Quick Question

Namo2021

I have never hooked up a home theater sound system before, so I'm just wondering about the connections. The sub that I have is a receiver as well as the sub. Therefore, it has a red/white line in (for the speakers). I'm also assuming that's where it gets the bass from. However, the external receiver I want to buy has a sub-out that is a singular black out.

Reference: http://www.bestpriceaudiovideo.com/img/items/Yamaha-HTR-6130-back.jpg

If I connect the speakers straight to the external receiver, how would I connect the sub?

dorokusai

The subwoofer needs to have a RCA LFE input(Yellow) or RCA Line Input(Red/White) available to use the subwoofer output from the AVR/Receiver.

Namo2021

Here's the back of the sub:

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/82-290-066-10.jpg

It has an RCA Line in, but the receiver only has that singular line out. Would it be possible to connect the speakers to the receiver and the sub separately? How would you take that one Sub-out and connect it to the sub (which has RCA Line in?)

rdb2001

Namo2021 wrote: »

Here's the back of the sub:

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/82-290-066-10.jpg

It has an RCA Line in, but the receiver only has that singular line out. Would it be possible to connect the speakers to the receiver and the sub separately? How would you take that one Sub-out and connect it to the sub (which has RCA Line in?)

A y-splitter

Namo2021

Ok cool, so you think that having the receiver connected to the TV's fixed analog out would be ok? Then from there having the satellites hooked into the receiver, and a y-splitter going from the sub-out to the sub's RCA in?

Would taking the signal from the TV kill surround sound capabilities? I'm assuming it would kill the possibility of having sounds from behind coming from behind, but I don't mind just having the speakers behind mirroring what's in front.

obieone

Option A: Run a single RCA sub cable from the subwooer out of the rcvr. to the L RCA in to the sub.

Option B: Wire the front speakers the 'Polk way', running your speaker cables out from the front R/L binding posts, to the 'speaker level' in on the sub, then running another set of speaker cables from the 'speaker level' out, to the front R/L satelite speakers.

Option C: Y splitter from the 'sub out' on rcvr. to R/L RCA in on the sub

Good luck.

Namo2021

Yeah I was thinking of doing option A before rdb suggested option C. Would there be any increase/decrease in quality going from one to the other?

Option B seems a little more complicated than I was originally anticipating.

Thanks for all of your help guys!

tcrossma

Namo2021 wrote: »

Ok cool, so you think that having the receiver connected to the TV's fixed analog out would be ok? Then from there having the satellites hooked into the receiver, and a y-splitter going from the sub-out to the sub's RCA in?

Would taking the signal from the TV kill surround sound capabilities? I'm assuming it would kill the possibility of having sounds from behind coming from behind, but I don't mind just having the speakers behind mirroring what's in front.

Do you have a cable box?

And you don't really want the rears "mirroring" what's in front. The pretty much defeats the whole purpose of surround sound and kills the soundstage. But if your TV has a digital output, it will probably pass the 5.1 signal to the receiver. But usually you'll run the cable from the wall to the cable box, and then optical or coax from the cable box to the receiver to carry your signal.

And as to connecting the receiver to the sub, you probably just need to use one of the RCA inputs on the sub -- either L or R. It's a mono frequency anyway, and most subs just join the two inputs inside the sub anyway, so it matters not which one you use.

Namo2021

Yeah, my TV has a digi-out. So I can use that digital signal to go to the receiver and that will carry the 5.1? My setup right now is just coax from the wall going to the TV (but I'll have a cable box when I move to my new apartment).

Does the HDMI signal from a PS3 route through the TV's digital to have at least some separation between the front and back? I'm assuming some TVs do and some don't, and that I'll have to check with my TV's guide.

tcrossma

Namo2021 wrote: »

Yeah, my TV has a digi-out. So I can use that digital signal to go to the receiver and that will carry the 5.1? My setup right now is just coax from the wall going to the TV (but I'll have a cable box when I move to my new apartment).

Does the HDMI signal from a PS3 route through the TV's digital to have at least some separation between the front and back? I'm assuming some TVs do and some don't, and that I'll have to check with my TV's guide.

Your PS3 will have its own digital out (probably via Optical -- but I don't own a PS3), and you'll connect that directly to your receiver. The only audio that will run through the TV will be the cable television; and even that will go away once you get the cable box.

The end result here, once you get your receiver, is that the receiver will be the central location where all of your audio and video comes in, and the receiver will control which input is sent to the speakers at any given time. You'll have your cable, PS3 and CD/DVD hooked directly to the receiver for both audio and video.

Namo2021

Ok, the only thing I'm worried about is that I've heard the HD video signal is downgraded significantly if you pass it through a receiver before having it go into the TV. That's the only reason why I've been centering everything around the TV rather than the receiver. I wonder if you can have a direct line between the PS3 for HDMI video and a digital to the receiver for audio... I'm guessing not.

Thanks for all of the help!

Namo2021

Ah wait I just ran around the settings and apparently you can have HDMI video out and Digital audio

tcrossma

Namo2021 wrote: »

Ok, the only thing I'm worried about is that I've heard the HD video signal is downgraded significantly if you pass it through a receiver before having it go into the TV. That's the only reason why I've been centering everything around the TV rather than the receiver. I wonder if you can have a direct line between the PS3 for HDMI video and a digital to the receiver for audio... I'm guessing not.

Thanks for all of the help!

It probably depends some on the receiver doing the switching, and whether or not the receiver has full bandwidth in its video logic. I route everything through my receiver and do not have any issues.

But if it's a concern, video and audio are two completely separate creatures. You can have the video going from the PS3/DVD/whatever directly to the TV (assuming your TV has enough video inputs) and the audio being sent through the receiver so that it gets processed and output to the speakers.

It's more of a convenience thing at that point, because you'll have to ensure that the TV is set to the correct input as you switch devices. Whereas if you use the receiver for both audio AND video, then the TV always stays on the same input and the receiver ensures that the audio and video are always in sync with each other. A good universal remote can help ease that issue though, because most can be programmed to change the input on the TV when you, for example, press the DVD button on the remote.

Namo2021

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I feel like this is going to work out afterall. I'll try a bunch of different settings with HDMI and such and see what makes me the happiest.

Thanks!

tcrossma

Namo2021 wrote: »

So here's my final plan (when I get a cable box):

--SPKR--> Satellites
/
Wall --COAX--> Cable --DIGI--> Receiver --RCA--> Subwoofer
/
PS3 --DIGI-->

Sorry I'm a visual person

I don't know, you lost me a little bit there.

For audio:

Cable = Wall -> Cable Box -> Receiver (via optical or coax)
PS3 = PS3 -> Receiver (via optical)
DVD = DVD -> Receiver (via optical or coax)

Receiver -> all of your speakers (including the sub)

For video*:

Cable = Wall -> Cable Box -> Receiver or TV (via Component or HDMI)
PS3 = PS3 -> Receiver or TV (via Component or HDMI)
DVD = DVD -> Receiver or TV (via Component or HDMI)

*Whether you go to the receiver or TV for video will depend on personal usability preferences as well as the input capabilities or your TV/receiver.

Namo2021

Yeah the visual aid didn't come out because the forum didn't put the spaces in the right spot. Pretty much the satellites and the PS3 should connect to the receiver (not the wall).

But pretty much, I agree with you. The whole purpose of this was to figure out if it's possible to do what I'm asking, and you've answered that with flying colors. I build my own computers so I know the importance of making sure components can work together.

rdb2001

Namo2021 wrote: »

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I feel like this is going to work out afterall. I'll try a bunch of different settings with HDMI and such and see what makes me the happiest.

Thanks!

I think you avr should be the center of your system. I have had the ps3 hooked through my tv and now my avr and I didnt see much off a difference IMO. You would also want to run your ps3 through your receiver so that you can receive loseless audio from blu rays if your receiver accepts it. Also I noticed a db increase when I hooked my subs with a y splitter than using the lfe IMO. But everything runs through my avr -ps3, hd cable box, etc and then I have one cable going from my receiver hdmi out to my HDMI in on my tv. Hope this helps

Namo2021

Yeah it does. At first, I'm going to run digi-audio from ps3 to the AVR and HDMI video to the TV. Then I'm going to try HDMI A/V both to the AVR then to the TV/speakers.

We'll see how that goes

rdb2001 wrote: »

I think you avr should be the center of your system. I have had the ps3 hooked through my tv and now my avr and I didnt see much off a difference IMO. You would also want to run your ps3 through your receiver so that you can receive loseless audio from blu rays if your receiver accepts it. Also I noticed a db increase when I hooked my subs with a y splitter than using the lfe IMO. But everything runs through my avr -ps3, hd cable box, etc and then I have one cable going from my receiver hdmi out to my HDMI in on my tv. Hope this helps