2/3 consoles to 2 displays, using a receiver

[ZipZap]

Sorry if this is a bit of a beginner question, I'm not hugely knowledgable with A/V equipment!

Currently attached to my TV, I have a 360 (old model with no HDMI) connected via component and a PS3 connected with HDMI. I also shortly intend to buy a Japanese 360 which I'll probably also connect with HDMI.

Sometimes when playing games though, it's better to play them at my desk (also in the living room), where I can easily use an arcade stick, tate my monitor screen etc. At the minute I'm doing that with lots of cable swapping, which is a bit annoying.

As well as DVI and VGA, my monitor has component input. If I buy a reciever with component out and hdmi out, will I be able to hook the consoles up to the receiver, then connect the receiver to both screens and switch the output as required?

So for example, my 360 will be connected to the receiver's component-in and displayed via HDMI output to my tv and component output to my monitor, or my PS3 can be connected to the receiver's HDMI-in, but again be displayed either via HDMI-out to my tv or comonent-out to my monitor, without the need to ever swap a lead?

[Brats]

In theory yes, but on some receivers you need to change the output and the command to do so is buried in some sub-menu somewhere. Be sure to check.

What's happening about the sound? Will everything be played through the receiver and the same speakers? Will be a bit wierd if the stereo speakers are either side of your TV screen. Some receivers have the ability for a second set of speakers. Might be worth looking into (although someone wouldn't be able to listen to the TV at the same time).

Finally, check first what the receiver is like at converting the signal. You'll be having some component signals converted to digital and some digital signals converted to component. Check what the receiver is like at the conversion because some are better than others. Some give you a slightly muddy picture and some introduce a bit of lag.

[ZipZap]

Thanks, I hadn't thought about lag, I'll have to try and do some reaearch on that.

Sound is ok, I'm just running a lead from the headphone socket of my amp to the line-in on my PC, so it comes through my PC speakers. Obviously it requires my PC to be on whilst I'm playing, but it's left on virtually all the time anyway