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Level 1

48 points

Connecting Apple TV to HDTV and/or Cable Box

My house is pre-wired for cable TV, and I have three flat-screen HDTVs on the walls with HDMI wires connecting the respective cable TV box (in a cabinet or otherwise exposed) to those HDTVs using PCV tubes embedded in the wall. How do I connect my Apple TV for use with a specific HDTV: (1) use the same PCV tubes and run another HDMI cable and wires through it? (2) connect the Apple TV to the cable TV box, without running any HDMIs through the PCV tubes? or, (3) use something like an HDMI switch box and plug all such components (HDTV, BluRay DVD, and Apple TV) into it, then the other single output into the cable box? There might be an easier fourth option, but these exhaust my imagination at the moment. My problem is that the PCV tubes are now filled with HDMI and other cabling, so they are not easy to thread through nor are they easy to access now that HDTVs are already on the walls.

iMac Intel Core 2 Duo, 3.33 GHz, 1 TB, 8 GB memory, Mac OS X (10.6.2), iPhoto 8.1.1, Safari 4.0.5, iTunes 9.0.3, iChat 5.0.1

Posted on Mar 24, 2010 1:48 PM

22 replies

capaho

Level 4

3,673 points

May 23, 2010 7:14 PM in response to Bronco 01

use something like an HDMI switch box and plug all such components (HDTV, BluRay DVD, and Apple TV) into it,

An A/V amp with multiple HDMI inputs may be a solution, albeit a pricey one. You could connect your components to it, then connect its output to the cable that runs through the conduit for the TV you want the output to go to.

capaho

Level 4

3,673 points

May 23, 2010 8:40 PM in response to Bronco 01

If money is no object, I ran across this interesting device:

http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4318

May 24, 2010 1:53 AM in response to capaho

Sound idea but gee what a price?

Bronco 01 Author

Level 1

48 points

May 24, 2010 7:54 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for your help and useful suggestions. I'll try to respond to both of you in this reply. To each flat screen HD TV in the house, I have a *Motorola DCH6200* cable box attached. For the only TV in question, that cable box and BluRay DVD are housed in a nearby closed-door cabinet and controlled by an infrared controller. See:

<http://www.charter.com/visitors/searchSite.aspx?cx=006023053227840304377:5bqyuq h46q0&cof=FORID:11&q=DCH+6200>

The online *pdf manual shows all its means of connecting cables. I'm nearly certain the BluRay DVD is connected to this cable box rather than to the TV. On the matter of expensive components you have suggested, I do not want to spend more for the connecting device than I've already paid for the AppleTV, so those are out of the question. I'm willing to pay something reasonable for an acceptable HDMI switch if one of those will do what I need.

May 24, 2010 1:04 PM in response to Bronco 01

I am unable to see how the BDR output feeds into the cable box given the specifications of the cable box. Assuming that it doesn't, I believe the best solution would be to add a switch.

You would need to remove the HDMI cable from the BDR and place it in the output port of the switch, connect a new HDMI cable between the BDR and one of the inputs on the switch and another HDMI cable between the tv and another of the inputs on the switch.

It sounds as though all this could be done in your cabinet without the need to feed cables through your conduit.

Note, if you can only watch the BDR from that tv, you would also only be able to watch the tv on that tv. I got the idea that you wanted the tv to be viewable on all tv's which couldn't be achieved without additional equipment and cabling.

Bronco 01 Author

Level 1

48 points

May 24, 2010 1:47 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks. If it appears the BDR is connected to the HD TV somehow instead of the cable box, then I'll execute what you suggested; it sounds like a plan. I wish I could use the AppleTV on all the TVs, but apparently that is not possible without considerably more equipment and even more AppleTVs, which I'm unwilling to purchase for now. Do you agree that any HDMI switch is suitable for this hookup, or are there certain specifications that eliminate some switches?

May 24, 2010 2:05 PM in response to Bronco 01

I've heard that the XtremeMac HDMI switch works, but couldn't confirm this myself. I'd be tempted to look at some, make a short list and post it on this forum for user experience.

Connecting Apple TV to HDTV and/or Cable Box