Any computer / home theater geeks out there

I just finished setting up my HTPC which outputs to my TV (27" Sony Wega) by component output (the only set on the TV).

Are there a "splitter" for lack of better term, though would allow me to split the component inputs on the TV so that I could have another component input into the TV (a standalone DVD player)? Or am I resigned to using S-Video inputs for one of the devices?

You're in luck, however, I don't exactly know what its called. It's a switch of sorts with 2 sets of inputs and one output. All you do is switch from A to B when you want to use one or the other. As far as using both at the same time...I'm sure something exists...but I'm not going to act like I know anything about it.

[quote4fc2aa7c8f="FreeOffersNow"]You're in luck, however, I don't exactly know what its called. It's a switch of sorts with 2 sets of inputs and one output. All you do is switch from A to B when you want to use one or the other. As far as using both at the same time...I'm sure something exists...but I'm not going to act like I know anything about it.[/quote4fc2aa7c8f]

Sweet - that would probably be something like a KVM switch for monitors...hmm.

Thanks for the idea.

Dolynea, they make them for game consoles. Visit your local Radio SHack (if you have one) and they'll have what you need.

[quote800db26658="PodTopia"]Dolynea, they make them for game consoles. Visit your local Radio SHack (if you have one) and they'll have what you need.[/quote800db26658]

Around me, Radio Shack's are like Starbucks' stores - overpriced and ubiqitous...but they give me my fix.

thanks for the idea.

even a local Wal-mart will have them and will be alot cheaper

[quotebf143010fa="slowdown"]even a local Wal-mart will have them and will be alot cheaper[/quotebf143010fa]

Are you sure these are for Component inputs (that's the input with Blue, Green and Red connections)?

[quoteac1b40b838="doylnea"][quoteac1b40b838="slowdown"]even a local Wal-mart will have them and will be alot cheaper[/quoteac1b40b838]

Are you sure these are for Component inputs (that's the input with Blue, Green and Red connections)?[/quoteac1b40b838]
Yes well at least at my big super Wal-marts i can find allmost everthing radio shack has plus a box of fruit loops and a six pack heineken

I've not seen any component switches at Wal-Mart, although they do carry composite/svideo switches. Maybe different stores carry different stuff.

Why don't you just drop a few hundred bucks on a new HT receiver that has built-in component switching. ;) That's the rationale I use on the wife to justify buying new toys "But honey, I lihaveli to have a new receiver because my old one doesn't support our new equipment!!!" )

You can't multiply an input, like you can split an output. So, yes, you need an AV switch. My TV only has one 480p/1080i input so if I want to keep my HD cable box and Progressive scan DVD connected at the same time, I either connect my DVD to a non 480p input and lose quality, or buy a switch.

If you need Component Video, the best switch for the price are the JVC ones.

They make 2 models. I bought mine off Ebay.

No low-priced chain stores sold it. They only have Composite and S-Video ones out for now. A local do-it-yourself electronics store sold the smaller, lower priced JVC one, but they wanted a lot more than stores on the Net.

Expect to pay around $60.

[quote3778266195="doylnea"]I just finished setting up my HTPC which outputs to my TV (27" Sony Wega) by component output (the only set on the TV).

Are there a "splitter" for lack of better term, though would allow me to split the component inputs on the TV so that I could have another component input into the TV (a standalone DVD player)? Or am I resigned to using S-Video inputs for one of the devices?[/quote3778266195]

Get a receiver. You can plug all your audio and video inputs in and then change what goes to your TV by using your remote. Also, the sound changes accordingly.

[quotef2cf7a44db="dmorris68"]I've not seen any component switches at Wal-Mart, although they do carry composite/svideo switches. Maybe different stores carry different stuff.

Why don't you just drop a few hundred bucks on a new HT receiver that has built-in component switching. ;) That's the rationale I use on the wife to justify buying new toys "But honey, I lihaveli to have a new receiver because my old one doesn't support our new equipment!!!" )[/quotef2cf7a44db]

I'm stupid. I have a HarmonKardon AVR 520 but only use the musical portions of it currently, but it has 3 component inputs...gee I wonder if I could use those...

http/" alt=""/img59.imageshack.us/img="59/407/1d153by8.jpg[" alt=""/imgf2cf7a44db]

thanks for the reminder.

LOL, well there you go then. D

[quote27abd11c0a="dmorris68"]LOL, well there you go then. D[/quote27abd11c0a]

+ Karma for the reminder.

Now to find a few extra sets of decent Component cables. I use AR right now, maybe I'll use the CC gift cards to buy a couple of extra sets...

related question...

how are people getting screen-shots of game images? How are they connecting the PS2 so as to be able to get screen shots?

alot of the screen shots you see are from illegal rips that are played on the comp to begin with and allow you to manipulate the game, I dont know how the do it for real though

(and yes this is my old school thread I'm bumping)

[bfecb4bfc8c]My Setup[/bfecb4bfc8c]
Panasonic TH42PX75U 42" Plasma
Harmony 880 Remote
Dell Dimension 4700 with x300 (HDMI output)
Harmon Kardon AVR520
Harmon Kardon FL8380
JVC NL-88 DVD Player (optical audio output)
PS2
Analog Cable

Given my receiver above, and that I'll have one of these 720p Plasma displays[=http//www.pcconnection.com/ProductDetail?Sku=7528289]these 720p Plasma displays, I'd like to hook everything up more efficiently.

Because of the lack of component inputs on the Wega (only one input now), I used composite for the PS 2, and S-Video for the HTPC. The DVD player uses the component input.

[bfecb4bfc8c]Here are my questions[/bfecb4bfc8c] What's the best way to configure the setup above for audio and video quality? How does the following configuration look?

[ifecb4bfc8c]HTPC Video to Plasma via HDMI
DVD Player Video to Receiver via Component
PS2 Video to Receiver via Component
Receiver Video to Plasma Video via Component[/ifecb4bfc8c]

[bfecb4bfc8c]Related Question[/bfecb4bfc8c] HDMI cables are basically the same correct, so I can buy a 3' HDMI cable from Monoprice and be set (there are no better HDMI cables than others)?

[bfecb4bfc8c]Final Question[/bfecb4bfc8c] I don't have a set-top box for my cable. From the owners manual for the Plasma, there's a tuner installed, so I can continue to use my current cable configuration (cable from wall split with a Y splitter (one side to HTPC and other side to TV). In this way, I don't have to watch live TV through the HTPC, but I can choose to do so if I want, and it allows me 3 channels (one to watch live and two to record with my PVR500 dual channel PVR card).

Your proposed configuration looks fine. If the plasma has a VGA connector you may have better luck with hooking your HTPC to that. HDMI can be really tricky to get a good modeline out of a PC with. But check over at AVS Forums, they have a section on HTPC's and modelines for common sets. Given the DVD and PS2 resolutions, you aren't hurt by going component, and the Harmony remote will make switching between different inputs painless and transparent. The old need to feed everything through one set of inputs for sake of convenience is largely obsoleted by the Harmony.

And yes, generally speaking HDMI cables are all the same in terms of compatibility, however they're not all the same in terms of construction quality. Monoprice quality is great though, especially their net-jacketed premium cables. There is also a new HDMI 1.3 spec, which improved the cable design to increase the bandwidth for lots of new content enhancements, and added a new connector design IIRC. But v1.3 TV's should be backwards compatible with prior HDMI spec cables.

[quotead8935023b="doylnea"]related question...

how are people getting screen-shots of game images? How are they connecting the PS2 so as to be able to get screen shots?[/quotead8935023b]
Input the game console into your video card (s-video) and run a viewing program to view the game on your monitor.
Then you can use your favorite screen capture/recorder software to capture it.

[quote4becd45afa="dmorris68"]good stuff[/quote4becd45afa]

Thanks David, as to my last question, wrt to the cable (which really wasn't a question since there's not a question mark in that entire paragraph), I understand that SD cable is going to look like crap on the plasma, correct? However, I could buy a terrestrial HD antenna and use that to grab OTA HD? Do you have any HD antenna recommendations?

Of course, now I'm trying to investigate what it would take to upgrade the HTPC so I can record HDTV.

[quotee3ec5c2b0d="doylnea"][quotee3ec5c2b0d="dmorris68"]good stuff[/quotee3ec5c2b0d]

Thanks David, as to my last question, wrt to the cable (which really wasn't a question since there's not a question mark in that entire paragraph), I understand that SD cable is going to look like crap on the plasma, correct? However, I could buy a terrestrial HD antenna and use that to grab OTA HD? Do you have any HD antenna recommendations?

Of course, now I'm trying to investigate what it would take to upgrade the HTPC so I can record HDTV.[/quotee3ec5c2b0d]
If the SD signal quality is good, then it won't necessarily look bad on the plasma. Clean SD looks great on my SXRD and my Panasonic EDTV plasma.

OTA HD will look good only if you have a really good signal, otherwise you'll get blocky pixelation noise, kinda like rain fade on a satellite feed. Obviously the larger the antenna and the higher it is (a roof-mount aerial being best but most unsightly) the better your signal quality will be. But if you live in an area with a lot of OTA signal presence with good line of sight to the transmitter (no major mountains or huge buildings in the way, for example), you can do quite well with a quality tabletop HDTV antenna like this one

http//www.amazon.com/Terk-Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2

I bought that one based on the great reviews it got, but unfortunately I live both on the fringe of most network broadcasts AND I'm in a valley, so it didn't work well for me. Didn't matter though, as soon after I was able to get the HD locals through my cable provider.

In fact I wouldn't mind selling you mine since I'm not using it. Not sure I have the original box, but I should have the books and all. It's got a built-in amp so it requires an AC plug nearby to amp the signal. Of course I can't guarantee it'll work for you, so you might prefer to buy something local that's easy to return if it doesn't pan out.

Thanks again David - the SD signal is clean and crisp, it's basic cable without a set-top box.

I'd be interested in your antenna - I'll send you a note.

However, it just occurred to me that my video card outputs VGA/S-Video/DVI not HDMI. I don't know what I thought it did HDMI. I see that Monoprice has DVI to HDMI cables - I presume those would work, assuming I can set the resolution correctly on the display?

HDMI and DVI are the same video signal, so yes those cables will work -- that's how most everybody feeds an HDMI TV from their PC. However they won't pass HDCP so if your TV requires it you'll have a problem.

My SD signal on my plasma is eh.
I wish it was clearer but what can you do?

-Samad

So would a receiver plug into a lcd via hdmi and then everything else "wii, dvd player" can plug into the receiver and just choose an input??

Edit WOW that Harmony remote is amazing, is there a good remote that might be cheaper though?

It's "receiver." And yes, if you have an HDMI-capable receiver that also upconverts lower signals to HDMI. Some receivers only switch HDMI (or component) but don't upconvert, in which case you'd have to connect multiple connections to the receiver and TV, for those devices that had different connection requirements. Upconverting receivers are sweet because you need only the single connection to the TV, regardless of all the different connections to the receiver.

[quote1dda95617d="O4F-Manofice"]Edit WOW that Harmony remote is amazing, is there a good remote that might be cheaper though?[/quote1dda95617d]
You can get a Harmony 676 for about $80 at Sam's Club now. I have two of them (paid about $120 each) and love 'em. Best remotes made for the money.

[quote573d40bfc9="dmorris68"]It's "receiver." And yes, if you have an HDMI-capable receiver that also upconverts lower signals to HDMI. Some receivers only switch HDMI (or component) but don't upconvert, in which case you'd have to connect multiple connections to the receiver and TV, for those devices that had different connection requirements. Upconverting receivers are sweet because you need only the single connection to the TV, regardless of all the different connections to the receiver.

[quote573d40bfc9="O4F-Manofice"]Edit WOW that Harmony remote is amazing, is there a good remote that might be cheaper though?[/quote573d40bfc9]
You can get a Harmony 676 for about $80 at Sam's Club now. I have two of them (paid about $120 each) and love 'em. Best remotes made for the money.[/quote573d40bfc9]

I checked my spelling and I spelled it "receiver" no?
But anyways...are those "upscaling" receivers expensive?

You edited your post. ;) Both instances of the word were spelled "receive" before you added your edit.

Upconverting receivers are getting cheaper, but it depends on what your idea of "expensive" is. You can find decent upconverting receivers in the $300 range I think, maybe less -- I haven't looked in awhile. My upconverting receiver was about $1200, but it's a high-end Yamaha.

[quote9ca0b7ddee="dmorris68"]You edited your post. ;) Both instances of the word were spelled "receive" before you added your edit.

Upconverting receivers are getting cheaper, but it depends on what your idea of "expensive" is. You can find decent upconverting receivers in the $300 range I think, maybe less -- I haven't looked in awhile. My upconverting receiver was about $1200, but it's a high-end Yamaha.[/quote9ca0b7ddee]

Yeah I editted it before I thought people saw it =P Guess not, heh

hrmm...My tv will have a lot of inputs I think perhaps I should go with a cheaper non upscaler device unless you found one for cheap as in under 300

Edit my question is this...If i have my wii hooked up to my tv via component jacks...how will the receive pick that sound up? is there a main hook up from the tv to the receiver?

You connect your Wii audio output to the receiver, and the video outputs to the TV.

Without a remote like a Harmony though, this is a major hassle. You have to turn on the receiver, select the desired input, turn on the TV, select its desired input, and turn on your device (Wii, DVD player, etc.). A Harmony remote hides all that complexity by turning each device on and setting the appropriate inputs all from a single button press. So if you don't go with a Harmony or an equally sophisticated remote that supports macro programming, then the constant input juggling is a major PITA if you have several devices.

[quote2344fc3163="dmorris68"]You connect your Wii audio output to the receiver, and the video outputs to the TV.

Without a remote like a Harmony though, this is a major hassle. You have to turn on the receiver, select the desired input, turn on the TV, select its desired input, and turn on your device (Wii, DVD player, etc.). A Harmony remote hides all that complexity by turning each device on and setting the appropriate inputs all from a single button press. So if you don't go with a Harmony or an equally sophisticated remote that supports macro programming, then the constant input juggling is a major PITA if you have several devices.[/quote2344fc3163]

Alls I'll have is my 42in lcd ...you know which one. And my dvd player the philips up converting to 1080p one, and my wii which I'll have my special Nintendo wii component cord in a few days. So I basically have to split the audio and video portion of the cable for the wii...to reach the receiver and the tv...but can my dvd player upscale if it doesn't use hdmi which I wanna do?

Sorry i'm just getting a little confused

[quote9343236495="dmorris68"]It's "receiver." And yes, if you have an HDMI-capable receiver that also upconverts lower signals to HDMI. Some receivers only switch HDMI (or component) but don't upconvert, in which case you'd have to connect multiple connections to the receiver and TV, for those devices that had different connection requirements. Upconverting receivers are sweet because you need only the single connection to the TV, regardless of all the different connections to the receiver.

[quote9343236495="O4F-Manofice"]Edit WOW that Harmony remote is amazing, is there a good remote that might be cheaper though?[/quote9343236495]
You can get a Harmony 676 for about $80 at Sam's Club now. I have two of them (paid about $120 each) and love 'em. Best remotes made for the money.[/quote9343236495]

Is this the remote you're speaking of?

http//www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1112207&AffiliateID=lw9MynSeamY-eqqsxLm34r6KH3ecioSFvw

Doy, this may be totally unrelated to what we are talking about now but did you ask how people record their video games or just take pictures? They use "capture cards". If you Google it, they look expensive but my brother found some cheap ones that were decent for like $30-$75. They show up on Woot all the time. If you weren't talking about this, give me -KMA.

[quote38617dd248="O4F-Manofice"][quote38617dd248="dmorris68"]It's "receiver." And yes, if you have an HDMI-capable receiver that also upconverts lower signals to HDMI. Some receivers only switch HDMI (or component) but don't upconvert, in which case you'd have to connect multiple connections to the receiver and TV, for those devices that had different connection requirements. Upconverting receivers are sweet because you need only the single connection to the TV, regardless of all the different connections to the receiver.

[quote38617dd248="O4F-Manofice"]Edit WOW that Harmony remote is amazing, is there a good remote that might be cheaper though?[/quote38617dd248]
You can get a Harmony 676 for about $80 at Sam's Club now. I have two of them (paid about $120 each) and love 'em. Best remotes made for the money.[/quote38617dd248]

Is this the remote you're speaking of?

http//www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1112207&AffiliateID=lw9MynSeamY-eqqsxLm34r6KH3ecioSFvw[/quote38617dd248]
shock Yes it is! And at that price I might grab another as a backup.

The 676 has been replaced by a newer model which is why I expect the price has fallen so. I thought it was cheap at Sam's for $79, but $50 is an insane price! I have two of them and paid $120-$130 each. BTW the cheapest price on PriceGrabber is $70[=http//electronics.pricegrabber.com/remote-controls/m/4235709/search=harmony+676]the cheapest price on PriceGrabber is $70 and that's from a shady vendor with no reputation -- most reputable vendors still sell it for $120-$150, which is why I thought $80 at Sam's was such a good deal.

I'd highly recommend you jump on one for that price, not sure how much longer you'll find them around.

;) I'll probably pick one of those up then

[quote3dec813862="dmorris68"]HDMI and DVI are the same video signal, so yes those cables will work -- that's how most everybody feeds an HDMI TV from their PC. However they won't pass HDCP so if your TV requires it you'll have a problem.[/quote3dec813862]

I hooked everything up at about 3 am last night, and it's simply awesome. If I wasn't out of town for several weeks, I might not leave the house. ;) The hardest part was getting the Plasma to be recognized by the HTPC, but that was solved by updating to the latest ATI Catalyst Control Panel.

And, the tuner in the TV (when I asked it to look for both analog and digital channels) picked up all of the OTA HD as well (and they look amazing (much better than the same SD channel)). For example, my local NBC affiliate is channel 5. Channel "5" displays SD; channel "5-1" (the way it shows on the TV when I tune to it) is HD, (and displays the HD watermark as appropriate). It must be that the cable co is "serving/pushing" HD and SD on the same cable.

[quote8b8b1e50bd="dmorris68"]You connect your Wii audio output to the receiver, and the video outputs to the TV.

Without a remote like a Harmony though, this is a major hassle. You have to turn on the receiver, select the desired input, turn on the TV, select its desired input, and turn on your device (Wii, DVD player, etc.). A Harmony remote hides all that complexity by turning each device on and setting the appropriate inputs all from a single button press. So if you don't go with a Harmony or an equally sophisticated remote that supports macro programming, then the constant input juggling is a major PITA if you have several devices.[/quote8b8b1e50bd]

sigh, I forgot to reprogram the 880 - the GF is not going to enjoy this. guess my joy was short-lived.

So with these remotes...

dvd video --> tv via hdmi
dvd audio --> receiver via coaxial
nintendo wii --> receiver via component

...now with the remote..I could click one buttom and it will configure/power on and be ready to go instead of having to set the inputs manually each time?

[quoteb44fc1d201="O4F-Manofice"]So with these remotes...

dvd video --> tv via hdmi
dvd audio --> receiver via coaxial
nintendo wii --> receiver via component

...now with the remote..I could click one buttom and it will configure/power on and be ready to go instead of having to set the inputs manually each time?[/quoteb44fc1d201]
Yes. The 676 has three task buttons along the top -- TV, Movie, Music, although they can be reprogrammed to do whatever you want. I co-opted the Music task for XBox360, since I don't often listen to music on the HT system. You can also have additional tasks setup on the LCD buttons.

My TV button turns on all required equipment (PVR/tuner, TV, receiver), sets all inputs, and maps volume control to the receiver, and everything else to the PVR/tuner box. All other equipment is automatically turned off.

My Movie button turns on the DVD player, TV, and receiver, and turns off the PVR and anything else. Again all video and audio inputs across all devices are set accordingly.

Likewise my Music button turns on the 360, TV, and receiver, sets all inputs, and turns everything else off.

You also get manual device control if you wish to do some non-standard stuff like play a DVD or video game in a PIP window or something. You just add your desired device controls to the device programming and access it via the LCD buttons.

Once programmed (which is done via USB cable and a web-based GUI application), it is painless. My wife & kids love the Harmony, as they could never figure out all the right sequences and switches before to get everything going. I've heard people say "The Harmony saved my marriage." )

Wow it programms via web gui, thats freakin awesome!

[quote2c9ca4445c="O4F-Manofice"]Wow it programms via web gui, thats freakin awesome![/quote2c9ca4445c]
Yes, and Logitech's device library is very extensive, often with devices that aren't even out yet. They also allow users to upload custom device configurations for download by other users.

The programming used to be done through your browser (just go to a URL) using an ActiveX control, but it has since been rewritten into it's own stand-alone GUI that uses an internal browser component. It can be a little buggy & unstable sometimes, but overall it still works pretty well. Your configurations are saved online too, so you don't have to worry about losing them or having to reprogram a new remote. I had to RMA one of my 676's to Logitech one time while it was under warranty, and they sent a new one. I just unboxed it, stuffed in the batteries, and plugged it up to the PC. A few mouse clicks later and it was reprogrammed exactly as the old one.

I'll probably never go back to a regular universal remote.

Looks like tigerdirect is OOS ( I'm to slow

[quoteea9054d89e="O4F-Manofice"]Looks like tigerdirect is OOS ( I'm to slow[/quoteea9054d89e]
At that price I'm not surprised. It's by far the cheapest anybody was selling them new. And they may not get any more since it's a discontinued model.

I should've grabbed another one myself...

[quote7a1b29bdc0="dmorris68"][quote7a1b29bdc0="O4F-Manofice"]Looks like tigerdirect is OOS ( I'm to slow[/quote7a1b29bdc0]
At that price I'm not surprised. It's by far the cheapest anybody was selling them new. And they may not get any more since it's a discontinued model.

I should've grabbed another one myself...[/quote7a1b29bdc0]

got a used one you'll sell me ?? ;)

Not hardly, the two I have are well used and adored in my household. Why do you think I was considering buying a backup? ;)

Just called, their not getting it back in

[quote32c746f837="O4F-Manofice"]Just called, their not getting it back in[/quote32c746f837]
It's been awhile since I shopped TD, but they used to remove items or mark them OOS. I just went and added a 676 to my cart and it looks like it's going to let me check out. Did you actually place an order and then get an OOS notice?

[quoteae80ad3f74="dmorris68"][quoteae80ad3f74="O4F-Manofice"]Just called, their not getting it back in[/quoteae80ad3f74]
It's been awhile since I shopped TD, but they used to remove items or mark them OOS. I just went and added a 676 to my cart and it looks like it's going to let me check out. Did you actually place an order and then get an OOS notice?[/quoteae80ad3f74]

You can still order it...it says it will be in in 7-21 days ...I didn't order one yet but have it in my cart...I called though and they said they don't have them in stock anymore and they probably won't.

Just ordered it through amazon...$65 bucks shipped. The wife won't like that I spent 65 bucks on a remote but it's so cool!!

Considering TD it came to $62 bucks...this was only 3 dollars more

Still an excellent price, I'll probably grab one before Amazon runs out too.

[quote3c4e191c37="dmorris68"]Still an excellent price, I'll probably grab one before Amazon runs out too.[/quote3c4e191c37]

It was from a personal seller I guess but he might have more

Anyone find or have any experiences with a product similar to the Onkyo HT-SR600?? Maybe something a tad cheaper

Yeah, I just got the 890, which I won't be telling the fiance how much it was ;) At least not until she realizes how nice the thing is. Especially when we start using the RF side of it.

[quoteb8a9206abf="ILoveToys"]Yeah, I just got the 890, which I won't be telling the fiance how much it was ;) At least not until she realizes how nice the thing is. Especially when we start using the RF side of it.[/quoteb8a9206abf]

I'm looking at the Onkyo HTS590 which is about half the price of the 600..

Stupid wife wouldn't let me buy the 600 model

Yeah I was looking at the Onkyo 605, b/c it will do HDMI switching as well as some upconversion, but I just can't bring myself to spend the money. I'll be sitting on my $150 koss system for a while I'm sure lol.

The onkyo a person commented said this

the unit does not do video conversion, so if you have both composite and component sources your TV/monitor will need both types of inputs.

Can someone put that in laymans terms?

Great the Onkyo HTS590 is like sold out everywhere and a refurb is like 200 bucks.

[quotea32c07145c="O4F-Manofice"]The onkyo a person commented said this

the unit does not do video conversion, so if you have both composite and component sources your TV/monitor will need both types of inputs.

Can someone put that in laymans terms?[/quotea32c07145c]
I already explained this to you. Several times it seems like.

[ba32c07145c]The Onkyo 590/600 receiver does not do upconversion.[/ba32c07145c] It only switches between inputs, and it only supports composite and component inputs. So your devices with component outputs (up to 3) will connect to the receiver's component inputs and you'll be able switch between them to feed the receiver component output to the TV's component input. If you have additional devices, or any that do not have component outputs, they will need to connect to the receiver via composite, and you'll also need a composite connection to the TV's composite input. And I hope you don't try to feed composite to a HDTV, because it will look like crap. You already said you were connecting your upconverting DVD player directly to the TV via HDMI, and the audio to the receiver.

I told you before that if you want upconversion, you're going to have to spend more money. But with the devices you have, and the Harmony remote able to effortlessly switch between inputs/outputs, upconversion isn't required for you.

BTW the 590 is last years model and the one I have in my bedroom. The 600 is this year's replacement, the speaker design looks slightly different but the specs look identical to me. If you can get the 590 for half the cost of the 600, which sells for the same price ($280) that the 590 did last year, then jump on it -- it's a fine system for that price (hell it's still a fine system for the original $280 that I paid for it). Just don't expect upconversion out of it!

Yeah I didn't expect up conversion of just some reviews on other websites confuse me but you make it clear )

W00t

Just got the Onkyo HTS590 refurb for $149.00 shipped from the shoponkyo.com site

Dmorris I've read even though it's a refurb it still comes with cables? And if it does come with cables...what doesn't it come with? You know how I want to set things up...does it come with the cables I need? I've also read people upgrading to a 16 gage wire and it sounds better?

This harmony remote is not easy to setup, this crappy gui is hard to understand...How do I tell it to use hdmi inputs and coxial outputs etc

The Onkyo system, nor most any HT system, will not come with ANY cables. You're expected to supply the cables your devices require.

I seriously doubt that the vast majority of people, and anybody that isn't the most attuned audiophile, can tell the difference in the included speaker wire and 16ga wire. This isn't a $2000 receiver super-hi-fidelity receiver with $6000 speakers. But like I told you before, if you already have it, then fine. You'd be wasting your money to go out and buy it.

The Harmony GUI is quite intuitive to me. Virtually all devices have numbers indicating inputs and outputs. The Harmony software identifies them by either name or number. The software walks you through step-by-step, so I'm not sure what you're having problems with.

[quoteca1ad4c57d="dmorris68"]The Onkyo system, nor most any HT system, will not come with ANY cables. You're expected to supply the cables your devices require.

I seriously doubt that the vast majority of people, and anybody that isn't the most attuned audiophile, can tell the difference in the included speaker wire and 16ga wire. This isn't a $2000 receiver super-hi-fidelity receiver with $6000 speakers. But like I told you before, if you already have it, then fine. You'd be wasting your money to go out and buy it.

The Harmony GUI is quite intuitive to me. Virtually all devices have numbers indicating inputs and outputs. The Harmony software identifies them by either name or number. The software walks you through step-by-step, so I'm not sure what you're having problems with.[/quoteca1ad4c57d]

I don't see anywhere to tell it to setup my dvd video to hdmi1 and audio to coxial...?

[quote17f64d87d0="manOFice"][quote17f64d87d0="dmorris68"]The Onkyo system, nor most any HT system, will not come with ANY cables. You're expected to supply the cables your devices require.

I seriously doubt that the vast majority of people, and anybody that isn't the most attuned audiophile, can tell the difference in the included speaker wire and 16ga wire. This isn't a $2000 receiver super-hi-fidelity receiver with $6000 speakers. But like I told you before, if you already have it, then fine. You'd be wasting your money to go out and buy it.

The Harmony GUI is quite intuitive to me. Virtually all devices have numbers indicating inputs and outputs. The Harmony software identifies them by either name or number. The software walks you through step-by-step, so I'm not sure what you're having problems with.[/quote17f64d87d0]

I don't see anywhere to tell it to setup my dvd video to hdmi1 and audio to coxial...?[/quote17f64d87d0]
You don't do that from a remote, you should do that through your DVD menu. Remotes select between inputs -- almost never outputs. Each device should be configured to output how you want and then you leave it alone.

hrmm I thought I could hit the blue movie button and it would switch inputs for me but it doesn't...

like If i hit the stupid green button it turns the tv off instead of switching to input "TV"

What I want it to do

If all devices are off and I wanna watch tv with surround sound I hit the Green button and it turns on the receiver and tv.

If tv is on and receiver is on but dvd player is off...If I hit the blue button it powers on the dvd player and switches inputs to hdmi from the current TV input.

Idk, i've spent hours with this thing and can't figure it out. I guess i'll call support tomrrow

LOL, wow, you're the first person I know having trouble with figuring out a Harmony. lol

It will do exactly what you want with regards to switching inputs. That's it's whole point of existence. One button = everything on that should be on, inputs switched correctly, everything else off. Piece of cake.

I'm not sure why you're having trouble, I found the software very intuitive but then again I understand the equipment I'm using which the Harmony expects of you. You create devices, create activities, assign devices to activities, select inputs, answer all the questions which are plainly worded, and update the remote. I doesn't take me more than 5-10 minutes to completely configure a new HT setup and it works first time.

Perhaps you should take some time to actually study up on your equipment and AV in general. Maybe some terminology the Harmony software uses is confusing you or something.

I just set up my 890 last week, and I had it going in no time. What took the longest was the updates of software from Logitech. I'm only using the IR right now, but when I move in a couple weeks I plan on putting most of my components behind closed doors and using RF, and then it will definitely be sweet. My only problem now, is if I don't point the remote for long enough it'll miss one of my devices (I'm usually switching about 3), and then I have to manually change the device. Mine has a LCD though w/ a lot of info on it about where I'm at so it's really not a huge deal.

[quote0a0ffd3292="ILoveToys"]My only problem now, is if I don't point the remote for long enough it'll miss one of my devices (I'm usually switching about 3), and then I have to manually change the device. Mine has a LCD though w/ a lot of info on it about where I'm at so it's really not a huge deal.[/quote0a0ffd3292]
That's a common issue, but it isn't really the Harmony's fault. The reason is that it is controlling multiple devices from a single keypress, and the IR commands for each device must be sent sequentially, with proper timing delays as defined for each device. So it could take a second or two for all commands to finish, and if you just point the remote, hit the button, then immediately move it away, some commands could be missed by the device(s). This took my wife quite some time to get used to, but now she knows to point, press, and hold still for a couple seconds until she see's the last device powered off. Also, the Help button will prompt you through turning off all devices in the task by asking Yes/No questions, but it's usually faster to just go to the device in the LCD menu and choose its Off function.

If you're feeling particularly froggy, there are advanced settings in the Harmony software where you can adjust some of the delays used. I'd recommend caution however, because you could screw up your timings completely and cause even more problems that would require you to blow away a device configuration and restart (maybe not a huge deal unless you already had a lot of custom configuration).

manOFice, another thing to be aware of is that some devices have what's called discrete controls, meaning different commands for on and off, different commands for each input selection, etc. However other devices use toggles or "range" commands, where the same command is repeated for on/off or to select across a range of inputs. The latter is more difficult for any remote to handle perfectly, because if anything gets out of sync, manual intervention is required. The remote can't tell from the equipment which input or on/off state is currently selected. All it knows is what it last sent, so it trusts the equipment is cooperating. But if a signal is missed for some reason, the equipment will be in a different state than the remote expects, and you wind up turning something off when you're trying to turn it on, for example. Or all your inputs being off by one, etc. Most higher end gear uses discretes while a lot of low-end stuff uses toggles. That's not always the case though, as my somewhat high-end Oppo DVD player uses an on/off toggle. Properly handling the remote as I described above, to allow all commands to be sent between task switches or power cycles, will reduce the chances of this happening.

Edit I"m logged into my remote via the website so I can make any changes or suggestions

-I'm pretty sure also it's the power and input settings that are messing me up.


The Power settings are below
Device Setup
[b8a72736a4f]Do you want to leave your TV on all the time?[/b8a72736a4f]
Setting Up Your Philips 42PFL-7432D/37 TV
WTF, yeah I want my tv on all the time?
I selected I want to leave this device on all the time

[b8a72736a4f]How do you turn your TV on and off with your current remote control?[/b8a72736a4f]
-One button on the remote for turning it both On and Off (On my current tv remote one button turns it on and off)

[b8a72736a4f]Which command turns your device on and off?[/b8a72736a4f]
If you do not have the original remote, select the appropriate infrared commands.
How am i supposed to know this?
-I don't have the original remote, but I know the commands that are used
PowerToggle


Power settings for DVD Player

Device Setup
[b8a72736a4f]Do you want to leave your DVD on all the time?[/b8a72736a4f]
Setting Up Your Philips DVP-5982/37 DVD
-I want to turn off this device when it's not in use

[b8a72736a4f]How do you turn your DVD on and off with your current remote control?[/b8a72736a4f]
-One button on the remote for turning it both On and Off

[b8a72736a4f]Which command turns your device on and off?[/b8a72736a4f]
I don't have the original remote, but I know the commands that are used
Powertoggle

Delays Default

Same with the inputs...It lists like 4 or 5 possible input set ups that I can choose from. How my tv remote is setup is... you hit input and it brings up a list of inputs...you can either hit input to scroll down or hit the down arrow and once on the selected input you hit "OK".

so I believe I selected the input option that says " Method 3 Select this method if your TV is a Samsung, or if you press a button to bring up an on-screen menu of source inputs, press a different button to cycle between them, and press a third button to accept the selection."

The next screen says
Define Source Input Controls
Select the remote buttons you press to display the source inputs menu, cycle through the menu, and confirm the source input selection.

Now I have no idea whats supposed to go here?So I made it learn from my old remote and it came up with this

Remote button displays source inputs menu
InputNext
Remote button cycles through source inputs
InputNext
Remote button confirms the source input
Select

Am I doing this right?

Also...what are ideal timings because everything seems to react real slow and all these MS timings are confusing? I have all delays set to default.

Edit

[b8a72736a4f]Setting up the activity to watch TV[/b8a72736a4f]
What input or channel does your Philips TV need to be on?

ActivityWatch TV

[b8a72736a4f]TV (Recommended)[/b8a72736a4f]
AV1
AV2
AV3
HDMI1
HDMI2
HDMI3
SIDE
Source input is missing

[b8a72736a4f]Setting up the activity to watch DVD[/b8a72736a4f]

What input or channel does your Philips TV need to be on?

ActivityWatch a DVD

Channel 3 -WTF is this?
Channel 4 -WTF is this?
Channel -WTF is this?
AV1
AV2
AV3
[b8a72736a4f]HDMI1[/b8a72736a4f]
HDMI2
HDMI3
SIDE
Source input is missing

Thanks, dmorris, but I understand what my problem was ;) and it's not even really a problem. It's just me getting used to it. That's why I am looking forward to hooking up the RF so I don't have to worry about pointing anymore )

manOFice...you don't want your TV on at all times....things you might want on all times are things like a DVR, a Cable Box, Satelite Receiver etc....When it asks that it is determining whether or not to ever expect the TV to be off and whether or not it should ever shut the TV off.

[quote5f6ca2f8f7="ILoveToys"]Thanks, dmorris, but I understand what my problem was ;) and it's not even really a problem. It's just me getting used to it. That's why I am looking forward to hooking up the RF so I don't have to worry about pointing anymore )

manOFice...you don't want your TV on at all times....things you might want on all times are things like a DVR, a Cable Box, Satelite Receiver etc....When it asks that it is determining whether or not to ever expect the TV to be off and whether or not it should ever shut the TV off.[/quote5f6ca2f8f7]

Yeah I changed that because I guess If I choose to keep it on all the time the remote won't send a power signal to it.

Yeah, you never want to tell it to leave your TV on. Or most any other device, unless it's something that needs to be on to schedule recordings, like a cable/sat box + separate Tivo. Most self-contained PVR's with cable/sat tuners built-in are never really "off" unless unplugged so they will record regardless -- I go ahead and let Harmony turn them "off" when I'm not watching TV. If you don't have a PVR at all, then there's no need to leave a cable box on either. I can't think of too many things nowadays that would need to be left on all the time.

I called second level support and they hooked up my remote just how I wanted it, it's so sweet! They said my tv was so new or something...they entered special codes or something? I don't care what they did, lol...it's sweet!

But my surround sound isn't here yet, I get that tomorrow, but right now the tv and dvd player are rocking with this remote

Yeah, that's the great thing about Harmony. In the rare chance they don't have a configuration for your device, they can pretty quickly get them and add them to the online database. With other master remotes, all you can hope for is a firmware update that you have to either send the remote away for, or hook it up to your phone. And neither is usually an option for the cheaper remotes. Learning is then your other recourse, but most cheaper learning remotes have a very limited learning memory.

Also, you can always add codes for any device yourself if you have the original remote. The Harmony will walk you through learning every button on the remote and lets you build your own custom library. It's a tedious process, but only needs to be done once. You can even upload your custom library for submission to their database.

Hey Dmorris...did you have to do the "electrical tape spacer" trick that fixes humming noises on the HTS590 system?

[quote6352e4d68c="manOFice"]Hey Dmorris...did you have to do the "electrical tape spacer" trick that fixes humming noises on the HTS590 system?[/quote6352e4d68c]
Nope. No humming from mine. I've heard of the fix, but never had to do it myself. It apparently doesn't effect every system. As I recall it had something to do with a back panel connector internally shorting between the cabinet and the circuit board? Or something like that.

[quote6d0180e027="dmorris68"][quote6d0180e027="manOFice"]Hey Dmorris...did you have to do the "electrical tape spacer" trick that fixes humming noises on the HTS590 system?[/quote6d0180e027]
Nope. No humming from mine. I've heard of the fix, but never had to do it myself. It apparently doesn't effect every system. As I recall it had something to do with a back panel connector internally shorting between the cabinet and the circuit board? Or something like that.[/quote6d0180e027]

Yeah, a very slight loose of the screws connections that is holding the back panel on fixed it or some people had to insert a spacer and some people didn't have any problems like you. At least i'm prepared if I have to insert the spacer