Hi all,
I'm new to the forum and expect to soon purchase an Outlaw 990. Have a question about the onscreen setup menus however. I'm concerned about my ability to display them with my setup. I use an htpc which is connected to a CRT monitor and CRT projector via VGA through a signal splitter. My CRT projector does have an S-video input, however I'd like to avoid the necessity to purchase an extra long S-video cable to reach my ceiling mounted projector. Any ideas how I can display the setup menus?

thank you,
Craig

Is the HTPC your only video source? I ask because if there were other sources, you'd be contending with additional video signals that probably wouldn't offer VGA as a choice. If you did have other video sources and were considering using the 990's video switching, then VGA would become a thorn in your side for other reasons - at which point the 990's setup menu becomes very secondary.

Assuming the HTPC's VGA output is the only video source going to your projector, you might consider a small TV or monitor of some sort that you could locate next to the 990 and connect via composite video for the sole purpose of getting access to the setup menus. Some folks around here have used 5" CRT TV\'s picked up from Radio Shack for very little money, while others have sprung for small LCD\'s that look a good bit slicker.

gonk,
For the home theater room, I don't intend to use any other video sources, so video switching won't be an issue. I don't currently have a small tv, so I'd have to buy something for the job. I just checked out those Radio Shack options you put up, but neither indicates what kind of inputs they have. Arre you sure they have an S-video input?

Thanks,
Craig

Neither have s-video as far as I could tell, but both have a composite video input (which will get you the setup menu OSD).

Thanks gonk,
Just took a look at the composite video cable and realized that we have a little 13" tv that accepts it. Off to ebay for a composite video cable and I'm golden.

thanks again,
Craig

That'll work!

Like Craigo87 I am considering the 990 along with a 7500 AMP. Currently I run HDMI cables directly from DVD Player and Satellite Box to Plasma TV. Cables are running up behind the wall so I would prefer not to add additional cables but also do not want to lose source signal quality. To access the on-screen menu from the 990 in my situation what would you recommend? If I have to I could run component cables to the TV. I currently run optical from the satelite receiver and DVD player to my receiver for audio.

Thanks,

If all of your sources are HDMI/DVI and you just need to get to the 990's on-screen menu, you could simply run a composite video cable to the TV. You don't need component just for the on-screen menu.

With cables in the wall, you could pull an HDMI/DVI cable and a composite video cable through using one of those existing HDMI's as a pull string and then use the HDMI/DVI and the 990's DVI switching to switch automatically between DVD and satellite with the composite there for onscreen menu tinkering. Just a thought...