Hi, Getting a new Samsung M87 TV today and was wondering about connecting everything up. My TV will be replacing our 42" SD Plasma on a solid brick disused chimney breast so drilling a big hole for a SCART lead will be a big job (for me anyway)

My setup will consist of Samsung 52" M87, LG-LHRH361 Home Cinema System, Sky+ (upgrading to SkyHD when I can convince the wife) and a Playstation 3.

I am wondering if I could connect the SKY to the LG-LHRH361 Home Cinema via SCART and then output from the LG to the TV via HDMI as the Home Cinema has a HDMI output. Would I be able to watch Sky connecting it like that or would I have to connect the Sky to the TV via SCART, which I don't really want to do if I can help it as I'd need to drill some big holes in the chimney breast side.

Would be glad if anyone could help.

[Andy98765]

Unless your LG-LHRH361 Home Cinema System has an RGB enabled Scart input socket the best connection is direct to the TV. If it could connect to the LG-LHRH361 Home Cinema System via a lesser quality input you really need to check if the LG can upscale the picture, but you will be upscaling a poor quality signal.
I assume you already own the LG-LHRH361 Home Cinema System?

Yes, I already have the Home Cinema System, Not sure about the RGB thing, it does have a VIDEO OUT SELECT switch on the back of the LG which can select either COMPONENT or RGB of the AV1 Scart terminal. (Don't really know what that means tbh).

Can't see anything about an upscaler inthe manual either.

I'm hoping I can connect the SKY to the LG via SCART and then watch Sky on the TV via the HDMI from the LG (just change the source on the LG). HDMI cables will fit through the holes already in the chimney, A Scart lead will need the extra drilling. I hope that just the one HDMI output from the LG to the TV will suffice, and that I just need to change the input source on the LG to switch between viewing Sky or the DVD.

I hope this is making sense, I'm even confusing myself a bit now.

[Andy98765]

The video out select switch on the back is so you can choose either the Scart output or the component out of the cinema system. I would be very surprised if you can upscale to HDMI, most Av amps will not upscale a standard video signal.

Hi,
i have a very similar setup and the answer is yes you can.
i have the sky+ connected to the LH-RH361SE via scart. Video options in Sky+ picture settings are set to RGB. Scart cable is a fully wired one from the TV SCART socket on Sky+ (dont use the VCR SCART socket as that is a composite output not RGB) to the AV2 input on my LG (only because I have a media streamer plugged into AV1

The LG is then connected via the HDMI cable to the TV (in my case a 32" Toshiba LCD).
The LG does upscale the RGB to HDMI and the result is very pleasing on the eye. It also means that you can just leave the TV set to HDMI whether you want to watch sky or play a DVD. You can also record DVD from the Sky+ very well.
I dont have any audio coming out of my TV, the LG handles that for me.

I have been experimenting with using the Optical audio output from the Sky+ but then you are limited to using AV3 optical on the LG and that is a composite input only, not as good as RGB. Been asking a few questions on this forum and no one seems to know a way of being able to use AV2 and otpical in at the same time.

So, in short, yes it will be fine. RGB scart from Sky+ to LG and HDMI to the TV works wonders. Does mean that LG needs to be on whenever you watch sky though as it doesn't pass through RGB to HDMI unless when switched off (on standby that is).

Once you have it setup, try alternating between PAL and RGB on the picture settings window on the Sky+ box, the difference is very noticeable. RGB gives nice crisp menus, composite video makes them a bit fuzzy around the edges.

How do you find your LHRH361? I think its OK but missing a few features, it could certainly do with a freeview tuner rather than analogue. But then it does have some plus points, like upscaling RGB to HDMI.
Jules