Question about Connecting Apple TV

[Clix Pix]

I really know more about computers than I do TVs and connectivity, etc. I have a fairly new HDTV which has one HDMI port. Currently I have this hooked up to a Blu-Ray player. What I am wondering is if in order to use an Apple TV I will need to either hook up the Blu-Ray player with those other cables (yellow, blue, white, red, whatever) and then use the HDMI for the Apple TV or if I could simply unplug the HDMI cable from the Blu-Ray player and pop it into the Apple TV when I want to use the Apple TV? Obviously I wouldn't be using both devices at the same time anyway. I just want to make sure that no harm would come to either device by swapping out the HDMI cable. I'd really rather not have to fiddle with the multi-colored cables at all if I can avoid it.

Also....different scenario, too: a friend has a FIOS connection for her TV and internet. She also has a combo VCR/DVD player/recorder device. I am not sure how that is hooked up to her TV, whether it is with an HDMI cable or with the aforementioned colored cables. She, too, is interested in getting the Apple TV and probably in a couple of weeks we'll be going to the Apple store to get her one. Since she is even less knowledgeable about TV connections, I know I'll be the one nominated to tinker with the installation of the Apple TV. Last thing I want to do is to screw up anything with her FIOS connection or her combo VCR/DVD player/recorder!

Any advice and suggestions gratefully received! Thanks!

 

[PurdueGuy]

I really know more about computers than I do TVs and connectivity, etc. I have a fairly new HDTV which has one HDMI port. Currently I have this hooked up to a Blu-Ray player. What I am wondering is if in order to use an Apple TV I will need to either hook up the Blu-Ray player with those other cables (yellow, blue, white, red, whatever) and then use the HDMI for the Apple TV or if I could simply unplug the HDMI cable from the Blu-Ray player and pop it into the Apple TV when I want to use the Apple TV? Obviously I wouldn't be using both devices at the same time anyway. I just want to make sure that no harm would come to either device by swapping out the HDMI cable. I'd really rather not have to fiddle with the multi-colored cables at all if I can avoid it.

Also....different scenario, too: a friend has a FIOS connection for her TV and internet. She also has a combo VCR/DVD player/recorder device. I am not sure how that is hooked up to her TV, whether it is with an HDMI cable or with the aforementioned colored cables. She, too, is interested in getting the Apple TV and probably in a couple of weeks we'll be going to the Apple store to get her one. Since she is even less knowledgeable about TV connections, I know I'll be the one nominated to tinker with the installation of the Apple TV. Last thing I want to do is to screw up anything with her FIOS connection or her combo VCR/DVD player/recorder!

Any advice and suggestions gratefully received! Thanks!

Shouldn't be any issue unplugging the cables, but you'll get tired of it!
Monoprice has HDMI switches, some manual, some remote controlled.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=HDMI+switch&x=0&y=0

As for your friend, FIOS boxes are no different (connection-wise) than regular cable boxes. We'd need more info on what ports are available, and what she is currently using. And if you are unsure, write down EVERY connection (both ends) before you start. Heck, even take pictures if you want. (I know from helping my dad!)

 

[Clix Pix]

Thank you! That info about the HDMI switch sounds exactly like what I will need in my own situation! As for my friend's current setup, she lives about an hour away from me and so I won't know what the setup looks like until I'm there at her house. Her HDTV is a little older than mine but I'm sure it has at least one HDMI port on it and the other multicolored ones as well. I don't know how her combo VCR/DVD unit was set up, whether it was with an HDMI cable or with the other cables. I'm hoping the others so then it's a matter of just sticking the HDMI cable in and she's good to go! LOL! Good to know that the FIOS won't be an issue; I had figured it was like my Cox cable connection, something which wouldn't be affected, but just threw that in anyway.

 

[sailon]

For what its worth (since it is an educated guess) - based on your description of your friend's device as a VCR/DVD combo, I'd say that it's unlikely to be connected via HDMI. The DVDs that usually have HDMI are Blu-Ray, and I haven't seen many (any?) Blu-Ray players in a VCR combo.

I'd guess the VCR/DVD combo is connected via s-video or composite (single yellow RCA video plug, with white and red audio). The multi-colored cable you are speaking of is component and is usually needed for high resolution devices (which again, I doubt the VCR/DVD combo is).

So, my guess is that there will be a HDMI port available on her TV.

 

[PurdueGuy]

For what its worth (since it is an educated guess) - based on your description of your friend's device as a VCR/DVD combo, I'd say that it's unlikely to be connected via HDMI. The DVDs that usually have HDMI are Blu-Ray, and I haven't seen many (any?) Blu-Ray players in a VCR combo.

I'd guess the VCR/DVD combo is connected via s-video or composite (single yellow RCA video plug, with white and red audio). The multi-colored cable you are speaking of is component and is usually needed for high resolution devices (which again, I doubt the VCR/DVD combo is).

So, my guess is that there will be a HDMI port available on her TV.

Many DVD players connect via component. Mine does, and it is NOT an upconverting one. Most (all?) upconverting DVD players connect via HDMI as well.

 

[sailon]

Many DVD players connect via component. Mine does, and it is NOT an upconverting one. Most (all?) upconverting DVD players connect via HDMI as well.

Sorry, did not mean to imply that DVD players don't have component connections (most do). Or that DVD players can't have HDMI. I should have been more clear in saying that my *guess* is that there aren't a lot of VCR/DVD combos that do (have HDMI).

 

[Clix Pix]

Great news! Thank you! I suspect that you are correct, because it also occurs to me that prior to the TV she has now she had a really old TV set and the same Panasonic VCR/DVD combo was connected to it as well. Obviously that old set wouldn't have had HDMI. Good, then she more than likely has a nice lil' ole HDMI port just eagerly awaiting the arrival of an Apple TV and HDMI cable connection! Great!