Wiring my surround sound (1 Viewer)

I've been reading a lot lately about coaxial and optical cables to hook things up to your receiver but i don't see what they're for. I don't believe i have any of those cables hooked up and mine works just fine.I have a red and a black wire that plug into the back of my tv in the line out area and then i plug them into the aux section in the back of my stereo and it works fine. Am i not getting the best quality i can with this wire?

Well there's a lot to go into concerning this....

For starters if your receiver has coaxial/optical connections and the source (tv set top box, dvd, etc) has the same connection then yes this would be better quality than a red and black (or whatever color) analog audio cable connection.

Coax and optical is digital unlike the connection you're using which is analog and also will give you 5.1 channels of audio instead of 2 channels depending on what you're listening to (most dvd's are dolby digital or dts 5.1)

While it may be true that you are using all your speakers when using your current connection what you are hearing is not surround sound. if you're using pro logic, the center and rear speakers are getting their sound from your fronts.

I'm sure you can find a lot of useful information about the difference between pro logic surround and discrete 5.1 surround by searching the forum.


Hope this helps for now !!

If all you have is a stereo receiver, then you're getting the best connection you can, but it's not surround sound. But if it's an A/V receiver, you're not even close to 5.1 surround. Going into an Aux. input, probably isn't even giving you Pro Logic (I don't remember seeing an input on an A/V receiver labeled "Aux"). You're hearing the same thing from each speaker, probably. Speakers being around you, isn't surround sound. From your wording, I suspect you just have a stereo receiver..........

With surround sound, you'll hear a car or airplane coming up behind you, and hear it pass you, flying off in front of you. In "Saving Private Ryan", you'll hear bullets whiz by your head, and hit stuff behind you. In "Dragonheart", you'll hear the dragon fly from one speaker to the next, all the way around the room!

If you want the true surround experience, you need a Dolby Digital A/V receiver. Not a stereo receiver. If you feel you have surround sound with what you have, don't worry about it. Just keep enjoying your setup!

BTW.........
Digital coax, optical, and HDMI (with higher end equipment) cables, are the ONLY way to get 5.1/6.1 surround sound, unless you have and use the 5.1 analog outputs and inputs, of some equipment.

thanks guys this helps a lot. Whats the price on a receiver like that?

The price range is huge.

Check out cnet for reviews etc.

Alrite sounds good. And one last question before i go out and buy one of these, if a game says Dolby Pro Logic II on the back does that mean its surround sound compatible?

When you see Pro Logic, it's simulated surround. Not 5.1 surround, but can sound good too.

You can get a Dolby Digital receiver for around $250, but they don't have a lot of digital inputs, or as many features, as a more expensive one has. I'd figure $300 - $400 for a pretty good entry level A/V receiver.
Good luck!

Do a search for names like Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Rotel, Pioneer Elite, etc.

The last place I would go would be CNet. Not a lot of objective reviews.

I suggest audioholics, sound and vision, secrets of home theater, etc.