A/V Newbie with some questions

[Matchew_57]

I am about to set-up a home theater a/v system with the following components and would like some input on the set-up since I am new to this.

Components List
1. TV - Samsung - UN55C6300SF
2. Cable Box - Time Warner HD Cablebox
3. Receiver - Sony - STR-DH500 5.1 Multi Channel Receiver
4. Front Channel Speakers - MTX Audio - Monitor R60i
5. DVD Player - Sony but I am not sure of the model number as it is not currently at the house.
6. Gaming Console - Nintendo Wii
7. Possible Computer set-up as well.

I was wanting to set this up to run all of the audio through the receiver and would like to have HDMI from the TV, DVD Player, and Wii as well. Please let me know what I need (Cable wise) to set this up. Eventually I would like to add a Sub-Woofer and some Surround Speakers as well. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[markw]

I would suggest at least your front three speakers be from the same manufacturer and line. It's nice if the rest is as well, particularly for music, but for HT, it's not that big a deal.

 

[Matchew_57]

I guess my question is what cables would l need for this setup and what would be the best route for wiring this all up?

 

[sholling]

I would suggest at least your front three speakers be from the same manufacturer and line. It's nice if the rest is as well, particularly for music, but for HT, it's not that big a deal.

+1 the front three need to be from the same manufacturer and product line. It's nice if the surrounds are to but that's less critical. If you're looking for upgrades then the place I'd start is by replacing the DVD with a Blu-Ray player. If you shop sales carefully you can pick up a decent quality name brand networked Blu-Ray player for $100-150. Blu-Ray players need occasional firmware updates so do stick with name brands. As for cables you can't go wrong shopping at monoprice.com. You'll need HDMI cables for the Blu-ray to receiver, and I assume for the HD cable box to the receiver, and receiver to TV connections, and whatever the Wii uses to connect to the receiver. You'll save enough buying your HDMI cables (at $3-5 each I'd get 4 just so you have them on hand) from Monoprice (vs $25-30ea at big box Electronics stores) to come close to playing for that Blu-Ray player.

I guess my question is what cables would l need for this setup and what would be the best route for wiring this all up?

I have no idea how your DVD connects to the receiver but generally speaking you would connect an HD cable box and Blu-Ray to the HDMI-in ports on the receiver using HDMI cables and then connect the TV to the HDMI-out port on the receiver. The sound and video travel over the HDMI cables and the receiver acts as a switch-box. Ideally you'd connect a computer the same way if the computer has an HDMI port. Your DVD player may or may not have HDMI.

 

[Matchew_57]

my receiver has optical inputs as well for the audio. would you suggest using these vs the traditional rca style cables?

 

[sholling]

my receiver has optical inputs as well for the audio. would you suggest using these vs the traditional rca style cables?

1st choice = audio over HDMI, 2nd choice = optical, RCA is a last resort.

 

[Matchew_57]

I do not think that the receiver does audio over HDMI, but may be wrong. How could I find out?

 

[XEagleDriver]

my receiver has optical inputs as well for the audio. would you suggest using these vs the traditional rca style cables?

Matchew,

If you have the option to use HDMI, stick with that (HDMI contains both the video and digital audio signals in one cable/connection).

If not, I generally advise using optical or a single coaxial digital 75ohm connection rather than the traditional 2-wire, red/white, analog rca connection.

Although it does depend on the quality of the respective DACs in your source component vice your receiver. Most of us mere audio mortals do not have source components (DVD, bluray, or cable boxes) with particularly stellar DACs.

Hope that helps,
XEagleDriver

 

[sholling]

I do not think that the receiver does audio over HDMI, but may be wrong. How could I find out?

It looks like it doesn't. If not then you'll need up to 2 optical cables and possibly one RCA cable for the 3 digital inputs depending on your devices. You'll need to see what type of digital audio outputs your devices support - some support digital over optical and some support digital audio over coax. That I can't do for you, you'll have to investigate that by looking at the available connections.

3ft Optical
6ft Optical
3ft Coax

Quick Start Guide
Full Manual

 

[XEagleDriver]

Manual page 19

I do not think that the receiver does audio over HDMI, but may be wrong. How could I find out?

Reference your manual concerning HDMI connections on page 19.

The write-up is pretty lousy, but basically says "to output sound from the speakers" (not the TV ones) "be sure to connect the digitial audio jacks" (optical or digital coax).

XEagleDriver

 

[Matchew_57]

Now knowing all of this please give me a list of items that i need to purchase in order to get all of this going...

1. Time Warner HDMI Cable Box - 1 HDMI Output
2. Sony DVD - 1 HDMI Output
3. Nintendo Wii - RCA and Audio Outputs.

 

[Matchew_57]

Once I figure out what I need, I am going to purchase all of my cables through Parts Express since they are about 40 minutes from the house and should be able to give me the support that I need.

Thanks to all for helping me out!!!