*PICS* Is this good for my first Home Theater system?

[jaxvon]

Cadd,

You're quite welcome. I enjoy giving a helping hand.

Now to the questions:

HT10DBS is not the same as the HT10POWERBAR. The HT10POWERBAR has a 15-amp rating while the HT10DBS has a 12-amp rating. Other than that, they're very similar.

The speaker cable you've selected looks fine, as does the subwoofer cable. I would only suggest that you buy more than 100 feet to make sure that you have extra. The worst thing you can have happen is to not have quite enough wire for one of the surrounds when you're hooking up your system and you have to go out to get more and delay the awesome HT experience. Get at least 150 feet, it's worth the minimal extra cost to ensure that you have enough. Like I mentioned earlier, banana plugs will make your life easier. Refer to the link I posted earlier (it's an eBay link) for a good set. You'll need more than 16 (4 per channel, so 20 total), so you'll need to purchase two orders.

Good luck with your system!

 

[cadd]

Update.

My Axiom speakers should be arriving tomorrow. The SVS PB-10 is currently backordered & won't come for a while

I purchased a Tripplite surge protector.

Can someone guide me with the setup? It should be a VERY VERY VERY simple setup.

All I want connected to it is the DVD player, VCR, TV (Sony WEGA.....5 years old.....not HD) & roof antenna (for FM radio).

I do NOT have cable (Yes, I'm part of that 2% population that does not have cable or Direct TV).

Since this is my first "real" system, I have no idea what wires to use. In the past, I've always used those wires that has 3 plugs (yellow, white & red.....I think) for everything.

I'm assuming I have to run wires from:
DVD's audio & video OUT
VCR's audio & video OUT
Roof antenna

into the A/V Receiver's INPUT

But will those wires (yellow, red & white) be ok?

Now, I'm assuming I need to run a wire from the A/V Receiver to the TV as well for video. Can I run just the yellow plug?

Damn, I can tell that my system will be so bottle neck already.

If anyone have any pictures, can you please show me the back of your receiver? I just want to see the type of wires you guys use.

 

[jonnythan]

I didn't see you mention what kind of TV you have, but you should really use Component Video from the DVD player to your TV. Component video is *far* superior than standard composite (yellow) video.

If your TV doesn't have component inputs, I'd suggest that you look into getting one that does.

The cables are here:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10235&style=

$4 for 6 feet.

 

[jaxvon]

The input type on your TV will determine that kind of cable you want to use. I think that it should at the very least have S-Video inputs, which are superior to the classic yellow composite video cable.

 

[cadd]

Ok, I guess all this time, I've been using Composite wires (yellow, white & red) for everything. Are the plugs called "RCA" plugs?

When I checked monoprice for Component wires, the plugs look very similar to the composite wires. Are they? If they are, my TV should be able to accept them right? I have a 32" Sony WEGA that's about 5 years old. I'll check the model tonight and see if the TV will take component wires. Is there a quick & easy way to tell?

Also, I'm assuming I'll run the antenna wire (the plug has a needle thing in the middle.....is that called a coax plug? And I think you can screw it on the back of the TV). I guess I'll run that directly into the surge protector, then one one out of the surge to the A/V receiver, then run one out of the receiver to the VCR and then run one out of the VCR to the TV.

When I look at the back of the A/V receiver, it makes me dizzy!

EDIT: How do you guys know so much about this stuff?!?!??!!! Your knowledge amazes me!

 

[jonnythan]

The yellow, red, and white are "RCA" plugs, yes. Component video uses the same type of plug, but requires three cables just for the video. "Regular" composite video, the yellow plug, uses only a single cable. The difference is quite dramatic.

When using component video, with 3 RCA plugs (red, blue, and green), you still need an audio connection. That can be the standard red and white stereo pair or something fancier like a digital connection.

The antenna wire - the stiff stuff with the screw-on connector and bare wire "pin" in the middle - is typically called coax.

I'm not sure what your TV is like, but I'd just run the coax from the surge protector to the TV and use the TV's outputs to go into the VCR inputs.

 

[cadd]

When using component video, with 3 RCA plugs (red, blue, and green), you still need an audio connection. That can be the standard red and white stereo pair or something fancier like a digital connection.

Now, it's beginning to make sense! Just say my TV accepts component video (the 3 plugs.....red, blue & green), what should I use to run the audio out from the DVD to the A/V receiver? Since the red & white composite plugs aren't that great, what would you suggest? If you have a direct link from monoprice, that would be great!!!!

 

[jonnythan]

Now, it's beginning to make sense! Just say my TV accepts component video (the 3 plugs.....red, blue & green), what should I use to run the audio out from the DVD to the A/V receiver? Since the red & white composite plugs aren't that great, what would you suggest? If you have a direct link from monoprice, that would be great!!!!

Your DVD player should have a digital audio output and your receiver should have a digital audio input. A digital connection will get 5.1-channel Dolby Digital Surround sound to your receiver. Red and white plugs only get you 2-channel stereo or maybe Dolby Pro Logic Surround, which sucks.

Digital audio is also referred to as SPDIF.

There are two types of digital audio cable:
The first is Toslink, which is a fiber optic cable. I prefer this kind because it's just so much cooler using light to transmit the signal than electricity A sample cable is here:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1419&seq=1&format=2&style=

The second is Digital Coaxial. It uses a standard RCA connector. Any yellow composite video cable should work fine. Red or white cables *may* work, but they may not. The problem is that video cables require 75 ohm connectors, whereas audio cables don't require anything in particular, so many don't have 75 ohm connectors. Anyway, a single RCA video or digital coaxial cable is all you need. Here is one:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023601&p_id=619&seq=1&format=2&style=
Here is the same cable with a prettier connector:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023602&p_id=2680&seq=1&format=2&style=

Both optical and digital coaxial will give you the exact same result. Choosing one or the other usually depends on what your devices have. For example, my cable box only has digital coaxial, but my DVD player has both. Since my receiver only has one digital coaxial input and two optical inputs, I use an optical cable for the DVD player and a digital coaxial one for the cable box.

 

[cadd]

Here is the same cable with a prettier connector:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023602&p_id=2680&seq=1&format=2&style=

You have no idea how much you're helping me! And I'm kinda upset because I just placed an order with Monoprice (a few days ago) for the EXACT SAME cable that's 25 feet for my subwoofer! Damn!

But thank you so much! I owe you a drink!

 

[jonnythan]

You have no idea how much you're helping me! And I'm kinda upset because I just placed an order with Monoprice (a few days ago) for the EXACT SAME cable that's 25 feet for my subwoofer! Damn!

But thank you so much! I owe you a drink!

You can head to Radio Shack or Wal Mart and you can probably find a similar cable for less than it would cost to have one shipped from Monoprice if that's all you're buying.

 

[cadd]

Axiom speakers arrived yesterday!

I plugged them in and see how it worked and all I can say is WOW!!!!! They nearly blew my pants off!

I also connected the DVD player via composite (yellow, red & white) because I didn't any component wires (red, blue & green) video wires.

Both my TV & DVD player accepts component wires (blue, green & red), so I was happy about that.

Now, assuming that I'll run the component wires from DVD to A/V receiver and from A/V receiver to TV.......how do I run the audio wires?

What type of audio wires should I run? Do I have to buy TWO of these wires?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023602&p_id=2680&seq=1&format=2&style=

I'm a bit confused, from the DVD to Receiver, how many audio wires do I need? Do I need two (for left & right) or is it just one wire (the one pictured above) all I need for 5.1 or 7.1 surround?

If I want to run audio wires from the DVD to the Receiver AND the TV (so I can watch DVDs using only the TV's speaker), I'm assuming I will need something that would split the wires so that one set will run from DVD to Receiver and the other set to run from DVD to the TV. Can you give me a link of a splitter?

Thanks!

 

[cadd]

PS - I think this thread should be a sticky since it contains SOOOO much info for newbies. I'm sure this thread will help out newbies big time!

 

[jonnythan]

You need a digital audio cable to go from the DVD player to the receiver.

You don't need to split anything. Send the audio to the receiver and the video to the TV. That's it.

On the red, yellow, and white cable, the yellow cable is a video cable and the white and red are left and right audio cables. Component video replaces the yellow cable and digital audio replaces the red and white ones. You only need a single digital audio cable - all audio is carried using it.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

cadd.....I'd sugest a couple of things.....

1) dont sell yourself short...you can always add the sub and surrounds at a later date and focus on the mains (front/center/left) and your receiver. That way you dont spend more than you have at the time. Especially since you're primarily a music listener. Having said that:

2) I'd go with Hsu for your sub over svs. I love svs but with that size of room and the fact that your more of a music listener, I think you'd enjoy the hsu's alittle more. Plus the Hsu is get down deep as well!!!

3) since you're planning to go with axiom (good speakers) I'd go with either Harmon Kardon or Denon....that's what Joe told me when I asked him about axiom pairing with a receiver

http://www.axiomaudio.com/joev.html

Good luck with your system!!!

 

[jaxvon]

Since you want to be able to use just the TV speakers sometimes, you should run 1 digital audio cable from your DVD player to your receiver, then one stereo analog cable from your DVD player to the TV. Video should go through the receiver.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

Upps....looks like I missed the last three pages of this thread...."speakers already ordered...along with sub"...*Daz3d bows head in embarrassment...lol

Good luck with your setup...sounds like you'll have a real nice one!

 

[jh.csv]

Stop showing off your system and asking for approval. Your ears will tell you if it is good,or not.