Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend

Calling all nerds: Can you help Anna figure out how to hook up her DVD player?

Written by Alison | February 12th, 2009 at 9:32 am | Comments

So last night Anna and I tried to hook up her DVD player but we couldn’t figure it out because it’s challenging and exists in multiple dimensions such as “things we don’t know” and also “plugs and that plug into stuff.” It was very vexing! So we’re turning to you, hoping one of you can help Anna out. Can you? Watch below for scintillating footage of patch bays which is a term I know from watching my friend record music and which is probably not the correct term but aren’t you impressed I even know it and also invigorating discussions of the way I pronounce certain words. Also, not loving my makeup here. Or my face, for that matter.

| Posted in anna david, romance, video, vlogs

  • JaysonB
    Great, I just realized Derek posted a diagram already. I feel like I totally just jocked his shit. I am a shit jocker.


    And this is my 3rd post now, and I have guilt.
  • Ted from Accounting
    I think it's kind of like how I've promised to only post on your blog! Bloggers have this sense of loyalty to their celebrity....but I'm thinking about cheating on you with Anna! I just haven't built up the nerve yet!
  • JaysonB
    Ack!


    Not what I meant at all. Think of it this way - don't you feel all jealous when one friend that you've known for a long time suddenly starts hanging out and talking with another friend that you've known for a long time without you being there?



    I mean, this is Anna "why is noone commenting on my blog" David we're talking about here. Could you imagine what would happen to both of us if she ever found me here?



    Probably nothing. But I'm hyperbolist at heart.



    ANWAYS, the dork in me thinks he figured out the problem.



    You have the red jack plugged into the dvd player all wrong. Once you fix that you should be ok on the tv side and should just have to switch the input on the TV.



    In fact, the uber dork in me made an illustration. The badass in me is ashamed to post this link, but here goes:



    http://www.syrupnyc.org/clients/jayson/connection_direction_projection/how_to.jpg



    Promised to be work safe and free of wangs.



    And also only up for approximately 2 hours, so get it while it's hot.
  • Derek_M
    Stefan, I think that orange one is a coaxial audio output.....I could be wrong.


    JaysonB, you could be right. It is a common mistake to plug the composite into the component jacks. Good call on that.



    Its not creepy to offer to come over and fix it. I'm offering right now. All Anna/AliRo have to do is pay for round trip airfare, luxurious hotel accommodations, all taxi fees, and a visit to the Blue Note (McCoy Tyner is going to be there in a week or so...:D).
  • alison
    You promised not to post on my blog out of respect? I kind of... don't know how to take that! But, um, welcome! I think?
  • JaysonB
    I promised not to post on Alison's blog out of respect, but I feel the need to here.


    Noone else has mentioned this yet, but I have a feeling that you're plugging the rca jacks (red, white, yellow) into the COMPONENT jacks (red, blue, green) on the T.V. S-video shouldn't be needed but I typically suggest it since it's easier for non-tech folks to keep their video and audio separated.



    And neither of you have friends that can fix this?



    I'd half offer to come over to fix this in five seconds if that wouldn't be approximately the creepiest thing a commenter on a blog can do next to actually coming over.



    I think a more detailed video of the back of the TeeVee is in order with better lighting and a camera ready bra. Otherwise there's not enough to go by.
  • Ted from Accounting
    I'm just curious why a post starting with "Calling all Nerds" gets so many responses on here!


    I responded as well...so I'm not judging!
  • Stefan
    I love your diagram Derek_M. I think the one you "mislabeled" is probably for PCM. Not that anyone needed to know that. Great, now I'm babbling.
  • Derek_M
    I'm afraid to show this video to my brother because he has asthma and he might die of laughter. ;)


    Ok, down to business, I drew up a rather sophisticated diagram to explain that labels the different kinds of hook ups you can use.



    Sophistication



    It is very simple, you take the yellow cable and plug it into the yellow connector labeled composite, this is your video signal.



    You take the white cable and plug it into the white connector and the red cable and plug it into the red connector, this is your audio signal.



    You plug these into the corresponding colors on the back of the tv, read where you connected them to the tv what input it is, look on the tv remote for an input button, select the correct in put, enjoy dvd player.
  • Toddrod
    Notice how I stay away from giving my opinion? It is because I've moved up to HDMI baby! No more RCA crap for me! Life has been made that much more easier due to technology. Anna, I advise you to use your millions of dollars to buy a new HDMI ready tv and blu-ray dvd player!


    Toddrod
  • Stefan
    The picture is a little dark, but looking at the back of the DVD player do the following:


    White: top far left

    Red: bottom far left

    Yellow: bottom 2nd from the right



    I think the connections on your tv looked right, but it's difficult to tell from the video. If that doesn't work, post stills of both the back of the DVD and the back of the TV or list the model numbers.
  • W F G
    Simple answer: Call Natalie or Andy over.
  • Jonfun
    Ted, thanks for the Economic Stimulus idea. Why didn't I think of that earlier? Ok, we're the worst tech support every.


    At least they didn't have to phone India.



    Nothing against the technical geniuses over there.
  • Jonfun
  • Ted from Accounting
    I could tell you but you have to start answering my questions first or pay me the standard $45.00 per hour.


    ----



    Okay, I'll say it anyway:



    Yellow Plug = Video, so plug yellow to yellow



    Red & White = Audio so plug accordingly



    The whole S Video plug is just another way to hook it up (Higher Quality)..don't worry about it.



    I'm thinking you need to make sure you set the TV (pronounced: Tee Vee) to the DVD input from the remote.



    Also did you plug in the power... J/K



    You probably already solved this problem but my bill will be in the mail!
  • Jonfun
    Ditto on Anna...like I'm totally writing story on this even though my writing skills are at level of a toaster oven as proven many times over here.


    Yeah, it will all make perfect sense...that's what I said about comment three or four.



    May be I should just see if I can find a google schematic?!?
  • annalytical
    oh my god, i'm even more confused than i was before. but later i'm going to re-read all of this and it will make perfect sense. at least that's what i've decided.
  • Jonfun
    Yeah, thanks Mike...like he said. It varies on TV's. Input/Source to select which every your running the jacks too.
  • Scott
    For a simple hookup those RCA cables should work.


    Yellow is: Video



    Red and White are: Audio



    Just plug them into the corresponding holes on the TV and DVD player. Most nicer TVs will have multiple inputs so make sure those three are all going to same input series (Video INPUT 1 or 2 for example). This will work if Anna's TV has built in speakers--if it doesn't or she wants separately processed surround sound then she would route the cables differently.



    You shouldn't need to go through the cable box or have that splitter her friend mentioned as long as Anna has an extra RCA input (in addition to her cable and whatever else is hooked up).



    When everything is hooked up start playing a DVD and then take whatever remote controls the the TV and make switch the INPUT (1,2,3 etc) button around until you see and hear the DVD.



    That was probably the problem--if the TV was set to the the INPUT channel that had her cable for example, the DVD player could have been hooked up perfectly and working fine but just not having the TV know that's what you wanted to watch.
  • Mike
    Those cables should do fine. The yellow cable will carry the video signal. The white and red carry audio signals. An s-video cable carries a video signal. You don't need both a s-video cable and a yellow cable.


    If you plug all three into the DVD player and the back of the tv, it should work fine. Just match the colors.



    Forget about the cable box, you now need to turn on the dvd player and the tv, then use the remote to select the side input. Press VIDEO or SOURCE button, it differs with different teevees. Then everything should work fine.
  • Brett Jones
    plug the dvd player into the RCA jacks then plug the cable into the back of the tv where ever it can go(a coax jack or possible the s-video). then you switch between the two input devices with the remote or T.VEEE. controls.
  • Jonfun
    Not needed...cable box is independent from from the hook up. Don't need it if your just running to watch DVD's.


    Don't touch it...in fact save yourself a five dollar equipment fee a month and forget digital all together. Well, that's what I'm stuck with unless I go to Dad's. Umm...yeah. Unless its a combo player...VCR/DVD you can run the cable into the IN to to it. Then to from the OUT to the IN on the cablebox and then the OUT from the cablebox to the TV. I think. I might have to call dad. lol *facepalm*
  • alison
    Jonfun, how does the cable box fit into this arrangement?
  • karpaydm
    Hey Anna/Alison -


    Assuming your TV has multiple video/audio inputs...



    1) your cable box seems to be working so you are all set there



    2) use the red/white/yellow cables to connect your dvd player OUTPUT to a 2nd video/audio INPUT assuming your TV has one... which it most likely does. Note the red/white cables are AUDIO and the yellow is video.



    Assuming you can make this work then you just need to change your input on your TV between something like Video 1 (cable box) and Video 2 (DVD) when you want to watch something.



    Not knowing your TV model, I cannot say for sure, but this is pretty standard.



    Without going into too much detail.... if your TV has only one red/white/yellow input, then you will need to use something else to connect the DVD player.... but let's not confuse it if we don't have to.



    Karpaydm (aka Nerd)
  • MarkG
    Your face is beautiful as always.
  • Jonfun
    Those things are called RCA jacks. They were introduced as an easier way to hook up the VCR's/DVD's the TV.


    Color coded. Yellow to yellow Output on DVD to Input on TV. Red to red output on DVD to input on TV and White output on DVD to White input on TV.



    Anymore questions...yes I'm sure. I currently have my Dad's at his house set up just like that on his 42in Magnavox HDTV. Remember which input on the back of the TV you run it to so it shows up on the TV.
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