How to Connect a DVD Player, VCR, and Digital Cable Box

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher.

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This wikiHow teaches you how to connect a DVD player, VCR, and digital cable box to your television using the best possible connections.

• Check the ports on the back of your TV for common inputs, such as HDMI, RCA, and S-Video.
• Connect the correct cable to the input on the back of the TV and the output on the back of the DVD player or other device.
• If using an RCA cable, make sure the colors match up. Red is the right audio channel, white is the left, and yellow is for video.

Preparing to Connect

• RCA - Red, yellow, and white circular ports. These are most frequently seen on VCRs, DVD players, and older consoles.
• HDMI - A flat, wide input used for high-definition appliances. Your TV may have more than one of these.
• S-video - A circular piece of plastic with several small holes in it. This input is ideal for getting optimal quality for older technology, such as VCRs or old DVD players. S-video doesn't carry sound, so you'll need the red and white cables from the RCA cable set if you're hooking up a DVD player or VCR.

• DVD player - Usually RCA, s-video, and/or HDMI.
• VCR - RCA and/or s-video.
• Cable box - HDMI, though some old cable boxes have RCA outputs.

• If your TV only has one HDMI input, you'll probably want to connect the cable box to it and use a different cable type for the DVD player.
• If you have a receiver that hooks up to your TV's HDMI input, you may be able to connect both the DVD player and the cable box to the receiver via HDMI.

• DVD player - Ideally, you'll use HDMI if it's available. If not, use RCA cables or s-video cables. Since your DVDs will be higher-quality than your VHS tapes, use s-video here instead of for the VCR if necessary.
• VCR - You'll want to use either RCA cables or s-video cables for your VCR. This will usually depend on what you're using for your DVD player.
• Cable box - You'll need an HDMI cable to attach the cable box to the TV, as well as a coaxial cable to connect the box to the cable service.

• If you're buying an s-video cable, make sure that you buy the right one.
• When buying cables, don't worry about getting the most expensive one that you can find. Good HDMI or s-video cables shouldn't run you more than $15 to $20 depending on where you shop (online is typically the cheapest).

Turn off and unplug your TV. Your TV must be turned off and unplugged from its power source before you can connect your items.

Connecting the DVD Player

• If you're using an s-video cable for your DVD player, you'll also need the red and white RCA cables.

• If you're using an s-video cable, you'll also need to plug the red and white RCA cables into the red and white ports on the back of the DVD player.

• If you use a receiver for your TV, you may be able to use your receiver's inputs instead of your TV's.

Connect your DVD player to a power outlet. Plug the DVD player's power cable into an electrical socket. This can be a wall socket or a socket in a surge protector.

Connecting the VCR

Find your VCR's connector cables. If you're using an s-video cable, you'll also need the red and white RCA cables that are typically built into the VCR. If not, just use all three of the RCA cables (the red, white, and yellow cables).

• If you aren't using s-video cables, make sure that the yellow RCA cable is also attached to the VCR.

• If you use a receiver for your TV, you may be able to use your receiver's inputs instead of your TV's.

• If the DVD player's cable is detached from the player itself, you'll need to attach the cable to the back of the DVD player as well.

Connecting the Cable Box

Find your cable box's cables. You'll need at least three cables for your box: the coaxial cable, the HDMI cable, and the power cable.

Attach the coaxial cable to the cable box. The coaxial input on your cable box resembles a metallic cylinder with a hole in the middle and screw threads, while the coaxial cable has an attachment resembling a needle. Plug the needle into the center of the coaxial input, then screw the head of the cable clockwise to tighten the connection.

• If the coaxial output is elsewhere in the room, you may need to get a longer coaxial cable and run it the length of the room.

Plug your HDMI cable into the cable box. Find the "HDMI OUT" (or similarly labelled) slot on the back of the cable box and plug one end of the HDMI cable into it.

• If you use a receiver for your TV, you may be able to use your receiver's HDMI input instead of your TV's.

Connect your cable box to a power source. Plug one end of the power cable into an electrical outlet (e.g., a wall socket or a surge protector), then plug the other end into your cable box.

Community Q&A

I have a 5.1 surround sound system. I can get the DVD and tuner to play and get sound through the system. What I can't get is sound from my TV when using the surround sound. What should I do?

You can't use both at the same time with the least amount of cables. If you're using all digital connections and have a digital TV that has a digital audio output, then run both the DVD and the tuner to the TV. Then connect the digital audio output on the TV to the receiver. When the receiver is off, the audio will come from the TV.

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Try using the record button on both the remote or the front of the VCR. If neither one works, then the recording equipment in the VCR has malfunctioned. (However, the recording equipment is not required to play a VHS tape.)

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I want to connect a DVD player using my cable box. I don't have access to connecting DVD direct to TV, and need to go through the cable box. Is this possible? Or do I need to buy a tuner to make the connections?

Some cable boxes have auxiliary inputs into which you could plug your DVD. Also, some DVD players have auxiliary inputs to which you can connect the cable box, then feed it through to the TV.

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