Help with my HDTV & HTIB setup!
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New member Username: WvmaniacCharleston, West Virginia United States Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | I recently started my Home Theater Setup. I have a 50" Panasonic Plasma 720p TH-50PX80U, a Sony Blu ray player, a Toshiba HD-DVD player, a Suddenlink DVR cable box, and a RCA RDT-260 1000-watt HTIB. Everything is connected to the TV through HDMI except the HTIB. My question is can I just run an optical audio output from the TV to the HTIB to get 5.1 surround for everything, or would I theoretically have to connect each components audio directly to the HTIB to acheive this (eventhough I only have one digital audio in on the HTIB)? Thanks in advance! |
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Silver Member Username: JrbayLivonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA Post Number: 472 Registered: Feb-08 | Your idea seems to be the best given the components you have. Give it a try, it will certainly sound way better than the TV speakers! |
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Silver Member Username: CclashhPost Number: 374 Registered: Jan-08 | The thing you would want to confirm is that the receiver is decoding Dolby 5.1 or DTS 5.1 from the TV when it should be by observing what is indicted on the receiver. The receiver should say that it is or is not. You may have to scroll the listening modes to know for sure. If you are then problem solved. Otherwise If going through the TV is not delivering the right signal to the receiver and you are not getting Dolby Digital 5.1 or Digital DTS 5.1 when you should then you should go directly from the components to the receiver using optical if it is important to you that you are getting true discrete audio. Because you only have one optical input you would have to use an optical switch with enough connections to accomodate your gear. If true surround sound is not an issue for you then you could just continue to use the connection from the TV... see below for an example of such a switch. http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2946&seq=1&format=2 |
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New member Username: WvmaniacCharleston, West Virginia United States Post Number: 2 Registered: Oct-08 | Thanx for the advice! However, I did run into another problem, I just realized that my HDTV only has one optical output (no coaxil) while the receiver has only a coaxil input (no optical)! Wish I would have realized this before I bought this cheap receiver. What I have done is run RCA audio cables from the TV to the receiver and then run the coaxil from the Blu ray to the receiver since that is what I use to watch most of my movies. It sounds like I am getting some form of 5.1 surround from the TV eventhough I am using RCA cables- Is that possible? I thought that RCA cables were stereo only. I did notice a big difference in the quality of the surround coming from the Blu ray which is connected directly to the receiver via coaxil (which sounds awesome now that I have it on the right listening mode- thanks Jeff)and my other devices that are connected to the TV via HDMI and then the receiver via RCA cables. I guess I just want to make sure I have it set up the best way possible with the limited hardware (cheap RCA receiver) that I have. Here is the back of my receiver |
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Silver Member Username: JrbayLivonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA Post Number: 476 Registered: Feb-08 | The RCA audio cables are providing a 5.1 analog signal while the coax is 5.1 digital. I would say, for this particular receiver that you are all set. Sit back and enjoy!!!! Without meaning to sound critical, if there is any chance that you can swap your RCA HTiB for a Panasonic one I think you would find it more compatible with your TV but if not, as stated ENJOY!! |
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New member Username: AbillmannMadison, WI United States Post Number: 5 Registered: Jul-06 | Hi William, I admire your tenacity in making this work! I had a similar setup once. Problem was, my girlfriend couldn't figure it out, and often had mismatched audio and video sources. Take my advice: If anyone other than you is going to be using the system, get an HDMI-switching receiver. Not only will you be 100% digital, but your life will be GREATLY simplified. |
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Silver Member Username: MccambleyBREEZY POINT, NY USA Post Number: 537 Registered: Jun-05 | Someone tell me if I am wrong but the optical out put on the TV is "only" for the built in HD tuner in the TV and will not act as a switching station for any sound or device that you connect to the TV via HDMI. Using the Coaxial input on the receiver for the blu-ray is the best possible way to get Dolby Digital or DTS surround sound. Using the red and white analog RCA inputs will give you surround sound but only Pro Logic. Since you only have the one coaxial input you could manually switch it from blu-ray to HD-DVD and the cable box depending on the source you are using at any given time. I would put the cable box in the RCA and live with Pro Logic for TV and use the coaxial for the blu-ray and manually switch it for the occasional HD-DVD. |
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New member Username: WvmaniacCharleston, West Virginia United States Post Number: 3 Registered: Oct-08 | Wow! Thanks for all the great advice. I think that I will keep my setup the way it is for now, unless I can find an automatic switcher for the coaxail. I guess I'm just lazy and don't want to have to get up off my lazy butt just to switch from one source to another. I found an HDMI switcher for my 4 devices that automatically switches between them before they go to the TV, so I'm hoping to find the same for the coaxail before they reach the receiver. This stuff gets addicting! I originally set out for just a simple home theater, but I can now see myself spending much time & money on this. So here is the next question, what receiver would you guys reccomend for a newbie like me? Mabye something that would "play well" with my Harmony One remote and the other devices in my previous post. Again, thanx for all the great advice. Looks like I have a lot to learn & a lot of homework to do. |
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Silver Member Username: CclashhPost Number: 375 Registered: Jan-08 | I wanted to offer a more in depth explanation of what happens when you connect stereo cables to a surround sound system. As Casey indicated this is reffered to as Dolby Pro-logic. What happens is that the receiver takes the normally stereo signal and converts it as well as it can to 5.1 surround sound so you would hear sound coming from all 5 speakers and the subwoofer. The best way to describe why this is a disadvantage is to explain what true surround sound, dolby 5.1 or dts 5.1 is. True surround is delivered to the receiver as a digital signal (optical or coax) that can be decoded into the 5 channels and subwoofer meaning that each speaker or channel is receiving its own unique sound or specific content. What this does is provide the most effective means of replicating the sound as it woud exist in reality. As you probably already know stereo can only provide unique sound to 2 channels or speakers. This limitation has to be compensated for by your receivers processor and in that process a significant amount of sound quality is lost in comparison to true surround sound. If you are happy with the results you are getting I would not worry about this too much otherwise your only alternative is as you say to purchase a receiver that will do what you want. The question is then what do you want it to do? Do you want 5.1 surround or 7.1 (7 speakers and one sub) surround and you do have a choice. Would it be feesible to setup a 7.1 system in your room. Do you want HDMI switching so that you can run everything thru the receiver and only use one output from the reciever to only one input on the TV. With HDMI switching you would change the input on the receiver and not the TV. What model blu-ray player do you have? I am asking because if you want high def audio (an even more profound form of surround sound) from the blu ray it has to be capable of streaming or decoding high def audio. Obviously there are many factors that will come in to play when choosing a better receiver. Ideally what would you want the receiver to do. If you can answer that question then we can make recommendations for what receiver would suit your needs. I would probably end up suggesting an Onkyo TX-SR606 for an entry level user such as yourself. see below link. It is a 7.1 capable system but can be used as 5.1. http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR606&class=Receiver&p=i |
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New member Username: WvmaniacCharleston, West Virginia United States Post Number: 4 Registered: Oct-08 | Oh crap! Looks like I might be getting in over my head. Ok, I have a sony bdp s301. I would like the receiver to be able to switch my 4 HDMI components for me. I'm not really sure if I need to go with a 7.1 surround. I'm not sure that my audiophillic capabilities to tell that much of a difference between the two have progressed to that point yet! I have an above average size viewing room in my basement and sit 11 feet away from my TV. When I purchase a new receiver, should I think about getting new/different speakers, or will the ones that came with my HTiB suffice? |
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New member Username: AbillmannMadison, WI United States Post Number: 6 Registered: Jul-06 | I completely concur with the Onkyo recommendation. This will allow you to settle on HDMI as the cabling standard -- period. The nice thing about the Onkyos is that they generally have direct source selection -- you don't have to scroll a wheel or scroll through menus to get the source you want. If you want to watch a DVD, you hit the front panel (or remote) button that says, "DVD." Simple as that. |
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Silver Member Username: CclashhPost Number: 377 Registered: Jan-08 | What is your budget? Yeah I would go for new speakers but its really up to you. Both of the below will do 4 HDMI inputs -the number you need... This link is for an Onkyo HTiB that comes with speakers and an Onkyo TX-SR606: -Its $649.00 for everything http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sb=ps&sq=desc&gclid=CODBicyt0pYC FQVxFQod3nso2g&Q=&O=&pn=1&ci=0&A=search&shs=Onkyo%20Ht-S7100 This link is for one an HTiB little lower in features for $549.00 for everything: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sb=ps&sq=desc&gclid=CJn5-9Ss0pYC FQOeFQodU3F-3Q&Q=&O=&pn=1&ci=0&A=search&shs=Onkyo%20Ht-S6100 I would go with the $649.00 one. If you were to just buy the TX-SR606 receiver and use the speakers you have then you would pay $349.00 or less. |
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New member Username: WvmaniacCharleston, West Virginia United States Post Number: 5 Registered: Oct-08 | Ok, I guess I have all the info that I need! I think I should go for the 649.00 it looks like everything I need. I should have came here first to get all of the info I needed- now I have to go return the RCA receiver. Thanks again for all of your help guys, I'm sure that ill be back next week when I get the Onkyo! Mabye someday I will have learned enough about audio/video to come back here and help someone like I have been helped. |
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Silver Member Username: CclashhPost Number: 378 Registered: Jan-08 | Here is the link to the Onkyo site for the $649.00 one. http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=HT-S7100&class=Systems&p=i |
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