6.1 Yamaha Surround, HD Plasma, DVD player and Xbox360: Best way to hook it all up?

Hi all. I wasn't sure which forum to post this in, so can a mod please move it if I've made the wrong choice. I made this post a couple of days ago in the HDTV forum, but got no replies, so I'll try here.

Basically, I want to know the best way to hook up my new fantasy loungeroom setup, .

My speakers are YHT-285S 6.1, my TV is the Panasonic 42 inch 70A model, I've got a basic dvd player with coaxial and optical digital ports, and there will be an xbox 360 in the near future.

So, what will be the most efficient way to hook everything up?

I was thinking to the amp, as the Yamaha system comes with an inbuilt universal remote, and has video inputs. But, I'm not sure about surround. The TV, The Xbox, and the DVD all have optical digital ports, but the amp only has 2. So should I maybe buy a coaxial cable for the DVD player?

Or, something else, if I plug the DVD player into the TV using the HDMI input, can I then tell it to route the sound to the amp and play in 5.1?

Basically yeah, I wanna know which cables I need, and what would be the most efficient way to have everything setup.

Thanks for any help.

 

I would use the HDMI from dvd player to tv, for video. Then run a digital coax cable from dvd player to A/V receiver, for audio. You'll probably need to go into the dvd player's setup menus, and set the audio output to "Bitstream", not PCM. It may be "Raw" or DTS "ON", depending on the wording they use. Then set the receiver on "Digital Auto", for it to automatically choose the DD soundtrack, when movie is inserted in player. If there's a DTS soundtrack in the movie, you'll need to manually choose it, in the movie's setup or Language menu.

You don't say if you're using digital cable, satellite, or over the air for HD service to tv. The optical output on the tv, is only when using the built-in tuner. It's not for running something to tv first, then out to receiver. It will not work that way.
From cable box or sat box, you can run HDMI or component cables (color coded red, green, and blue), to the tv for video, and optical to the A/V receiver for audio.

Not familiar with Xbox, but pretty sure it has component for video and optical for audio.

You didn't mention what model Yamaha you have. Not knowing the inputs and outputs of your receiver, this is the best I can suggest. If your receiver has HDMI inputs and output, that could change things, depending on if the HDMI inputs are passthroughs, or if the Yamaha processes the audio through the HDMI. You can run component cables from everything, to the Yamaha first (if enough inputs), then out to tv. That will make switching sources a little easier.
Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply.

The tv has an inbuilt HD tuner, so it is HD 5.1 free to air transmission, and most likely HD 5.1 Foxtel (pay TV) transmission (I'm in australia). So I definately want the TV connected to surround.

I did mention my Yamaha model, it's YHT-285S, basically, it has a coaxial port, and 2 optical digitals. My main problem was I have the TV, the Xbox and the DVD all with optical ports, but the only one with an alternative for surround is the DVD with coaxial. I didn't want to have the constantly switch the cable from the xbox to the dvd.

So, I get what you said about the tuner, that the optical out on on the TV is ONLY for the tuner, so re-routing sound is out.

Oh, I'll also mention the Yamaha system doesn't have HDMI.

So, basically, you recommend coaxial over optical digital? Like I said, my way of thinking was just a lack of optical inputs on the amp.

I'll draw a diagram of my way of thinking of it at the moment later on, but yeah, thanks for the reply, and there's some more info for you to work with,

 

No.........one is as good as the other. The only real advantage digital coax has over optical, is that it makes a better connection at the plug. Optical can pull loose easy, and digital coax cannot.

You said speakers, not receiver.
I did a search at Yamaha's site for that model number, and came up with nothing.

Everything should work, as I posted above.........

 

Sorry, when I said 'speaker system' I meant the amp aswell, my bad.

http://www.yamahamusic.com.au/products/avit/htsystems/YHT-285S.asp

About coaxial, I've been told the quality of the cable is really important, is this true?

 

Only up to a point.........
That's one of the big arguments about cables. An $20 cable, is going to sound better than a $3 cable, because of better insulation, gold covered connectors, and maybe a better quality wire inside the cable. But a $100 Monster cable isn't going to sound any better than the $20 cable.
This was just an example............

You'll do fine with a $6-$8 digital coax cable from Wal Mart. )

 

Ok, so that's the sound sorted:

Tv/Tuner - Optical Digital
Xbox360 - Optical Digital
DVD - Coaxial

All into the receiver.

Onto the next bit: Video.

What video should I plug into the receiver? AS I said earlier, it comes with an inbuilt universal remote, so it seems to make more sense to use it as the hub rather than the tv.

So, Xbox360, VCR, DVD, TV and most likely pay tv receiver, all have to be plugged in. Which should go in the tv, and which should go in the receiver? And, exactly what do I gain from plugging the video into the receiver?

 

I pretty much answered that, in my first post above.
Going to receiver first, makes changing sources easier.
To go from tv show to dvd movie, you just push the dvd button, on your remote. If you go to tv first, to go from tv show to dvd movie, you push the dvd button AND you change the input on the tv (by remote), to whichever one you used (unless you have a Harmony remote, that does all that for you).

You can forget about HDMI for the video, and use component cables from Xbox, dvd player, and pay tv box, to the receiver, and use component cables out from receiver to tv.