Do you need an rf modulator and a new digital receiver for the older model tvs for a dvd player to work?

Question

I want the tv to work with the new digital programming and to watch dvd's though, so do I need both? How do I hook up the TV with the rf modulator, dvd player, VCR, digital receiver and regular antenna? It seems like a complicated mess of wires.

Answer 1

you didnt really provide enough info. If you dont have cable/or dish the at some point in time youll need a digi rec. If you dont have the red, white, and yellow rca connects on the back of the tv the new DIG rec may have them on there to pass the info through acting like a rf mod.

Answer 2

no you will need just the rf modulator

Answer 3

The digital receiver goes between the antenna and the TV.  If you already have an antenna and all those other things working with your TV, the digital box won't change anything.  What was the antenna going into the TV will now be the digital box output.

Ideally your DVD player and other sources should connect to your TV with composite video (yellow plug) or s-video connections.  If you use an RF modulator for the DVD player, you will need a switch to switch between antenna and the DVD player.  If you use a VCR, the antenna usually plugs into that and the RF output to the TV.  All RF devices should go via a switch to the VCR RF input.

The digital receiver doesn't affect any of this.