A Meandering Story of Appreciation; a Question

[dick]

When I first visited my speaker store (the town dump), I was at a loss with the new found AR3a's. Then I found you guys and you led me through thick and thin until we found ourselves bathed in exquisite sound. It's still like that. Being an electronic super clutz, I've dropped out of the forum. But now I'm back. Here's why: A report on the value of your advice on however a marginal project; and a New Question.

With the 3a's in the house, a set of souped up 4x's in the bedroom, the studio graced with KLH's, there wasn't any place for the old, old Philips speakers. Ahhh! The Greenhouse. Yes! So in they went although they were too large. Spring came around and, one thing usually leading to another thing, we took a drive up to Vermont and returned with baby turkeys. They were in the house for a few days until a stroke of genius hit me: Move them into the greenhouse.

Do you sense tragedy coming? I don't know why you would....

As the turkeys grew up so did their use of their friendly if little brains. "What's behind that speaker grille!" wondered one while, unknown to me, they pulled and pulled. I discovered this in time, and tucked in the cloth since they were such nice little turkeys...they wouldn't do that again. No.

Oh yes they did. I solved it, though, by quickly turning the speaker to the greenhouse inside wall, leaving the wires from the tuner for them. They managed to get one loose.

Yesterday, driving back from a hike in the fall leaves, we came to our speaker store's newest opening: someone's front yard with a "free" sign on. Yes, this must be the same store.... There were little speakers there. Yes! They were Bose 301 type II and I thought, "Geez, just the right size for the greenhouse." Ohhh. I guess I forgot to mention that the turkeys all left a week ago for Freezerland. They weren't good tenants: the greenhouse was a wreck and it didn't smell very greenhouse like.

Got to the greenhouse with these Bose things, and opened them up. Now here's where you guys, ever hovering over my shoulder, came in. The foam surrounds on the woofers were cracked. I knew what that meant: the free woofers were either goners or not so free after all. The tweeters were okay (2/cabinet). Then, finally, I looked into the old Philips speakers and did Speaker Triage. The turkeys had eaten a tweeter's paper cone. Bad Turkeys! Solution was obvious: the Philips woofers went into the Bose cabinets. Along the way, I discovered that Bose might have lots of ads in the New Yorker magazine, but their desire for thick wallet customers couldn't cover stranded wire nor really secure screw downs for the woofers (4 screws/ 8" woofer). The old Philips, in contrast had stranded wire, 8 screws/8" woofer, and ahh haa, yes, uhhh huh, cloth surrounds.

Thanks to Mike from Mexico, and others, I still had a wad of Duct Seal for an acoustic seal of the woofers--and I used it. Soldered the solid wire (broke twice) to the stranded. Drilled more holes to mount the woofers. Ignored cross over issues re: different woofer as quality sound isn't considered here... Just OK to Better Sound for Green Thumbs. Got set to set a screw and...slip!.... A magnificent 4-letter word rolled out as a hole appeared out of nowhere inteh surround and edge of cone. Darn, for sure, but! I had a bottle of "Woofer Speaker Goo" given to me by RoyC who has guided me more than most with patience galore. Ahh haa, yet again. Out to shop, in with the bottle, on with the goo to a damaged cloth surround and bit of the cone edge. There, there. Got it mostly A-OK. Well, sort of B-OK.

Back to the newly cleaned greenhouse with Lysol in a spray can to clear the air. Got the wires hooked up and...thanks to you guys...Voila! Sound. As good or nearly as good (perhaps better?) as the old Philips. Cabinets small enough to be mounted high up. The old Philips? Why they're at the Free Speaker Store, Town Dump Division.

Thanks, guys! I could not have done it without you on the AR3a, nor on this hybridized utilitarian Bose.

Finally comes a question. Perhaps for Roy who is terrific at figuring out how to wire what to what, but clearly for all. Our TV went blank when the US converted from analog to digital transmission. Gone was our one station for news and weather (nothing else worth the time, but all know that). So a new antenna in our remote location solved that -- today, we get not one station but 4. We've discovered that PBS (a first for us) has music events (NY Philharmonic, some opera) now and then. Our AR4x's are hooked up to our DVD player (stand alone) which is hooked up to our stand alone tuner which is hooked up to the AR's. The DVD player is hooked up to the TV set. I'm confused. In more simple was to convolute reality with words: The AR's don't hook to the TV (4 stations) now, so how can they and still work when we want to see a film on the DVD? The Question, I guess...: Is there a way to hook up the AR's to both the tuner and the TV, or to have it switched, or...what?

Regards to all! Dick

[ar_pro]

Leave the AR-4s connected to your stereo receiver, only.

Connect the L&R stereo audio *outputs* of your TV to the Aux input on your receiver - this will allow you to listen to your TV, plus any source (like your DVD player) that's connected to play on that TV.

[dick]

Leave the AR-4s connected to your stereo receiver, only.

Connect the L&R stereo audio *outputs* of your TV to the Aux input on your receiver - this will allow you to listen to your TV, plus any source (like your DVD player) that's connected to play on that TV.

Thanks for the help. I learned, though, that the TV doesn't have any jacks for audio output, only input. So, unless I'm willing to take the cover off the TV, find the leads to the speakers, and set up jacks, there's no way to get the TV's audio. I don't think all of that is worth quality audio from the AR4x's for a few shows a year. The next TV will be checked out for audio output before buying.

[JKent]

Our AR4x's are hooked up to our DVD player (stand alone) which is hooked up to our stand alone tuner which is hooked up to the AR's. The DVD player is hooked up to the TV set. I'm confused. In more simple was to convolute reality with words: The AR's don't hook to the TV (4 stations) now, so how can they and still work when we want to see a film on the DVD? The Question, I guess...: Is there a way to hook up the AR's to both the tuner and the TV, or to have it switched, or...what?

Hey Dick

I'm a little confused by this description of your wiring. The DVD player is a stand-alone but it is connected to a tuner (FM? TV? huh?). Let's start again. Do you have a RECEIVER? Is that what you mean by tuner? If so, you should be able to connect the audio output (RCA cables--one red, one white) from the DVD to the receiver and connect the video from the DVD to the TV via coax cable, S-Video (better) or an RCA video (best) to your TV. The AR speakers are connected to the receiver and will play the signal from the DVD disc, FM, CD, etc. It will not play the over-the-air TV.

Did I understand your question correctly?

good luck

Kent

[dick]

Hey Dick

I'm a little confused by this description of your wiring. The DVD player is a stand-alone but it is connected to a tuner (FM? TV? huh?). Let's start again. Do you have a RECEIVER? Is that what you mean by tuner? If so, you should be able to connect the audio output (RCA cables--one red, one white) from the DVD to the receiver and connect the video from the DVD to the TV via coax cable, S-Video (better) or an RCA video (best) to your TV. The AR speakers are connected to the receiver and will play the signal from the DVD disc, FM, CD, etc. It will not play the over-the-air TV.

Did I understand your question correctly?

good luck

Kent

Hi Kent,

I did indeed mean RECEIVER. And the receiver is hooked up to DVD player, AR4x's, and visual signal sent to TV. My desire, poorly expressed, was to route the TV's audio through Receiver and on to the AR's. Not doable, though, with current TV which is just a few years old. Can live with it as it is.

Attached, I hope, a picture of the rescued/transfigured 1970-80s Bose 301 high up in the greenhouse. Getting rid of the vinyl wanut finish with orange paint gave it a new life, visually speaking. Looks to me like it was actually "designed" and looks a bit like something from the Bauhaus, circa 1930s. The pair play fine up there, Roy's greatly appreciated Woofer Goo worked out perfectly.

[JKent]

hey--maybe a suitable TV will turn up in your "speaker store". With the switch to digital, a few folks probably chucked out their "obsolete" analog TVs.

[oldguide]

I want to be sure I read you correctly--you do get reception and sound through your TV? If so then see below.

What you need is what is called an RF modulator--they will convert your 75 ohm cable/antenna/sat signal to conventional A/V outputs. A picture is attached. You can pick them up for anywhere from $15 on up to the usual gold-plated stratosphere. A certain auction site usually has them pretty cheap. You can get them in simple two channel models (one in/one out) to ones with many channels. Although it might cost a bit more I would lean strongly towards buying new from a local or online store as you can always take/send it back.

Then as previously directed hook up the audio outputs from the modulator to your receiver (check your manual, but usually any spare input will do). You will also note the wiring diagram shows a splitter on the input (the T intersection). If you have a regular coax antenna connection you can pick these up at big box home stores or electronics stores.

Caveat: one place this will NOT work is with direct satellite signals which carry a small current. Those require special splitters, etc. Connecting the wrong splitter to a sat input could blow out your satellite receiver.

BTW, a RF modulator can also be a way to transfer your TV signal to other parts of your house if the modulator has two outputs or you stick a splitter in there.

Good Luck.

[dick]

Thanks, OldGuide.

So the RF Modulator will provide TV audio output? And I can direct that TV audio output to the receiver/AR speakers? And then TV audio will appear on speakers with channel changes?

One TV coax line coming in from a digital antenna (not dish, not cable). Currently, the coax line is already split by a switch to direct the DVD setup to TV when desired, and/or to allow the antenna signal to come to the TV. Moreover, for reasons I cannot recall although the setup didn't work without it, there is a RF Modulator between the DVD player and the switching setup (don't recall exact wiring setup now).

Perhaps I should buy another and see if it will work. The current RF Modulator is from Radio Shack.

[soundminded]

"AR4x's are hooked up to our DVD player (stand alone) which is hooked up to our stand alone tuner which is hooked up to the AR's."

I'm puzzled. Is it a tuner or a receiver? If it is a receiver and has any spare inputs at all, all you need is a VCR. So long as the VCR's tuner works, you can use that as the source of audio for the TV broadcasts. The video cassette unit itself does not have to be working. If the VCR has a stereo tuner, all the better.

[JKent]

I'm puzzled. Is it a tuner or a receiver? If it is a receiver and has any spare inputs at all, all you need is a VCR. So long as the VCR's tuner works, you can use that as the source of audio for the TV broadcasts. The video cassette unit itself does not have to be working. If the VCR has a stereo tuner, all the better.

We've already established it is a receiver but that is a GREAT suggestion Soundminded (wish I had thought of it). Check your local thrift shop. The Sal here must have a dozen VCRs for 5 bux each. Just check the back--some cheap ones are mono and only have coax outputs. You want to be sure there are RCA jacks for output. Probably 3, color-coded red, white and yellow. The red (right) and white (left) can go into your receiver's Tape In or Aux and then the stereo TV tuner in the VCR will provide the audio signal you want for those PBS broadcasts.

So if your old TV is getting OTA (over the air) reception OK, I'm assuming you are using one of those converter boxes that were hyped before the switch (?)

good luck

Kent

[soundminded]

Hookup is simple. Connect the antenna output to the VCR RF input. If the output is directly from a TV antenna and is 75 ohms, just use the f connector. If it's 300 ohms, use a 75 ohm transformer called a balun (everyone should have about a million of them around, they came with every VCR and TV for decades.) If the output is from a digital converter, used a coax with f connectors at both ends. Connect the RF output of the VCR to the TV antenna input. If it's a very old TV and has only a 300 ohm input (screw terminals) use another balun to convert from 75 ohms back to 300 ohms. Connect the DVD player to the VCR aux input. Use either coax L, R, and Video coax or an S-Video cable. (my source for AV coax is the dollar store.) Connect the VCR L & R audio outputs to the Receiver inputs. You're done.

[dick]

Soundminded/Ken,

When I last looked, our town dump had quite a collection of VCRs. Will take a look this weekend. If all gone to regional recycling center, then it is off on a hunt to Salvation Armani (Brooklyn name based on what comes, apparently, from Wall St. sorts).

As for the actual hookup, here's what Sir Klutz (me) might attempt:

Hook VCR up to incoming digital coax antenna line at the VCR's input port. Take another line out of the VCR's output port to the TV. The VCR would have audio outputs (stereo or not) that would hook up to auxiliary posts on back of receiver (in my case, Tape 2 on the Onkyo). Normal TV reception would flow through the VCR (on or off?) and when ON would enable audio from TV to be routed to receiver and thence to AR4x's.

Leave the DVD connections alone.

I assume all think the VCR is a better option than an RF modulator. Hmm. Reasons other than $15 vs. $5 or $0?

Does VCR and/or RF modulator read from TV what channel/audio is selected? This is done upstream of the TV? Hmmm.

Tell me what I thought wrong before I'm wrong wrong wrong in deed!

On 8" Philips woofer speaker (in Bose 301 cab) repair, RoyC advised to coat torn paper cone bit of woofer with rubber cement back, then front (it drys but is flexible), not his Woofer Goo (stays gooey). Did this on paper (looks good!), but continued use of the Woofer Goo on the cloth surround just because I thought it would be better.... No fuzz sound, no garble. Tiptoed away.

[JKent]

Soundminded/Ken,

When I last looked, our town dump had quite a collection of VCRs. Will take a look this weekend. If all gone to regional recycling center, then it is off on a hunt to Salvation Armani (Brooklyn name based on what comes, apparently, from Wall St. sorts).

As for the actual hookup, here's what Sir Klutz (me) might attempt:

Hook VCR up to incoming digital coax antenna line at the VCR's input port. Take another line out of the VCR's output port to the TV. The VCR would have audio outputs (stereo or not) that would hook up to auxiliary posts on back of receiver (in my case, Tape 2 on the Onkyo). Normal TV reception would flow through the VCR (on or off?) and when ON would enable audio from TV to be routed to receiver and thence to AR4x's.

Leave the DVD connections alone.

I assume all think the VCR is a better option than an RF modulator. Hmm. Reasons other than $15 vs. $5 or $0?

Does VCR and/or RF modulator read from TV what channel/audio is selected? This is done upstream of the TV? Hmmm.

Tell me what I thought wrong before I'm wrong wrong wrong in deed!

On 8" Philips woofer speaker (in Bose 301 cab) repair, RoyC advised to coat torn paper cone bit of woofer with rubber cement back, then front (it drys but is flexible), not his Woofer Goo (stays gooey). Did this on paper (looks good!), but continued use of the Woofer Goo on the cloth surround just because I thought it would be better.... No fuzz sound, no garble. Tiptoed away.

Dick,

There are enough "Hi Fi Stereo" VCRs being discarded that I would look for one of these. It will receive stereo broadcasts and will output L and R stereo to your Onkyo.

I'm a little unclear on what the back of your TV looks like. Does it have ONLY a coax input or are there other connectors, such as RCA audio & video, or S-Video?

Here is a link to some examples with diagrams

http://www.geocities.com/columbiaisa/tv_dvd_vcr_hookup.htm

It sounds like you only have a coax antenna input and nothing else on the TV. That is why you are using the RF modulator. You already have one--you don't need another. It may be just like the diagram on the link page, labeled "DVD to TV" except you don't have the VCR yet. When you get the VCR, just add it to the hookup as shown. The coax cable will go from the antenna to the VCR. VCR to RF Modulator via a short length of coax. The DVD also goes to the RF box but via RCA red, white and yellow. Then another short coax cable goes from the RF box to the TV.

Now, to hear your DVDs in stereo, just run the red & white to your Onkyo instead, leaving the yellow Video RCA cable connected to the RF box. And to hear TV or VCR tapes in stereo, run red and white RCA cables form the VCR to the Onkyo. Use the TV's speaker as your center channel or mute it.

Now--what I STILL don't understand is how you are able to receive TV at all. You have an analog TV. Does your "digital" antenna run to a converter box first, then on to the RF box? Here's another link:

http://www.geocities.com/columbiaisa/dvd_howtoconnect.htm

I think this shows what your setup should be. I borrowed the image from the columbiaisa site. Hope they don't mind

Kent

[dick]

Kent,

TV is digital. Was analog/digital when we bought it. Now we only switch to analog to watch DVDs which do run on stereo.

Thanks for diagrams. Assume I can merely ignore the digital converter, but follow all else for connecting a VCR (this for exporting TV audio to Onkyo/ARs).

Amazing what wasn't on TV, what I never thought to ask about.

Dick

[JKent]

Kent,

TV is digital. Was analog/digital when we bought it. Now we only switch to analog to watch DVDs which do run on stereo.

Thanks for diagrams. Assume I can merely ignore the digital converter, but follow all else for connecting a VCR (this for exporting TV audio to Onkyo/ARs).

Amazing what wasn't on TV, what I never thought to ask about.

Dick

Hi Dick

Yes--just ignore the converter. I don't understand the part about switching to analog to watch DVDs but that brings up another question that I don't have the answer to.

If you do not have a D/A converter, the analog TV tuner in the VCR won't work, so I think we're back to square 1. Maybe another member has the solution. My guess is Oldguide's solution was the way to go.

Funny that your TV was advanced enough to have digital built in, but not additional audio/video inputs.

Good luck with your quest!

Kent

[oldguide]

Sorry I have been away and not responded. Things get curiouser and curiouser.

Perhaps it is just me, but I am used to working from wiring diagrams, so am having some difficulty understanding what is where and how they are connected. I think it would help much if you could just draw out exactly what you have where and how it is connected. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Freehand pen/pencil will work fine.

As for the RF vs the VCR. You say you have an RF, but what does it look like? The old style RFs merely had coax in, coax out, which I suspect is what you have. The new RFs have coax and variety of inputs along with a variety of outputs. You will know if you have the right RF if it has RCA jacks as well as coax. The RCA jacks should be coded yellow, white, red. Yellow is for composite video out, red and white are for the two audio channels. Newer RFs also have component video out which will be RCA jacks coded red, green, blue. Do you have the model number for the RS RF? Would be glad to check it out.

I agree with the previous comments that the VCR would be the cheaper way to go--and also I agree I wish I had thought of it. The only downside is whether you want an obsolete VCR that you may not use for anything else or pay a bit more for an RF that you can use for other purposes (such as moving signals to another part of the house).

[JKent]

Oldguide,

I agree a diagram would be good, or PHOTOS!!

Correct me if I'm wrong but upon further consideration I concluded the VCR will NOT work. VCRs have analog tuners. Dick is getting OTA digital. No converter box.

Your suggestion of a modern RF box with both coax and RCA jacks sounds like the best deal to me

Kent

[dick]

Sorry I have been away and not responded. Things get curiouser and curiouser.

Perhaps it is just me, but I am used to working from wiring diagrams, so am having some difficulty understanding what is where and how they are connected. I think it would help much if you could just draw out exactly what you have where and how it is connected. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Freehand pen/pencil will work fine.

As for the RF vs the VCR. You say you have an RF, but what does it look like? The old style RFs merely had coax in, coax out, which I suspect is what you have. The new RFs have coax and variety of inputs along with a variety of outputs. You will know if you have the right RF if it has RCA jacks as well as coax. The RCA jacks should be coded yellow, white, red. Yellow is for composite video out, red and white are for the two audio channels. Newer RFs also have component video out which will be RCA jacks coded red, green, blue. Do you have the model number for the RS RF? Would be glad to check it out.

I agree with the previous comments that the VCR would be the cheaper way to go--and also I agree I wish I had thought of it. The only downside is whether you want an obsolete VCR that you may not use for anything else or pay a bit more for an RF that you can use for other purposes (such as moving signals to another part of the house).

Well. Sorry, but lost track of this. Thanks for bringing it back. RF Modulator has coax in and out as well as yellow, red, white RCA jacks. Using currently yellow for the DVD hookup. Ate my hat last week: LA Symphony Orchestra with dynamic Gustavo Dudamel was on PBS with Mahler's Symphony #1 on our TV's crappy speakers. Arrrgh.

If you guys collectively think there's a chance, I'll map my current situation out and you can let me know how to keep the one RF mod for the DVD as well as the TV audio -- or perhaps you'll have me get another RF mod. Maybe, just maybe, in the next few days, there'll be time enough to do the sketching and some photos.

Best regards, Dick

[JKent]

Hi Dick

Yes--pics and sketches are good but I think I have the idea. Sounds like you need a more advanced RF, with red & white RCA OUT as well.

Right now the audio and video from the antenna go into the RF. So does the video from the DVD. The RF sends either TV audio/video OR DVD video only to the TV set. Meanwhile the audio from the DVD goes directly to your Onkyo, giving you stereo sound.

If you use a DIFFERENT RF modulator--one with both coax out AND RCA audio out-- you should be able to send the audio signal (mono or stereo) from your TV antenna to another input on the Onkyo (Tape 2?)

Hope we haven't muddied the water too badly

Oldguide obviously knows more about these than I do. A quick Google search and eBay search turned up lots of RF boxes with RCA INPUTS. Some have more than one. You need to be sure to get what Oldguide described--an RF converter that has both coaxial AND RCA OUTPUTS (red & white). To tell the truth, I have not been able to find such an animal You may need a modulator/demodulator OR a demodulator AND your present modulator but now I'm confused! According to this website, what you need may no longer exist

http://www.svideo.com/demodulator.html

Kent

[dick]

Old Guide and Kent!

Here goes. Please find 2 photos of the rear views of the various components. And find a schematic of the hookup. Does this help? As hooked up, to go to the TV, one simply moves the antenna feed switch to the antenna. To play a DVD, move the switch, and the DVD gets its video sent to the TV and the audio to the Onkyo receiver and thence to the AR4x's. This works fine. What I'm after is to get the ARs to perform audio service for the TV only setup. (forgot to photo rear of TV -- will do that next, but I think the audio jcks are for 'input' only).

[dick]

OG and Kent: Here's rear jacks on TV. Seems to be all input. You'd think sales persons would alert the buyer to these limitations on sets. However at the time of purchase my unexpected trip(s) into audio-land were yet to be.

[JKent]

Hi Dick

Still don't know how to pull the stereo audio from the coaxial cable and feed it to your receiver. As I mentioned, that seems to take an RF DE-modulator but I'm not familiar with those.

BUT--I would suggest you eliminate the RF modulator. The yellow RCA cable from your DVD should go right into the yellow video input and the red & white go to the Onkyo. I assume the TV remote has a selector for input 1 or 2, or maybe TV/VCR or something like that?

Theoretically, the "component video" output from the VCR (Red, Blue, Green cables) give the best picture but you may not see any improvement over the yellow video on a smaller TV.

Kent

PS: Here's a real Rube Goldberg idea: If RF demodulators are difficult to find and/or expensive, maybe the Hi-Fi VCR idea would still work, You would have to get one of those converter boxes they were advertising furiously before the switch to digital. Just put a splitter on your coaxial antenna cable and send one signal directly to your digital TV, but send the other to the converter box, then to the VCR. Send the audio from the VCR to your Onkyo. The problem with this solution is some people have reported that those converter boxes don't work terribly well.

[oldguide]

If I am reading your diagram right and seeing your pictures right, I now see your problem which I totally misunderstood. I am guessing your TV has only a coax input as does your switch or else why would you use the RF modulator to connect the DVD?

So it would be good to see both your TV and the box that comes from your antenna. The reason I bring this up is that it sounds like you have a TV that is digital and most of them have RCA input and outputs. Or just tell me what model TV you have--i.e. Panasonic d415 or whatever so I can check it out online.

Ditto for most new analog to digital boxes which have both coax and composite and audio video connections. What model is that?

All this makes me wonder if perhaps your switch box is the problem since maybe it is the component that will only take coax.

If, however, all you have is coax connections at the digital converter, the TV and the switch then I have totally misunderstood your problem.

What you then need is not an RF modulator but what is called a demodulator. RF modulators convert RCA jack/composite or s-video signals to 75 ohm coax; demodulators do the reverse. Demodulators are expensive and difficult to find. There are also what are called TV tuners, most of which are made for computers that are cards or external devices that take a 75 ohm coax input and convert it to composite, s-video and even USB so you can watch TV on your computer (a lot of talk in home video circles about using computers as receivers). We don't even use a TV but instead a video projector which puts to shame those $2,000 behemoths.

However, as Soundminded suggested earlier an old VCR is in essence a demodulator. You can probably find an old VCR pretty cheap at a place like Goodwill or--dare I say the word--pawnshop. Another solution is someone's discarded satellite tuner.

But here I get confused again because old VCRs are analog and you said you have a digital signal. Satellite tuners, however, are digital.

Sorry if I screwed you up, but I am still as confused as ever.

[dick]

Before I went to Radio Shack and got the RF modulator, I tried placing the video and audio leads in the RCA jacks on the TV. Nothing worked out. Now, at least there's AR4x sound for the DVDs. I'm going to leave it at that, although for Old Guide here's some info:

TV = RCA 20F424T

RF modulator = Radio Shcak RF modulator 02A02 (Part # 15-1244)

These TVs have a history of staying alive for some time. We're on our 4th set in some 40 years. Chances are that we'll simply live with it as is or will become obsessed with scads of quality music over PBS (bring it on, please!) and trot out for a new TV with audio output capabilities. I'm fully aware that addidng an old VCR to the mix of boxes on the counter might not be wise. ...there's stuff enough surrounding the TV....

So thanks for all comments, suggestions!

[JKent]

Well, it's been a long and frustrating journey and you are probably right to just live with the TV sound through the TV's speakers and forget any Rube Goldberg experiments.

BUT:

I really do recommend trying to ditch the RF modulator. It certainly degrades the DVD picture and probably also degrades the TV OTA signal.

When all else fails "RTFM"

Here is the TV manual.

http://tv.rca.com/RCATV/Assets/pdfs/20F424...900_IB_e-07.pdf

Check p 7 re inputs. Component is best.

Page 8: This may be your problem with the DVD hookup. You must change the DVD to “interlaced.” This is non-intuitive and no one would think to do it unless they read that page, but it "should" work. Now you have to dig out the DVD manual and read THAT to find out how to switch from progressive scan to interlaced (assuming of course that it IS a progressive scan player).

Page 9: Use the remote’s Input button to switch between TV and DVD

Try it! If it works I am confident you will like the improved DVD picture!

Kent