# ASK DBSTalk: Display Options and OTA Analog Stations



## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

Is it possible to have both the component video and the s-video connected from the 921 to the TV at the same time? I currently have only the component video connected to the TV. The only thing is that I don't like the limited formats that the 921 gives you. My TV gives me some better display formats. What I would like is to be able to view a normal format (where the screen is completely covered) in both SD and HD. I would like to connect the s-video to another input on the TV and use it when I'm watching SD and use the component video input when I'm watching HD. The receiver installer didn't think I could use both video settings, but I don't see why not. I would just change inputs on the TV and change the SD/HD button on the remote, right?

Also, can I scan both the DTV and ATV for the OTA channels? My installer recommended only scanning the DTV, but a couple of them only come in once in a while. FOX and NBC only come in occasionally, therefore I could watch them over analog if I scan them as well. I guess the digital signal strength isn't great on these two stations.


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## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

Do as you want to do, there is nothing wrong with it. I think most of us have an HD and SD output from the 921 to our TVs. We are all clammoring to get them to chang the "SD/HD" button to cycle through the HD port as well. Wouldn't it be nice if you could output 480p, and 1080i on the component output? Then you wouldn't have to switch inputs on the TV.

If the 921 allows you to scan analog channels, then there is nothing wrong with doing it. 

Have fun.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Lujan, welcome.

To answer your questions: yes and yes. I have component, svideo, and RF coax all hooked between my 921, television and auxilliary television. No reason not to do it. Just takes a HD/SD button press to switch between them.

And yes, the 921 will scan and store local analog stations. You just can't record them (or do any of the trick play features).


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## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Lujan, welcome.
> 
> To answer your questions: yes and yes. I have component, svideo, and RF coax all hooked between my 921, television and auxilliary television. No reason not to do it. Just takes a HD/SD button press to switch between them.
> 
> And yes, the 921 will scan and store local analog stations. You just can't record them (or do any of the trick play features).


I tried connecting the s-video along with the RCA jacks (red, white and yellow), but got a distorted picture. Should I be connecting either the yellow RCA jack or the s-video jack, but not both? I think the answer will be yes, because the receiver is apparently getting confused by having them both connected, right?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Currently, if you're connecting to a 16x9 television via svideo or composite, you should set the 921 to 4x3#1 in the display options to not get the distorted picture in SD mode. You're getting the distorted picture with it set to 16x9 in the display options. HD mode you'll want the 921 set to 16x9.


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## kmcnamara (Jan 30, 2004)

By 'distorted', I think he means that the picture is scrambled. On many TV's, if you plug composite and S-Video into "Input A" on the TV, the picture gets jacked up because it's receiving 2 signals for the same input. I'm thinking that's what he's talking about. If that's the case, he should only connect one or the other to the TV - not both. It's not the 921 that's getting confused, it's the TV.


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## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

kmcnamara said:


> By 'distorted', I think he means that the picture is scrambled. On many TV's, if you plug composite and S-Video into "Input A" on the TV, the picture gets jacked up because it's receiving 2 signals for the same input. I'm thinking that's what he's talking about. If that's the case, he should only connect one or the other to the TV - not both. It's not the 921 that's getting confused, it's the TV.


That's right. It's working now by just connecting the S-video and not the RCA. Also, with regard to Marks comments about changing the display option to 4X3#1. Does the 921 know to use 4X3#1 with SD and 16X9 with HD? Would I need to change the display every time I switched from SD to HD or does the 921 do it automatically?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

The 921 can't make that change automatically, lujan. You'd have to do it yourself. But, once the 16x9 aspect ratios are fixed, we shouldn't have to be making the switch between them.


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## bytre (Sep 10, 2003)

I only use the component output from mine - no svideo. I still have a dishplayer on the HDTV for ntsc video, though.


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