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DVD player hookup to an older TV set

or a TV set without any RCA style A/V phono jacks.

Instead of a DVD player, you can connect a game console in the same manner.

This diagram shows a basic hookup consisting of a DVD player connected to a RF modulator box which connects to a TV which only has a RF antenna connection. The TV input signal, either cable TV or over the air antenna, is also connected to the RF box via a coaxial cable. This is a very typical setup for older TV. To watch TV, the DVD player is off and the RF box switches to the coaxial cable input (the TV signal). To play a DVD, the video and audio connections signals from the DVD player to the RF box are converted to a Radio Frequency and passed on to the TV over the coax cable. For older TV sets without separate video and audio jacks, this is the only option for consumers to hookup a DVD player. Trying to connect the DVD player through a VCR generally will not give good results. CLOSE-UP view.

More information on RF modulator box

More information on how to connect your DVD player

DVD player hookup to an older TV set and including a VCR.

This setup is the same as above with the addition of a VCR between the TV input signal and the RF modulator box. The VCR can record TV shows from the TV input signal (cable TV for example) and play recordings back to the TV through the coax cable input to the RF box. The DVD player functions separately through the RF box to the TV. Set TV to channel 3 or 4.

DVD player and VCR hookup to a TV set which has audio/video input jacks.

In this example we have a TV set which has audio/video input jacks and therefore an RF modulator box is not needed. The TV input signal is provided to the VCR (antenna IN) so TV shows can be recorded on video tape. A coax cable runs to the TV (antenna IN) from the VCR so that you can watch TV shows when not in a record mode on the VCR. When playing back from the VCR, a stereo audio connection (white and red) from the VCR to the TV's "Video 1" input and a composite video (yellow) connection also to the "Video 1" input on the TV provide the means to watch the recorded tape. The DVD player uses an S-Video connection to the TV's S-Video input while the audio from the DVD player (audio OUT) is connected to the TV's "Video 2" input. You could also do it another way by connecting a yellow composite video cable from the DVD player to the TV's "Video 2" composite video input. Using the TV's remote control, you can select which input source you want, either DVD player or VCR or regular TV viewing. This setup is very typical.

Close-up views

Cable 1 - Coax from Cable TV provider to Antenna Input on RF modulator box.

Cable 2 - RCA phono, yellow video and red & white Audio from DVD to RF modulator.

Cable 3 - Coax from RF modulator to Antenna IN on television.

Close-up view of RF modulator box (back panel)

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