Connecting Sky+, Plasma and PS2

[cs64631]

Please could somebody help me.

I am very new to this and have ended up with a range of equipment and no real idea on how to connect them up. I apologise if this has been posted before but I have been searching the internet for days and asking in Richer Sounds where I bought everything and am still no further.

The list of stuff I have is:

Relisys 4206 - inputs are RGB Scart, composite, component and S-Video
Sky+
Playstation 2
Sony VCR with scart in/out and composite in/out
Yamaha RX-V650 Amp

I want to get the best sound and picture that I can. Richer sounds sold me a component cable for £100 a couple of days ago but that seems to be no help whatsoever. The bit I do know is that I want to connect the PS2 and Sky+ box with digital audio leads.

If anybody could guide me through this nightmare I would be more than grateful.

Thanks

 

[andyAV]

Taking audio first
...Cheapest would be (assuming you have these leads already)
1. SKy+ --phono-->AMP
2. PS2 --phono-->AMP
3. VCR --phono-->AMP

Needs 3 pairs of audio phono cables. You could get by with what came with each piece of kit in the short term until you knew what needed replacing with digital connections.

...Best would be
1. SKy+ --digital optical-->AMP
2. PS2 --digital? optical-->AMP
3. VCR : as above

requiring one or two digital connections - I'm not sure if the PS2 is optical or coaxial digital - probably the former. Optical leads are cheap - don't spend silly money - a £5 lead is as good as a £50 lead IMHO.

Taking video next
...Cheapest and easiest
1. PS2 --svideo/composite-to-scart--> VCR
2. VCR --scart--> SKY --scart-->PLASMA

1 lead into plasma with everything daisy chained.

...Best would (probably) be
1. PS2 --component-->AMP
requires a component to component lead (like the RS one)

2. SKY+ --scart(RGB)--> RGB-YUV Convertor (£100)
RBG-YUV Convertor --component-->AMP
requires an RGB-YUV convertor (£100ish) and a component to component lead (like the RS one) or a not so good but still usable scart to YUV lead with inbuilt conversion. Go this route if the scart picture is soft or blurry and wallet allows.

3. VCR -- svideo/composite-->AMP
requires an svideo or a plain composite video lead

4. AMP --svideo/composite-->PLASMA
requires an svideo or a plain composite video lead

5. AMP --component video-->PLASMA
requires a component to component lead (like the RS one)

Clearly you don't need to do all options - depending on funds and priority you might just want to do SKY or just do PS2 etc.

Either way I'd take the £100 component lead back to RS - especially as they sold something you don't seem able to use at present. Look to replace it with one or more suitable priced component cable(s) if you want top notch video - try Mark Grant on these forums (3m lead for £65 IIRC and very good quality - I own one I should know).

I'd try cheapest options first - get an Svideo lead and try it out on SKY box - if it isn't good enough for what you want, upgrade to Component video and use the lead for the VCR instead. A few weeks of careful purchasing and upgrading will get you where you want.

Andy