Help with Blu-ray Surround Sound

[tamala24]

Hello!

I am new here and am hoping someone can help me.

I have a Hitachi Plasma Television (55HDS69), a JVC DVD Digital Theater System (TH-C40), a Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc Player (DMP-BD 35), and a Direct TV box (HD-DVR - HR20-700).

I don't know how to get sound from the Blu Ray through the receiver. Currently, the only way I can listen to the Blu Ray movies is through the TV's speakers.

There doesn't seem to be enough outputs on the receiver (and I dont know what I'm doing). The receiver remote control has the options; DVD (we have set up when we watch DVD's), VCR (we have set up for the TV sound), FM/AM (set up for radio), DBS, and USB memory.

Any help and guidance would be so greatly appreciated!!!
Tammy

 

[sahihai]

I do not have any of your devices, but based on the specifications I read, you have two ways to get audio from BD35 to the receiver...

1) Use a Optical cable which is used for digital audio from the "DIGITAL AUDIO" connection behind your BD35 to the Optical input behind your JVC receiver.

OR

2) Use analog cables (RCA) from the "Audio Out" connection (where it has L and R) from behind your BD35 to "Aux in/VCR" connections behind your JVC receiver. But I think you are already using these connections for your VCR.

So your best option is to use the Optical cable mentioned in option 1.

The above suggestion is assuming you have taken care of the video signal from your blu ray to the TV (I am guessing by using a direct HDMI cable from blu ray player to the TV)

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

I agree with sahihai that the best option is the optical audio input on the JVC, but I'm checking some details because I don't know how you have your DirecTV box hooked up (and you might already be using the optical input for that connection).

I'm downloading the owner's manual for your TV right now. I want to check how audio is processed in your TV when you supply an HDMI input and send audio out the optical audio output.

 

[Adam]

Okay, here's my first cut at it:

• Connect the DirecTV HR20-700 to the TV using an HDMI cable. You want to send the audio and video over the HDMI cable, and that might require some changes to the menu in the DirecTV box if you weren't doing that before.
• Connect the Blu-Ray player to the TV using an HDMI cable.
• Connect the JVC DVD system to the TV using an HDMI cable.
• Connect the optical audio output from the TV to the optical audio input on the JVC system.
• Set the "Digital Output" on the TV to "Dolby Digital" (instead of "PCM").

The audio and video from the DirecTV box and the Blu-Ray player would go to the TV, and then the audio would be passed from the TV to the JVC system. You would select the "DBS" source on the JVC to listen to that.

The copy of the TV owner's manual that I found was a scanned image that I can't search, so it's taking a while to find what I'm looking for - and that's whether or not the TV converts all audio from HDMI inputs into two-channel stereo when it output audio from the optical output. I'll let you know if I find that.

 

[tamala24]

Hi Adam,

Thanks for taking your time to help me.

Ok- I had all the connections correct (like you stated) and the Digital Output is on Dolby Digital.

I see the Optical Out (digital audio) jack on the back of the tv, but I'm currently not using it. Do I need to be?

How do I set up/program the JVC to play the Blu Ray?

Thank you again!!

Tammy

 

[Adam]

Hi, Tammy. Let's see if I can help with those questions.

How do I set the "Digital Output" on the TV to "Dolby Digital" (instead of "PCM")?
In the Menu options- I went to Audio, Audio Source, and my three options are Stereo, Mono, and SAP. I have it set to Stereo, correct?

The Stereo, Mono, and SAP options are separate from the other setting - but, yes, I certainly recommend Stereo from those three options.

Give me a few minutes to read through the owner's manual, and I'll get back to you on how to do that.

I see the Optical Out (digital audio) jack on the back of the tv, but I'm currently not using it. Do I need to be?

Yep. You would connect that jack to the "OPTICAL DIGITAL IN (DBS)" jack on the back of the JVC. Before your edit, you asked about needing a different cable. If you still have questions about that, just let us know. Those cables are pretty inexpensive and easy to find.

EDIT: You're way too fast for me on the edits! I'll answer in the next post.

 

[Adam]

Happy to help when I can!

Ok- I had all the connections correct (like you stated) and the Digital Output is on Dolby Digital.

Sweet! I'm glad that you got that figured out.

How do I set up/program the JVC to play the Blu Ray?

You'll be playing the Blu-Ray discs on the Panasonic player. Here's how I see you operating your system:

• You'll use the JVC system to play DVDs and to listen to the audio from everything else. Except for DVDs, you'll use the television to select the source.
• If watching a DVD, you just select "DVD" on the JVC, and select the appropriate video input on the TV.
• If watching anything else (DirecTV, Blu-Ray, over-the-air television broadcasts), you would select "DBS" on the JVC, and select the appropriate video input on the TV.

Does that make sense?

 

[tamala24]

YAY!!!! I borrowed my optical cord from my downstairs tv and tried it here in the living room. It works!!! Thank you very much for your directions and help.

BTW, beautiful doggy!

Thanks, again!
Tammy

 

[Adam]

Excellent! I'm so glad that it's up and working well.

Thanks for the compliment on Niki!