I have the Outlaw 990 processor and HD A1 as well as a Panny 10a(plays DVD audio). It seems the only way to conect both sources is a $400 :eek:switcher. Anyone out there know of a better/ cheaper alternative? Thanks in advance.

Not to toot my own horn but I have a fantastic high quality switcher for sell here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=889452).

HERE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=894727) is a long thread you can read about it.

william...sent you a responce on private message!

william...sent you a responce on private message!

I've replied.;)

William...replied to your reply:)

I use $3 "Y" splitters from RatShack.

I use $3 "Y" splitters from RatShack.

Splitters are for splitting signals, not combining signals. You run the risk of damaging your preamp inputs by doing this.

Perhaps I misunderstood. I have two sources but only use one at any given time into my receiver with one input. These Y cables work great for me. But you're not selling Y cables are you William?;)

The current Zektor is about $260. Still pricey, but I have to say that for a switcher, it is pretty hi-tech and extremely high quality.

But you can do the same for a lot less money though. I really would not do the Y Cable route in the event someone in my family inadvertently turned both players on. There are cheap electro-mechanical switch boxes that will work fine.

Brian

You can use 2 component video switchers. I see these at TARGET, etc..

Perhaps I misunderstood. I have two sources but only use one at any given time into my receiver with one input. These Y cables work great for me. But ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,they may not work for everyone. Having one player's output shunt the other is a potentially damaging arrangement. Consider yourself fortunate.

I don't understand what shunting means. Let's say you have two analog inputs fed into an outlaw ICBM with y-splitters, which then ran to your preamp, and you were only turning on one source at a time, either HD-DVD or SACD/DVD-A player. What is the danger? If you turned on both sources by accident what can happen? If you never turned on both is there still a potential hazard?

I am about to have this same problem and I don't want to spend more on a switcher than I did on my source. I hate to take my SACD and DVD-A player out of the chain, but I think I would use the hi-res soundtracks more often. I am also running out of room for anymore stuff. I will have to pull my faithful laserdisc player out to make room for the HD-DVD player.

I don't understand what shunting means. Let's say you have two analog inputs fed into an outlaw ICBM with y-splitters, which then ran to your preamp, and you were only turning on one source at a time, either HD-DVD or SACD/DVD-A player. What is the danger? If you turned on both sources by accident what can happen? If you never turned on both is there still a potential hazard?
1. Each source has a low output impedance but needs to see a high impedance load connected to it for efficient voltage transfer.
2. If you connect the two sources to the same Y-connector, each will see the others low impedance output as a shunt (short-circuit) across the high-impedance of the load.
3. Some output stages have a low impedance even when not powered. For example, some are on, but muted, when in standby or off. This may result in poor voltage transfer to the intended load.
4. Some output stages will tolerate a low impedance load better than others.

So, it's a crap-shoot and you can take your chances. I'd just use a switch (and I do).

(BTW, there are alternatives to the nice Zektor switches. Even RS has analog switches.)

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10112&cs_id=1011201&p_id=3027&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

This will allow you to have FOUR 5.1 audio sources to your input. For the price, it can't be beat (even if you only use two).

Thanks Kal for taking the time to explain it to me.

Ovation and Kal,
I already have one component switcher that I use to switch between my HD cable box and current dvd player. My preamp only has one component input.
If the switcher that was listed at monoprice is like mine it will only switch five rca inputs and a digital input. I see how it could be used for switching 5.0 audio sources, but where do you get the .1? Shouldn't I be looking for a 6 rca-input switch?

Thanks Kal for taking the time to explain it to me.

Ovation and Kal,
I already have one component switcher that I use to switch between my HD cable box and current dvd player. My preamp only has one component input.
If the switcher that was listed at monoprice is like mine it will only switch five rca inputs and a digital input. I see how it could be used for switching 5.0 audio sources, but where do you get the .1? Shouldn't I be looking for a 6 rca-input switch?

The monoprice switcher is an all RCA input/output device. Incidentally, a "digital" RCA input/output will carry an analogue signal in a switchbox--it doesn't care what kind of signal is going through, just that it has the proper connection. As long as you keep the colours properly matched, you should have no problem.

I have two players with 5.1 analogue output and I switch them with a similar device (only two inputs on mine). If I'd known of the monoprice one when I bought my other, I would have gone with it instead (less expensive and has twice as many 5.1 inputs). I will likely get one when I make the move to hi-def disc players (if a combo player does not come out that supports the advanced audio codecs, then I will get one of each that does--even if the combo player comes with all the audio codecs, I will probably still get a monoprice switcher as the price can't be beat, even with one empty set of connectors). I don't want to have to upgrade my receiver just to use HDMI audio as I like it otherwise just fine and the monoprice switcher is a much less expensive upgrade.

The monoprice switcher is an all RCA input/output device. Incidentally, a "digital" RCA input/output will carry an analogue signal in a switchbox--it doesn't care what kind of signal is going through, just that it has the proper connection. As long as you keep the colours properly matched, you should have no problem.

I have two players with 5.1 analogue output and I switch them with a similar device (only two inputs on mine). If I'd known of the monoprice one when I bought my other, I would have gone with it instead (less expensive and has twice as many 5.1 inputs). I will likely get one when I make the move to hi-def disc players (if a combo player does not come out that supports the advanced audio codecs, then I will get one of each that does--even if the combo player comes with all the audio codecs, I will probably still get a monoprice switcher as the price can't be beat, even with one empty set of connectors). I don't want to have to upgrade my receiver just to use HDMI audio as I like it otherwise just fine and the monoprice switcher is a much less expensive upgrade.


I appreciate your response but I don't think we are switching the same thing. I am looking for a switcher to switch my sacd or dvd-a audio with another source that outputs Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD audio, both of which need to be decoded before they get to my pre-amp and sent to the 6 channel analog inputs. I think you are using your switcher the way I use mine, to send two component video signals to your monitor, plus DD or DTS through the digital input for your 5.1 sound. I have probably not made this clear enough, even now.

What I need to do is get two 6 channel feeds to one 6 channel audio input. I think I may just pick which source I want to use for high res audio keep it connected to the 6 channel analog inputs.

I appreciate your response but I don't think we are switching the same thing. I am looking for a switcher to switch my sacd or dvd-a audio with another source that outputs Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD audio, both of which need to be decoded before they get to my pre-amp and sent to the 6 channel analog inputs. I think you are using your switcher the way I use mine, to send two component video signals to your monitor, plus DD or DTS through the digital input for your 5.1 sound. I have probably not made this clear enough, even now.

What I need to do is get two 6 channel feeds to one 6 channel audio input. I think I may just pick which source I want to use for high res audio keep it connected to the 6 channel analog inputs.

The monoprice device Ovation linked will likely do EXACTLY what you are trying to do. It simply provides switching for 6 seperate RCA terminated circuits. It matters not if they are video, audio, or digital.

In theory it is a dirt cheap version of what the Zektor box does.

Brian

The monoprice device Ovation linked will likely do EXACTLY what you are trying to do. It simply provides switching for 6 seperate RCA terminated circuits. It matters not if they are video, audio, or digital.

In theory it is a dirt cheap version of what the Zektor box does.

Brian

This may be what Ovation was trying to tell me, that the digital out was just like the other rca's. D'oh! My switcher has an optical input for the digital feed. It does look like the monoprice switcher will to 6 channels of audio. Thanks Brian for clarifying and my apologies to Ovation for being so dense. I should've looked at the rear panel of the switcher on his link.

I hope it was okay to piggyback this thread with my situation. It sounds like you've solved it.

Gary

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10112&cs_id=1011201&p_id=3027&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage



This will allow you to have FOUR 5.1 audio sources to your input. For the price, it can't be beat (even if you only use two).
Incidentally, a "digital" RCA input/output will carry an analogue signal in a switchbox--it doesn't care what kind of signal is going through, just that it has the proper connection.
Someone here has tried this unsuccessfully in the last few months. Several of us recommended a similar device (if not the same device) assuming it would work. But they reported back in the thread that the digi coax connection is unusable for a 6th audio channel because of impedance issues. IIRC, they contacted the manufacturer for confirmation of this. You'll have to really seach for the thread, but it is here.

EDIT: HERE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=834927&highlight=sivadselim) it is, I found it. You may want to PM "the hun" about it. We were all concerned about the digi coax connection not working, but actually, it appears the digi coax connection DID work just fine. It was the L/R audio connections that didn't work because, according to "the hun", they operated at a different voltage. Hmmmm. Of course, YMMV.

You can buy a manual 2way A/V switch from RS for less than $15. It has 1 composite video and 2 (L/R) audio on each in/out. Plug your audio into all three and try it. If the video channel works, buy another for 6channels; if not, buy 2 more.

Kal

You can buy a manual 2way A/V switch from RS for less than $15. It has 1 composite video and 2 (L/R) audio on each in/out. Plug your audio into all three and try it. If the video channel works, buy another for 6channels; if not, buy 2 more.

Kal

Kal,
Your logic is undeniable. I shall do it! I can start with two and add another if the video channel doesn't work. Manual switching is perfect since I won't be doing this often and I don't need another powered device with remote.
thanks,
Gary

You can buy a manual 2way A/V switch from RS for less than $15. It has 1 composite video and 2 (L/R) audio on each in/out. Plug your audio into all three and try it. If the video channel works, buy another for 6channels; if not, buy 2 more.

Kal

This is what I use with my players (I just find the monoprice "all in one" solution a bit less cumbersome--which is why I plan to use one if/when I add more players). But I can attest to the efficacy of the RS units.