Ok, NooB warning.... I've searched the forums for following but have not quite come up with the right answers yet.

I just acquired an LCD TV. Cool. Thus began the upgrade path for DVD player, and Home Theatre sound. I purchased a Panasonic all in one box and it is ok, but decided to drag out a stored Yamaha + M&K speakers that make for a 5.1 sound system from 2002. The speakers alone are wonderful. Overall sound runs the Panasonic out of the park. The AV system is really excellent imo, and I'd like to try and resurrect its use. The Yamaha HTR-5560 AV receiver has THX, a bazillion input ports for S-Video, optical, and regular input jacks for front, rear, sub woofer and surround/center speaker. It does not have of course, HDMI input.

Question or help is... am looking for a DVD Player that pushes HDMI to the LCD TV, but am looking to see how to get 5.1 audio to the Yamaha from said DVD Player. From what I can see, I either have to find a DVD Player capable of 6 RCA outputs for the 5.1 channels (does such an animal exist??), or.... if a DVD Player can output HDMI to the LCD TV and S-Video to the Yamaha AV receiver, am I right in assuming the S-Video output would carry the 5.1 audio signal too that the Yamaha could receive and handle to 5.1 output? I've got a total of 4 S-Video inputs for DVD, VCR, and Digital TV so that is easily accomplished. But am not sure about either the optical, or if I can find a DVD Player that actually would push out 6 channels out the back of its connector array.... if there is such a thing. Am rooting around now.

So.... anyone have a recommendation... that at least an S-Video output does carry 5.1 sound and I could run HDMI to the TV, and an S-Video connection to the Yamaha and be ok?

Any recommendations of such a DVD Player? Am not looking for BluRay at this point. Just a handy dandy DVD Player that upconverts to 1080something and can push to a slightly older AV receiver that simply has great sound, to 5.1 surround capabilities.

Oh, not sure it matters, or does it, but the Yamaha does handle THX, in which case, any ideas on adding this to a DVD Player recommendation mix???

A NooB in need of wisdom here...

tx

I now learned that S-Video does not carry audio. am sure I made a few people laugh with that question.

However, the manual for the Yamaha HTR-5560states that:
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Digital Jacks

This unit has digital jacks for direct transmission of digital signals through either coaxial or fiber optical cables. You can use the digital jacks to input PCS, Dolby Digital and DTS bitstreams. TO enjoy multi-channel sound track of DVD software, etc, with DSP effects, you need to make a digital connection. All digital input jacks are acceptable for 96kHz sampling digital signals. The OPTICAL jacks on this unit conforum to the EIA standard.

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It appears I either have to find a DVD Player that will allow for 6 RCA cables, or an optical/digital connection.

Am I right on this? If yes, recommendations for a DVD Player, 1080x upconverting, HDMI to the LCD TV, and can push via an optical connection to the Yamaha AV unit?

Any help would be appreciated.

It appears I either have to find a DVD Player that will allow for 6 RCA cables, or an optical/digital connection.

I usually skip audio questions (because I am ignorant of and indifferent to the topic) but I think what you want is pretty common. I only follow the Oppo line; the 980 is a bargain at $169: http://www.oppodigital.com/dv980h/default.asp

-Bill

Pretty much all DVD players have digital connections anymore. Usually coaxial, but lots have optical or both.

Multichannel RCA outputs are almost always on universal players with SACD/DVD-A capability, although some older ones (like my Panny CV50) had onboard Dolby Digital decoding and used them. But most receivers have decoders now. If you have optical, you can get a new DVD player.

Oppo brands are fine. Good rep.

I would get a DVD player with an HDMI output which you can use for video directly to the LCD. If your receiver has optical audio but not coaxial digital inputs make sure the DVD player has an optical out for audio.

You could probably find a used HD DVD player on EBAY that will be cheaper than most upconverting players on the market. Lots of people buy them just to play standard def DVDs because of their good upconverting capability.

Pioneer DV-48. HDMI/upconverting/SACD/DVD-A/6xAnalog outs/etc. About $100 these days.

As the subject says... mucho gracias for not slamming this n00b for these questions. As I have found in more research, this is more common than I realized.

The responses above have advanced my education enormously, and make the pursuit of a solution, sensible. Yesterday it was a mystery. Not today thanks to the ringing in...

Will study a bit more and make a decision.

Much appreciated....