Please explain what surround sound settings to use for various tasks on my new amp?

Wayne00

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My new surround sound system is an Onkyo TX-NR501 with an Onkyo 5.1 system

My Blu ray player is a Samsung BD-C53000

I'd like to know what I need to know to get the most out of this system for various tasks:

Playing FM radio from amp: "PL2 music" sounds good to me? Seems to separate the voice from the backround which sounds cool and seems clever to me seeing as it's 'just a FM radio stream!' But sometimes it also says "multichannel"?

Blu-ray: I'm not sure, again "PL2 movie" sounds good? Can't see options for the so many confusing dolby options from this thread? http://www.avforums.com/forums/av-a...06-attempt-explain-high-definition-audio.html

Does it make a difference what Blu-ray it is? What should I be looking for on the back of the Blu-ray box to ensure good surround sound?

Playing from an iPhone into front usb socket? What type of music files offer best surround sound?

I guess I just need to know what applies to my system, don't need to know about 6.1/7.1 set up etc and the thread above just confuses me really bad!

Thanks for any help and advice!

Wayne
 
Also; I'm setting up my old non HDMI xbox when my optical cable arrives. So I have the red, white and yellow connection in, and then the optical connection as well (when it arrives) is this better than using components? (blue, green, red?)

Will the surround sold be true dolby digital or the pseudo surround sound from pro logic 2? (I've read a bit more in the last 30 minutes since the original post!)

Any idea how pro logic two knows how to seperate the voice from the music from an FM radio signal? Is the FM signal coded at source? (BBC Radio 1 studios?)
 
You will get a better picture with the component cable. The composite cable (yellow) is probably one of the worst picture options you can get. Component with optical will give you the best picture and sound from your Xbox.
If PL music sounds good to you then stick with it. I believe it separates the vocal frequencies with some clever programming/logic which is why it sounds like it does.
How is your bluray connected to your amp (HDMI?). If your amp does not have HDMI then you need to use optical or coaxial so you can at least get DD/DTS.
 
Also; I'm setting up my old non HDMI xbox when my optical cable arrives. So I have the red, white and yellow connection in, and then the optical connection as well (when it arrives) is this better than using components? (blue, green, red?)
No blue, red, green is way better video. Then with the optical you wont need the red or white either.
 
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No blue, red, green is better audio then with the optical you wont need the red or white either.

So components transfer audio and picture? But not surround sound audio hence the optical cable?

I take it I have to tell my amp to not listen to the audio imput from the components but use the optical instead?
 
So components transfer audio and picture? But not surround sound audio hence the optical cable?

I take it I have to tell my amp to not listen to the audio imput from the components but use the optical instead?

Just the red and white leads carry audio. These two carry the left and right stereo channels. The red, blue and green component wires carry just video. Use an optical connection in conjunction with component video if not using the red and white RCA connection for stereo. Optical allows you to stream DD 5.1, while the stereo RCA connection will not.

Component video output needs to be used in conjunction with a separate audio connection, either the stereo RCA output or the optical output.
 
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Make sure your Bluray player is connected to your amp via HDMI cable. That way you'll get to hear DTS HD Master Audio or Dolby True HD (depending on the film), both of which leave old Prologic in the dust. You can select which codec from the menu of the film.
Your amp acts as the hub of your home cinema. Hook up your sources with the best available connections (HDMI for BD, comp. for Xbox), and then use an HDMI cable from your amp to your display (telly or projector).
 
Thanks will be using components & optical instead of the red/white/yellow combo for the xbox! Thanks.

Yea my Blu ray is connected via HDMi thanks mfife

I now need to work out how to get the built in freeview to come out of the surround sound. It's an older TV so has no Audio Return Channel through HDMI. It also doesn't have an optical output! How rubbish, this is what it has so how am I to get audio from the TV to the surround sound?:

IMG_1203.jpg


Freeview comes out of the source option "DVB-T", yet for it to connect the the amp for anything obviously I put the TV source on HDMi. How will that work if I have to select DVB-T in the TV menu to get picture? :S
 
No worries! Oh and Studio Mix sounds great for listening to music & youtube!
 

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