Cable advice needed please

Total_Noob

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Hi,

As my name suggests, i'm new to the world of home cinema and after several months of looking at various pieces of kit i have finally taken the plunge and ordered what i'm hoping will be a very good set up.

However, i have spent the past few days reading posts on here and other sites and have now totally confused myself as to the best way to connect all my equipment for optimal performance.

So i was wondering, if i listed all the equipment i have ordered, if anybody could give me some much needed advice about the best way to go about connecting it all:lease:

Any pointers (to other threads even?) on optimum settings for the TV would be appreciated also.

Unfortunately, living out in the sticks, apart from 'Curry's' and the like, my only option was to buy the system i wanted over the internet.
I really can't express how much of a noobie i am at all this and i'm starting to think i may have bitten off more than i can chew.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Pioneer PDP-428XD TV
Denon DVD 1940
Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
QAcoustics 1010i 5.1
SkyHD
 
That looks lilke you have made it nice and easy for yourself. Without making the whole process over complicated by adding lots of cables just go with below to start with:

DVD > via HDMI > AMP (DVD in or HDMI 1 in)
SKY HD > via HDMI > AMP (HDMI 2 in)

AMP > via HDMI > TV HDMI in

If it's all going to be on a stand then that's 3 (1.5M?) HDMI cables (no need for silly expensive cables, as digital transfer is unlikely to suffer from EM induction errors over a short distance... it's a profit making myth that you need £100 cables)

You will need a RCA > RCA subwoofer cable.

Get some good speaker cable to the 5 speakers (especially the front 3 speakers) and off you go.

Can't help with the TV settings but I'm sure if you do a search on here you will find something.

I also wouldn't bother using the upscaling option on the DVD player, as your TV will do a better job.

Obviously you will need to change input on the Amp when you want to watch DVD or HD.

Hope this helps. :thumbsup:
 
Here you go

QAcoustics 1010i 5.1 with speaker cable & Sub cable to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
SkyHD HDMI to Pioneer PDP-428XD TV and optical to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
Denon DVD 1940 HDMI to Pioneer PDP-428XD TV and optical to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver

HDMI via a AV reciever is pointless unless you have run out of HDMI on the TV unless you want the AV amp on all the time.
 
SKY HD > via HDMI > AMP (HDMI 2 in)

Not forgetting the optical cable from Sky HD to the amp. as mentioned by Andy, due to Sky only outputting stereo via HDMI.
 
If you do run your HDMI sources and then run a single HDMI cable to the TV, you will have access to the amp's setup menu on the TV. This is handy for initial setting up at least.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated :thumbsup:

can i just ask the reason for connecting both SkyHD and the DVD player directly to the TV via HDMI? rather than, as mikim suggests, connecting both to the AV receiver then using one HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV?

As Andy98765 has pointed out, i wouldn't want the AV receiver on ALL the time........ah, i think i've just answered my own question there :rolleyes:

I also understand the need for an optical connection for SkyHD to get 5.1 audio but the spec details for the DVD 1940 state 'Multichannel audio via HDMIv1.1' so would i still need an optical connection for the DVD too?

Thanks again for your help, i know that even once i have the right cables the fun is only just begining, just glad i found these forums, think i will be back with a few more questions yet :D
 
Not forgetting the optical cable from Sky HD to the amp. as mentioned by Andy, due to Sky only outputting stereo via HDMI.

AH..:suicide:

You can tell I'm not a Sky person :) Typical of Sky to do something stupid like that. I went through too many + boxes before I realised that it's a waste of money... unless your a footie fan, obviously ;)

(Can't wait for decent free HD TV).
 
Here you go

QAcoustics 1010i 5.1 with speaker cable & Sub cable to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
SkyHD HDMI to Pioneer PDP-428XD TV and optical to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
Denon DVD 1940 HDMI to Pioneer PDP-428XD TV and optical to Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver
HDMI via a AV reciever is pointless unless you have run out of HDMI on the TV unless you want the AV amp on all the time.

So the optical runs from HD to Amp. In all the connections above, nothing connects the Amp to the 428XD?
 
So the optical runs from HD to Amp. In all the connections above, nothing connects the Amp to the 428XD?

With optical connections from SkyHD and the DVD player to the AV receiver for the audio and HDMI connections straight to the TV for video, why would you need to connect the receiver to the TV too?
 
With optical connections from SkyHD and the DVD player to the AV receiver for the audio and HDMI connections straight to the TV for video, why would you need to connect the receiver to the TV too?

I am also a 'your user name', so just wanted to understand everything properly. After spending £2200 on my set-up, i want maximum performance, as we all do. Thanks for answering my question:smashin:
 
The only connection you need, which is debatable, would be an audio connection from the TV to the amp giving you s/s from the TV's built in freeview tuner. As you have sky, I personally wouldn't bother unless the cables are chased in a wall, in which case it would at least future proof the setup.

The reason people connect video sources to an amp/av receiver is for

a) Video switching - ie. to switch between several sources using the same signal output e.g. component video, HDMI etc. This is handy if you have a lack of inputs on the TV
b) To simplify (and tidy) the cabling between the AV rack and the TV by having a single cable to the TV. This only applies if one signal output is used and if more than one signal is used, that the amp is capable of upconversion
c) To upconvert several signal outputs, usually analogue to a digital signal output (HDMI). This allows you to use a single cable to the TV. Most upconverting amps will now upconvert all analogue sources to HDMI, although some older models would only upconvert component video to HDMI and even older or cheaper models would only upconvert composite video and s-video to component video
d) To allow access to the amp's setup menus on screen. This can be also achieved by simply connecting a composite or s-video cable from a monitor output from the amp/av receiver to the TV. This is acceptable on amps/av receivers that have simple monochrome menus or if the inputs on the TV are at the back. On some mid/high-end newer amps/av receivers the GUI is in colour and really needs a decent video connnection to show it off e.g. high end Denon 3808 and above. On some amps/av receivers I believe that only limited setup can be achieved using the front panel and a monitor display (video connection) is required
e) Upscaling. Usually found on higher end amps. Some amps will have a built-in scaler which will scale all image up to 1080p. Some might argue this isn't needed if you have a decent quality TV with a good scaler but the scaler's in amps/av receivers are usually high quality units

That probably simplifies it a little. If you have plenty of inputs on the TV then you don't really need to connect the video sources to the amp but as I said earlier by running a video output from the amp to the TV will give you access to the amp's setup menus. This would mean you have to have the amp on all the time for sound. This isn't an issue for me as although I don't have all video sources to my amp, I use the amp for all audio. I don't see the point in using TV speakers! :D
 
Thanks for explaining things a little more clearly for me davepuma,

Can i just ask, is it possible to run a video output from the amp to the TV just to access the amps setup menus, set everything up, then remove the connection again? As i have said, i probably won't be using the amp all the time for sound (just most of the time probably lol) so i'm not keen on the idea of needing the amp on all the time.

If this is not possible, is setting up the amp without access to the menus much more difficult?

Aspers, thanks for the 'thanks' mate but i'm not sure i deserved it, i answered your question with another question lol.
 
Yes that's possible. TBH, once your amp is setup, you only really have to make minor tweaks. The only changes I make these days is the occasional adjustment to lip sync as not every disc is the same and some sky channels have terrible lip sync issues.
 

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