Really Dumb Stoopid Newbie Questions

[JampoTT]

I'm hoping you guys can point me to a decent webpage or offer some advice to a complete AV novice. Computers are my thing - I can build and upgrade them with my eyes shut, but this is my first foray into Home Cinema stuff, and am confused by all the different connection methods / types etc, and knowing what to plug into what....


Firstly my equipment:

32" (old but workhorse!) Phillips 32" W/S with 3 scarts, front AV
Scan SC2000 (soon to be replaced) DVD
Marantz 5200 AV Amp/Receiver
NTL Cable Set-top box
Sony Playstation 2
Kef KHT2005 (Eggs) - 5 sats (soon to be 6 maybe!) and sub.

I've a VCR but am leaving it out of the setup as its never used.

Obviously I need speaker cable to connect Amp to Speakers and a sub cable to connect sub to Amp. Gone for Mordaunt-Short stuff (£4.99 per metre @ Richer sounds) and some Gale gold plated banana plugs. 1st Question - had a quick look at the back of the Amp at the speaker terminals there, and they have plastic red/black connections. Do i have to remove these to use the banana plugs (i bought them for both ends of the cable) or can't they be used (the banana plugs) at the amp end (in which case I just saved £25-£30). Manual as usual is no help, and I'm a dummy!

Also, I assume speakers go directly into the Amp and set to "small" not into the Sub for it to filter?

Next the other connections. I'm assume Scart between STB and TV, also Scart between DVD and TV, then Scart between PS2 and TV. Or should I be using S-VHS if its available? (eg the DVD) Then optical between DVD and amp, optical between PS2 and Amp, and is there a way to connect STB to Amp? If so, what cable? Also what about TV to amp? TV has a bunch of speaker connections on the back.

What a bunch of spaghetti! If someone can tell me what to connect to what, using what lead or point me towards a decent webpage with good setup information, I'd be forever in their debt......

See, I told you I was a complete dummy!!

 

[kevb]

Remove the plastic plugs from the speaker connections on the amp and speakers, they pop out quite easily.

speakers go directly into the Amp and set to "small" not into the Sub for it to filter?

Yep that’s your best bet.

I'm assume Scart between STB and TV, also Scart between DVD and TV, then Scart between PS2 and TV. Or should I be using S-VHS if its available

Sounds about right. Best picture from you DVD player would be using RGB if it has it not S Video. Depending on how many scart sockets your TV has you may have to plug the scart from the PS2 into your STB

is there a way to connect STB to Amp. Also what about TV to amp?

A phono cable is the thing to use.

 

[James45]

the speaker connections usually have plastic 'caps' stuck in the end of the plastic screw covering the holes for banana plugs. This is because strictly speaking european directives make banana plugs illegal!!
Just pull the caps off and insert your plugs.

And yes set the amp to SMALL for the eggs, that way your sub will handle all the bass.

scart or s-video to TV is fine, but identify which one of your TVs scarts takes RGB and use that for the DVD (use the DVDs menu to select an RGB output to the TV, this signal method is generally considered the best mainstream format). Also do any of your devices have two scarts? That way you can piggyback devices and free up some connections on your TV.

Don't know about sat box but it should have an analogue phono out, just connect this to an analogue input on the amp with a standard phono interconnect. and yes connect TV to amp using the same analogue method as above.
as for connecting the audio of your individual components to the amp, most people use the digital co-axial output rather than optical although I doubt you'd notice much difference.

I'll let you know when I need some computer questions answering!

 

[James45]

ahhhh Kev I spent four minutes typing what you said in about four lines!!

 

[hobbes]

There's a basic guide to home cinema here that may be of some use to you or anyone interested/starting out.

Shaun