Basic Connection - Newbie - Please HELP!!!

Ok, this is driving me crazy!! I am a total newbie to home theatres. Here's my story. I just bought a new Samsung HT - Z320 entry level HT 5.1 system. I have connected it to my Dynex 32" HDTV which has 3 hdmi outputs. I also have a HDMI receiver from cox. Now here's the tricky part. When I switch on my TV i get audio through the 5.1 speakers. But everytime I want to watch a DVD movie I have to unplug the a/v cables from the cox receiver and plug them into the TV a/v inputs. What am I missing here? Is there a way to not disconnect the wires and reconnect them everytime? I also, have a Toslink wire, but I don't know what to do with it?

Please help!

Re: Basic Connection - Newbie - Please HELP!!!

The HDMI on the TV are *inputs* not *outputs*. Cable box output goes into one. DVD/receiver output goes into another. It's possible that HDMI to the TV might interfere with getting 5.1 surround from the cable box, in that case use component video (green/blue/red RCA for Y/Pb/Pr) between the cable box & TV instead.

You should connect the Toslink from the cable box to the home theater.

To switch audio between DVD and the cable box should just be a matter of input cycling on the home theater receiver using its remote. Just pick "DVD" for the DVD, "aux" until it says "D-in" for the optical.

It's unclear how you are getting audio now, do you have RCA analog red/white cables connected between the TV & DVD/receiver or between the cable box & DVD/receiver? These are unnecessary after you hook up the Toslink.

Re: Basic Connection - Newbie - Please HELP!!!

Here's what my connections look like right now:

HDMI ---> From Cable Box "to" TV

RCA Cable ----> From Cable Box A/v out "to" DVD Receiver A/v out

Component Cable ---> From Cable box "to" DVD Component out.

The toslink does not seem to be connecting into the DVD receiver. It's too loose for some reason, but it connects good with my cable box.

Re: Basic Connection - Newbie - Please HELP!!!

A general rule is always connect "outputs" to "inputs". You have some "outs" to "outs" which is a bad sign, unless you misread the labels and are connecting to an "in".

You should also connect HDMI from the DVD -> TV

I don't think your DVD has an "A/V out". It has an "Aux in", which is below the "video out" yellow jack, which might have confused you. If it is plugged in to the "Aux in", this connection is OK.

This is definitely bad, this is an out->out situation. You should connect the cable box component out to component input on the TV. This is optional if you have HDMI, however if HDMI interferes with getting 5.1 from the box, you'd want to use this & disconnect the HDMI.

The DVD component out doesn't have to be connected to anything, as long as you are using HDMI from DVD->TV. If you don't have an HDMI for this, then again, you can use this but connect to the TV.


Did it "click" when you pushed it in? Make sure it's rotationally oriented correctly. It doesn't matter if it's a little loose, optical connections often are. Since it's not an electrical interface the outer surface contact doesn't matter so much. As long as you get sound (hit "aux" and select "D-in"), you are fine.

Re: Basic Connection - Newbie - Please HELP!!!

HDMI ---> From Cable Box "to" TV

This carries audio and video from the cable to the TV. So far, so good.

RCA Cable ----> From Cable Box A/v out "to" DVD Receiver A/v out

If you're describing this accurately, the connection isn't doing anything. You have an output connected to an output. In order for a signal to actually go anywhere, you have to run a cable from the output on the source device to the corresponding input on the destination device.

But even if you properly connect the red & white RCA cables from an output on the cable box to the input on the receiver, you'll only be getting analog sound, not discrete 5.1 channel digital sound.

The only way you can get digital sound from the cable box (or anything else) to your Samsung is with an optical cable. (AKA "Toslink")

The toslink does not seem to be connecting into the DVD receiver. It's too loose for some reason, but it connects good with my cable box.

I can't understand why the cable doesn't fit at the Samsung end. You should try another cable, because the connectors at both ends should be identical and a cable that fits in one optical connector should fit in any other. Just make sure it is oriented properly.

Component Cable ---> From Cable box "to" DVD Component out.

Again, you have an output connected to another output, which does nothing. Your "Home Theater in a Box" player has no video inputs, so you cannot use it as an a/v switch. You have run into the main problem with HTiBs, especially entry-level ones: A lack of connection options, expansion capabliity and (I've noticed in looking at the manual) proprietary speaker connections. This means you can't use your current speakers with a new receiver if you decided to upgrage, nor could you replace the speakers with better ones.

Frankly I would recommend that you return the Samsung and replace it with a stand-alone DVD player and an HTiB bulit around an a/v receiver. If you can give us an idea of the your budget, I'm sure we can some up with some reasonable solutions that you will be much happier with. Odds are they won't have wireless rear speakers at a comparable price, but that is a vastly overrated feature. There are wire-concealing options that will work for most users as well as wireless systems. And all things being equal, the components of the system will be of a higher quality.

Regards,

Joe