If you don't tape a lot from the cable, consider running it straight from the wall to the TV. That's what I do. I can watch regular TV without turning everything else on, since I'm not usually interested in listening to the cable channels through my full HT rig anyway. But when I do, I have the audio output on the TV wired back into the receiver. On the other hand, I definitely want to play my video tapes/DVD through the receiver, so that's how they're hooked up.
Reading back through, that's not very clearly expressed. Let me try again:
- Cable from wall to TV "cable in." Can use TV (video and audio) to watch cable without HT system. - TV "audio out" to receiver "Vid3 In". Can use TV to watch cable, and listen through HT system (video straight to TV from wall,and audio from wall through TV to HT system.) - VCR/DVD in to receiver, receiver "monitor out" to TV "AV1 in." Can only watch/listen through HT system, but that's what I always want with tapes and DVD.
Better? ==== Old,
Well, we're getting a bit away from Pablo's question but... my actual setup is a bit more complicated than I described above.
I currently use my TV's speakers for the center channel. I do it just as you stated: Using a Y splitter from the center output on my receiver, through an equalizer (see below) to the AVInput1 on my TV. As mentioned above, I also run the cable directly from the wall to the TV.
Of course, you will have to calibrate your TV's volume in combination with the receiver's center channel level to balance the center against the other channels.
And, you will have to remember to turn your TV on and set it to AV1 even when you are getting no pictures (playing a CD/LP, for example.) Learning new tricks...
And also, your TV's speakers are not voice-matched to your mains. An equalizer can help here, at least to the extent than my -- admittedly bad -- ears can't tell the difference. You'll just have to listen to determine if it matters.
The only other "problems" I have are because I use the TV's tuner to watch the cable.
1) When watching cable, the TV's volume is comfortable at "11," but when balanced as a center channel, it needs to be at "27." This can result in blasting myself out of the room if I forget to turn the volume back down before switching to cable.
2) When playing the cable signal via the TV's audio out back to the whole system, I lose my dedicated center speakers. I don't lose the center SIGNAL, because the TV is playing back the full spectrum. Frankly, it's hard to tell the difference when the TV's volume is set low enough (I set it to about 9 in this situation).
