Replacing a Blu-Ray Home Theatre

jasonb

Hi there,

I've had a Panasonic SA-BT100 Blu-Ray Home Theatre for years, with a Subwoofer and three speakers. It's started to act up (not always able to read DVDs, hangs sometimes etc.) and I've started looking into replacing it. As it's our Blu-Ray player and our Speaker system, I'm looking at replacing both aspects.

I've got my eye on the Sony UBP-X700 for a Blu-Ray player and the Samsung HW-MS650 for a sound bar, reviews of both of them seem to be pretty positive, without breaking the bank.

However, I'm trying to find out how to wire everything so that it will work. Here's my current setup:

Sky HD+ Box: HDMI Out (to TV) and Optical Audio Out (to Home Theatre)
Wii: Component Video (to TV) and Component Audio (to Home Theatre)
Home Theatre: HDMI Out (to TV), Optical Audio In (from Sky HD+ Box) and Component Audio In (from Wii)
TV (Samsung Series 5 40"):  HDMI In (from Sky HD+ Box), HDMI In (from Home Theatre) and Component Video In (from Wii)

All this works fine, I have the TV volume turned down, and the sound from the Sky HD+ Box, the Blu-Ray and the Wii all comes through the Home Theatre Speakers, I just have to choose which Audio Input I want.

So I'm wondering can I replicate this with the Sony Blu-Ray Player and the Samsung Sound Bar? Will I be able to get all the sound through the Sound Bar for the Sky HD+ Box, the Blu-Ray Player and the Wii, and if I can, how do I wire it? I can't see any mention of 'ARC' on the HDMI ports on the back of the Samsung TV or in its manual, so I'm guessing they're not ARC HDMI ports.

I'd appreciate any advice you might have, thanks!

Richersounds.ie: Kenny

jasonb wrote: »

Hi there,

I've had a Panasonic SA-BT100 Blu-Ray Home Theatre for years, with a Subwoofer and three speakers. It's started to act up (not always able to read DVDs, hangs sometimes etc.) and I've started looking into replacing it. As it's our Blu-Ray player and our Speaker system, I'm looking at replacing both aspects.

I've got my eye on the Sony UBP-X700 for a Blu-Ray player and the Samsung HW-MS650 for a sound bar, reviews of both of them seem to be pretty positive, without breaking the bank.

However, I'm trying to find out how to wire everything so that it will work. Here's my current setup:

Sky HD+ Box: HDMI Out (to TV) and Optical Audio Out (to Home Theatre)
Wii: Component Video (to TV) and Component Audio (to Home Theatre)
Home Theatre: HDMI Out (to TV), Optical Audio In (from Sky HD+ Box) and Component Audio In (from Wii)
TV (Samsung Series 5 40"):  HDMI In (from Sky HD+ Box), HDMI In (from Home Theatre) and Component Video In (from Wii)

All this works fine, I have the TV volume turned down, and the sound from the Sky HD+ Box, the Blu-Ray and the Wii all comes through the Home Theatre Speakers, I just have to choose which Audio Input I want.

So I'm wondering can I replicate this with the Sony Blu-Ray Player and the Samsung Sound Bar? Will I be able to get all the sound through the Sound Bar for the Sky HD+ Box, the Blu-Ray Player and the Wii, and if I can, how do I wire it? I can't see any mention of 'ARC' on the HDMI ports on the back of the Samsung TV or in its manual, so I'm guessing they're not ARC HDMI ports.

I'd appreciate any advice you might have, thanks!

Hi Jasonb.

Thanks for the post.

The Samsung HW-MS650 is now listed as last few to clear as it has reach the end of its run. We are totally out of stock both here in Belfast and our main warehouse with no more stock due to arrive.

It also would not have enough HDMI connections to connect you items up too. It only has 1 in and 1 out.
You could connect everything to the TV and then run the optical from your TV to a soundbar.

Which Samsung TV is it that you currently own and I can have a check regarding ARC for you.

Might there be any other soundbars that might suit your needs or have you seen any others that might interest you?
Perhaps something like the Yamaha Yas207 coming in at 279 Euro
https://euro.richersounds.ie/p-202832-yamaha-yas207-soundbar-system.aspx

Let me know your thoughts.

jasonb

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for your reply

That's a shame about the HW-MS650, I've read very good things about it. It was listed as having a HDMI In Port, and Audio In Port and a Optical In port, so I thought I could just plug the new Blu-Ray into the HDMI port on it, the Sky Box into the Optical Port and the Wii into the Audio In port, would that not work? This might be a stupid question, but does the TV itself need to be attached to the Sound Bar? In my mind I'm sending sound to the Sound Bar and Video to the TV, but the Sound Bar and TV don't need to be connected? Or do I have that completely wrong?

The TV is a Samsung Series 5 40", it's 10 years old. I've attached the page in the instructions which shows its rear panel. It doesn't have any HDMI Out ports that I can see, and it doesn't have an Optical Out Port either.

No, I'm not locked in to the HW-MS650, I just read really good reviews about it. When it comes down to it, I'm looking for a good Sound Bar that won't break the bank and can connect to all my devices (sure, isn't everyone?  ).

Thanks...

Richersounds.ie: Kenny

jasonb wrote: »

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for your reply

That's a shame about the HW-MS650, I've read very good things about it. It was listed as having a HDMI In Port, and Audio In Port and a Optical In port, so I thought I could just plug the new Blu-Ray into the HDMI port on it, the Sky Box into the Optical Port and the Wii into the Audio In port, would that not work? This might be a stupid question, but does the TV itself need to be attached to the Sound Bar? In my mind I'm sending sound to the Sound Bar and Video to the TV, but the Sound Bar and TV don't need to be connected? Or do I have that completely wrong?

The TV is a Samsung Series 5 40", it's 10 years old. I've attached the page in the instructions which shows its rear panel. It doesn't have any HDMI Out ports that I can see, and it doesn't have an Optical Out Port either.

No, I'm not locked in to the HW-MS650, I just read really good reviews about it. When it comes down to it, I'm looking for a good Sound Bar that won't break the bank and can connect to all my devices (sure, isn't everyone?  ).

Thanks...

Hey Jasonb.

Unfortunately your TV would have been before ARC was introduced.

You can connect up the way you list above and everything will operate.
It is how always been to connect HDMI from the source to the soundbar where possible as it gives better audio quality.

The Yamaha I mention above has 1 HDMI input and then 1 output to the TV. It also has the phonos for connecting you Wii and optical for you sky box.

The YAS207 was 5 star reviewed in What HiFi.

jasonb

Hi Kenny,

Excellent, thanks for your reply. Yeah, I read during my research that the HDMI audio is better than the Optical, but as the Sky Box is currently doing Audio through the Optical Cable to my Home Theatre, I won't really be missing out as we're already not using HDMI for it.

I'll have a look at the YAS207 thanks, and see what it's like.

Another question for you (hopefully!). The Sony UBP-X700 I was looking at has a HDMI out and a HDMI Audio Only out according to the manual I saw online. Am I right in thinking then that in the set up I'm describing, I'd basically run the 'full' HDMI cable from the Blu-Ray to the TV, and the 'Audio Only' HDMI to the Sound Bar? And then, with the Wii using the Phonos and the Sky Box using the Optical, that's all my sound sorted.


Finally, any boardsie price for the Yamaha YAS207 and Sony UBP-X700 together? Does it include delivery etc? And do you know what cables come with them (I reckon I'll need one more HDMI to get my planned setup working).


Thanks!

jasonb

P.S. Have been reading about the YAS207 and I'm a little concerned about the people having issues with the Subwoofer 'kicking' in and out. Have you heard of this at all? What would you think of the YSP1600 instead?

Thanks!

Richersounds.ie: Kenny

jasonb wrote: »

P.S. Have been reading about the YAS207 and I'm a little concerned about the people having issues with the Subwoofer 'kicking' in and out. Have you heard of this at all? What would you think of the YSP1600 instead?

Thanks!

Hi Jason.

To be honest, I can't think of any of this fault arising on the ones we have sold.

The YSP1600 is also an excellent soundbar.
Has a few extra features like networking and the built in woofers rather than a separate one.
However it does have an Audio input to connect your Wii as it only has a 3.5mm Audio input.

I've check over a few others and they only seem to have the 3.5mm jack input also.

jasonb

Thanks Kenny. From what I can see the Yas 207 only has a 3.5mm port as well. But that would work fine really, I can get a 2 Phono to 3.5mm jack cable which will do the job, I just need sound from the Wii, it doesn’t have to be cinema quality! 😊

Could you let me know how much the UBP-X700 would be with either the Yas 207 or the Ysp 1600?

Thanks.

Richersounds.ie: Kenny

jasonb wrote: »

Thanks Kenny. From what I can see the Yas 207 only has a 3.5mm port as well. But that would work fine really, I can get a 2 Phono to 3.5mm jack cable which will do the job, I just need sound from the Wii, it doesn’t have to be cinema quality! 😊

Could you let me know how much the UBP-X700 would be with either the Yas 207 or the Ysp 1600?

Thanks.

Hey Jasonb.

Not sure were I was looking to think it was the phonos.

I have very little wriggle room on these products unfortunately.
X700 with YAS207 best I could do would be £404 or 475.28 Euro delivered.

X700 with the YSP1600 in Black would be £514 or 566.64 Euro
Or we have a clearance deal on the YSP1600 in Titanium which with the X700 would come in at £384 or 446.64 Euro delivered.

Let me know your thoughts.

jasonb

Hi Kenny,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Leave it with me, I'm going to look into the two Yamaha Soundbars and suss out my money. Thanks for all your help and advice, I appreciate it.

Richersounds.ie: Kenny

jasonb wrote: »

Hi Kenny,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Leave it with me, I'm going to look into the two Yamaha Soundbars and suss out my money. Thanks for all your help and advice, I appreciate it.

No problem at all Jasonb.

Let us know when your ready :)