PROJECTS ONLINE: ADDED FEATURES FOR TELEVISION AND VIDEO
Project Difficulty:
Easy Estimated
Project Time: Under 15 minutes per project
Tools and Materials:
The tools needed will vary between projects. These include:
VCR and television set with A/V connections
Audio/video cords
A/B switch
Video game player
Cable
A/B switch
Splitter
The following describes three ways to increase your enjoyment of your television and VCR.
1.
Audio/Video Connectors
A recent feature on VCRs is the audio-video connections (A/V). If your TV has A/V connections, you will be able to enjoy better picture and sound quality when viewing prerecorded videotapes. Hooking up the A/V lines is simple. Just use the two cords with "RCA" plugs at each end and connect them as follows:
1) Run one line from the VIDEO OUT port on the VCR to the VIDEO IN port on your TV set.
2) Run one line from the AUDIO OUT port on the VCR to the AUDIO IN port on the TV. The reason the picture and sound are improved is that prerecorded tapes are recorded at a higher resolution (the number of video lines per inch that make up the picture) than your 75 OHM co-axial cable is capable of delivering. The "RCA" lines deliver a higher resolution and give you a crisper clearer picture and cleaner sound.
2.
Video Games
When using your TV to play video games, an A/B switch is needed (Fig. 1). Since video games run on a separate source of video input coming into your TV, a dedicated circuit must be provided.
If the outside cable goes directly to the TV, do the following:
1) Place the A/B switch between the cable and the TV, connecting the cable from outside into the "A" VIDEO IN port.
2) Connect the cable from the game generator into the "B" VIDEO IN port.
3) Connect another 75 OHM cable to both the single VIDEO OUT port and the ANTENNA or VIDEO IN port on the back of the TV.
If the outside cable goes directly to your VCR, do the following:
1) Connect the cable coming from the VIDEO OUT port on the back of the VCR to the "A" VIDEO IN port on the A/B switch.
2) Connect the cable from the game generator to the "B" VIDEO IN port.
3) Then connect the A/B switch to the TV, as described above.
4) When you wish to play a game instead of watching cable TV, simply flip the switch from "A" to "B."
3.
Splitters
Splitters are devices designed to split the incoming signal from one source (a 75 OHM cable) into two or more outgoing signals. Splitters can be designed to provide signals to as many as six televisions from the same input line. Simple to connect, the incoming 75 OHM lead should be connected to the VIDEO IN port on the splitter, while another 75 OHM lead attached to the VIDEO OUT port on the splitter is connected to various televisions or VCRs throughout the house. To prevent degradation of the signal, use only high-quality, low-loss splitters and switches as well as shielded co-axial cable.
