[RichardM5422]

I joined this forum to see if I could get some advice and help finding a new 5.1 system for my lounge.

Here's the details of what will be connected to it :

PS3 (via HDMI)
Xbox 360 (via HDMI)
Wii (via component)
Virgin Media box (SCART cable)

The system I am looking for does not need to have a DVD player as the PS3 or Xbox will do that job. What it does need is to have 2/3 HDMI inputs, and one HDMI output to go into the TV. And preferably the same number of optical audio inputs/outputs.

I've looked at the Sony HT-IS100, but don't like that the amp and subwoofer are combined (my subwoofer sits by the side of my TV at the moment - the TV and its stand are recessed into an alcove), and the size of the amp/sub for the Sony system would look ridiculous beside the tv, and is too big to fit behind it.

So has anyone got any idea's? My budget is anywhere up to £500 realistically.

Also, if I have just one HDMI output going into the back of my TV, will this carry the signal from the wii that goes in through the component input on the amp?

Thanks guys, hope you can help and I look forward to hearing the ideas.

Richard

[cols]

Htddwg800, htsf1300, htss1300.

all 5.1ch amp & speakers systems- not dvd systems.

They take LPCM over hdmi, meaning hd audio from blu rays on ps3.

Just connect ps3 and xbox360 to the amp with hdmi, then hdmi from amp to tv to carry the picture on.

Plenty of inputs for other stuff too- 3 hdmi, 2 optical, digital coax, and a few phono.

Your wii you just connect to amp with the stereo part of the component cable, and to tv with the video part. It's only stereo from wii, not surround sound.

Your virgin box- connect its audio output to the amp- optical or digital coax for 5.1ch, or rca phono for stereo.

Or if the virgin box just outputs stereo you could kill two birds with one stone, connect both wii and virgin direct to tv and connect your tv's rca phono stereo output to the input of the amp.

All 3 systems are within your budget - should be able to find them for under £400.

Hope that helps

[dwhite]

Originally Posted by RichardM5422

Also, if I have just one HDMI output going into the back of my TV, will this carry the signal from the wii that goes in through the component input on the amp?

Unfortunately all of the systems colspark mentioned will not do this (upconversion). I'm not sure there is any all in one system that does, at your budget you could be looking at a seperate AV reciever and speakers, which will incorporate this feature (onkyo 606, denon 1909, yamaha 763 perhaps). Not sure about speakers to pair with them but these would all give you upconversion.

[RichardM5422]

Ah, the second two on that list I had looked as (the S1300 and the F1300) but they don't have a component input for the wii. Or do they? Its entirely possible I am missing something. Lol.

The other one looks good.

So is Sony generally the way to go for systems that accomplish these tasks within this price bracket?

[RichardM5422]

In reply to Dwhite :

Well, the upscaling is not so much of an important feature. As long as I can feed in the Wii component signal, and get the picture to come out on the TV and the sound to come out of the speakers, I am not fussed.

I'm not expecting the Wii signal to be upscaled to 720 or 1080. The main reason I wanted to know if the component signal could come out of the HDMI output was to minimise the number of cables going from the amp to the TV.

[dwhite]

Ok then, any of colsparks suggestions are good. As colpark said, just feed the Wii component output straight to the TV and either take the TV audio out or the Wii audio out to the amp. Theres no need to try and feed the video thru the amp, if its your only component source and your amp doesn't have upconversion.

BTW Upscaling and upconversion are different things, upscaling is changing the resolution (i.e 480p to 1080p), upconversion is changing the video signal to a different one (i.e. component video input to HDMI output).

[RichardM5422]

Ah, thats cleared things up a lot, thanks guys.

The fact that I don't need a component input on the amp (as it will not bring any benefit) and that passing the Virgin Box and Wii audio signal out through the TV's audio out connections will give me stereo sound. Thats actually the set up I've got now funnily enough on my old Panasonic surround sound.

Also, passing them through the amp would not give me any improvement over stereo sound anyway as neither of them outputs a surround sound signal, is that correct?

Cheers by the way guys, its been confusing me for a while.

So any of those Sony systems would do the job. I believe one is on special offer on play.com at the moment :-)

[dwhite]

Any of those systems can apply dolby prologic processing (or DTS NEO:6, I think) to a stereo signal to give you surround sound. Probably same as your current system.

[RichardM5422]

Ah I get you. I'm just looking at the technical specs on the Sony website for the S1300 system, as it says it does not decode :

DTS HD / DolbyTruHD / Dolby Digital+

I'm a few years out of the loop in terms of what is what. What does the PS3 output (as that will be my Blu-ray player and main DVD player)? What will come out of the systems speakers?

Sorry for all the questions by the way. Imagine people like me can be quite annoying. Lol.

[cols]

Correct - the 1300 and 800 both don't decode hd audio.

But they do accept decoded uncompressed audio (linear pcm) over hdmi.

So provided you have a player which can decode hd audio onboard and output uncompressed, you get hd audio.

Ps3 is capable of that. So are the better blu ray players such as bdp-s550.

In fact, as ps3 cannot output hd audio as bitstream (compressed audio for amp to decode), the ONLY way to get hd audio from ps3 is via lpcm over hdmi.

Basically, with ps3 and the systems i recommended, you get Dolby TrueHD / DTS HD MA from blu rays, and DD / DTS from dvd's and games.

Also those systems both decode DD and DTS, when sent as bitstream over hdmi, optical, or digital coax.

Hope that makes sense!

[RichardM5422]

Yup, that all made sense. I've now got it straight in my head that with the pieces I already have and the S1300 system, I'll get high-def sound from blu-rays, and surround sound from DVD's. And possibly surround sound from the wii or the Virgin box too, depending on the broadcast I would guess?

Sweet! :-)

[cols]

You'll only get stereo from wii, but could apply prologic to it for a surround effect.

As for the virgin box, i'm not familiar with those. If it has optical or digital coax output then i'd assume it does support 5.1ch on some programmes.

If it only has phono output then, as with the wii, it'll be stereo, but you can use prologic for a surround effect.

[RichardM5422]

Ah ok then. Well stereo will be fine for Wii and Virgin box (as its not something that would massively benefit from the surround sound). And I am guessing applying Prologic to it is just something I set up in the options menu on the amp?

[RottenFox]

yeah, you just pick a different sound field from the one thats standard(there are several).
the wii outputs pro logic through surround, as it doesnt natively do 5.1 surround.

[RichardM5422]

Can someone confirm for me :

Using component HD cable, Xbox 360 outputs 720p. Using a HDMI cable, it will output either 1080i or 1080p depending on what my TV is capable of?

[mattrixdesign2]

Originally Posted by RichardM5422

I joined this forum to see if I could get some advice and help finding a new 5.1 system for my lounge.

Here's the details of what will be connected to it :

PS3 (via HDMI)
Xbox 360 (via HDMI)
Wii (via component)
Virgin Media box (SCART cable)

The system I am looking for does not need to have a DVD player as the PS3 or Xbox will do that job. What it does need is to have 2/3 HDMI inputs, and one HDMI output to go into the TV. And preferably the same number of optical audio inputs/outputs.

I've looked at the Sony HT-IS100, but don't like that the amp and subwoofer are combined (my subwoofer sits by the side of my TV at the moment - the TV and its stand are recessed into an alcove), and the size of the amp/sub for the Sony system would look ridiculous beside the tv, and is too big to fit behind it.

So has anyone got any idea's? My budget is anywhere up to £500 realistically.

Also, if I have just one HDMI output going into the back of my TV, will this carry the signal from the wii that goes in through the component input on the amp?

Thanks guys, hope you can help and I look forward to hearing the ideas.

Richard

how about this:

Onkyo HTX22HD Integrated amp/speaker system

2 x HDMI in; 1 X HDMI out
2 x Optical in
1 x Coax in
+ others
HD Audio etc

HOWEVER:
Does not do component in!
It is also an integrated Amp/Subwoofer (but you could "re-locate" it and run a long HDMI lead to the TV.

Best to read up on it, seen as good quality, but some buzzing issues with PS3.

[RichardM5422]

I ordered the HT-SS1300 this morning from play.com for £329.99. Seemed like pretty good value.

Now I've just got to replace my xbox with a new one with a HDMI port on the back, and buy another HDMI cable to connect the amp to the TV. And set up my Harmony One remote to control it.

Cheers for the advice guys. I just had one question left :

On the Sony website (HT-SS1300 (HTSS1300) : Home Cinema and Hifi : Sony) it lists the following connections as optional:

Digital Media Port
IX (wi-fi)
Bluetooth
Connect
iPod

I assume that "optional" means that you have to purchase some kind of add-on to use these features, but what does each feature actually do? Or allow you to do?

[RottenFox]

you need to buy something like one of these items(the digital media port docks(self explanitory) :
Home audio and cinema accessories : Accessories and headphones : Sony

[RichardM5422]

Hmmmm, well that answers the Digital Media Port. And there are some shiny gadgets that could attach to that.

Any idea about the functionality of the others? Or do they all come into play as a result of something you attach to the digital media port?

[RottenFox]

think of the Digital Media Port, as a jumped up usb socket, and anything you want has to be plugged into it, but has to be plugged into a proprietary sony DMPort adaptor first.