hi guys, i was wondering if anyone could help me, i have searched on the net and cant find a real answer to my problem, and here it is: i currently have an LG tv, new black slim xbox 360, sky+ and sony bdp s370. after reading reviews on amazon i want to buy this amp and surround sound system http://www.amazon.co.uk/Onkyo-HT-S5...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1289846001&sr=1-1 but i have looked at photos of the back of the amp, the back of my xbox and sky+ and i can not work out where i connect them to and from? there are 3 hdmi ports at the back of the amp for game, satellite and dvd, but my xbox only has 1 hdmi port which goes to the tv. does the amp only connect to the tv and it plays sound from tv?? im very confused, your help is appreciated.
Best way to hookup your devices up is to get rid of the DVD player as the Xbox 360 will play your DVD's for you. Connect the HDMI from Xbox to the Amp and then connect other HDMI devices to the amp also....since you not using the dvd this will free up an HDMI port. How ever the best way to transmit audio is thru a TOSlink (optical cable) which all TV's have today.....its a fiber optic cable that runs from the TV to the amp. The HDMI will transmit both audio/video but optic is the best. But the TOSLink from the TV to the amp will provide all the sound for all of your devices.
BTW....sorry I forgot that it was a Bluray player not just a dvd. There are HDMI switch's that are very cost effective. Here's a link of one example. This way you plug everything into the HDMI switch then go directly into the amp.....But I think you still want to use the TOSLink for pure surround 5.1/7.1 sound. http://www.bestlinknetware.com/product-detail.asp?sku=110312
First off, that's the worst way to connect things. Plus, there's no way that optical is better than HDMI for audio! You can listen to the HD audio (Dolby TrueHD and dtsHD Master Audio) soundtracks from blu ray movies over HDMI, and that's not possible over optical. Second, on 99.9% of tvs with an optical output, it's for getting 5.1 surround from your local HD channels, through the internal tuner, when using an antenna. It's not to piggy back connections like you're talking about. The tvs that will send audio that way at all, will downmix the 5.1 audio to 2.0 and send to the receiver. So, the best you can hope for is Dolby Pro Logic II, which is simulated surround. I'd rather listen to real surround. I've only heard of two models of tvs that send real surround through the optical, connected the way you mention. One is a Sony (not all Sonys), and I don't remember the other one. The manual will tell you if the tv will do it. This comes up regularly at home theater forums. Once we regulars there set them straight, they get their surround without any more problems. Also, the original poster shouldn't need an HDMI switch. The receiver has three HDMI inputs, and the poster only has two sources to connect. He can run HDMI from the Xbox and from the Sky box, to the inputs of the receiver, and run an HDMI from the HDMI output of the receiver to the tv. Make sure the HDMI setup is done correctly in the receiver's setup menus, set the Sky box to output audio as "Dolby Digital" in the settings for the box, and set the audio out to "Bitstream", in the Xbox's menus. Then he'll be good to go........... 7.1 is not possible over optical. Not enough bandwidth. Also, 7.1 is only available on HD audio soundtracks, which are only found on blu ray discs. The only ways to get the HD audio is over HDMI or 5.1/7.1 multi-channel analog audio connections.
Ah....the TV Im speaking of is that same Sony.....so I guess I'm the lucky one. Sorry to disagree with you but the way I described is not the worst way. Also almost everything is coded as Surround sound 5.1 and or basic stereo and not Bluray audio on HDMI (such as cable or dish tv...etc) I also have an extensive mp3 collection as many of us do and have tested with both and found that the TOSLink is more adaptable to constantly changing codecs of music....ie Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd (4-20 track analog recording) to Neo or JayZee (digitized unlimited track multiple codec). I dont use an antennae but have a 722 DVR from Dish Network that does do optical.... Ive listend to both HDMI and optical coming out of the box into my Sony amp and optical delivers the best performance for me. Light (fiber optics) is the purest form of digital transfer to date....not copper.....that comes from my days at Lucent as an engineer '-). And if you listen to any music its definitely not Bluray encoded....therefore it eventually gets downgraded anyway. There are multiple formats out there....I get crystal clear sound all the time from any of my devices....sorry but I'll keep my connection the way it is....thanks for your expertise any how....appreciate the other point of view. There is definitely multiple ways to skin this cat ....Cheers Mate!
Optical is fine for everything except blu ray. But you said the poster should stick with optical with his blu ray for pure 5.1/7.1 surround sound. That is totally wrong! Half the purpose of blu ray is the HD audio, which isn't possible over an optical connection. Even though optical is fine, it's not necessarily best, even for other stuff. Regular dvds are upscaled over HDMI, so why not use the same cable for the audio, instead of buying an optical cable and having an extra cable adding to the nest of wires behind the receiver? In that case, HDMI is as good as optical. From sat box, optical is just fine, since tv stations don't broadcast in HD audio formats. But, again, why buy another optical cable and add to the nest of wires? If Sky satellite offers some On Demand channels in 1080p, like DirecTv and Dish Network, HDMI will be required to pass the 1080p. Otherwise, he can spend some of the money you want him to spend on cables, and get the optical for audio, and a set of component cables for the video. Another big thing now is 3-D, which you need to use HDMI 1.4a to enjoy it. Not possible over component cables. And again, as long as you have to use HDMI anyway, why not use it for the audio too? The best audio you can get over optical is Dolby Digital and DTS, which are lossy, compressed formats. HD audio formats are lossless, uncompressed audio. Again, only on blu ray discs. I'm saying that while optical is an option, it's not necessarily the best option. Some of us couldn't care less about mp3 files. Since the poster never mentioned them either, I'm guessing they aren't part of his requirements. Newer receivers have iPod bases to connect to, which doesn't use either type of connection. Your days as an engineer at Lucent is behind times. Now days, everyone wants blu ray 1080p high def video, and HD audio, of which neither one is possible over fiber optic cables (in the consumer market). Just check any home theater forum, and see what people are wanting and asking help with. Mainly blu ray. If people's system only has one digital input, and a lot of HTIBs have only one, they want the blu ray hooked up for best possible sound and picture. If they have enough inputs, then they want everything hooked up. Trying to throw your weight around as being an engineer at Lucent, doesn't mean a thing to me. Engineers at Lucent don't work in the consumer market. They are in the industrial market, which is nowhere near the same. Fiber optics may be the big thing in telephones, cable tv, etc., but they are getting past their usefulness in the consumer home theater market. HDMI has been the big thing for two-three years, and now they're trying to move on to Cat5 and networking everything, but that could be awhile yet. Since you want to talk experience, I've been into home theater for around 15 years, since the Pro Logic days. I know a little about home theater. I set up systems as a side job. How did I know, when I was typing it, you'd say your tv was one of those Sonys?
That's why your a surround sound home theater technician ...your the expert.... I was with Lucent /Bell Labs....and I am a fiber optic "design engineer" with Owens Corning now.....but your "Best Buy" knowledge does impress me. Hate to tell ya .....but fiber is the future of all network,media,data...etc or any other distribution.....again glass and digital transmission are the fastest.....speed of light....I don't care what type of connectivity you want to try with copper it will never come close to the purity and speed of light on glass.....consumer technology is at least 5-7 years behind what we are working on, another issue is the processing technology in the amps are seriously antiquated......would you like to hear about the "plasma data" transmissions project I am presently working on .....no disrespect but I have been designing fiber optic technology for the last 22 years...but back to the post.....your are 100% correct....sorry just tried to help out.....not bust balls.....Peace out...
Sorry if I hurt your feelings. It's just that in the home theater world, fiber optics isn't the latest and greatest anymore. A few years ago, it was definitely the best way to make connections for audio. But, now days, it can't handle the new formats that everyone wants (not in it's present state anyway). Some people will argue that digital coax was better, because it made a better connection. Optical cables have been known to fall out of the hole they plug into, when receiver is moved back into position. Also, optical has problems with the glass strands breaking, in tight places, which renders them useless. They were usually more expensive than digital coax too. In their defense, other than the speed of light, they don't have the worry of electrical interference, like the copper wires in digital coax. I use an optical connection from my cable box to the receiver I'm definitely no expert. I just know a good bit about my hobby, lifestyle, or whatever you want to call it. Some people are into cars, some into RC planes, some into model trains, etc. I'm into home theater. Also, while I enjoy walking around and looking at Best Buy, I think it's the worst place to go for advice. Most of the blue shirts know nothing about what they sell. Everyone I know has a lot more trouble with their tvs, ever since they went all digital. Huge mistake on their part, going all digital. The picture pixelates (a lot), and the sound stutters (also a lot), compared to the old analog system. Everything that's new and improved, isn't always improved!
