My Zenith DVD/CD/FM/AM Theatre system has a single "monitor out" yellow jack on the back. I'm not sure what this is exactly for. There are also 2 video in and video out (composite) auxillary jacks. Why would you run video through a the dvd player? I don't understand. If you have a video source why not wire it straight to the display. Why go through the dvd? And no I'm not talking about the video that comes from the DVD. I'm talking about some external video source being routed through the dvd player. Any light shed on this issue would be appreciated.
Monitor out on most receivers carry the on-screen display information to a television/monitor. Still others carry the main "video out" also. Keep in mind that a HTIB (home theater in a box) system with a built-in DVD player is slightly different than a stand alone audio/video receiver but their purpose is the same: allow control and access to multiple audio/video sources. Your not "[running] video through [your] dvd player" so much as you are running video through your "Theatre system" to allow switching back and forth between the dvd player and another source while using only one connection between the "Theatre system" and your TV. A/V receivers do this but allow many more a/v inputs. "If you have a video source why not wire it straight to the display [?]" Mainly because it is considered better by many to have the receiver or "Theatre system" in your case handle the switching between sources rather than the TV. Also, many do not have enough inputs on their TV to keep adding additional video sources - a receiver allows many people to connect multiple audio/video devices to one TV especially if that TV only has one set of A/V inputs.
