your PC.
- Output jacks: Sendsignals from your HDTV to your audio/video devices. You probably can see most or all of the following audio/video output jacks on your HDTV:
• IR Out: An Infrared port for sending IR signals to control your attached devices
• Audio/video outputs: For recording what you see on your HDTV to an analog VCR or for connecting a device to edit and dub
• Audio Only: For sending audio to other devices, such as amplifiers, receivers, and decoders
- Bi-directional jacks: Both send and receive data. A couple of these jacks commonly appear on HDTVs. Two types exist:
• FireWire/IEEE 1394: You use these ports for connecting devices for compressed video and audio signals.
• RS-232 Jack: You can use this serial-connection port with your PC for data transfer and with some automation systems.
Connecting basic TV sources
The following connections are the most basic connections you can make with your HDTV:
- Antenna or unscrambled cable: The simplest connection you can make connects an antenna into your HDTV - with no worries about cable boxes, VCRs, DVDs, home theater receivers, or anything else.
- Cable box: You may have to use a cable box if your cable company has scrambled or digital channels.
- Satellite receiver: This option can consolidate all your signals over one link to the HDTV set. You can use this connection option if
• You have a satellite service and receiver.
• The signal from a satellite dish connects to the receiver, which in turn connects to the HDTV.
• You have an over-the-air antenna.
• The antenna cable connects to either the HDTV (via one of its antenna ports) or the satellite receiver
• You don't connect a VCR or DVR.
Connecting DVRs and VCRs
If you have a DVR or VCR, then your connection options increase. The following list describes some potential connection situations you may encounter:
- VCR with antenna or unscrambled cable: In this most basic VCR option, run an antenna feed or cable TV connection to the VCR, and then on to the HDTV. You use this connection if either of the following is true:
• You're using an OTA antenna.
• Your cable company doesn't scramble its signals (so you don't need a set-top box).
- VCR with a cable-set-top box: This VCR option has you run a cable TV connection to the VCR, and then on to the HDTV. You use this connection if
• Your cable company scrambles some of its signals but not all of them.
• You connect a VCR.
- VCR with a satellite receiver: This VCR option runs a satellite TV connection to the VCR, and then on to the HDTV. You use this connection if
• You use a satellite company for your main signals.
• You have a VCR.
• You have an over-the-air antenna.
Other connections
You have a variety of fun toys you can hook up to your HDTV:
- DVD player: You can add a DVD player to the cable TV service, antenna, satellite, DVR, VCR, or whatever you have hooked up to your HDTV quite easily. In fact, the DVD player (and other source devices like videogame consoles or laserdisc players) can even connect to its own set of audio and video inputs on your HDTV.
- Two VCRs for editing: If you do a lot of taping and editing, then you might have two VCRs connected together.
- Digital cable or satellite connections: If you have a digital set-top box, you most likely have component video connections - and potentially even DVI/HDCP connections. In either case, you have to connect audio cables separately.
- Camcorder: If you have a camcorder, you can connect to your HDTV via S-video if you have it, composite connector if you don't.
- Surround-sound system: You can connect your HDTV to a full-fledged home stereo system. You use this scenario if
• You want full surround sound from your HDTV experience.
• You have a home-theater A/V system rated for surround sound.
