Using Hardware 1:

Projectors, Laptops and VCR/DVD players

There are different ways to connect a VCR/DVD player or laptop to a Projector or TV. Depending on the output/input ports on each device, you may setup different connections for which you will need different cables.

1. Coaxial/Antenna Connection

TV-VCR only

This connection is found typically on a VCR player and requires a coax cable. Most VCR’s have two coax ports (in/out) and is probably the way your TV/VCR/Cable home is setup. The in-port in the VCR should be connected to the Cable and the out-port in the VCR to the in-port (VHF) in the TV. Generally, when this connection is enabled, you will need to set the VCR to channel 3 or 4 and switch the TV to either those channels to watch the movie. Projectors do not have a coax port.

2. AV Connection (Audio/Video)

TV-VCR, TV-DVD, Projector-VCR, Projector-DVD

This connection is the most popular and requires and AV Cable. An AV cable is really three bundled cables that are color-coded: yellow (video), red and white (audio). In some cases the video cable (yellow) may stand alone, while the audio cables are together. This type of connection is usually present in most DVD/VCR, TV’s and projectors. In a TV/Projector you will need to set the Video mode to see the output.

		DVD/VCR
	TV/PROJ

3. S-Video (Super Video)

TV-DVD, Projector-DVD

This connection will provide a better image quality than AV, but it only transmits a video signal. It uses only one 4-pin cable, and you still need another cable such as AV to transmit audio, but you will only use the audio portion of the cable (red and white).

4. VGA (Video Graphics Array)

Projector-Laptop

This connection is exclusive to a laptop and a projector. You will need to connect each end of the cable to the VGA in and out-port on the projector and laptop respectively. Once connected, you need to press Fn + F8 on the laptop to send the display output to the projector. In some cases, you will need to press this combination twice to get a display both in the projector and laptop.

5. Composite Video

TV-DVD, Projector-DVD

Compared to a computer’s RGB display (red-green-blue), is the latest type of video connection that produces the best image today. It has become a standard in newer systems (TV/DVD). Similar to a s-video connection, this 3-cables bundle only transmits a video signal and you will still need an audio connection with regular AV cables.

Best Practices

TV and VCR/DVD use a Coax or AV connection

Projector and VCR/DVD use an AV connection (alternately extra speakers)

Projector and Laptop use a VGA connection (alternately extra speakers)

Settings on TV/Projectors

Depending on the connection type that you have, you will need to set the TV or Projector to use that connection. TV’s usually have a button labeled TV/Video. Projectors have a menu or connection button to change the input.

Input	Output	Connection Type	Setting
VCR	TV	Coax	Set TV to channel 3 or 4
VCR/DVD	TV	AV	Set TV to VIDEO
DVD	TV	S-video	Set TV to VIDEO
VCR/DVD	Projector	AV	Set Projector to VIDEO
DVD	Projector	S-video	Set Projector to VIDEO/SVideo
Laptop	Projector	VGA	Set Projector to Computer/VGA

Playing the VCR/DVD

DVD’s differ from VCR’s in that they usually have a menu at the beginning of the movie. This main menu will be displayed first when the dvd is inserted. From there, you can select to play the movie or set other options such as audio and subtitles.

Each scene on a DVD movie is tagged so that you can replay or skip to the next scene. This operation is different from rewind/fast forward (which simulates the functions on the VCR).

While watching a DVD movie, you may press the menu button on the remote and you will see the main menu if you wish to change some setting. If you select play again, you should go back where you left the movie. At the same time, if you press the stop button once, the movie will stop but the last scene will be bookmarked, so that if you press play you will go back where you left. If you press the stop button twice, then no bookmark will be created and you will have to start the movie again.

If you need to watch a specific scene, you may go to the main menu on the DVD and look for a scenes sub-menu. There you can select the scene you wish to see.