Setting Up New System (1 Viewer)

[Tristen]

Over the last month I got this idea to put a surround sound system in my bedroom. I have never worked with anything like this so it is all new to me. I did some research on this website to see what products I should buy or atleast stay away from. Now I have my products and I do not know how to make it all work.
I have a 26" Samsung HD Widescreen tv, Samsung DVD player, Pioneer vsx-1014, polk speakers, and sv subwoofer.

I have the dvd player connected to the tv, which works fine (the guys at circuit city told me not to run the video part through the receiver because I have the DVI hookup). Then I hooked the DVD player to the receiver with the coaxial cable. My speakers are hooked up to the correct points, that I could figure out.

SO what I am asking here is if someone could tell me if how I have it it should work. Also, if I have it incorrect, could someone please tell me the correct way to do it? Thank you.

 

[Brad E]

Sounds good to me.

Why do you ask, is there a problem your having?

 

[Tristen]

I am not getting any sound out of the speakers. I put my ear next to them to check for any sound and I could hear the fuzzy noise it makes when speakers are on but no sound.

 

[Jim Rakowiecki]

Check your reciever instruction book. Most recievers need to have the digital inputs assigned to a particular source.
You may also have to do some set-up in the DVD player menu.
Take some time to go over the manuals and check the trouble shooting guide.

 

[Tristen]

I now have sound, but only out of the right and left front speakers. The rear and center are hooked up but still just hear the fuzz. Any suggestions?

 

[Tristen]

Ok, got sound from all speakers now. Next question, is it possible to get surround sound from cable without the satellite box. I have a long range remote that works off of another box in the house, I do not have my own box. Is this possible to accomplish?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Which it is that you have – cable or satellite? We’ll be able to help once that’s clarified.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Tristen]

I have satellite.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

In that case...
Basically, no. The only way to get surround from the sat receiver is to connect it to the receiver. If it’s in another room, this means you’ll have to run the appropriate cabling (both audio and video) all the way back to the receiver.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Tristen]

Thank you for your help!

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Tristen-

Sounds like you are well on your way. A couple of things that come up for people who are new at this. Does your tv have a built in HD tuner? If so, you can get HD over the air with an antenna. A lot of HD is broadcast in 5.1, so if the tv also has a digital out, you can run a line from the tv to your receiver and get your 5.1 that way. Shows like 24, Lost and CSI do a good job using the rear surrounds and seem to be taking more advantage of it each week.

Secondly, Just getting sound from all 5 speakers may not mean you are set up correctly. Your receiver can take a stereo signal and process it to all speakers, but it is not true 5.1. Make sure that your dvd player is set to output "bitstream" for both DTS and Dolby, and also make sure that DTS and Dolby are both turned on or enabled (within the dvd menus). Then, make sure that your receiver is set to "auto detect" on the audio. It will then decode whatever signal is sent to it.

Lastly, since you don't have a satellite box in your room, have you already hooked up an audio line out of your tv to your receiver? Even if you are not getting true 5.1 (through an over the air HD broadcast), the stereo signal from the satellite cable can be output from your tv to your receiver. The ordinary red/white audio cables will do this if the tv does not have a digital audio out. Your receiver can then use Dolby Pro Logic or DTS Neo to "create" a surround environment. It's not true 5.1, but it's still pretty dang good and almost always better than stereo.

 

[Dennis_N]

I figured instead of starting a new thread, I would just jump on this one. As for setting up the outputs from the DVD player, it is better to run the S-video through the receiver (denon 1803) or go right past it into the tv? Should I also be using the digital coax output or use the optical output for the best sound? I have no option other than the S-video to my TV (Older 27" sony Wega with no component inputs), should I try to hook that up some other way? Any input on my ramblings would be helpful!!

Thanks in advance.
Dennis

 

[John S]

Svideo switching is pretty safe. So you may as well use it.

On the audio side. Digital is digital, one should not be better than the other. But some people do report one being better than the other, I can only assume it is because of some inheirent quirk in one of the components being connected.

I use optical, I just love that little red beam of light.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Only if you have all your video sources being SVideo.

Your reciever acts like a switch and for ease-of-use you want to hit 1 button and have audio & video switch together.

If you have a mix of the old composite video (from a VCR), your SVideo feed from a DVD player, and component from a HD cable box or Sat reciever - you have a problem: you have to grab 2 remotes to switch between things. One for the audio, and one for the video.

If you have this mix, run the video straight to the TV. Less connnections to worry about, less cables to buy, etc.

Note: we have a very good Primer/FAQ that has tons of information. This thread on Routing Audio and Video might help answer your questions.

Hope this helps.