Connecting it all together...

[owenmj]

What interconnects should I use to hook up the following kit for the best audio / video quality:

SONY STRDB940 AV receiver
SONY DVPs735D DVD player
HITACHI C32WF810N TV
KEF KHT2005 speakers / sub woofer

These items have a bewildering range of in / outputs, S-video, digital optical , component video , you name it.


My goal is to hear 5.1 sound from the DVD player through the KEF speakers as well as using the speakers for TV sound.

I'm not sure if this has any bearing on my configuration but in the near future I would like to subscribe to Sky TV either via a satellite dish or through the TV aerial via a set top box.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I would suggest: An optical cable from the 735 to the DVD input of your amp.(some people prefer to use a coax instead). If your TV has an RGB enabled Scart, run a good quality 'fully wired' Scart-Scart from the 735 direct to the TV. Make sure you enable RGB, both under 'custom setup/line', in the 735, & in your TV's setup menu. You may find that Scart 1 on your TV auto sets itself to an RGB signal.
I'd suggest spending around £3 per metre on your speaker cable. What Hi-Fi has the best reviews on cables. You don't need anything too fancy for the sub. A well made Phono-Phono from maplins or Tandy would do the trick.
You don't mention a VCR?

[owenmj]

Thanks for the advice. You mentioned using SCART to connect the DVD to the TV. What are the pros and cons of SCART v component video? The DVD player has component video out and the Hitachi TV component video in so this is an option available to me . I read somewhere that component video give better quality that SCART. Or does it not matter is the SCART is, as you suggest RGB.

Also is there anything to chose between digital optical , and coaxial digital to connect the DVD and AV ?

I have got an old VCR but don't use it much. I wasn't going to hook it up to my flash new kit but I guess if I did the TV has enough SCART sockets for me to do so. Is this what you would suggest?

[torimusic]

Sorry to but in but here is my two cents worth. I would suggest the following:

Component connection is the best to use seeing that your TV supports it. If your DVD player and TV supported progressive scanning, the quality would even be better but buy a good quality three lead RCA to RCA cable and connect the DVD component out to the TV component in (you would just have to select the component input on your TV when viewing the DVD player). For your VCR, buy a SCART to RCA cable (has a SCART connector on one end and three RCA's on the other end for video out, audio out left and audio out right). Connect the SCART end to the VCR and the RCA end into the appropriate RCA jacks on one of your receiver's video inputs. Connect an RCA cable from the monitor output of your receiver to a composite RCA input of your TV. When you get your digital TV set top box, use a similar cable as mentioned for your VCR and connect it to another video input on your receiver. If your TV has a SCART output for composite video and left/right audio, connect another cable the same as the one mentioned for the VCR and set top box from your TV to another video input on the receiver, assuming it has three video/audio inputs. If your VCR is NICAM stereo then you won't need this cable from your TV because the VCR can be used to view TV channels and sound through your AV receiver/speaker system.

As for digital link from DVD. Coax or Toslink can be used. I prefer coax but you can make the choice. The difference is very subjective. Don't bother to connect the analogue left/right audio out from your DVD player to your receiver. I find the receiver does a better job of decoding your DD/PCM soundtracks.

Also, don't connect the sub to your sub output on the receiver. If your sub has speaker level inputs, connect two speaker cable runs (keep them short) from your receiver's front main speaker outputs to the sub's speaker level inputs. Alternatively, if your receiver has front main pre-out RCA's, and your sub has left/right RCA line level inputs, then connect the receiver's front main pre-outs to the sub's line level inputs. Use either of these above methods, NOT both simultaneously. Then in your receiver speaker setup menu, set your front main speakers to 'large' and your subwoofer to 'off' or 'none'. This will divert LFE info to your front main speaker outputs and pre-outs and will give you better bass and LFE management.

Use normal OFC parallel rip cord type speaker cable for now to connect the speakers to the receiver. You can always upgrade to better cables in the future if needs be.

[ 24-05-2001: Message edited by: torimusic ]

[ 24-05-2001: Message edited by: torimusic ]

Sorry, I didn't realise that your TV had Component input. The difference between It & RGB is much like coax & Optical - it's very subjective. Either will give you top results.
For the definitive answer on which is best, see Richard Ansel's (of Snell & Wilcox) answer. Go to search, type in RGB, & my member No 463. read my'an RGB question' post. I've tried a coupla time to post the direct URL, but it just keeps bringing me back here.
If your amp has component throughput, I'd choose that, because then you'll be able to run everything through your amp, giving much more convenience - when you choose say DVD on the amp, the sound & the pic switches over together.

Have to say, I totally disagree with torimusic's idea for the Sub. Could possibly be better with music, but for movies, use the sub out. You then set your speaker sizes in the amp. My own setup is centre/rears set to small, fronts set to large. All LFE to subs. This lets the subs handle all the bass for the centre/rears using the amp's bass management. Some people set all to small, but I seem to get a better result as above. Again, you'll have to experiment to see what you prefer. There's lot's of conflicting advice on setting up subs!
Best of luck.


[ 25-05-2001: Message edited by: Arthur.S ]

[ 25-05-2001: Message edited by: Arthur.S ]

[owenmj]

Thanks again for the advice gents . I'm getting there!

I was struggling with some of the terms used e.g. what is
Progressive scan (how do I find out if my TV's got it?
RCA
LFE
& OFC ?

Is there a glossary somewhere on the web I can get this sort of thing from ?

PS - Liked your site Arthur - my wife would go totally loopy if I converted one our rooms to a cinema !

Michael, RCA is what the Americans call normal 'Phono' cables. I believe, because the RCA company invented them. (Anyone else know different, please educate us) L-ow F-requency E-xtentsion. O-xygen F-ree C-opper.
At the moment, the only TV's to boast progressive scan are NTSC (American).
Again, if I'm wrong, anyone feel free to correct me. I just lurve being edumicated!

By the way Michael, if you read my 'wee story' you'll know that my missus took exactly the same stance to begin with. Be patient mate. Softly softly catchee monkey :D

[ 29-05-2001: Message edited by: Arthur.S ]