I just hooked up my home theater system. Why am I not getting any video on my tv set ?

Last Update: 04/24/2008

Today's home entertainment system is very complex. There are many video sources that are used in a home theater system, such as a VCR, DVD player, cable TV, and satellite dish receiver. And there are many different types of video connections these sources employ. Yamaha's receivers offer a variety of video connections, such as Composite Video, S-Video, and Component Video. To better understand them, here is a brief description of each connection type:

COMPOSITE VIDEO: Typically a yellow colored RCA jack, found on almost all video sources. This is the most common kind of connection. On recording equipment as well as our receivers, you will notice in and out jacks for video signals. The Out jacks are to allow recording between sources and a VCR. Your TV must have composite video input.

S-VIDEO, typically a round 4 pin jack, this type of hookup can provide a better picture than the composite video hookups. It is found on many video sources, such as S-VHS VCRs, DVD players, and satellite receivers. On some recording equipment as well as our A/V receivers, you will notice in and out jacks for S-VHS video signals. Again, the Out jacks are to allow recording between sources and a VCR. To take advantage of S-VHS, your TV must have an S-VHS input connection.

COMPONENT VIDEO, typically a set of 3 RCA jacks clustered together. On occasion, you might come across what is called a BNC connector. These are twist lock connections. Yamaha receivers equipped with component video switching use the RCA type of connection. They may be labeled Y, PR, PB, or Y, CR, CB. This type of connection provides the best video signal, of the three mentioned here. It is a somewhat new type of connection, and is found on DVD players, and some satellite receivers. To take advantage of component video, your TV or projector must have component video inputs.

Now for the tricky part. These different video connection types "do not talk" to each other. For example, let's assume that you have hooked up your VCR to the receiver using composite video connections. Then you use an S-Video cable to hook the MONITOR OUT jack on the back of the receiver to the TV set. The result? No picture. You have used two different types of connections. The solution? Make sure that your video connections are consistent throughout your home theater installation. There may be some exceptions to this, of course. If your TV has component video inputs, and your DVD player has a component video output, assuming that your receiver does not offer component video switching, you can run the video direct from the DVD player to the TV. But for the most part, keeping consistent connection types throughout your system is the best way to ensure a successful home theater installation.

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