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Just threw up my hands at all the cables plugged into the TV and labeled them.
Ie, in the HDMI 1 port on the TV, that's the Tivo, 2 VHS>DVR decks, and a VHS feeding into a digital recorders (when that one becomes operational). Those 4 units hooked into an HDMI multiplexer.
HDMI 2 port is another VHS>DVR deck while HDMI 3 has the Blu ray. The A/V port on the TV has the A/V multiplexer hooked into it with 2 VHS > DVR decks, another VHS feeding a digital recorder (operational), and the regionless player. A thing to keep in mind is that the A/V units come from a different era and don't have HDMI.
All the time up to now, I thought, "I can keep track of them all, I don't need to label them," but having brought the cluster back on line from its last reconfiguration, that turned out not to be the case. Some of the units stopped their dubbing job early and it was difficult to figure who did what without upsetting the units that were still running, especially since 3, soon to be 4, units are on the same remote frequency and 2 others share the same remote frequency.
The only way was to punch buttons and trail black snakes of cable from the selector back to its unit. It's like a smaller example of the first computers' wiring, just not as colorful.
But for now, maybe I have figured out a way of smooth sailing.
I have:
HDMI 1 = Roku
HDMI 2 = Cable TV
HDMI 3 = CHromecast
HDMI 4 = Playstation 3 (which is really just a DVD\Blu Ray Player anymore)
Well, A and B..........and then C
A: This Sharp does pretty well for itself and it is rather new.
B: A new TV wouldn't help much since most of them come with a lot of HDMI links, like this one did, but only one A/V plug in, if that at all. Which leads us to C.
C: An A/V multiplexer is just push button and runs about $25, if that. That's a nice economical price to be able to use the older decks.....of which the newer decks with HDMI run about $250. I don't have that much money to toss around.
My electronics configurations are so complex and numerous that I had to resort to using address labels on the end of power cords and patch cords to keep track of it all.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
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I really really need to do this. I have a mass of cords in one corner of my living room, as well as a mass of CAT5 cables going into the switch there, and I have little idea what belongs to what. When my cat starts exploring back there, I get scared.
I have:
HDMI 1 = Roku
HDMI 2 = Cable TV
HDMI 3 = CHromecast
HDMI 4 = Playstation 3 (which is really just a DVD\Blu Ray Player anymore)
Same here...kinda.
I have a 50" Vizio and I can label what the HDMI ports are in the TV settings.
HDMI 1 = Cable
HDMI 2 = Playstation 4
HDMI 3 = Chromecast
HDMI 4 = Fire Stick
The Chromecast and Fire Stick are powered by the TV's USB port, so they share a cable. Then I just have the two HDMI cables for the cable box and PS4. Easy peasy.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
11,334 posts, read 26,177,378 times
Reputation: 3996
HDMI. My current TV has
a 15-pin PC video port (newer Kodi media server)
an SVIDEO port (older XMBC server)
two component ports (empty)
one composite port (used for really cheap all in one video gaming!)
and a measly two HDMI ports (used for my cable box and my Roku).
Obviously, more devices need to provide component video as an option. Until I buy a new TV.
Well, to each their own. Myself, I think the last gaming system I used on a TV was the Atari Break Out in the late 70's. I have no use for such things.....but my niece and step nephew did rope me into a game or two when I was at their house.
As it is, I did pick up a new VHS recorder/DVD player deck to give that idle digital recorder "someone to talk to it" on Wednesday......but Wednesday was a busy day so it is not even out of the box yet. It will become part of the cluster today or tomorrow and then that rig will get its "7" number.
My boss was a little surprised when he found out I was picking up the unit for he didn't think they made VHS units anymore. They do........for now, but I'm converting over. If for anything else, I found out in my last move, that having 2000 odd tapes (recorded off TV) was way too much.
Since the sole purpose of the new VHS is to "talk" to the currently idle digital recorder, how it might link into the TV is immaterial. That connection is handled by the recorder.
As far as multiplexers go, the HDMI switch which I can control from the desk is NICE!.........and expensive. It runs about 70 bucks. There is the temptation, if expense wasn't an issue, to have another switch or two on the other ports on the TV, but right now, it isn't needed. All six HDMI needs can be handled. Actually, there is a 7th need, the link in from my laptop, but since that is few and far in between, such laziness (of plugging that cable in) does not justify spending another $70.
Finally.....I do have a desk full of remotes. The TV, the HDMI switch, one each for the older VHS/DVR decks, one to control the 3 newer decks, 1 for the regionless player, a universal for the Blu ray (control long since misplaced), the TIVO,etc, etc, etc. So far, having so many remotes around had not been a problem and I am too lazy to try to hook them all into the universal.............but that may be the next mapping project.
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