Help setting up home projector

[Marty2003]

A friend of mine just got a new Benq PB6110 SVGA projector and I'm having trouble thinking of the best way to connect everything to produce the best(or decent) image quality.

The projector has a VGA input as well as S-video and yellow composite RCA connector. He wants to hook up a DVD player and analog cable to it. He'll probably buy an el-cheapo VCR to get a tuner for the cable so we can hook it up to the projector.

The DVD player, vcr etc. will be about 20ft, from the projector. I know video quality concerning cables goes in order of component, S-video, then RCA. Is the difference in quality between the different types of cables noticable? Is it worth it to get a Component>VGA cable for the DVD player. These can cost well over $100 especially for 25ft cables.
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/vgacable.html
gives directions to build your own, could I do the same by buying a component cable cutting of one end and attaching a VGA connector? or are the component wires a larger guage and I would have trouble connecting it to a VGA socket?
It is really worth the trouble to have component cables rather than S-video or would component cables only be necessary for HDTV and S-video is fine for a DVD player?

The other concern is how to connect the analog cable into this. I still don't know what VCR will be used for the analog cable so I don't know what outputs/inputs it will have. The RCA out is guaranteed, but how common is it for VCR's to have S-Video in/out? How should the VCR come into this mix?
I see two options,
1) run the DVD out to the projector (With component or S-Video) and the VCR out to the projector(on S-video or RCA) on two separate wires.

2) run the DVD player into the VCR (if it has the appropriate inputs) then have a single wire to the projector. Either S-video or RCA depending on VCR capabilities

How do you think I should go about this? Are component cables worth the hassle? should the DVD player go through the VCR?

Assuming the VCR has S-video in/out I'm thinking of having all S-video connectors with DVD output going into the VCR and a single S-video going to the projector.



edit: After looking at VCR models it looks like a lot of them don't have S-video in/out. My plan now is to have an S-video going from the DVD player to the projector and an RCA connector going from the Analog Cable/VCR to the Projector. I'm guessing an RCA connector should be good enough for Analog cable, right?. Is Component vastly superior in noticeable quality to S-video for the DVD player? or should s-video be enough for DVD?

Anybody see any flaws in my plan? Will signal quality degrade over 25 ft. cables?

Any input is welcome. Thanks.

[redwudz]

With that type of projector, I would go with S-Video. Component won't do you much good without a component input on the projector. Save the VGA input for a computer to use to play DIVX or other formats into the projector. If you have SVHS tapes a SVHS VCR would be good, if not, just run the composite video directly into the projector. It should be able to switch between the three sources. The audio from all sources would go to your surround sound amplifier, which can also switch between sources.

I've ran S-Video 25 feet with no problems. You don't need Monster cables, just good quality brands like Belden.

[Marty2003]

Thanks a lot redwudz. So the plan right now is to go with an S-video and composite. You're probably right about leaving the VGA open since a HTPC might possibly be added in the future. Now all i have to do is return the Component cables the salesman at Futureshop conviced my friend to buy despite the fact the the projector has no component input

[theboss2]

I have had this same projector for over a year. There is a very definite quality difference between s-video and component input. The compnent
input is thru the vga input. You can order this cable online in 25ft lentgh
for about $35.00. As the owner/operator of a theatre I can assure you
that is worth the money for the component input.If you want to go the
s-video wat buy a RCA or Phillips s-video switch at your local wal-mart
as it has both composite and s-video inputs and outputs.
8)

[Marty2003]

I haven't been able to find any reputable stores online which have a long enough cable for cheap. Any links?

I'm not sure what video sources you're using, but I'm not that sure it's really necessary for DVD's and analog cable. My friend isn't very picky when it comes to video quality. I looked at his old setup which was a 60" sony Wega HDTV and it was using a composite input for the DVD player and satellite. The picture quality through cable wasn't that great either. He was wondering what all the hype about HDTV is and I kept trying to explain none of his sources were HDTV, but that's a whole other story

I'll look into the s-video switch, I could use it to have a single S-Video going to the projector, but it would make it harder to switch between video sources, because I could use the projector remote to switch between S-video and Composite.

[redwudz]

Marty2003, I didn't realize the projector has a component in. I guess I should have read the specs. I assumed the VGA in was just a computer VGA in.

If you had a short component to VGA adapter, that is made for THAT projector, you could use a common VGA extension cable. I use a 25 foot one for my entertainment computer that is on the other side of the room from my monitor and keyboard. Not as good as a quality component cable but much cheaper. And likely a lot better than S-video.

My projector video cable is 25 feet long, very slim, with no loss in quality, but it was expensive. I bought it because the end connectors are a type and size that would be difficult to duplicate by building the cable. However, VGA extension cables are very common.

However, if your friend isn't that picky, S-Video would probably make him happy for now. You could always upgrade it later.

[Marty2003]

I didn't realize it was "special" so to speak because the component in uses the VGA port. I thought all VGA inputs could accept a component signal with the special VGA>component cable.

I've been looking at some sites and most of them say there is a noticeable difference between S-video and Component, with the added ability to use progressive scan. I've also seen some pictures in which I can notice a definate difference between the S-video and Component, so It looks like that's the route I will be going for the DVD player. I only had a quick look at the projector box's contents and I don't have it here with me now, but I'm pretty sure it didn't come with a component adapter. eBay seems to have 25ft. VGA>component cables for a decent price so I'll probably get some from there.


Thanks to both of you for your help.