Hooking up all those consoles...

[NessFreaK]

Hey! I am just a beginning collector, but I do have 15 different game systems, 13 of which use composite cables. Now, my tv has only 1 composite input, hence my problem. My current setup is a 4 way splitter, with each going to a seperate 3-way splitter. But that still is only 12 composite ports... How do you guys hook up so many consoles at once? Does some company make larger (10+ input) input selectors?

[ssjlance]

Personally, I just have masking tape with the name of the console written on it taped near the plugs. I don't have a splitter, I just hook up the AV for what I want to play. Although there is a mess of surge protectors behind my television.

[Natty Bumppo]

Some of the older audio video receivers had a lot of video inputs. I have a pioneer vsx9900s - it has six video inputs and I have two switchers feeding to it. I have 12 gaming systems hooked up along with a laserdisc player and a dvd player.

If you look you can get these older receivers pretty cheaply - I got a second amp (same type) for Mrs. Bumppo off ebay for $100 - which included shipping.
Craigslist might be a good source too. Just make sure that if you go this route you get a remote with it - the exact remotes are very difficult to find and could well cost you more than the amp.

Another alternative is a patch bay (which was kinda like the real real old telephone switch bays) - it was basically a bunch of rca jacks that were mounted on both sides of a panel - everything is plugged in the back and you make the connections with short jumpers on the front (basically what ssjlance does except the cables can't get all tangled up). The jacks were all numbered on both sides to make the connections easier to remember. I used to have one made by teac and I think it could accomodate 80 single rca feeds.

[Kid Ice]

You can probably get an old TV with more inputs at a decent price. It's been quite a few years since I've seen a TV with only one set of composite inputs...I have a TV from 1997 that has two sets (one on the front and one on the back).

If I was stuck with a one-input TV I would daisy chain consoles with switch boxes like so:

1 switch box with 4 channels to TV

1 switch box connected to channel 1 with 4 consoles

1 switch box connected to channel 2 with 4 consoles

etc.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I think your quickest solution would be to replace one 3-way splitter with a four-way splitter, and that should be enough inputs for you.

Does your TV have an s-video input? If so, you can also get a second set of swicthes for those and buy some s-video cables for systems that can do that.

In my setup below, I have two five-way splitters (Gamestop brand) which split into several four-way splitters (Pelican brand). I use 3-way switches (unknown brand) for the RF cords.

Sorry if that sounds confusing.

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv349/Orion_Pimpdaddy/Copyofsetup2.jpg

[HappehLemons]

Hooking up the console is fun, be normal and use bags :]

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8843/img0421l.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1921/img0422s.jpg

[Flippy8490]

I use AV splitters myself. Seems like that is the most common. I would just look for the biggest ones you can. I personally have the Joytech 240C AV Switcher and LOVE IT. You could probably snag one for pretty affordable on eBay or Amazon. Its got seven inputs/one output. Six of the inputs are on the back and one is behind a door on the front.

This baby is pretty loaded. Its even got Ethernet in it! woo! haha.

http://img493.imageshack.us/img493/3954/100635015xe.jpg

[NessFreaK]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

@Flippy8490: That thing looks like a beast! Definitly keep an eye out for one!

@Orion Pimpdaddy: Holy crap! Hope my set-up looks like that someday... Havnt seen 5-way splitters before, and even 4-way ones are getting hard to find...

See, i just moved to a different province, and had to leave my 3 good CRT tvs behind, and the only one i could fit in my luggage was a 13 inch junker. Me and the gf have decided to buy a new tv... heres to hoping my consoles dont look like crap on an hd tv... -_-;; ... need to find composite cables for my saturn and genesis for sure.

[Arkhan]

i used to just have the cables labeled and id swap for what i want to play

but then the dollar store had 1$ 3 way selectors so i bought like 10 of them and made a giant disaster that has it all!

[lazyhoboguy]

I think your quickest solution would be to replace one 3-way splitter with a four-way splitter, and that should be enough inputs for you.

Does your TV have an s-video input? If so, you can also get a second set of swicthes for those and buy some s-video cables for systems that can do that.

In my setup below, I have two five-way splitters (Gamestop brand) which split into several four-way splitters (Pelican brand). I use 3-way switches (unknown brand) for the RF cords.

Sorry if that sounds confusing.

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv349/Orion_Pimpdaddy/Copyofsetup2.jpg

Holy Fucking Shit. Are all those Consoles hooked up to an outlet and your tv and ready to play? If so, I bow down to your greatness good sir.

[Joshie]

I use powered splitters with infrared, and sadly out of laziness, x10 system for power (so I can leave older consoles on and switch it off via remote). Harmony remotes are wonderful things :).

I plan on one day building some custom cabinet and having just a huge front plate with all the cartridge connectors/cd drives. (Has anyone seen anything like this?). However, if I had the resources, making a system that stores the carts/cds and puts them in for me would be even better...

Orion Pimpdaddy: Sick

[darkslime]

I only have PS3, 360, PS2, Gamecube, N64 hooked up using a 4 way A/V hookup thing and the other A/V port in the back of the TV. The rest of my consoles are piled around, not hooked up as I don't play them often.

[MegaSchmoo]

I just use a single 5-way, the back 4 are for my Gamecube, N64, Snes, and PS2. I use the first one for whichever other console I want to play, 360 is HDMI and Wii is YbPbpr(I doubt I spelled that right). I keep all of the wires for the other consoles in a big plastic container and bound by rubber bands, same thing for controllers.

[portnoyd]

I use AV splitters myself. Seems like that is the most common. I would just look for the biggest ones you can. I personally have the Joytech 240C AV Switcher and LOVE IT. You could probably snag one for pretty affordable on eBay or Amazon. Its got seven inputs/one output. Six of the inputs are on the back and one is behind a door on the front.

Gamestop sold a similar splitter that we use by Pelican. Only difference is 7 on the back and 1 on the front. Probably made ultimately by the same company. Works great and no more poopy 4 switch boxes!

[jferio]

Currently, I have a 'tree' of 4 device A/V switches tying my consoles into the television. What I've got planned is to build myself a 24 device A/V switcher, based on Ben Heckendorn's old howto: http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/13/how-to-make-a-solid-state-a-v-switcher/

For power, I've been picking up those old computer 'power stations' that you would put under the monitor, and would have multiple switched outlets. This way, I leave everything plugged in, but only have to switch on what console I'm actually going to play.

[Aussie2B]

Do you really need the audio/video cables hooked up to every single system at once? I have 9 systems currently hooked up to my SDTV, which has two composite inputs (one front, one back). I have a 4-way switcher, and I'm not even using one of its inputs (generally reserved for hooking up the laptop on occasion).

Yet given all that, I can play everything in a matter of seconds. The SNES, N64, and GameCube all share the same s-video cable, and it's really easy to swap it out between them. The PS1 and PS2 also share cables. So my switcher is basically Nintendo, Sony, and Sega (although that's only the Dreamcast). My NES toploader is hooked up via RF obviously, and the final two systems, Genesis and PC Engine are hooked up to my sound system, which in turn is hooked up to the second input on the TV. Like the switcher, I only have to press a button on the sound system to easily swap between systems. I bet I could hook up even more to it if I wanted to.

So you don't need a TV with tons of inputs or a switcher with tons either if you just get a little creative with your set-up, and you can still maintain convenience in the process.

[Arkhan]

I think its a matter of some people not wanting to dick around with cables dangling around or having to swap between systems.

especially if you are going for the Tower of Greatness as shown in that picture.

my only complaint about it is the shelves are ugly. But i am pretty anti-those-style-of-shelves, so its kind of an irrelevant point!

[Ed Oscuro]

Holy Fucking Shit. Are all those Consoles hooked up to an outlet and your tv and ready to play? If so, I bow down to your greatness good sir.
Greatness, lots of dusting, and unnecessary power usage + fire hazard if they're all plugged in to one outlet via a couple overworked power strips plugged into the same wall spot.

[lazyhoboguy]

Greatness, lots of dusting, and unnecessary power usage + fire hazard if they're all plugged in to one outlet via a couple overworked power strips plugged into the same wall spot.

Well, I assume he does not run them all at once lol. So the power usage when they are turned off is very minimal and there is not risk of a giant explosion if he only has one console on at a time. Why would they ever need to be all turned on at once?

[Icarus Moonsight]

Insurance fraud?

I had most my systems hooked up and ready before... It was a headache really. More trouble and mess than it's worth.

Can't sleep... Cables will eat me...

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Holy Fucking Shit. Are all those Consoles hooked up to an outlet and your tv and ready to play? If so, I bow down to your greatness good sir.

Get up! Anyone can do it if they can afford the materials. If you want to do something similiar, look up "Orion" in the collection gallery. In there I try to describe everything.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Greatness, lots of dusting, and unnecessary power usage + fire hazard if they're all plugged in to one outlet via a couple overworked power strips plugged into the same wall spot.

No, I don't use a traditional power strip. On the power strips I have, each plug has it's own switch. There's no "vampire drain."

You're right about the dusting though.

[Ed Oscuro]

No, I don't use a traditional power strip. On the power strips I have, each plug has it's own switch. There's no "vampire drain."

You're right about the dusting though.
Good deal! :hail: That probably takes care of the storm shock possibility too since it would have to be a really huge zap to clear the gap of an off switch...maybe theoretically possible, I suppose, but you did think of everything.

Just thought I'd point it out for people who weren't aware.

Well, I assume he does not run them all at once lol. So the power usage when they are turned off is very minimal
But having stuff plugged in to the mains still wastes power, especially noticable with modern power supplies (like for a laptop) which actually heat up noticably when plugged in even if not in use. All that heat's coming from a bit of draw and resistance. Even if you don't care about the power usage that's probably not good for the system (plus there's the possibility of a zap during a thunderstorm too).

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Good deal! :hail: That probably takes care of the storm shock possibility too since it would have to be a really huge zap to clear the gap of an off switch...maybe theoretically possible, I suppose, but you did think of everything.

But having stuff plugged in to the mains still wastes power, especially noticable with modern power supplies (like for a laptop) which actually heat up noticably when plugged in even if not in use. All that heat's coming from a bit of draw and resistance. Even if you don't care about the power usage that's probably not good for the system (plus there's the possibility of a zap during a thunderstorm too).

Regarding the first paragraph, there is also a fuse imbedded in each of the strips that I use, and the outlet is a GFCI outlet, so hopefully with all those things I'll be protected.

Here's the thingy I was talking about:

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv349/Orion_Pimpdaddy/VideoGameRoom2025.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv349/Orion_Pimpdaddy/x.jpg

The other stuff you mentioned is very important stuff, and it applies to a lot of things in the house. I have a "secondary switch" for my TVs, my microwave, and a lot of other stuff. It saves money and helps the environment a little (yes, I like to be green sometimes). If everyone in California unplugged their TVs, I wonder if the California power grid would be more stable ...

[erehwon]

For power, I've been picking up those old computer 'power stations' that you would put under the monitor, and would have multiple switched outlets. This way, I leave everything plugged in, but only have to switch on what console I'm actually going to play.
I also use one of those. It works quite well for my needs. It's just pretty plain looking. I wouldn't mind taking mine apart and painting it black to match the rest of my consoles, but I it doesn't bother me that much.

Orion Pimpdaddy, those rackmount AC switches are pretty nice. That's a step up above what I'm using. How much do units like that go for?