Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Hooking Up TV, DVD Player & Antenna

I have a 2 year old TV with one cable input on the back. With the RF Modulator hooked up and I can watch DVD movies although my TV stations are real snowy.

Then, if I unhook the Modulator and hook up just the antenna to the TV the stations are excellent.

If I hook the antenna to the modulator my stations are snowy.
So how do I get clear stations and watch a movie without unhooking the modulator and hooking up the antenna or vice versa?

but I would use an "A-B" switch. The modulator would connect to the A input and the antenna to the B input.

You'll also need one more cable to connect the switch. It will go from the switch to the TV.

Something like this, just to show you what I mean: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049619&cp=2032057.2032187.2032188.2032200&parentPage=search&sr=1&origkw=ab+switch&kw=ab+switch&parentPage=family

(Note, this particular unit has consisently bad reviews regarding durability.)

Hook video and audio cables from your DVD player to an input source on your T.V. Have your cable hooked directly to your RF (cable in or) Antenna in. You can then watch your DVD or cable shows by switching the input on your T.V.

Your RF modulator may be set on a different channel ie: channel 3 or channel 4. If your using this, then change the channel on your T.V. to match the RF modulator output channel.

Yes, an A-B switch will work. Thanks, I'll get one today. Does a splitter work like this? I'd hook the splitter into my TV then connect the modulator on one side and the antenna on the other....right?

No, you do not want to use a splitter at all. Either use an A-B switch or find another solution. But a splitter is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

Since your TV is only 2 years old it MUST have A/V RCA inputs. Use them. (Why are you using a modulator on a newer TV anyway? This makes no sense.)

Honestly, I don't think you need to buy anything at all. You just need to set up your TV properly, which involves getting rid of that modulator. Use it for your 20-year-old TV in the basement.

If the RF modulator has an RF input, then it should have a bypass mode, either manual with an on/off switch, or automatic whe you turn your DVD player on and off (if it turns off the video signal in its off mode).

Core, I'm using a modulator because DVD players don't have their own audio/video.
Classicsat, I think you're right. The modulator does have an on/off switch. Duh!
But, I put an A-B on and everything works perfect. Clear picture on the TV with the anntenna- flip the switch in the back and presto! A DVD movie.
Thank you so much for all of your help!

I'm using a modulator because DVD players don't have their own audio/video.
Can you please post the make & model number of the DVD player? I've never seen one without A/V outputs.

All DVD players have A/V outputs of some sort. Few to none have RF out, unless they are DVD recorders or DVD/VCR combos perhaps.

My question is what kind of 2-year-old TV does not have A/V inputs though? Even if they are in an inconvenient location for a perm setup, like the front, they should still be there....?

Let me clarify this...lol.
The DVD player has the video/audio hookups. And I don't know how to explain it,
Yes, my TV has audio and video things on the front. But I tried every way I knew how to hook up the DVD Player directly to the TV and couldn't make it work.
The DVD player has an S (?) connector that must be hooked up. Maybe thats why I'm using the modulator.

Ah ha! Now we're getting somewhere.

If it's an SVideo connector you're talking about, and it likely is, then it does NOT need to be hooked up. It just results in better quality than the yellow RCA connector.

What you are doing now [likely] is hooking all 3 of the DVD's RCA hookups to your modulator, so we know the A/V outputs on your DVD work, and the RCA cable is good. The only issue is getting your TV to select that input.

Usually your TV remote will have an 'Input Select' or sometimes 'Game Input' button. And of course if you are using a replacement universal remote, the needed button will NOT be there. Often times what works in the case when you lost the original remote is to tune the TV to channel 2 and tune the channel downwards from there. But it really depends on the TV.

-core

Ah Ha Indeed! :p
The dog ate my remote.
Huggs to all of you.

Wow. Does that mean you actually have to ( gasp!) get up off the sofa to change the channel?!?! :)

Back in the days before remotes when cable channels had to be switched by a rotary knob on the set-top box, I figured out that I could run extension cables and put the cable box on the table next to the sofa. ;)

LOL, you nut! I did buy a replacement remote so I can still be a couch potato.