Hello all, I tried to find a suitable place for this as this post covers about 4 forums sorry if its in the wrong section I have a question about 5.1 surround sound, what it is my dvd player with built in 5.1 died of death and I purchased a new dvd player, this dvd player does not have 5.1 built in and I still have my 5.1 speakers and subwoofer, my question is how would I get to use my 5.1 speakers again I read about using a reciever and I did try using one many years ago and couldnt work it out. I dont have a HDTV yet and I plan to get one very soon, I just bought a new LG dvx492h its an upscaller the connections on the back have digital audio coaxial, optical out digital audio, hdmi output, it also has only 2 left and right audio port that must be analog I did some reading while trying to work my way through the confusion, so my thought on this is this and I dont know if it would be right, connect the hdmi cable from the dvd to my tv and use the optical out or digital audio coaxial to a 5.1 reciever, would that work or have I got that totally wrong? I dont have a HDTV yet or reciever yet I plan to get one soon as soon as I find a good way of figuring this out. many thanks
That is one way. But, if you have to buy a receiver anyway, why not buy one that handles audio over HDMI? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR60...ef=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=aht&qid=1273096875&sr=1-4 It can decode the HD audio from blu ray movies, which is the way everything is going now. You'd be future proof for awhile........
ok good thanks for that so I am on the right track, now my 5.1 speakers have speaker wire only so could I just use a connector block and connect the speaker through that block to a phono lead if the reciever I get only has the sockets and not the speaker wire connectors?
I have no idea what you're talking about (connector block, phono lead, sockets,?), but all receivers have speaker connections, or they would be worthless. It sounds like what you had was an HTIB (home theater in a box) with a built-in dvd player. Not a dvd player with built-in 5.1 surround. No dvd players have built-in 5.1 surround. It also sounds like you just bought a plain dvd player this time. Get a real receiver, like the one I linked to above. You'll be much happier with it, than an HTIB. HTIBs usually run a little cheaper, but you get what you pay for............. A lot of HTIBs, especially those with built-in dvd players, use proprietary speaker connections, instead of normal speaker connections (is this what you were talking about?) Stay away from those type systems. The wires are too small. They are not upgradable at all. If something quits working, you lose the whole system. They don't have enough inputs. They don't have many features. They aren't worth even the little bit they cost. Like I said, get a real receiver. Chances are, you'll need speakers too. If the speakers you have now, have those proprietary connectors on the wires, they won't work with a real receiver. Also, those type HTIB systems usually use 2, 3, or 4 ohm speakers, which will make a normal receiver run hot and shut down, if they don't damage it. You can get some decent speakers on Craig's List or at a pawn shop fairly cheap, that will work very well with a receiver. A real receiver and speakers will usually cost a little more than the type HTIB you had, bot well worth the extra money! They should last many years.
sorry I will make myself a bit clearer for you, a few years back I bought a home theatre system LG dvd player with 5 point surround and a sub all connected to the LG dvd player ok? all the wires from these speakers are speaker wire, they went to a custom molex connector which then connected to the dvd player. about the phono sockets leads etc what I mean is this I think its the RCA sockets for the subwoofer, my thought on this was the speaker wire going from the sub into a connector block, then a phono lead with a RCA plug (phono plug) connected on the other end perfect example for you is this below this reciever has the conenctors I am talking about, scroll to the bottom and you might understand me hehe http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-1-HIFI-DOLB...Amplifiers&hash=item35a84ae9fc#ht_5640wt_1167 the speakers are 8ohms and the sub is 4ohms, the thing that mystified me was that on sw out on that example above has subwoofer out left and right, now speaker wire has 2 cables so I could only use 1 plug on that listing but I have seen recievers with only 1 RCA socket for SW out so that would work, and thats my question would that work
Ok, I'm not sure about the sub connections. Usually, a powered sub will have a single cable with RCA type connectors on the ends. One end goes into a single sub "out" on the receiver, and into a single input on the sub. If the sub has two inputs, you can use either one, or you can use a "Y" adapter, and plug into both. And usually, a sub with a double speaker wire, is a passive sub, and connects to the +/- posts of regular speaker connectors.........not RCA connections. See if you can find the owner's manual somewhere online, and look up the sub info. Sorry I don't know this. Here in the states, I've never seen a receiver like that. I do know that with that receiver, your dvd player needs to have the multi-channel analog outputs, to get Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. According to the info you gave above, it doesn't have these outputs. The receiver has no digital inputs, and no video inputs. If the dvd player doesn't have the multi-channel analog outputs, the only surround sound you'll get is Dolby Pro Logic (simulated surround), maybe. The info doesn't really say anything about pro logic though. If it doesn't do Dolby Pro Logic, all you'll get with your new dvd player is stereo. If you want surround sound from dvd movies, tv, Xbox, or whatever else you might want to plug in, save up, borrow, use credit, or whatever it takes, to get a receiver like I mentioned earlier. I can't stress how much happier you'll be. Here is a very good one also, at a good "buy now" price: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Onkyo-TX-SR50...s_Video_HomeCinemaSystems&hash=item4cef2dd9bc This receiver decodes the HD audio found on blu ray movies. It handles both video and audio over the HDMI inputs. It has Audyssey auto calibration feature, which is very good. It's nothing to me if you buy a new receiver or not. I'm trying to save you a lot of frustration, and help you get a good surround setup. Good luck with whatever you decide.
no thank you for your help on this, to side step the confusion and frustration I might just do as you say and ditch the current speakers and get a new AV reciever and 5.1 speaker setup, at least that way the reciever and speakers and sub can stay even when the dvd player(s) expire like they tend to do these days. thanks you for your valuable advice
1 last question really, I was thinking about what you said and about I have a passive sub which really isn't any good to anyone, so my thought was if I buy a not bad AV reciever and get an active subwoofer, if that would be possible then I could use my existing speakers which are good. I remember what I couldn't get working the first time I tried this and it was the subwoofer, if an active or powered sub would be the answer then do you know what I would have to find out and avoid, as I seen a few subwoofers on ebay already that have alot of speaker conenctions on it, I guess all I would need from the sub would a line in to the sub as from what you said in the previous post? update I went to ASDA today and saw this 5.1 surround sound with sub to me by the looks of it it doesnt need a reciever but say I did get one what ohms would the sub have to be the same ohms as the reciever I will get? also if the sub has more connection on it for speaker can I just connect the subwoofer using the sub output on the reciever to the subwoofer in put on the subwoofer, and then connect the rest of the speakers to the reciever. http://img413.imageshack.us/i/p08051015470001.jpg/
when you buy your receiver chances are it will need an active sub.the connection is a single cable.when i bought my receiver i used my existing speakers and ditched my passive sub.
The 5.1 Inputs, shown in the pic you supplied, are not speaker inputs. They are for connecting a dvd player that has 5.1 multi-channel analog outputs. With those connections, you can listen to SACD and DVD-Audio High Resolution surround music discs. Very high quality music. If it's a blu ray player connected to those inputs, you can listen to the HD audio that way. It's the only way to get the HD audio, other than HDMI. The extra speaker connections on a sub, is to power the surround speakers, with the sub's built-in amp, if that's what you want to do. I wouldn't. I'd use the receiver for all the speaker connections. That's what it's for. A lot of powered subs are 4 ohm, but since it has it's own built-in amp, it's not a problem. Sorry it took awhile to answer. I was in the hospital, and not feeling very good.
thanks for re thanks for replying to my post and to the other guy, I get what your saying now and it has cleared up the confusion and I hope your feeling better soon
