Help with basic setup

[Calgary Dave]

I posted this over at AVS forum, but I like the personal touch PMC has to offer :)
For years I've mickey-moused everything and been struggling with an old-school style Technics Reciever (Dolby pro-logic, no HDMI, no dedicated sub-output etc). But the thing kicks ASS as far as sound quality for just music. I have it hooked up to a pair of giant Paradigm floor speakers. Anyways I finally bought a new Pioneer amp so that I can finally switch from TV to DVD to whatever with one remote...(thats the plan anyways)


Okay...this is what I have

TV: 50" Samsung DLP (HDMI & DVI inputs)
Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX90TXV (HDMI pass-thru only)
settop box: Motorola DCT6200 (HD but only DVI & Component, no HDMI out)
DVD recorder: Samsung DVD R150 (component & digital out. analog in)

1) Now, since I don't have HDMI on either my HD box or my DVD player I guess I can scrap an HDMI conection from the Receiver to the TV...correct? (the store said my receiver wont switch signals if I use components IN and HDMI out..??)

2) Is there any advantage of using the DVI connection from the HD box to the receiver? as opposed to component cable?

Would this scenario be correct?:

components plus fibre optics from HD box to receiver
components plus fibre optics from DVD to receiver
Components plus fibre optics from Receiver to TV

Svideo plus RCA from HD box TO DVD (merely for recording tv shows)
Or do I split the coax cable from the wall into the DVD, so I can record on one channel while watching another. (the HD box is not dual tuner)

It looks like I'm going to need 3 fibre optics cables and 3 sets of component cables?? $$$$ ouch. (I have a ton of Svid, and RCA audio cables already)

Oh and lastly...I have a ton of media on my computer..can I just run a VGA connector from the PC into the TV (yes it has VGA-in) so that I can use Windows Media Player and play my media thru the TV? Mostly for family pictures..its goofy showing off pics to a bunch of ppl huddled around the computer monitor when I have a nice remote for the PC's media server

[Gadgets]

I'll answer what I think I can.

components plus fibre optics from HD box to receiver
components plus fibre optics from DVD to receiver

This looks right. I assume fibre optics mean digital coax or toslink for audio?

Components plus fibre optics from Receiver to TV.

You only need the second cable if you want audio from the TV.

It looks like I'm going to need 3 fibre optics cables and 3 sets of component cables?? $$$$ ouch.

Check out monoprice http://www.monoprice.com Cheap but quality cables.

[Calgary Dave]

You only need the second cable if you want audio from the TV.

Doh...of course! Don't know what I was thinking. Thanks, Gadget.

Okay..I set everything up. The sound is absolutely amazing with this new system..but wow what a learning curve. Hard figuring out all the surround modes...levels etc. It comes with a mic that senses all the different channels and tunes them up accordingly..but I can't use it because of the following:

One small glitch: I'm not getting a any video feed from the Receiver to the TV. I've got component coming from the Pionner ASX90 to the TV, but my TV (Samsung HD/DLP) isn't detecting it. I've got sound...but no picture. I suspect its something with the TV. It auto detects a signal...if there's no signal you cant "choose" the proper input. (in this case the "Component1" input.

....hmmmmmm