I have several components that I am planning on inputing into my new Epson Pro 1080UB (probably via HDMI). I also want to feed these components into my Mits DLP in the same room. For this purpose and because I needed an upgrade anyway, I purchased an Onkyo 805with my credit money from the AVS Store (THANK YOU AVS Store!!). I figured I'd just feed everything into the Onkyo 805 and let it take care of the switching. OK, probably an OK idea.

I've also been entertaining the idea of buying a scaler/processor like the VP-50 Pro to give me additional control and to allow me to do vertical stretch for CIH (with a lens, of course) with the projector.

I have a number of questions and the first one might not be appropriate for this particular forum but I'm going to throw it out there anyway. Forgive the ignorance but the idea of using a video/audio processor is new to me and while I have tried to read a lot, some of it still alludes me so please bear with me.

1) I watch TV in the same room as my projector (2 year old Mits DLP 61"). We actually watch TV on the TV most of the time. Now I'm probably not like many of you, I almost ALWAYS use the audio (stereo) on the TV when I'm watching TV. I never turn my receiver on for a variety of reasons if I'm "just watching TV" the primary reason being I don't particularly care for it and number 2 being that the speakers on my receiver are aligned with the projector screen and not the TV so it sounds weird using the receiver to produce sound when the TV's on.
My question is this, would you run seperate cables from each device to the TV of would you just use the receiver with the volume muted to do the switching (again, Onkyo 805)? Seems like a lot of wear and tear on the receiver to do this but I also want to throw away some of the spaghetti cabling behind my entertainment center. I assume I can't feed passively with the receiver if it's not on. :( Delimeas (sp?)...

2) How would something like a VP-50 Pro fit into this equation? Would I use it as "master control" and then just have one HDMI into the receiver? I know this is a broad sweeping question but I don't know the answers.

As if I needed an additional complication, I have to feed my Mits by component (Craig Rounds said the HDMI on this TV sucked and couldn't be properly calibrated when he calibrated the rest of the inputs on this TV) and I guess I should feed the Epson via HDMI.

I have the typical gammut of components:

1-PS3 used some for gaming but mostly for BluRay and up-conversion and hence 1080P
2-HR20 DTV HD-DVR
3-Wii
4-Replay TV
5-Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder (the kids watch TV on this because it's easy)
6-xBox 360 with external HD DVD
7-JVC (3000?) DVHS for recording/archiving OTA HDTV
8-Other oddball stuff, 2-3 pieces SDTV stuff

Can somebody point me to somewhere I could get some guidance? I know noone wants to write the great American novel it would take to answer all my questions. Am I even headed in the right direction?If I'm not, could somebody at least point me the right way?

Kind regards and thank you in advance for any advice you guys would be willing to share with me.

-bob

:(

Sorry

For some reason I didn't see your original post. I will post my biased opinion soon when I get a chance. I need to get a few things done first.

OK you have a sligthly complex situation due to your dual TVs and throwing an Onkyo 805 into the mix. :D

I am not a master of configuration with the VP50pro, but it seems like it could help out with your situation. I am particularly not familiar with how multiple outputs works with the VP50 so I can't help as much with your component out to the TV.

But as I see it...
I would use the VP as the central switching station then route out through the Onkyo receiver. The VP50pro can probably handle all of the switching and configuration needs. I would ask in the VP50Pro owners thread for specifics.

I am in a similar boat except I don't have a component only TV as the second device.

I am using a Lumagen RadianceXD as my master switch for it seems 2 bazillion sources. It has two HDMI outputs One goes to the projector, the other goes to my Onkyo 805 for audio and I pass the video through for a second monitor when needed. The one big difference is that I don't need to send component out to anything.

I hope this helps as a start. If you have any other questions or if you need me to clarify more, let me know.

Perhaps someone else can chime in? VP50pro users?

Thanks Cameron. Actually, that does help a lot. It basically confirms about the same conclusion I had already drawn.

Sad part is that my Mits was the first gen DLP RP from Mits and while it's a great set WITH HDMI, the HDMI sucks on gamma and is virtually uncontrollable. It was so bad that a professional calibrator refused to calibrate/certify it. It's probabably actually OK but with 3 professionally calibrated component inputs, I would hate to waste them since I would only ultimately need one input into the TV with the VP. :(

If the HDMI was color-accurate, I'd simply buy a high quality 2-way HDMI switching solution and my dilemma would be solved but alas, that would not be my first choice.

Does anybody have a clue why the VP doesn't have a STEREO out? That's part of the problem too. You would think... oh well, I would anyway but this is all new to me. I get the purpose but it still seems logical that a stereo audio out would make sense.

I may not be able to get there from here. I'm still trying to figure it all out.

Maybe I'll just buy a 30 for the bedroom and learn from that. I only have a Pioneer plasma in there and that would teach me what these things are all about as it seems this is not one of the busier forums here at AVS and therefore, not as much help in here as in some of the other forums (not a critism but rather an observation based on how long my post sat here).

You would think the DVDO guy that posts all the time would have jumped all over this one, wouldn't you? Maybe he's out on the road somewhere. I dunno.

Maybe a Faroudja would be a better solution. LOL

I really do need to look at those too, I guess. I just have seen a lot of ads for the DVDO and it looked like a nice unit. I'm sure there are other solutions I should evaluate and maybe even some that have stereo outputs and simultaneous component and HDMI output. Do you happen to know if there is a such thing?

Anyway, thanks for all of your help Cameron. Nice to see somebody's watchin' the house. 'Preciate it. :)

-bob

I have lost touch with the Crystalio crowd too. Take a look at their processor too. Not that long ago, it was the VP that everybody gushed about. Maybe it has the capability that you need.

(Light bulb goes off)

I'm colorblind so factor that into this question.

Maybe I can compensate for the color and gamma deficiencies in my TV with the HDMI output controls on the VP??? See, I told you all of this was new to me but isn't that what these guys are for too?

If it would allow two different sets of data (one for the TV and one for the projector) that were easily selectable, that just might solve the whole problem because I could calibrate one set for the TV and another dataset for the projector and then "Walla!"... Just send the output from the VP to a good 2-way switch with one output from it going into the receiver and out to the projector and the other just going straight into the TV.

This would be GREAT. Have I outsmarted myself??? Will the VP allow me two "configurations" for the HDMI output that I can color and gamma correct?

I'm not sure how color blind you are. My boss is so colorblind that he sees everything in different shades of gray. At that point, color accuracy isn't that big of a deal for him.

Well the Radiance will handle the memories. It also has a full color management system that can help with your projector's deficiencies. It only has the HDMI output. I don't know what switch you would use post processor as I would think it would need some kind of transverter to convert over to component.

You can setup custom memories with the VP50 too, but it doesn't have CMS that is equal to the lumagen. I know you can do the memory configuration above with the Radiance 100%, but you will have to ask the DVDO guys for the vp50pro.

I don't know what switch you would use post processor as I would think it would need some kind of transverter to convert over to component.

I see color just as well as you do. I actually probably am more sensitive to shades and hues than most of you are. I just can't identify (name) them sometimes.

No grayscale with me just basic can't ell red from green sometimes and can't tell some blues from purples. Hard to explain to a person that's not colorblind but I guess that's actually another conversation for another forum. LOL

If I could do two sets of corrections for the HDMI OUTPUT, I wouldn't need to use component to the TV. I could use HDMI with a 2 way HDMI switch because the VP50 would color correct the HDMI inferiorities in my Mits, right? Then I could run HDMI to BOTH. Make sense now?

What makes your system incredibly complex is the need to run component video and compatible audio to the TV. The reason that you need to run component video from all of your sources is that HDCP (on HDMI) will keep a video processor from outputting an analog video signal (like component). Your TV can only play back stereo audio formats (ie. no surround formats) so all devices must output audio that can be output in stereo (most likely analog left/right for your TV). This means that all of these devices need to be connected using component video and some form of 2 channel audio (PCM or analog):

PS3
HR20 DTV HD-DVR
Wii
Replay TV
Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder
xBox 360 with external HD DVD
JVC (3000?) DVHS

That is 7 component video inputs and 7 audio inputs (optical/coaxial/analog). The Onkyo has 3 component video inputs and the iScan VP50PRO has 2 so between the two you have 4 component inputs. You could add an external video switcher but most users prefer to not add complexity. You could also downgrade your VHS/DVD Recorder and Replay TV (I am assuming that you have component video out) to S-Video and trim back to 5 component video sources. If you were able to run HDMI to both displays than things could be dramatically simplified with an external HDMI distribution amp (like a Radiient) feeding your TV, projector, and AVR. The iScan VP50PRO has 'Display Profiles' which allow you to save two output formats for each display and Output Picture Control memories so that you can optimize the output for each display.

Yeah there you go. Pretty cool that a DVDO guy will come and and post some information to help you out!

Thank you Josh and Cameron. you've both given me a lot to think about. I think it's time to simplify some of the complexity of my inputs.

Thanks guys!

Another question if I may... Sorry. This particular part of the hobby is all new to me.

Can I input a PS3 (for BluRay and some gaming) via HDMI and output it via any resolution as component? A DTV HD PVR like the HR-20? Three component inputs won't work for me but I can make this work WELL for me if I can output PS3 1080i or 720p via component and 1080i or 720p via component for the DTV receiver. This is to feed the TV. The projector will all be fed by HDMI since it's 1080p natively so it's not in play.

Sorry. I can't find a straight answer as to whether copy protection comes into play with these two components. :)

I Think this would all work based on what I'm reading since both of these components output by component as well so they must not deal with copy protection, right?

Now if I could only figure out how to convert optical to stereo to feed the TV WITHOUT having to feed it through the Onkyo first. At final glance, this seems to be the insurmountable obstacle. :(

Darnit!

The Radiance won't output component. It is HDMI out only.

Here is a device that can do what you want:
http://cgi.*********/TOSlink-Digital-to-Analog-Stereo-Audio-Converter-DAC_W0QQitemZ160195021188QQihZ006QQcategoryZ294QQrdZ1QQssPag eNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

Hi Cameron.

I'm confused. LOL

I was talking about outputing component from the VP50 for HDMI connected devices (to it).

As I have been reading, what I'm seeing is that if the source component even HAS component outputs, it's likely that copy protection doesn't come into play, at least the way I'm interpreting all of this. If that's true, I should be able to output directly from the component outputs on the VP50 and let it convert the HDMI stuff to component.

I'm thinking Josh was erring on the side of caution just in CASE any of the HDMI stuff has (or ever COULD HAVE) copy protection on their HDMI output. I'm not sure that's in play at this moment from what I'm reading.

Hi Cameron.

I'm confused. LOL

I was talking about outputing component from the VP50 for HDMI connected devices (to it).

As I have been reading, what I'm seeing is that if the source component even HAS component outputs, it's likely that copy protection doesn't come into play, at least the way I'm interpreting all of this. If that's true, I should be able to output directly from the component outputs on the VP50 and let it convert the HDMI stuff to component.

I'm thinking Josh was erring on the side of caution just in CASE any of the HDMI stuff has (or ever COULD HAVE) copy protection on their HDMI output. I'm not sure that's in play at this moment from what I'm reading.

Most of the HDMI devices that I have seen always output HDCP. HDCP is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection and it has nothing to do with the actual resolution of the signal. Some think that the "HD" in "HDCP" stands for High Definition so they assume that standard definition signals do not have this content protection. Not so. The only mainstream source that I have seen that does not output HDCP is the HD-TiVo (the same may be true of their HD-DVR).

So the answer to your question is: I don't think that the PS3 will work as you invision (component into the VP50PRO and HDMI out to your displays), but the HD-DVR may.

Hi Cameron.

I'm confused. LOL

I was talking about outputing component from the VP50 for HDMI connected devices (to it).

As I have been reading, what I'm seeing is that if the source component even HAS component outputs, it's likely that copy protection doesn't come into play, at least the way I'm interpreting all of this. If that's true, I should be able to output directly from the component outputs on the VP50 and let it convert the HDMI stuff to component.

I'm thinking Josh was erring on the side of caution just in CASE any of the HDMI stuff has (or ever COULD HAVE) copy protection on their HDMI output. I'm not sure that's in play at this moment from what I'm reading.

Sorry I misread your post.

The Radiance won't output component. It is HDMI out only.

Here is a device that can do what you want:
http://cgi.*********/TOSlink-Digital-to-Analog-Stereo-Audio-Converter-DAC_W0QQitemZ160195021188QQihZ006QQcategoryZ294QQrdZ1QQssPag eNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

Hi Cameron. Would you please PM me that link? It got blocked (sigh).

Thanks.