Onkyo HT-S3500 set up question

[socrates9]

Hi,

Newbie here. I recently bought the Onkyo HT-S3500 system, and was able to connect my BD player and TV successfully. However, I am not sure what do I need to do to listen my TV while watching cable channels.

I am using a Comcast box which is not HD. I have a Panasonic 65 inch Plasma TV. I would greatly appreciate it if someone can tell me what do I need to do?

Thanks a lot.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi,

Newbie here. I recently bought the Onkyo HT-S3500 system, and was able to connect my BD player and TV successfully. However, I am not sure what do I need to do to listen my TV while watching cable channels.

I am using a Comcast box which is not HD. I have a Panasonic 65 inch Plasma TV. I would greatly appreciate it if someone can tell me what do I need to do?
Thanks a lot.

You need to get an HD Comcast box, with HDMI output.

 

[socrates9]

Is there no way to listen to it without the HDMI connection. Can't I use the analog connections?

Thanks

 

[Adam]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

You can either connect the audio output from your TV to your Onkyo, or you can connect an audio output from your Comcast box to your Onkyo. Either should work, and it doesn't need to be HDMI.

I imagine that your TV has an optical audio output. Do you know if it has ARC (audio return channel) on the HDMI connection? If not, you can let us know the model number and we can look it up.

Also, which audio outputs are available on your Comcast box?

That said, I agree that it would be best to get an HD cable box with your TV. Would that cost you extra?

 

[TLS Guy]

Is there no way to listen to it without the HDMI connection. Can't I use the analog connections?

Thanks

Yes, but what is the point of having a receiver and an HD TV and watching in SD with an analog video and two channel audio connection. Comcast will change your current SD box, for an HD box which is what you need.

Using analog is very awkward, as you will have to run three cables to your TV instead of one HDMI cable.

 

[96cobra10101]

Yes, but what is the point of having a receiver and an HD TV and watching in SD with an analog video and two channel audio connection. Comcast will change your current SD box, for an HD box which is what you need.

Using analog is very awkward, as you will have to run three cables to your TV instead of one HDMI cable.

What Mark said. You want to get you money's worth from the 65" tv, so get an HD box. You'll need 2 HDMI cables, one between the cable box and receiver, and one between the receiver and TV. Three if you add a Bluray player.
https://www.monoprice.com/
or
Parts Express: the #1 source for audio, video & speaker building components
are probably the best places to buy good yet budget friendly cables.

 

[markw]

Assuming, for watever reason, you want to keep your current concast non-HD cable box, what type of output connections does it have on it?

The only one I'm familiar with only has a "F" (screw-on) type cable connector that can only feed an antenna input. I hope you have other options.

 

[socrates9]

Thank you all for the replies. Comcast charges extra monthly for the HD box which I was trying to avoid. My TV is a Panasonic Viera TCP65ST30.

Thanks,