Hi, I am new to the board and I'm looking for a little help. I am trying to set-up my Sony TV to a Sony receiver to get Surround sound and I can't get any sound from it. I have some knowledge in Stereo but, I am not 100% current on surround sound systems. Here is the story. We bought a Sony Wega 32" flat screen TV (no plasma or anything like that) to replace our old and tired Sony from the late 80s. The TV is great and I had it set up with a DVD/VCR Combo player and were able to use both the player and TV with no problems. Here is what the set-up was before I tried to add the receiver. The TV was hooked up to an indoor VHF/UHF antenna (we do not have cable or satellite). The hook-up was simple. I had the antenna coaxial cable going into the DVD player's "Coaxial In" and then, I had a coaxial comming from the player "out" jack going into my TV's "Coaxial in". Everything was peachy even though the TV reception was not great (I am in the process of getting an outdoors TV antenna). What I have right now is a Sony STR-DE885 receiver that I am trying to set up to the same TV and DVD/VHS combo player. I connected 2 front speakers and 2 surround speakers plus I have a powered subwoofer attached to the side surround speakers. So far, the speakers are wired to the receiver. If I turn the FM on, I can only hear the front speakers (Don't know why the side ones don't work but, maybe due to the fact that regular FM is only 2 channel Stereo? or maybe because I have not set-up the surround settings yet). I am pretty sure all the speaker connections are good including the propper polarity. Now, the problem with the TV is as follows. I get no sound at all from it. I have gone ahead and connected a right and left channel RCA cables to the back area of the TV set where it says "Audio Out". I ran the cables to the back of the receiver where it marked "TV/SAT" and connected them with the right polarity as the downloaded pdf manual said to do. I also went in my TVs settings and turned off the speaker sound and selected "Audio fixed" for the Audio Out choice. I cleared the Receiver's settings and trying a number of things with no success. I selected the TV/SAT setting form the Function control and turned up the volume and no sound is comming out. I don't know why it is not working. It should. Should I go back to the old coaxial set-up with the DVD player and run it through the receiver that way? Or, do you have any other suggestions or things to try? I do not have digital cables. Only the RCA and coaxials. It should work this way, right? Would the digital cables make a difference? Also, can the receiver handle the powered sub-woofer or , should I disconnect it from the side speakers and hook it up by itself (the sub, is AC powered and I have it connected to the surround speaker outlets in the receiver and, then the side speakers to it)? Please, help me with this since I have been trying to work this out for the past day and 1/2 and I am going mental with it. Thanks, Larry
Sounds like you have it set up right. The settings in the tv are correct as well. The only thing i can think of is a setting in the Sony Receiver.
There is a button called INPUT mode. As you press this it sets a priority of digital or analog signals. Try setting it to Analog 2CH Fixed.
As far as the two speakers only working in FM, you have to play with the sound fields. Try stereo movie should activate the back speakers.
The sub should be powered by its own outlet. From what i understand you are taking speaker wire from the surround outs to the inputs of the sub then to the surround speakers. If you are going to hook up your sub this way it should be tied into the front speakers. The best way is to use a subwoofer cable from the sub out on the receiver to the input of the sub and not even use speaker wire to the sub.
Using a digtial optical cable will deliver a digital sound from your dvd player only. You would still need to use rca cable from your tv to the receiver, but without a center channal speaker the hook up you have is just fine.
Hi, thanks for the response! I do see that button and the receiver does have that option. I will try that. One question about TV sound. I guess I can't expect surround sound from regular TV since I don't have direct TV or cable or Satellite, right? So, when I get the TV working, I presume I can get Surround sound with the DVD player or my kid's XBOX 360 when the receiver is set for the right component? I see that one connection from the receiver for the sub. I guess it is an RCA cable. I will re-arrange the cables so the sub goes to the front. Let me say again, this sub is self-powered so, it is pluged into and electrical outlet. Is this OK to use? I do have a Smaller, regular Bose sub that I could use if that is better. One more thing. Will I miss a lot if I don't hook up a front speaker., like dialogs? I could use a small bookshelf speaker for that but, there it would be behind the TV set since my front set up spabe is tight because I have a wood burning stove to out front-right and the front speakers are a little close to each other. Thanks again! Larry
Hi Jay_I. Thank you so much for the advice. I have the whole thing set-up and it sounds great! I am so glad. This is a great Forum and I appreciate all the help! Larry