# Do you use the composite out on your DirecTV receiver?



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Curious how many people use the composite or s video outputs on their hd driectv receivers?


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## CuriousMark (May 21, 2008)

I do. It feeds an old S2 standalone TiVo with DVD burner.


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## FHSPSU67 (Jan 12, 2007)

Me too, I'm feeding s-video to an old 31" Hitachi from my HR20-700..


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

I feed the SD TV in my home office from one of my HDDVR's. I can't see paying for the mirroring fee for an occasional use tv.


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## cadet502 (Jun 17, 2005)

I have two HR's on an HDMI switch to my 60", but the pic by pic will not do 2 digital inputs, so one HR goes to another input on the TV via composite. Not really at the same time, but a single button press on the Harmony would bring that HR to the main screen.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

Yes, s-video feeds my DVD recorder.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Even though all my receivers are HD not all of my TVs are. 

And one "HD" is really a 4:3 LCD panel that is component. (And tiny)

So somewhere in the house I use at least one of every type of connection.

Cheers,
Tom


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## dettxw (Nov 21, 2007)

Wow, didn't know that people still used composit.


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## ciurca (Apr 14, 2009)

Like others I have all HD receivers but still have 2 old crt tv's in 2 bedrooms. Whenever the tv's expire, I am ready for new hd panels. I rarely watch tv in any other room other than my family room anyway.


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## TwoPhases (Jul 20, 2010)

Feeding a SD Tivo Series 2 which is hooked up to an older 36" tube-type JVC. I mainly record non-HD shows on the Tivo. Frees up valuable space on my HR-24.


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## bakers12 (May 29, 2007)

I use the S-video output on my HR23-700 for connecting my Slingbox Solo. I also use the S-video on my HR21-700 to connect to a TV card in my PC. I only use the HDMI on my HR20-700.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

I have a ~24 year-old Sony Trinitron in the bedroom. It has never needed service and I haven't felt an overwhelming need to replace it. I'm feeding it with the composite output of my H24.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Yes, via a distribution system.


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## grover517 (Sep 29, 2007)

Yep, still feeding 4 ReplayTV's with some of my receivers. Even though they are not HD recorders, they still (in my opinion) are the best DVR's available. And when used on smaller size screens, they still produce a very nice picture.

Also have an older 4:3 rear projection TV in the basement that never heard of the term HDMI, or even component for that matter. Coax and composite connections only and are still using an old RCA receiver there.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

For PIP and Slingbox.


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## webby_s (Jan 11, 2008)

I use the composite out on one of my HR receivers to a POS tv in the garage.

My slingbox I use component.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I do not have any SD devices in my home.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

Yup, I've still got my old 27" Sony CRT that I've had since college. I'm feeding that with a HR22 via composite. I'm not mirroring anything though.


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## bnwrx (Dec 29, 2007)

I use it to feed a DVD recorder.........(until BluRay recorders are affordable)


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## Getteau (Dec 20, 2007)

my R22-200 uses it for an old 32" Toshiba and I also feed 2 Symphonic CRT's off my HR22-100 (office and kids playhouse).


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

I don't have any SD TVs in my house so currently I only use HDMI.

Mike


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## bobcamp1 (Nov 8, 2007)

I do, it's hooked up to my S1 Tivo. If it weren't, it'd be hooked up directly to the TV.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Three HR2x series DVRs are connected to 3 different slingboxes either by composite or s-video. Sling would almost never be used at the same time someone is watching locally, but is used quite regularly for one reason or another. Also have all of my DVRs connected to UHF RF modulators which are then mixed and distributed to all TV locations. There is a fair chance one of those would be used simultaneously with someone watching HD at the local TV.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

bnwrx said:


> I use it to feed a DVD recorder.........(until BluRay recorders are affordable)


BluRay recorders are coming down, problem is copy protection....


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

I use the composite outputs exclusively because the sharp edges on the images via HDMI hurt my eyes.

jk, only use it occasionally to feed to an old DVD recorder.


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## redsoxfan26 (Dec 7, 2007)

One of the TV's in my house is SD so I use composite for that.


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## Nighthawk68 (Oct 14, 2004)

Yes, it feeds an old 32" CRT. It doesn't get used enough to have another (3rd) directv receiver in the house. I do have a second remote for the 32" and use RF. Works great.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

I only use composite to feed the HD connection on my Slingbox and when I want to use PIP/PNP on my flat screen. That feature will not work in the HDMI mode. Otherwise, I always watch via an HDMI connection. Also use an HDMI powered splitter to run 2 flat screens in separate rooms from 1 HD DVR.


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## YakeVlad (Aug 12, 2011)

I've got some older TV's in my home as well and using the composite out works once I convert it to coax with an RF modulator. Then I'm able to distribute the signal to multiple tv's across the house. All this is fine as far as D* is concerned, but looking forward I don't see any solution for a similar distribution of HD content. HDMI cable runs cost an arm and a leg, as do converter boxes for component video and audio to RF coax. It's a real shame considering all the coax wiring in homes (rewired mine with RG-6 several years ago for HD) which is perfectly capable of carrying the signals. Anyone aware of solutions out there I'm not aware of?


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## Wisegoat (Aug 17, 2006)

YakeVlad said:


> I've got some older TV's in my home as well and using the composite out works once I convert it to coax with an RF modulator. Then I'm able to distribute the signal to multiple tv's across the house. All this is fine as far as D* is concerned, but looking forward I don't see any solution for a similar distribution of HD content. HDMI cable runs cost an arm and a leg, as do converter boxes for component video and audio to RF coax. It's a real shame considering all the coax wiring in homes (rewired mine with RG-6 several years ago for HD) which is perfectly capable of carrying the signals. Anyone aware of solutions out there I'm not aware of?


Same for me with the RF distribution. I did the same thing in the house I own in SoCal and I was able to feed the TV's in the Backyard and the Garage this way as well as mixing in the feeds from my security cameras. Doing the same thing in the house I am renting here in Eugene to feed the Garage tv from the office, which has HDMI to the tv. Feeding a Slingbox via composite from the living room and my son's tv is still a 27" CRT, so he is fed from composite as well.

As for HD distribution, I don't see it happening anytime soon. DRM is the elephant in the room. Broadcasters don't trust consumers and consumers don't want DRM getting in the way of distribution. Until someone comes up with a cheap, easy to use MPEG2 encoder for home use, I think that those miles of coax in our homes are going to be used to feed sat, cable or OTA only.


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

Yep, feeding a Slinbox Classic off a HR21 in the basement along with a 61" 4x3 HD Sony via component. I am also feeding a 26" Panasonic tube set off a H25 in the office that is also connected to a bedroom tv via HDMI.


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## jford951 (Oct 6, 2008)

Each of my TV's has their own box no need to


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## jmpfaff (Dec 13, 2004)

I use composite to mirror the signal from my master bedroom HD box to the SD TV in our master bathroom.


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## maartena (Nov 1, 2010)

dettxw said:


> Wow, didn't know that people still used composit.


Without composite, no HD torrents of shows on the web. Pretty much all of those are captured using composite, because there is no DRM, where there is with HDMI.


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## bigglebowski (Jul 27, 2010)

YakeVlad said:


> I've got some older TV's in my home as well and using the composite out works once I convert it to coax with an RF modulator. Then I'm able to distribute the signal to multiple tv's across the house. All this is fine as far as D* is concerned, but looking forward I don't see any solution for a similar distribution of HD content. HDMI cable runs cost an arm and a leg, as do converter boxes for component video and audio to RF coax. It's a real shame considering all the coax wiring in homes (rewired mine with RG-6 several years ago for HD) which is perfectly capable of carrying the signals. Anyone aware of solutions out there I'm not aware of?


Search for a QAM modulator they can also be called encoders for the commercial ones. They can be very expensive $700 - $10000 depending input/output features and connections. Try searching with "consumer" or "home use" etc. as most units are meant for commercial applications. Unless you feed a large number of TVs it would take a long time to see a return on the investment.


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## dvdmth (Jul 24, 2008)

maartena said:


> Without composite, no HD torrents of shows on the web. Pretty much all of those are captured using composite, because there is no DRM, where there is with HDMI.


Composite is SD only. You may be confusing composite with component.


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## Whiskey River (Apr 7, 2009)

I have a HR20-700 in my home theater connected to a Sharp XV-Z2000 dlp projector, it cannot do 1080P, but it can do 720P either component or via DVI/HDMI adapter. but I use a HDMI repeater via two cat-6sheilded cables upstairs to a 50" sammy 1080P dlp tv, you can watch both at the same time but it might only be at 720p. I dont know if it will output two different resolutions 720p via component and 1080p via HDMI at the same time. I will check this.


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## YakeVlad (Aug 12, 2011)

bigglebowski said:


> Search for a QAM modulator they can also be called encoders for the commercial ones. They can be very expensive $700 - $10000 depending input/output features and connections. Try searching with "consumer" or "home use" etc. as most units are meant for commercial applications. Unless you feed a large number of TVs it would take a long time to see a return on the investment.


Yeah, that price range is the same I had found in the past. It's just hard spending $700 for a modulator to get the same ability I've had all along for free. Heck, for $700 I could go out and get some low end tv's to replace the old 4:3's for which I'm using the coax, but why replace something that's still working? Nothing is wrong with the tv's, just that the only inputs they have are coax. Guess it's back to the drawing board to design the best solution under the HD world's constraints.



Wisegoat said:


> Same for me with the RF distribution. I did the same thing in the house I own in SoCal and I was able to feed the TV's in the Backyard and the Garage this way as well as mixing in the feeds from my security cameras. Doing the same thing in the house I am renting here in Eugene to feed the Garage tv from the office, which has HDMI to the tv. Feeding a Slingbox via composite from the living room and my son's tv is still a 27" CRT, so he is fed from composite as well.
> 
> As for HD distribution, I don't see it happening anytime soon. DRM is the elephant in the room. Broadcasters don't trust consumers and consumers don't want DRM getting in the way of distribution. Until someone comes up with a cheap, easy to use MPEG2 encoder for home use, I think that those miles of coax in our homes are going to be used to feed sat, cable or OTA only.


Yeah, what a waste and yet another case of an industry going overboard by inconveniencing the masses to try and address the problems caused by a few. All this DRM hassle and the DRM techniques are defeated by hackers before the product even reaches the store shelves. So in the end all they accomplished was making things a bigger headache for the masses which weren't an issue in the first place. grrr


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

davring said:


> Yes, s-video feeds my DVD recorder.


Same here, I find that when burning "stuff" to a DVD, the finished product looks a LOT better if the original source was in HD. The finished product isn't in HD, but looks great when my equipment upconverts it to 1080p on it's way back to the TV.


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## SeaBeagle (May 7, 2006)

I have used component cabels before and the video is distorted by peeps look blue and all the other video looks weird. I then switched to composite cables and the picture looked great.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

SeaBeagle said:


> I have uses component cab els before and the video is distorted by peeps look blue and all the other video looks weird. I then switched to composite cables and the picture looked great.


If the color is blue when you use component cables, the red cable is not working. Replace the cable.


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## Beetle (May 29, 2007)

Slingbox and an old 4:3 TV


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Yes, hooked to a small "under counter" 8" SD LCD in the kitchen that is seldom used except when my wife cooks which is usually 3 or 4 x a year. :lol:


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

I use component for my hava, hdmi for the tv obviously


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## charlie460 (Sep 12, 2009)

maartena said:


> Without composite, no HD torrents of shows on the web. Pretty much all of those are captured using composite, because there is no DRM, where there is with HDMI.


This is completely false. 99% of your common "HD" torrents (released by scene groups) are encoded directly from the HD MPEG2 transport stream.

Not to mention that Composite is 480i SD output only... you wouldn't see nearly as good of a picture as you do if it was captured that way.


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## bachesta (Dec 31, 2015)

I'm going to Home Depot to try to find an adaptor (S video to coaxle). I'm goint to split it and mirror it from a small tv in the bedroom to a tv under the kitchen counter and downstairs to the garage tv. I hope it works.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

bachesta said:


> I'm going to Home Depot to try to find an adaptor (S video to coaxle). I'm goint to split it and mirror it from a small tv in the bedroom to a tv under the kitchen counter and downstairs to the garage tv. I hope it works.


This is a five year old thread so you would be better served by starting a new one! And tell us exactly what you are trying to do, I am not sure why you would need an s-video to coax converter...


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## ryan2112 (Nov 18, 2013)

And then you'll tell your friends and neighbors that DirecTV just doesn't have a very good picture. I wonder why that is?


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## goober22 (Sep 8, 2004)

Yes. I output to a HDMI TV and feed composite to a composite transmitter that feeds 2 composite receivers and therefore 2 smaill SD TVs in the kitchen & garage.

Edit - Well, didn't see this was a 5 yr old thread. I guess never to late to the party!


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