Routing video through the 990 gives you a couple of benefits: convenience (no need to change the TV's input when you switch between sources) and transcoding s-video and composite video to component. You don't have to route the video through the 990, although you'll need to connect at least one video output from the 990 to the TV to get access to the 990's setup menu (component will work if you are routing component sources through the 990, but if you were to bypass the 990's video switching entirely you could just run the composite monitor output to your TV to get access to the menus). I would recommend routing the DVD player's video to the 990 right along with the audio (and the same with any other sources such as cable or satellite receivers, VCR's, game consoles, ...), then connect the component monitor output to the TV's component input.