"How to connect an HD capable TV, an HD converter box and a DVD recorder/player ?"

First you need to know what are the video inputs you have on your HDTV and outputs you have in the HD cable box and the DVD player.

 

In the decending order of preference, HDMI, DVI, Component video, S-video and composite video. Match your cable box output and DVD player output to the TV inputs in this order.

 

And find out how many of each you have on your TV, so that you can balance between the input from cable box and DVD player.

 

For example, if your HDTV has at least 2 HDMI inputs, and both your cable box and DVD player have HDMI output too, all you need are 2 HDMI cables. HDMI carries both video and audio signals. Unless, you do not want to route the audio signal to the TV, then you can hook up the separate audio outputs to the device you prefer (e.g. receiver), using optical, coaxial or L/R stereo audio cables.

 

DVI input/output had a brief period of time being popular, before being replaced by HDMI. DVI is only for video signal, so audio cables are needed. The audio inputs in HDTVs are usually L/R stereo. But again, you need to decide where the audio signal is going to.

 

Then you can always resort to component HD output of the cable box, since all HDTVs and HD cable boxes have HD component video connectors. Again, L/R stereo audio cables are needed to connect to the TV, in addition to the component video cables.

 

The component output in regular (not HD or blu-ray) DVD players is usually 480p, do not support the HD resolution of at least 720p or 1080i. If your DVD player supports up-scaling, then it should have either HDMI or DVI ouput.

 

It is hard to be very detailed and cover all the bases in a general question like this one, so if you need more help, please private message me.

Connect both the converter box and DVD player to the TV using the cable that provides the best picture quality. The TV can then switch to the appropriate input when you want to watch TV or a DVD.

HD Converter boxes have a digital output using either a digital video interface (DVI) or high definition media interface (HDMI) plug. The DVI and HDMI plugs are small and look a little like a USB plug. DVI carries just the video signal. HDMI carries both audio and video in one cable. Use HDMI if both your TV and HD Converter box support it.

Buy a HDMI cable online if you don't have one. They're very cheap. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/dvi/index.htm has HDMI or DVI cables for under $20.

DVD players generally don't support a digital connection, so you need a three wire cable called a component cable because it carries the red, blue, and green video signal components on separate cables. These cables are also cheap but they usually come with the DVD player. These cables only carry the video portion of the DVD. To get the sound to your TV use audio cables (usually red and white ends) from the DVD player to the audio input on the TV associated with the component input.

So the HD converter will have either 1 DVI and 2 audio cables, or 1 HDMI cable connected to the TV. The DVD player will have 5 cables connected to it, 3 for the video and two for the audio.

If you want high quality sound add an amplifier to the mix. You connect the HD converter and DVD player to amp, using the same video cables, but you can use digital audio cables to get surround sound. One video cable then goes from the amp to the TV. The downside with this solution is that you need yet another remote.

Buy a Harmony universal remote to control all of your equipment. This remote is different from cheap ones because it knows how to turn on/off all of your equipment and it understands how they work for you. You just push the buttons and it does the rest. http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/372&cl=us,en

The HD converter probably has an HDMI output, and can be connected directly to most modern HDTVs directly using an HDMI cable. A DVD recorder will have a "Video In" and a "Video Out" (a yellow socket, usually, along with red and white audio connections). The DVD's "Video Out" should be connected to a second compatibile input on the HDTV, which may be HDMI or DVI (for "up-sampling" standard-definition DVD players), or regular Video Out/Audio Out (3 sockets). The DVD recorder "Video In" may be connected to the "Video Out" on the HD converter (if it has one) or to a "Video Out" or "External Monitor" connection on the HDTV itself (if it has one).

The attached document contains useful drawings.