Can a HD STB be used for 2 TVs simultanously

[Swarna Surjya Chakraborty]

Is it possible to connect a single HD STB to two different TVs - one through hdmi and the other through composite cable with both running side by side

 

[nSinghal]

With tata sky, HD+ I can confirm it works. Atleast the video. For sound, I think you'll need to select hdmi/spdif every time you want to watch it from other tv. I'll confirm the audio later once I'm back home.

BUT, why exactly are you looking to do this? First of all, both the TVs will only show the same channel. So you can't watch one channel on the hdmi TV and another on the composite connection. Second, the remote will only work if the set box is in the same room. And third, if the other tv have hdmi too, you don't even need this function from the set top box. Just add an hdmi splitter and connect both TVs via hdmi. Still won't solve the first two problems though.

 

[Swarna Surjya Chakraborty]

With tata sky, HD+ I can confirm it works. Atleast the video. For sound, I think you'll need to select hdmi/spdif every time you want to watch it from other tv. I'll confirm the audio later once I'm back home.

BUT, why exactly are you looking to do this?

actually i have a old tv that do not have any audio out port. Neither optical nor any headphone out. Tv audio is not loud enough. I want to use the audio outs - red and white ports of the stb for this purpose.

 

[nSinghal]

So your tv has hdmi but no audio out? Strange.

Anyways, you can definitely use the component out for audio and hdmi out for video, atleast with tatasky. Doubt other DTH boxes won't have such feature but do make sure before you buy. Also, I'm currently doing the exact same thing you want to do. Have my old tv connected to tatasky HD via composite cables (both video and audio). Also have a projector installed in the room which is also connected to tatasky via hdmi. Haven't got any speakers yet (no space to put them in my current room) so I'm using the tv speakers (connected via composite cables) while using the projector (connected via hdmi).

 

[shibashis]

actually i have a old tv that do not have any audio out port. Neither optical nor any headphone out. Tv audio is not loud enough. I want to use the audio outs - red and white ports of the stb for this purpose.

I have a LG 26" that has the same issue as well, no audio out. My Airtel HD STB is connected to TV with HDMI, and I once took the L-R RCA audio outs and connected to speakers, I did get audio through them, but I somehow feel that there was no volume control, but I am not certain about that. Will have to check.

 

[Swarna Surjya Chakraborty]

It should work with a RCA audio to 3.5 audio jack

 

[just4kix]

Most HD STBs have the following

• HDMI out
• Component Video Out (Y-Pb-Pr) - red/green/blue RCA
• Composite AV out - yellow/white/red RCA
• RF Out (75 ohm) - as used by terristrial antennae
• Optical Audio-out - S/PDIF
• Coaxial Digital - out

ALL of them work at the same time.

Now as already mentioned above, if you connect one STB out to multiple TVs, each TV will get the same video and audio feed, i.e., same channel only.

Depending upon the TV, you can connect multiple TVs to STB as follows:

• HDMI out to first TV - will carry video and audio, no additional connections required
• If 2nd TV has Component Video In (Y-Pb-Pr), use this. This will carry video only. So use the composite audio (white and red) from composite-out. Video will be HD 1080i but audio will be stereo.
• If 2nd TV has no component in but composite in, connect the Composite AV out of STB - all yellow/white/red. This will carry audio and video at SD resolution.
• RF Out (75 ohm) - all TVs have this, even the latest and best LEDs and plasmas. Connect this to TV and you will have tune one TV channel to the frequency. This will deliver stereo audio and video at SD resolution.
• If 2nd TV has Optical Audio-in or Coaxial Digital-in (unlikely for CRTs and older TVs), connect this with component-video. You will get HD-1080i video and 5.1 encoded surround sound on TV.

HTH.

 

[nSinghal]

Hey J4K, looks like you missed the third post in the thread

Contrary to what the title may suggest, OP just wants to connect the tv via hdmi and separate speakers (powered presumably) via composite audio outs (as his tv doesn't have any sort of audio out). Not planning to run two TVs here.