Surround Sound n00b - need help!

damojag

Hi,

I have an LG 32inch HD Ready TV with 2 HDMi's, Component, VGA, RCA input and Digital Optical output. I want to connect a subwoofer and possibly some speakers to the TV as I get some noise/vibration regularly. Has anyone got any ideas about what sort of a speaker setup I'd need?

I really have no ideas about Home Cinema/Surround Sound but I want the sound to come out of an external speaker - I run a satellite, PS3 and DVD player into the TV.

Thanks

Idleater

I suggest reading up on Audio Visual Receivers as a start point.

When you have read what they can do, come back with a budget and more specific recommendations can be made.

damojag

I have a 32 inch LG HD Ready TV (LG30 Model I think) with the following:
- USB IN (Service Only)
- HDMi x2
- Audio In (RGB/DVI)
- RGB In
- RS 232C In
- Optical Digital Audio Out
- Component In
- Scart x2
- Antenna In (necessary for terrestrial television)
- RCA IN




PS3[/U][/B]
- HDMi Out
- LAN
- Digital Optical Out
- AV Multi Out


Dreambox Satellite
- Antenna In / Out
- RS232
- RCA
- Digital Optical
- Scart


DVD Recorder/Player
- Front: USB | RCA (In - I think) | DV IN
- TV Out
- Antenna In
- Scart x 2
- S-Video
- RCA Out
- Component Video Out
- Digital Audio Out




How Everything is Connected:

- The PS3 connects Audio & Video through HDMi to the TV
- The Dreambox connects via RCA (Second Picture)
- The DVD Recorder/Player connects from the RCA to an RCA-Scart (First Picture)
- The Dreambox is pumped into the DVD Recorder/Player via Scart

I need to figure out how to connect everything to give me some decent sound as I'm getting a lot of vibration. I'm almost certain every device has a digital optical output (not 100% certain on the DVD player but it does have a digital audio output next to the component output).

Budget - not very big as I was considering this for £70: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/curtis-dvd6091-5-1ch-home-cinema-system-06171563-pdt.html

rob_

You need an AV reciever, that 'surround sound system' is a DVD with a built in amp, definitley not what you need,
Simply put, an av reciever takes the input connections from all of your source equipment, and then sends the video(preferably upscaling via hdmi) to the screen, and the audio to the speakers and subwoofer.

That currys model is not really anywhere near what you would need to get good audio. The pioneer vsx520 is the latest and really good value upscaling av recievers. This with a nice set of Jamo a102 speakers(not the best speakers on the market but great value for money), you will have a banging system, that will last you for many years. Although will prob blow your budget.

£70 in currys will dissapoint you and need replacing in a year or two, because you will have thrown it out of your window.

My €0.2

av_integrator

Rob is spot on here. You need to consider an ivestment of 500 to 1000 Euro to anything near what you could describe a high quality sound surround.

Here is What I would get:

- Onkyo TX-SR508 5.1 AV Receiver
- Jamo 102A 5.1 Speaker Set
- Blu Ray DVD Player

The Onkyo has four HDMI input channels so I would recommend connecting as much a you can to this (eg DVD Player, Sky Box etc..)

I set this system up for a guy recently and the quality was amazing.

Check out Amazon for really good special offers on the gear I mentioned

damojag

Thanks guys! That AV receiver sounds exactly what I was looking for! Since posting this I've got myself a HDMi DVD Recorder/Player...so that's a 3rd HD source! Will look into those devices you guys mentioned.

Once again - thanks!