Connecting Multiple Machines to one TV

[kps67]

Any ideas how this can be done easily? I know RatShack has an automated switch but the inputs to that were S Video and RCA. I'd like to rig my intellivision, colecovision, atari 2600, NES, Sega, Dreamcast and Xbox all to the same tv. Any thoughts?

[Sabz5150]

A TV with a good number and variety of inputs and several switchboxes. I've got four Gamestop specials hooked to my TV for my systems. The setup works rather well, but behind the entertainment center it's thick bundles of cabling in every direction.

There hasn't really been a collector's answer to all systems on one tube.

[MrSparkle]

actually if you search the forums there have been a number of them. then again the search function here sucks harder than a hoover so i cant blame you for not being able to turn it up.

a thread i actually started on the subject in april

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116206

heres an article by ben heck (of console modding fame) on how to make an av selector with potentially unlimited inputs

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/13/h...-a-v-switcher/

heres another dp thread

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/show...p%3Ft%3D116206

and yet another

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/show...p%3Ft%3D116206

now all we need is to remove that damned 4 char minimum word search so it doesnt take me half an hour to dig these up next time.

[MrSparkle]

as for the older systems your going to have to rely on an rf splitter. if you want to maintain decent signal quality which is hard enough with those crappy old rf boxes id say drop a few extra bucks and get one that actively retimes the signal. Otherwise splitting an rf connection 8 ways before it hits the tv is going to result in some severe signal degradation due to leakage which occurs at every single wiring junction. hopefully between this and all those posts you can figure out an optimal solution.

[kps67]

Thanks for the great tips! Off to explore...

[aclbandit]

My own setup involves a Famicom/FDS, NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, XBox 1, PS3, and a VCR all hooked into one TV through various inputs and a number of switches (the best ones I've found automatically switch between things: Mine are S-vid/component video as well as one that just does composite). I bought both switches at KMart; if you go, look for the awesome Philips auto-switch-- they're fantastic!

[izarate]

I currently have a NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Genesis w/Power Base converter, Genesis 2 w/Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, PSX, PS2, Xbox, VCR, DVD and HTPC connected to the receiver and TV.


Currently my setup is like this:

PSX, N64, SNES, DC -> Radioshack switchbox -> Y S-Video cable -> receiver -> TV

NES, Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Saturn -> Radioshack switchbox -> Y S-Video cable -> receiver -> TV

As you can see, I join the two switchboxes before the receiver with a set of Y cables. Better than a daisy chain, I think.


VCR -> receiver -> TV


DVD, HTPC, Xbox, Gamecube, PS2 -> PL-960 component switchbox -> TV
My receiver is an older one and doesn't have component inputs; the audio goes to the receiver by the "tape"(RCA) or "CD" (toslink/SPDIF) inputs.

[kps67]

I got a 4 way combiner like the cable guys use from RatShack to put the 8bit games into - so they'd go from their RF switch into one of the four in slots and then one out to the TV. Haven't set it up yet, but i'll let you know how it works...