How to Connect a DVD, a VCR and Surround Sound to a TV (5 Steps)
By GeorgeD
Connecting a DVD player, VCR and surround sound to a TV can have varying degrees of difficulty depending upon the type of surround sound receiver that you purchased. Surround sound receivers always have multiple inputs for all home theater peripherals, but they will vary in digital audio inputs and may have different numbers of HDMI or component inputs that provide either a better quality picture or true high-definition video. This particular article will explain a standard definition hookup and will include hooking the DVD player up via digital audio for a true surround sound experience.
Step 1
Plug a composite video cable (yellow colored RCA plug) into the "Video In" port on the back of the television and plug the other end of that same wire into the "Video Out" port on the back of the surround sound receiver.
Step 2
Plug a composite audio cable (red and white colored RCA cables) into the "Audio Out" port on the back of the TV and plug the other ends into an empty "Audio In" on the back of the surround sound receiver.
Step 3
Plug a composite video cable into the "Video Out" port on the back of the DVD player and plug the other end into an open "Video In" port on the back of the surround sound receiver. Usually the receiver's video inputs are numbered ("Video In 1") or named ("DVD In").
Step 4
Plug the optical audio cable into the "Digital Audio Out" port on the back of the DVD player and plug the other end into the "Digital Audio In" port on the back of the surround sound receiver. Make sure that the "Digital Audio In" corresponds to the same video input that you plugged the DVD player's composite video cable into. For example, "Video Input 1" should correspond with "Digital Audio 1" or "DVD Video In" should correspond with "DVD Digital Audio In."
Step 5
Plug composite video and composite audio cables into the "Audio/Video Out" on the back of the VCR and plug the other ends into an empty "Audio/Video In" on the back of the surround sound receiver.
References
Tips
- For a better SD video picture quality, the S-video cables or component video cables can be used instead of composite video cables if the peripherals allow.
Warnings
- This setup requires you to listen to all audio from the DVD player and the VCR through the surround sound receiver.
- The TV can be heard through either its own speakers or through the surround sound system.