Panasonic Plasma Connection Help
01-07-07, 09:12 AM
#1
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
Panasonic Plasma Connection Help
I got a Panasonic TH-42PX60U about a week ago.
I want to make sure all the components are hooked up the best way possible.
I have:
-Onkyo HT-S894 Receiver (2 HDMI Inputs, 1 HDMI Output, 3 Component Inputs, 1 Component Output, 3 Optical Inputs, 1 Optical Output) With a 5 Speaker, 1 Subwoofer Set-Up. Also, the HDMI connection does not show the menu, so you also need an alternate conncetion to the TV (component is the best possible) to access it (would this make a difference with using HDMI such I should take the cables out when not using the menu?)
-XBox 360 - The best possible connection it will allow is component video and optical audio
-OPPO DV-970HD DVD Player
For regular TV watching (which I do not do much of), the TV is just hooked up via the antenna
I would say that the TV will be used for 70% DVD viewing, 20% Video Games, and 10% Regular TV.
So the question is what should be hooked where? For instance, would there be any difference to hooking the Oppo directly to the TV or via the receiver using HDMI?
Thanks in advance for your help.
I want to make sure all the components are hooked up the best way possible.
I have:
-Onkyo HT-S894 Receiver (2 HDMI Inputs, 1 HDMI Output, 3 Component Inputs, 1 Component Output, 3 Optical Inputs, 1 Optical Output) With a 5 Speaker, 1 Subwoofer Set-Up. Also, the HDMI connection does not show the menu, so you also need an alternate conncetion to the TV (component is the best possible) to access it (would this make a difference with using HDMI such I should take the cables out when not using the menu?)
-XBox 360 - The best possible connection it will allow is component video and optical audio
-OPPO DV-970HD DVD Player
For regular TV watching (which I do not do much of), the TV is just hooked up via the antenna
I would say that the TV will be used for 70% DVD viewing, 20% Video Games, and 10% Regular TV.
So the question is what should be hooked where? For instance, would there be any difference to hooking the Oppo directly to the TV or via the receiver using HDMI?
Thanks in advance for your help.
01-07-07, 06:03 PM
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 6,830
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does the Onkyo accept audio via the HDMI? That might be a reason to run HDMI to the receiver first instead of directly to the TV. And if you get another HDMI source like cable box or PS3, you might want to go through the receiver for easier switching. But I'd say run the component video from the Xbox directly to the TV.
For the menu, just use Svideo or composite. No reason to run component just for the receiver's menu. It shouldn't need to be used much.
For the menu, just use Svideo or composite. No reason to run component just for the receiver's menu. It shouldn't need to be used much.
01-07-07, 07:19 PM
#3
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Spiky
Does the Onkyo accept audio via the HDMI? That might be a reason to run HDMI to the receiver first instead of directly to the TV. And if you get another HDMI source like cable box or PS3, you might want to go through the receiver for easier switching. But I'd say run the component video from the Xbox directly to the TV.
For the menu, just use Svideo or composite. No reason to run component just for the receiver's menu. It shouldn't need to be used much.
For the menu, just use Svideo or composite. No reason to run component just for the receiver's menu. It shouldn't need to be used much.
Right now I have the TV (input) hooked to the receiver via HDMI (output), an optical audio cable, and a component cable for the menu access. The XBox 360 is hooked up to the receiver via component video and optical audio. I just got the Oppo a couple days ago so it is not hooked up yet. Would it be better to run the HDMI cable for the Oppo directly to the TV? Would the audio be the then transmitted via the optical cable that already goes to the receiver? Or should I buy another HDMI cable and have that going from the TV to one of the open HDMI inputs on the receiver (does that even work)?
I don't plan on getting any additional HDMI sources for at least another year.
When you have to outputs (the HDMI and component (for the menu)) running to one input (the TV) does it automatically choose the better one?
01-08-07, 02:53 PM
#4
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Not offering help, but just wanted to say that is a suprisingly nice TV. My regular TV is in the shop, and after a couple weeks I got tired of waiting for it, so I bought this one. It didn't want to spend a lot on a temp replacement TV, so I went to walmart and picked this one up.
I didn't expect much, but I have been pleasantly suprised. For the money, it seems to be a great TV. Regular cable is okay, but HD broadcast and HD-DVDs look great. Xbox360 also looks great, though I have only played NCAA since getting it.
I didn't expect much, but I have been pleasantly suprised. For the money, it seems to be a great TV. Regular cable is okay, but HD broadcast and HD-DVDs look great. Xbox360 also looks great, though I have only played NCAA since getting it.
01-08-07, 03:34 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Big-D
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No help, Just picked up the set from BB yesterday. Love it so far.
Just started cautionary breakin period, just in case.
I just wish the bezel was black though.
Just started cautionary breakin period, just in case.
I just wish the bezel was black though.
Last edited by GreenEggs248; 01-08-07 at 04:42 PM.
01-08-07, 10:47 PM
#6
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 6,830
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Either way would work just fine. It really comes down to what you want to do.
If it were me, I would probably run HDMI from Oppo to receiver to TV. You won't need the optical cable this way. I would run the Xbox component video directly to the TV (optical to receiver), unless you have some reason for wanting to see the receiver's menu over the Xbox picture. Then I would run composite from receiver to the TV for the receiver menu.
The TV will have different inputs for the component and HDMI. It is not one input, you have to switch them manually, I imagine.
If it were me, I would probably run HDMI from Oppo to receiver to TV. You won't need the optical cable this way. I would run the Xbox component video directly to the TV (optical to receiver), unless you have some reason for wanting to see the receiver's menu over the Xbox picture. Then I would run composite from receiver to the TV for the receiver menu.
The TV will have different inputs for the component and HDMI. It is not one input, you have to switch them manually, I imagine.
01-13-07, 11:45 PM
#7
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Spiky
Either way would work just fine. It really comes down to what you want to do.
If it were me, I would probably run HDMI from Oppo to receiver to TV. You won't need the optical cable this way. I would run the Xbox component video directly to the TV (optical to receiver), unless you have some reason for wanting to see the receiver's menu over the Xbox picture. Then I would run composite from receiver to the TV for the receiver menu.
The TV will have different inputs for the component and HDMI. It is not one input, you have to switch them manually, I imagine.
If it were me, I would probably run HDMI from Oppo to receiver to TV. You won't need the optical cable this way. I would run the Xbox component video directly to the TV (optical to receiver), unless you have some reason for wanting to see the receiver's menu over the Xbox picture. Then I would run composite from receiver to the TV for the receiver menu.
The TV will have different inputs for the component and HDMI. It is not one input, you have to switch them manually, I imagine.
01-14-07, 04:24 PM
#8
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 6,830
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you want easier control, since sometimes you have to switch the receiver, sometimes the TV, sometimes both, try a universal remote with macros. You can make it one button to do all the work that usually might take half a dozen button presses on 2-3 different remotes. The Harmonys are very popular since they are easy to program and do a great job. Other more expensive remotes also work great, although take more work to set up.
