Sorround Sound setup (help please)
Discussion
edited to add... skip this lengthy question, ive posted a simplified question a few posts down.
In summary (sorry for the long winded post): The Xbox 360 HAS to send its red/white sound output into the dvd/amp unit using the red/white inputs on the dvd/amp. I just need to get the TV to output normal terrestrial sound into the amp, but dont know which way is best and will give me the best sound (you can get dolby digital or pro logic/surround from a terrestrial signal, right?)
I have a telly, which has every conceivable input/output but my surround sound amp has a built in dvd player, and not many inputs. There is no dvi or htmi inputs on the amp. Just one red/white stereo input, scart, 3 composite r/g/b inputs.
So I have:
1) Xbox 360
2) 500w rms surround sound amp with built in dvd player
The 360 has two possible outputs
1) VGA connector with seperate 2 audio leads (red/white)
3) The three 3 composite HD cables which are like av leads, with audio 2 red/white av leads
The AMP only has one input for one set of red/white stereo AV leads.
I can plug in the 360 video into the telly with the 3 composite leads AND
I can plug in the 360 audio into the amp/dvd player with 2 audio av leads.
I think this gives me surround sound with the 360 (right?) and also the dvd player.
How do I get sound out of the telly, into the amp/dvd unit, when there is only one stereo red/white av cable sound input?
a) I have splitter cables (2 female inputs to one male plug, which plugs into the dvd player, but guessed this would loose some signal)
b) There is an S video jack on the dvd/amp unit, which connects to the TV. Will sound go from the telly into the dvd/amp unit through this?
c) There is an S video jack on the dvd/amp unit, which connects to the TV. Will sound go from the telly into the dvd/amp unit through this?
d) There is stereo AV sound outputs from the telly. Would it be best to run these from the TV to amp, and use the splitter cables to get both the xbox and TV sound to go into the single red/white sound inputs on the amp?
e) There is a stereo headphone jack coming out the TV which ive run another splitter cable, which again turns into 2 red/white sound inputs, which feed into the amp, but the sound sounds garbled/digital when coming out of this into the amp.
I apologise for my length, but not to women because they enjoy it
>> Edited by UKBob on Thursday 22 December 14:12
In summary (sorry for the long winded post): The Xbox 360 HAS to send its red/white sound output into the dvd/amp unit using the red/white inputs on the dvd/amp. I just need to get the TV to output normal terrestrial sound into the amp, but dont know which way is best and will give me the best sound (you can get dolby digital or pro logic/surround from a terrestrial signal, right?)
I have a telly, which has every conceivable input/output but my surround sound amp has a built in dvd player, and not many inputs. There is no dvi or htmi inputs on the amp. Just one red/white stereo input, scart, 3 composite r/g/b inputs.
So I have:
1) Xbox 360
2) 500w rms surround sound amp with built in dvd player
The 360 has two possible outputs
1) VGA connector with seperate 2 audio leads (red/white)
3) The three 3 composite HD cables which are like av leads, with audio 2 red/white av leads
The AMP only has one input for one set of red/white stereo AV leads.
I can plug in the 360 video into the telly with the 3 composite leads AND
I can plug in the 360 audio into the amp/dvd player with 2 audio av leads.
I think this gives me surround sound with the 360 (right?) and also the dvd player.
How do I get sound out of the telly, into the amp/dvd unit, when there is only one stereo red/white av cable sound input?
a) I have splitter cables (2 female inputs to one male plug, which plugs into the dvd player, but guessed this would loose some signal)
b) There is an S video jack on the dvd/amp unit, which connects to the TV. Will sound go from the telly into the dvd/amp unit through this?
c) There is an S video jack on the dvd/amp unit, which connects to the TV. Will sound go from the telly into the dvd/amp unit through this?
d) There is stereo AV sound outputs from the telly. Would it be best to run these from the TV to amp, and use the splitter cables to get both the xbox and TV sound to go into the single red/white sound inputs on the amp?
e) There is a stereo headphone jack coming out the TV which ive run another splitter cable, which again turns into 2 red/white sound inputs, which feed into the amp, but the sound sounds garbled/digital when coming out of this into the amp.
I apologise for my length, but not to women because they enjoy it
>> Edited by UKBob on Thursday 22 December 14:12
Bob,
If the only way to get audio into your amp is using a pair of Red & White phonos, you're not going to get proper surround sound (no matter what the source!). Dolby Digital, and DTS, require either an optical connection or a single coax connection (which will be labelled as being a digital surround output/input). Dolby Pro-Logic works over the old-fashioned red/white phonos, but is a compromised piece of kak, and I doubt Xbox titles are coded with pro-logic in mind.
Sorry for not answering the other points in detail: it's kinda hard to imagine the setup accurately enough to comment definitively. I'm sure someone will be along soon who's less bothered about that than I am
--Chris
>> Edited by Marshy on Thursday 22 December 13:58
If the only way to get audio into your amp is using a pair of Red & White phonos, you're not going to get proper surround sound (no matter what the source!). Dolby Digital, and DTS, require either an optical connection or a single coax connection (which will be labelled as being a digital surround output/input). Dolby Pro-Logic works over the old-fashioned red/white phonos, but is a compromised piece of kak, and I doubt Xbox titles are coded with pro-logic in mind.
Sorry for not answering the other points in detail: it's kinda hard to imagine the setup accurately enough to comment definitively. I'm sure someone will be along soon who's less bothered about that than I am
--Chris
>> Edited by Marshy on Thursday 22 December 13:58
Composite is one lead, the jack is yellow.
Component YPbPr is 3 leads RGB with the syncs mixed down on to two channels.
Both of these only carry video and you can only use YPbPr for Hidef.
S-Video carrys audio but cant carry Hidef
If you've only got RCA unbalanced audio ins (red and white) then Pro Logic and Pro Logic 2 are your limits as Marshy says.
>> Edited by Plotloss on Thursday 22 December 13:59
Component YPbPr is 3 leads RGB with the syncs mixed down on to two channels.
Both of these only carry video and you can only use YPbPr for Hidef.
S-Video carrys audio but cant carry Hidef
If you've only got RCA unbalanced audio ins (red and white) then Pro Logic and Pro Logic 2 are your limits as Marshy says.
>> Edited by Plotloss on Thursday 22 December 13:59
Cheers guys.
Luckily then, the DVD player is in the amp. There are 6 seperate speakers which all plug in via colour coded wires. 95% of my viewing is DVD material and the dvd/amp combi unit (something I will replace next year, and never buy again) supports DTS and erm.... I cant remember what, but it plays all the various version of prologic II and above. IIRC.
I suppose I could have simply said:
Which method is generally best (terrestrial TV here) for getting sound from the telly into the amp.
1) Headphone jack out from telly into audio input
(with use of single female red input, which has 2 female inputs)
(with use of single female white input, which has 2 female inputs)
2) AV red/white sound out from telly into audio input on amp with the splitter cable on the single amp sound input, to allow 2 left channels to go into one left channel input (same for right channel)
2) S video from telly to dvd/amp
3) Scart. Why doesnt sound go from the telly to the amp, down the scart cable?
Luckily then, the DVD player is in the amp. There are 6 seperate speakers which all plug in via colour coded wires. 95% of my viewing is DVD material and the dvd/amp combi unit (something I will replace next year, and never buy again) supports DTS and erm.... I cant remember what, but it plays all the various version of prologic II and above. IIRC.
I suppose I could have simply said:
Which method is generally best (terrestrial TV here) for getting sound from the telly into the amp.
1) Headphone jack out from telly into audio input
(with use of single female red input, which has 2 female inputs)
(with use of single female white input, which has 2 female inputs)
2) AV red/white sound out from telly into audio input on amp with the splitter cable on the single amp sound input, to allow 2 left channels to go into one left channel input (same for right channel)
2) S video from telly to dvd/amp
3) Scart. Why doesnt sound go from the telly to the amp, down the scart cable?
Bob,
Haven't you got an optical output or a coaxial output on the back of the Xbox? I'm sure the amp you have will have a digital input you could plug this into.
EDIT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906303/
>> Edited by GregE240 on Thursday 22 December 14:16
Haven't you got an optical output or a coaxial output on the back of the Xbox? I'm sure the amp you have will have a digital input you could plug this into.
EDIT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906303/
>> Edited by GregE240 on Thursday 22 December 14:16
UKBob said:
3) Scart. Why doesnt sound go from the telly to the amp, down the scart cable?
Does your scart cable have all the pins connected and are you using the correct sockets to link the 2 together as there is probably only one connector on the TV that sends out audio and one on the amp that receives it.
thebluemonkey said:
S-Video carrys audio but cant carry Hidef
Are you sure it carrys audio ? I thought it used the extra pins to carry the luminance and colour channels separately.
Arghh.
You're quite right, was getting confused there for a minute.
If I dont see one more cable spec it will be too soon.
The thing I love about surround sound is that to fully appreciate it you've got to be placed in the right place in the room, this means that nobody else benefits from that perfect setup. A bit like the speaker setup in your car, setup for the driver so everyone else gets their ear drums blown out when their speakers are louder to compensate for the extra distance to the driver.
GregE240 said:Yep, the 360 is running HD, and it looks fantastic
Bob,
Haven't you got an optical output or a coaxial output on the back of the Xbox? I'm sure the amp you have will have a digital input you could plug this into.
EDIT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906303/
Anything running from the DVD/Xbox will be in 5.1 or dts (whatever its called) and most of our viewing is dvd. Its just television I guess, which is limited to prologic II.
thebluemonkey said:Its sorted now, but yes you were right
3) Scart. Why doesnt sound go from the telly to the amp, down the scart cable?
Does your scart cable have all the pins connected and are you using the correct sockets to link the 2 together as there is probably only one connector on the TV that sends out audio and one on the amp that receives it.
JoolzB said:A good reason to ask your female passengers if they can feel the difference sitting on your lap.
The thing I love about surround sound is that to fully appreciate it you've got to be placed in the right place in the room, this means that nobody else benefits from that perfect setup. A bit like the speaker setup in your car, setup for the driver so everyone else gets their ear drums blown out when their speakers are louder to compensate for the extra distance to the driver.
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