URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

Hello All,

Just joined the forum and I am in desperate need of some advice.

I am trying to do a looping DVD presentation to be played simultaneously on 3 TV's in a restaurant. I have completed the DVD project and it works fine.

I just need some help with the actual equipment to play the DVD on. I'll admit I'm a bit of a luddite technologically speaking so if you can answer this in the simplest terms possible it would be appreciated.

To give you an idea of what I am working with:

1. Three identical large screen TV's that are wall mounted throughout the restaurant

2. Each has it's own cable box and they all work independently of each other.

3. Do I need to hook up a DVD player on each TV and then try to turn them on all at once so they are in synch or is there an easier way?

4. I was told there may be some sort of media player on the market that could easily attach to each of the TV's but I have not come across it.

5. The final solution needs to be affordable with the least amount and simplest of installation possible.

If anyone can please get back to me as soon as possible with any suggestions it would be most appreciated. I have a client who needed this yesterday as they say and is getting a bit impatient with my slow progress at getting the right information and the job completed.

Thanks so much in advance for all suggestions!

Rick

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

You need a playback device with multiple outputs or a distribution amp for your video. There aren't many consumer-level players that have multiple output. And they'd have only maybe 2 or 3 outputs, which may work for your situation short term or not. You may be able to find a player intended for custom install that is different, I'm not real sure offhand.

But distribution amps are available for all types of video cabling, even HDMI, which I assume you are using in 2011. This is the most common way of doing such an install. An inexpensive example: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

couldn't it just be done with a series of RCA "Y" adaptors and male-female extensions? may degrade some of the quality but for a presentation it should be fine?

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

Spiky,

Thanks for the info. Still a little confusing for me but I will check the link you sent for more infol

TallGuyMe,

Thanks also for your input. Are you saying running the RCA adaptors from a single DVD player mounted by each TV? This wouldn't accomplish having them all play in synch but it may come to that. Thanks again.

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

That would certainly pass video through it. But, video really looks poor with that type of connection. Even one composite connection will look like crap on a big HDTV, let alone with a bunch of Ys. With amps being below $50, even for a small install with only 3 monitors there's no reason to cheap out. This kind of thing used to cost hundreds for even passable quality.

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

As Spiky suggested, your best bet is a powered HDMI splitter. Depending on how long the HDMI runs need to be from the splitter to the TVs, you may also need to put some amplified extenders in between. I've used one similar to this for a long run (~40ft) with great success.

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

Thanks all!

I'm looking into the HDMI splitter idea and I'll get back to you with what I find.

Really appreciate all the suggestions!

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

but doesn't a splitter SPLIT? meaning he couldn't output to three tv's at once? just one selected one at a time...

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

You are thinking of a "switch". "Splitter" generally means what he is looking to do, all receive signal at once. Note the product description of the one I linked:
I refer to them as distribution amps because you generally need power to split signal and keep the quality. Any signal. kefrank's suggestion for other amps is also good if there are long runs involved.

Re: URGENT! How to play a DVD on multiple TVs
 

ah, ok... then yes, that's the way to go