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wiring issue, please help!!!

#1
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12/29/07 at 2:55am
  • Joined: December 2007
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hello everyone,

i am new to this forum and im in high hopes that someone can help me with my problem. (the cheapest way).

I have a 65" rear projection big screen tv (toshiba), i have a JVC home theater system, a motorola dvr box (cable) and a play station 2.

right now i have the cable and play station going through the normal tv speakers.

the home theater system is a 5 disk cd/dvd player which goes through the surround sound speakers.

how in the world can i get everything to go through the surround speakers at any given time? i am attaching pictures of the back view of the dvd player, cable box and tv. on the back of the theater system is only one set of inputs that i can carry to another component which would be the only thing i can have on surround sound (i think). i have the cable from the surround sound unit going to the back of the tv.

i do have a 4 button rf modulator in the garage but not sure if that can cure my problem.

i really dont care if i have the normal tv in surround sound but would love to have the PS2 going through the surround sound.

can anyone please help me?

the first attachment is a picture of the back of the tv
the second picture is the back of the cable box
and the third picture is the back of the home theater unit

if anyone has any issues seeing the pictures clearly, let me know and ill see what i can do about getting clearer ones.

thank you in advance.
525x525px-LL-vbattach694.jpg
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525x525px-LL-vbattach693.jpg
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#2
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12/29/07 at 6:54am
  • Joined: December 1969
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

The pictures really aren't big or clear enough to read, at least on my system. Suggest you post the model numbers of all your gear, that way people who own the same stuff can comment, and those who don't can look up the specs on the manufacturers' web sites. It does look like the HTiB has a single optical digital audio input, so if the PS/2 has an optical output (or you want to spring for a coax-to-optical converter) you connect the game system to the audio system that way. You can also connect the cable box to the JVC using regular stereo RCA cables. You won't get discrete 5.1 channel digital surround sound, but you'll still get matrixed analog surround, equivalent to the old Dolby ProLogic that was "state of the art" for old home systems not terribly long ago.


Regards,

Joe
My Home Theater

My DVD Collection

My niece, "Miss Goofy Face"
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#3
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12/29/07 at 8:58am
  • Joined: December 1969
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

Shawn can't post links yet, so he sent me links to the relevant components:

Cable box:

Motorola - Connected Home Solutions - Digital Video Solutions - DCH6416 Host Set-top

Toshiba TV:

Toshiba 65HX81 review & manual - Retrevo

and JVC HTiB:

DVD Digital Theater System - TH-C5

Unfortunately he didn't inlcude the model number of the Playstation 2, since that has gone through at least two iterations. But from what I can gather, both include a single TOSLINK (optical digital) audio output in addition to a conventional Red/White RCA stereo audioi output.

I'll take a look and add any comments below, and invite anyone else who can help to check out the specs and offer pointers.

Regards,

Joe
My Home Theater

My DVD Collection

My niece, "Miss Goofy Face"
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#4
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12/29/07 at 9:27am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

the PS2 model number is SPCH-39001
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#5
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12/29/07 at 9:31am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

OK, Shawn:

Having looked over the spec sheets I can say that my earlier advice was correct. Because your JVC has only one input for digital surround sound (an optical digital port) you can only have one source for full-on digital 5.1 surround sound. Since you've already expressed a preference for the PS/2 over TV material, this becomes a no-brainer. Buy an optical cable and connect the game console to the HTiB. You may or may not have to adjust settings or enable the optical connection on the PS/2, the JVC or both. Check the manuals for details. Obviously you're gettting 5.1 sound from the built-in DVD changer, and you should be getting Dolby ProLogic surround downconverted from Dolby Digital on your HD channels and pure DPL on any other channels/programs that support it.

Assume you are using at least the s-video connectors, rather than composite, and that at least one of your devices is connected to the TV using component video cables. (Although once again you'd have to choose between DVDs, HDTV and games, since the TV only has one component input and none of your other equipment has a component video pass-through.)

The lack of connections and options as your system grows is one of the disadvantages of a "home theater in a box" solution. The prices and apparent convenience can be tempting, but I usually recommend that people buy cheaper separate components when they set up a new system. That way they have some fexibility in connecting and adding to it, and they can gradually upgrade the system one component at time instead of having to basically replace the whole thing once they exceed its limits.

Hope this all helps,

Joe
My Home Theater

My DVD Collection

My niece, "Miss Goofy Face"
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#6
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12/29/07 at 9:37am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

Looks like there's a single digital in. An optical input, but my eves may be deceiving me.
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#7
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12/29/07 at 9:51am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

awesome, i will do that.

thank you joe
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#8
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12/29/07 at 9:59am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

P.S.

Don't spend a ton of money on an optical cable. It is a short fiberglass or clear plaastic cable with a bulb-shaped lens at either end. Some stores charge $40 or $50 and up for the things, but you can find them on-line for $15 or $20. (All prices vary with length. They are typically sold in 3 and 6 foot lengths.)

Blue Jeans Cable is an HTF advertiser who supplies quality cables at reasonable prices. RAM Electronics is another.

Regards,

Joe
My Home Theater

My DVD Collection

My niece, "Miss Goofy Face"
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#9
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12/29/07 at 1:43pm
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

thanks for the info.

i just got back from my local best buy and after getting the fiber optic cable, there isn't a place for this cable to plug in on the PS2. what am i supposed to do now??

reds_21
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#10
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12/29/07 at 3:01pm
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

it should be adjacent to the A/V MULTI OUT connector.
525x525px-LL-vbattach697.jpg
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#11
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12/30/07 at 7:58am
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Re: wiring issue, please help!!!

thanks jeremy erwin, you are correct!!!!
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