Electronics question...?

Question

Ok, so, I just bought a big screen TV with a dvd player and a surround sound system. I hired some contractors to create this pop-out wall type thing and had them cut out sections just the right size to fit my TV, dvd player, and surround sound box into the wall so I don't really want to take them. Now for my question, I also bought a nintendo wii and I hooked up the AV plugs to the front of the surround sound system box, and when I turned it on I can only hear the sound. What channel on the TV or setting on the surround sound system box do I need to do to see it?

Answer 1

The answer may depend on how you or the contractors set the system up.  

Let me first explain that there is a separate video and audio signal that comes from your cable/satellite, your DVD player and your Wii.  

Before going into further detail, a quick test.  If channel 3 does not work, try changing from input 1 to 2 to 3 etc. on the TV.  My guess is that you will need to read on (sorry).

1. If the DVD and Cable VIDEO signals (OUT) are going directly to your TV (IN) then The TV has effectively become your monitor. Meanwhile, it is likely that the surround sound is getting the AUDIO output from the Cable & DVD to process the Sound since you did not indicate a problem with these.  

(A variation might be that the audio from these components is going to the TV first and then the Audio is further sent to the Surround sound.  The way to find out is to see if you get sound from the TV without the surround sound turned on.)

2.  The other way that these could have been set up is that the video sources are being routed through the surround processor but this is UNLIKELY since the Wii seems not to be showing on your screen.

NOW the decision.  I am sorry to say that you will probably have to go behind the unit.  How you proceed should be based on a few factors.  First, how easy is it to remove or reach behind various components?  Second, do you want to be able to quickly disconnect the wii (without buying another set of cables for the alternate location)?  Third, how much do you need to hide the wires from the wii to make your living room look "custom"

YOUR CHOICES:

1.  Hook the VIDEO out (probably yellow) from the Wii to the TV set - If there is a FRONT VIDEO Input, then you are in luck - you don't have to remove the TV but you will have wires hanging.  (If no front input then you have to go to back of TV).  Hook the Audio out from the Wii to the AUDIO Input (red & white) on the surround sound in the front and select the Video Input for the front of TV from TV, select the Audio from front of surround sound on processor, pick up the wiimote and PLAY!

2.  On the back of the sound processor, there should be a video out.  Hook that to the TV.  You will need an RCA cable.  Then hook Wii to front of surround sound like you did in question (or hide them in the back) - select the appropriate inputs and play.  If you have to rip it all out, you may want to change the dvd or cable outputs too but if these are connected using component or HD cables I would leave them as they are. You know the saying - if it ain't broke....

3.  They sell a switcher that you can buy to hook up several components, with a single wire to the TV (and a pair of Audios to the surround sound) and all the components (DVD, Cable, games etc...) go through the switcher.  If you have to remove everything from the wall, then you may want to think about a switcher OR pre-wire for one later (or leave a connection) for possible future components like a DVD recorder, Tivo, XBOX360, PS3, IPOD, Media Computer, etc.

Good Luck & I hope this helps -

Answer 2

WII requires a composite video (yellow) output from the receiver to the TV, unless your receiver "upscales" all signals to a higher level. I'm guessing your receiver does not.

Try connecting a yellow cable to the "video out" on the back of your receiver to a yellow connector on the back of your TV (It may be called input 1, video 1, composite video 1) Make note of the input you plugged into on the back of your TV and use your remote control to switch to that input. You should see a WII picture.