Halp! Home theater newb w/questions (1 Viewer)

[Justin Davis]

OK, so I'm by no means an expert with Home Theater setups, and I need a recommendation.

Around thanksgiving, I bought this thing: http://store.vizio.com/s4251wb4.html

The satellite speakers are wireless and hook up to the subwoofer, which uses bluetooth to connect with the main soundbar. For digital inputs, its got a RCA (Coaxial) and Optical (Toslink). Those are the only ones that can get surround sound into it.

The HDTV has a few HDMI inputs. Connected to the HDMI inputs is a cable box and a PS3.

For audio output the TV has an Optical passthrough, which is currently connected to the soundbar. This is less than ideal.

The cable box works alright. I get surround sound out of it. The PS3 is the problem. It has an HDMI output and a separate optical output, which I can't use without knocking out the TV passthrough, thus meaning I have to swap the cable every time I switch between the TV and the PS3. This is not acceptable to me.

The obvious solution is to get a reciever. But I can't find an affordable (i.e. under $500) one that has an output I can use on the soundbar.

HALP!

 

[schan1269]

You don't use powered soundbars with receivers. Never have, never will.Replace the soundbar you bought with something else with better, for you, functionality.

 

[Justin Davis]

You don't use powered soundbars with receivers. Never have, never will.Replace the soundbar you bought with something else with better, for you, functionality.

Well...drat.

Are there any other workaround ideas you can recommend? I was thinking a toslink switcher w/universal remote, but...I dunno. The reason I was thinking receiver is that I may get more things in the future to hook up via HDMI. Is there any other kind of passthrough box I can go for, maybe without all the cool stuff a receiver comes with but just passes through a signal?

Alternative question: I went with the soundbar for space issues. I don't have much room for seperate front-end speakers without cluttering up everything. The rear ones can be tucked away nicely, but front ones won't really work in my tiny, tiny space. What speaker setup can you reccomend that is, again under $300. I can sell the soundbar if necessary to recoup some of my losses, but would like very much to spend less than $800 on everything.

FURTHER INFORMATION: I believe my TV's passthrough is downgrading the audio quality as well. I'm not sure if its downgrading it to PCM 2-channel and/or the sound bar is artificially creating an effect. Trying to use the PS3 with just HDMI audio passthrough to the soundbar only plays left and right channels, the center, rear, and sub don't output anything. It's not downgrading the signal, its just not sending one. At all.

 

[schan1269]

$800?

Don't even need to spend half that.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR414/Onkyo-TX-NR414-5.1-Home-Theater-3-D-Ready-Network-A/V-Receiver/1.html
and
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-SP1800BL-5-1-Channel-Theater-Speaker/dp/B001AVRD62/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495397&sr=1-1&keywords=yamaha+5.1
or
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-P40BL-Speaker-Package-Black/dp/B00CN45XHG/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495432&sr=1-6&keywords=yamaha+5.1

Even better
http://www.amazon.com/KEF-KHT1005-2GB-Subwoofer-Satellite-System/dp/B0015Z2UC0/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495512&sr=1-7&keywords=kef+kht (white or black)

 

[Justin Davis]

$800?

Don't even need to spend half that.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR414/Onkyo-TX-NR414-5.1-Home-Theater-3-D-Ready-Network-A/V-Receiver/1.html
and
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-SP1800BL-5-1-Channel-Theater-Speaker/dp/B001AVRD62/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495397&sr=1-1&keywords=yamaha+5.1
or
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-P40BL-Speaker-Package-Black/dp/B00CN45XHG/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495432&sr=1-6&keywords=yamaha+5.1

Even better
http://www.amazon.com/KEF-KHT1005-2GB-Subwoofer-Satellite-System/dp/B0015Z2UC0/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389495512&sr=1-7&keywords=kef+kht (white or black)

Wow, I really like the Onkyo option. Thank you.
I must say though. I am saddened because I really really like the soundbar's quality and layout (it all just sort of fit together), though selling it shouldn't be a problem. One of the things I liked was that the rear sattelites and subwoofer were wireless. Believe me, I know how silly this sounds, but is there anything I can do for wireless speakers like that? If any of the ones you listed are wireless, it was not made immediately clear by their pages.

If not, then oh well, but that's one of the reasons I picked that sound bar in the first place.

 

[schan1269]

Nope, this uses wires.Once you have it, and see how much better it is, you won't care. Especially if you splurge on the KEF.

 

[Jason Charlton]

FURTHER INFORMATION: I believe my TV's passthrough is downgrading the audio quality as well. I'm not sure if its downgrading it to PCM 2-channel and/or the sound bar is artificially creating an effect. Trying to use the PS3 with just HDMI audio passthrough to the soundbar only plays left and right channels, the center, rear, and sub don't output anything. It's not downgrading the signal, its just not sending one. At all.

All TVs do this. Anything input from an external source (i.e. NOT using the TVs built-in tuner) will be downmixed to 2.0 stereo. Even if that signal is output via the TVs "digital" output, it is simple stereo. TVs are not designed to be the hub of a system that consists of multiple sources.

 

[Justin Davis]

Nope, this uses wires.Once you have it, and see how much better it is, you won't care.Especially if you splurge on the KEF.

Got any suggestions in the price range betwen the Yamaha and the KEF? Like 250 to 350 range? Or is there diminishing returns between them?

 

[Al.Anderson]

If I were doing this I would be following the advice you've gotten to far. But if you're jut trying to make use of the soundbar, you could get a Toslink 2->1 switch, then plug the PS3 into that.

http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-Digital-Selector-Compatible/dp/B000812QC6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389535061&sr=1-2&keywords=toslink+switch

 

[schan1269]

Click on the link, you might find what you need there. http://kzaudiovideo.com/how-to-find-the-best-hdtv-for-your-home-theater/

My mind hurts deciphering that.

 

[Justin Davis]

If I were doing this I would be following the advice you've gotten to far. But if you're jut trying to make use of the soundbar, you could get a Toslink 2->1 switch, then plug the PS3 into that.http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-Digital-Selector-Compatible/dp/B000812QC6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1389535061&sr=1-2&keywords=toslink+switch

Well, that would work, but the more I think about it, the more I want to go with a receiver setup. Thanks for the advice though.

My mind hurts deciphering that.

WAT

 

[schan1269]

"WAT"

They(somebody...wasn't me) deleted the guys post.

Anyway, that guy has a "blog/website" where he is shilling his "services"...which don't include any actual insights, knowledge...or ability to create a sentence that makes sense.

 

[Justin Davis]

"WAT"

They(somebody...wasn't me) deleted the guys post.

Anyway, that guy has a "blog/website" where he is shilling his "services"...which don't include any actual insights, knowledge...or ability to create a sentence that makes sense.

Alright, yeah it sounded like a load of bull.

Anyway, I decided to shell out for the Onkyo 626, because the wifi/streaming stuff actually looks pretty cool.

Haven't decided what speakers to go for...must research further. I can't thank you enough for your help so far.

 

[schan1269]

Onkyo, of late, is getting hammered for their "lackluster support"*...

Ergo, sell the most, have the most problems...(Sorta the feeling and pains Toyota is going through now...)

I would advise an extra bit of warranty if buying refurb. If new...you get two years anyway. If not, you get 1. I would suggest "protecting it" for a max of three** years(by then, it would be almost a blessing it died...so you could buy another new one...)

*I'm a lifelong Onkyo/Integra buyer...although I don't buy new.

**3-5 years is the typical cycle of when to look for an excuse for a newer AVR anyway. New features crop up all the time.

 

[Justin Davis]

Well, everything is bought and set up now, it sounds wonderful I went for the cheaper Yamahas due to budget constraints, but it sounds way better than the soundbar ever did.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Thanks