Now that I have my living room set up for my home theater, I would like to add televisions in different rooms running at the same time. I have stereo speakers in these rooms already but how best can I distribute video. Can this be done with simple video splitters from Radio Shack or do I need some sort of amplifier or distibution box. I have a Yamaha HTR5740 reciever. Thanks......Mike
yup, a/v splitters is what you need. buy a good one, i don't suggest radio shack for that. something like this is good, plus amplified. but by the time you read this, it will most likely be sold. sorry i did not notice this in time, as i am over a week late veiwing your question. here is the link.. http://cgi.ebay.com/Key-Digital-Sys...830295937QQcategoryZ73390QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Don't know if you are using component video connections but here is a splitter I would recommend: http://www.inday.com/hdda1/hdda1.htm Addition: looking at gear79's link, that unit has far more capacity for less money.
no problem, i looked at the link again and yes he has tons of em it seems like it.. good luck, let me know how it turns out.
It just dawned on me that I intended to run coaxial cable to the other TV's but that unit we are looking at on Ebay looks to be white/yellow/red type connections. It could get a little pricey to have several runs of that stuff around the house rather than coax. Am I thinking right? Any ideas.....Thanks, Mike
ok, then just buy you some coax splitters, although i don't know why you'd want to use those. but wal mart sells them, any radio shack has em. heck, i have at least 50 dozen of them here in the shop, we service a local cable company and direct tv (inside the trucks, theres tons of em). but you could use your receiver as a splitter too. if its worth its weight in salt, you will be limited to your connections, but it will work (so will that splitter) the splitter just acts as a middle man to transfer a signal, whether it be a video or audio signal. you would connect your main input to the receiver, and use its outputs (via s-video, video, or component) to your othet tv's. but, you will have the same signal on every tv its connected to.
The only reason I would use the coax and splitters is that I can buy the cable in bulk and put my own fittings on. Can the same thing be accomplished with the red/white/yellow type of audio video cable, can I buy it in bulk and terminate it myself. I don't want to use coax if it is an inferior solution to have multiple tv's thru the house. I really do appreciate your helping me sort this out.....Thanks, Mike
well, to be honest, coaxial cable is the lowest quality cable on the market today. it ranks like this... coaxial cable (labeled RG59) lowest quality coaxial cable (labeled RG6) slightly better video cable (yellow terminal ends) better signal then coax s-video (multi pin connector, kinda like mouse cable) a bit better component cables (red, blue, & green) good quality video dvi cable (digital, so is the above cable) best pic quality hdmi cabel (digital too, also carries sound with video) where as the dvi only carries video.. as far as making video cables, yes you can, even radio shack carries the terminal ends, but not sure of the bulk cable. i have a link (at home that shows where to buy to make ALL of your own cables) send me a reply later tonight so i wont forget, and i will paste the hyperlink for you.
here is that link i promised for making your own cables... this should help out lots........ but i highly disagree with the coaxial cable as a sub woofer cable.... but thats my opinion. http://www.bus.ucf.edu/cwhite/theater/diycable.htm
Thanks for the link. I am getting a better understanding. I didn't know that you can put an RCA connector on coaxial cable. I already have a very good coaxial crimper and cutter. (Bought it for running cable TV around the house) The only thing it doesn't have is the crimper/die for the center pin of the RCA. Can it be crimped another way or do I need to buy the whole thing? As far as the amplifier goes, I am not sure that the one on Ebay is such a good deal if I have to buy the power supply for $60 as the ad says, the amps are going for around $80 and the ad also says something about all runs being equal. Maybe I should just go with the new in box Inday that Wesley mentioned for $120, what do you guys think? Four outputs would be enough......Thanks Again, Mike
Just thought I'd share my story since it applies here.... I bought some cheap coax to run cable to my bedroom and the kids' bedrooms. The signal came out a bit fuzzy being spit that much. So off to radio shack I went and bought a signal amplifier. Picture looked great in all the rooms. Two weeks later the cable company shows up saying they're getting feedback in the system and they've traced it to my house. The culprit was my amp. So I had to go back and purchase higher quality components(splitters and cable) to rerun everything. The picture is fine in all rooms without the amp now. Lesson learned: You get what you pay for.
