How to wire (1 Viewer)

[cooleydd]

I just purchased a Sony DVD 5.1 Home Theater system. I need to hook it up to my present system. HOW?

 

Present system:

Vizio 47" LCD TV, 4 HDMI

Panasonic BlueRay, HDMI, Optical
on Dish Network

 

The Sony system DVD has connections for the 5 speaker audio, Optical, HDMI

 

Of course they all have there share of RCA type jacks.

 

How do I integrate all of this together so I get 5.1 whatever I play (where it is transmitted). What do I need for wiring and any splitters, etc. What is the optimum hookup so I have the least problem of changing from one to the other. I am 80 years old so I need things easy!!!

 

Let me know if you need other information.

 

[Jason Charlton]

HI Don, welcome to the forum!

 

To get you a definitive answer, we'll need to know the exact model number of the Sony system you got so we can look up details about it online.

 

Until then, I can tell you that if the Sony DVD system is like many other entry-level Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) systems out there, the chances are very good that it won't have the inputs available to provide surround sound for your extra sources.

 

This is a very common disadvantage to most all-in-one systems: they lack expandability. They are sufficient if your needs are modest and your system consists of nothing but the single system, but as soon as you want to connect more devices to it, you find you're out of luck.

 

Of course, this is all conjecture until we know exactly which system you have.

 

Let us know and we'll see what options (if any) you have!

 

Jason

 

[MalteseChicken]

I agree with Jason's observation about lack of expandability -
On the other hand, your TV could be the hub of everything since you have 4 HDMI inputs on it.
Does you dish network have an HDMI? If no, you're receiver may lack all of the necessary connections (as Jason said, we will need to know the exact model of receiver to determine.

If the Dish Network does have an HDMI out you're in luck!

Plug your Blu-ray into an HDMI

Plug you dish network into an HDMI

Plug your DVD player into an HDMI

- for all three devices, be sure that you HDMI audio is on (it should be the default)

Then plug the TV's optical out into the optical in on the DVD player.
 

I currently have a Wii, DVD player, and a VHS player connected to my TV, and my TV is connected to my receiver with one optical cable. I simply select the source, and all of the sound flows through the TV into my receiver. Very simple to operate once it is set-up.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Ryan,

 

The only problem with that approach is that 99% of TVs out there will downconvert any audio from external sources (even HDMI sources) to analog stereo before being output via the optical connection. Any digital surround sound information will be lost, and the best that's possible will be Dolby ProLogic simulated surround sound.

 

The "digital" optical out is really only intended to output true digital surround audio for material picked up via the TVs own internal tuner.

 

In your case, the Wii and VHS aren't capable of digital surround sound, anyway, so you aren't missing out on much, but have you been able to verify for certain that you're getting true Dolby 5.1 from your DVD player hooked up this way? If so, please let us know the make and model of your TV. All of us around here have heard that there are *some* sets out there that will pass through digital audio, but no one has really been able to concretely identify any specific models.

 

[MalteseChicken]

Interesting. My TV is Cheap. It is a Dynex 37" from Future shop. It was last year's model of this one http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/dynex-dynex-37-1080p-lcd-hdtv-dx-37l150a11-dx-37l150a11/10138703.aspx?path=4ab76e9c629b3e74e722e79c86f32d44en02 (I think my TV's model number ends with a 10 not 11) all of the connection options are the same, and from what I remember, the specs look the same too.

 

I have used the HDMI out on my laptop, and I set the HDMI audio to a digital bit stream. The HDMI was connected directly to my TV and the TV is connected to my receiver through optical. (Yamaha receiver with no HDMI connectivity) The receiver detected a 5.1 signal.
 

My DVD player does not have HDMI out, just component video and optical (which goes straight to my receiver).
 

I assumed that if this cheap TV could do it, all TVs would. Interestingly enough, there is one part of my owners manual that said the TV cannot decode a digital multi-channel bitstream. At first I was disappointed thinking that I would only get over the air broadcasts in stereo, but I was pleasantly surprised when my receiver detected multichannel from the optical. So I think the key is, since the TV can't decode it, it simply sends it through raw, and my receiver does all of the decoding work. And the optical also handles all of my analog sources through the optical as well.
 

So you're saying that my cheap Dynex is an anomaly with this? Perhaps his Vizio, also being a cheap brand will lack built in decoders and simply pass an unprocessed 5.1 signal through.

 

[MalteseChicken]

Oh and to answer your question - The way that I verify for certain that I am getting 5.1 is my receiver has channel icons on the front indicating what channels of information it has detected. These boxes will indicate channels of information regardless of my sound out-put (ie - I've had my receiver on straight stereo and the icons for 5.1 was still lit up, and likewise, I had my receiver set to neo-6 channel surround when only 2 channels of audio were in and the icons only showed 2 channel, but the speakers put out 6). The sole purpose of the icons is to show me how many channels of information have been detected so I can select a sound setting accordingly.
 

So yes, I do know for certain that my TV has passed a 5.1 signal from the HDMI out the optical.

 

[safesinger]

@MalteseChicken

Alot of Surround Systems show the icons on the front in the led display.

I can have all my speakers enabled on the Wii but it's not true Dolby Digital it's simulated Dolby.

Now if I play a DVD for instance that has DTS sound my reciever will tell me I am using DTS this indicates that I am using true digital surround sound.

Or if I Watch TV in HD the stereo will show me 3/2.1 Dolby Digital. If i'm watching a standard definition show it will not light up dolby but I can select Dolby Pro logic or Neo6 and get simulated surround.

Neo6 is DTS simulated surround sound.

 

 

Maybe I am misunderstanding .

As far as I know every Surround Reciver will indicate if Dolby Digital or DTS is being used this is the only way to verify if your getting true digital surround sound..

 

[Jason Charlton]

Wow, Ryan, I wonder if it's a Canadian thing...

 

It certainly seems like you are in fact getting the digital surround audio via optical out of the TV! Very intriguing (and count yourself lucky that it works for you!). I'll have to remember this model TV the next time this topic comes up... (which should be in about 26 minutes).

 

Part of me isn't surprised that a cheap set would have an "oddball" feature like that... years ago I got a small 15" tube set for the bedroom and was amazed that it had component inputs (unheard of on small sets like that at the time), and not only did it have a 16:9 mode, but there was a direct access button to switch aspect ratios on the remote (plus direct access buttons for each input). I was shocked at the robust feature set of the cheapo TV.

 

Back to the OP, Don - by all means you can try hooking your gear up this way, but don't hold your breath that it will work for you like it does for Ryan.

 

Cheers!

 

[MalteseChicken]

 

Originally Posted by safesinger

@MalteseChicken

Alot of Surround Systems show the icons on the front in the led display.

I can have all my speakers enabled on the Wii but it's not true Dolby Digital it's simulated Dolby.

Now if I play a DVD for instance that has DTS sound my reciever will tell me I am using DTS this indicates that I am using true digital surround sound.

Or if I Watch TV in HD the stereo will show me 3/2.1 Dolby Digital. If i'm watching a standard definition show it will not light up dolby but I can select Dolby Pro logic or Neo6 and get simulated surround.

Neo6 is DTS simulated surround sound.

 

 

Maybe I am misunderstanding .

As far as I know every Surround Reciver will indicate if Dolby Digital or DTS is being used this is the only way to verify if your getting true digital surround sound..

I believe that you are misunderstanding the icons.

My receiver (Yamaha HTR-5950) also has a bunch of other surround icons (Dolby EX, PLIIx, PLII, PL, Digital, Neural, dts 96/24 etc), these continually change based on the surround option I select.

The channel icons I was mentioning are completely different and are on the opposite side of the display. My manual describes the channel icons as such:

"Indicate the channel components of the current digital input signal" - they are only for the input signal. There are 7 individual icons: [LFE] [L][C][R] [SL][SB][SR] - I have rarely seen the [SB] turn on - only on the original remastered Star Wars trilogy.

 

As for my Wii - I have tried every surround option (I find pro-logic game mode gives the best surround) but the only icons that ever get displayed when I'm using my wii are left and right. Most sound field options produce sound for all 6.1 speakers, but my Wii only turns on the [L] [R] icons.

 

I can control which surround icons appear, but I have no control over which channel icons they are based purely on input signal.

So, I am convinced that my TV allows digital pass through on the HDMI based on my experience with my laptop.

 

The exact model TV is Dynex Dx-L37-10a (which I think was only available in Canada)

 

[safesinger]

Okay, I see that's very cool indeed that you can have your setup like that.

 

My friend has an Insignia 32" LCDTV wonder if it can be setup the same?

 

[cooleydd]

 

Thanks for the help to date. Following is URL's and images for the respective pieces.

 

DishNetwork 301

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/user-guides/receivers/301_311UserGuide.pdf



 

 

Sony HT system DAV-DZ170

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666077699

 



 

Panasonic BlueRay DMP-BD605 (no image available - see URL's

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Video/Blu-ray-Disc-Players/model.DMP-BD605K_11002_7000000000000005702

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMPBD60-MUL.PDF

 

 

Vizio TV

http://www.vizio.com/vl470m.html#support (Back and side)

 



 

 

 

[MalteseChicken]

Don,

 

Unfortunately the dish network box is not capable of true dolby digital surround, or high def tv (the "high quality connection to your TV" for S-Video and composite video is not high-def by any means).

 

My suggestion for hook-up:

TV HDMI 1 - to surround system HDMI

TV HDMI 2 - to Blu Ray HDMI

TV Composite (#3 in picture - av yellow) to - Dish composite (yellow)

 

Check page 22 in your manual to see if you can connect different sources to the TV connections. - If you can't have those jacks plugged into different sources, you can get a mini-jack to RCA converter that you can plug into the mini-jack on the front and the RCA L & R into the dish.

Dish R and L (Red and White) to surround System R and L [item 6]

Connect Optical or coaxial out of Blu Ray to surround system [Item 3 - if your blu ray has both optical and coaxial, just pick one]

 

If you can't have 2 different sources connected to item 6 and item 3 on your surround system, then your surround system does not have enough inputs to make your setup work.