I just got my new ps3 for Christmas and I'm wondering what's the best way for me to set it up. I'm not as proficient with these things as I used to be so please be patient. My TV had 2 HDMI inputs free, as well as 2 component. My Sony receiver is about 8-9 years old and has no HDMI and I believe no component cables either. Right now, my SD DVD player is connected to my reciever thru Digital coax and then from my SD-DVD player to my HDTV thru S-video. For the time being, I'm fine with taking any cables from my DVD and using them for my ps3. Does the ps3 even accept digital coax?

I simply can't afford a new reciever, so that's not an option. Am I correct in thinking my best option is to connect my ps3 to my HDTV using HDMI and then connecting audio thru my receiver? If so, can I use Digital coax? If I can't use digital coax, my options become optical (isn't this expensive?) or composite for audio, I guess. I would really like to have a plan before buying anything, so that I don't end up buying any cables that I don't need. Anyway, I'd appreciate all the assistance I can get.

Thanks,
Pat

I just got my new ps3 for Christmas and I'm wondering what's the best way for me to set it up. I'm not as proficient with these things as I used to be so please be patient. My TV had 2 HDMI inputs free, as well as 2 component. My Sony receiver is about 8-9 years old and has no HDMI and I believe no component cables either. Right now, my SD DVD player is connected to my reciever thru Digital coax and then from my SD-DVD player to my HDTV thru S-video. For the time being, I'm fine with taking any cables from my DVD and using them for my ps3. Does the ps3 even accept digital coax?

I simply can't afford a new reciever, so that's not an option. Am I correct in thinking my best option is to connect my ps3 to my HDTV using HDMI and then connecting audio thru my receiver? If so, can I use Digital coax? If I can't use digital coax, my options become optical (isn't this expensive?) or composite for audio, I guess. I would really like to have a plan before buying anything, so that I don't end up buying any cables that I don't need. Anyway, I'd appreciate all the assistance I can get.

Thanks,
Pat

Optical is no more expensive than coax, and will sound great. I have mine HDMI to the TV and bitstream optical to my receiver.

You don't need a new receiver unless you paid over $5k for your speakers anyways. The lossless codecs will do you no good with anything less than stellar speakers. DD and DTS sound great through the PS3 through optical.

And, you can get uncompressed LPCM via optical! It's only 2.0, but my receiver does a damn fine job matrixing it across all the channels.

Make sure you receiver has an optical input and if so just run an optical cable from the PS3 to the receiver and HDMI to the TV as Kamspy said, optical cables are around 10 bucks or so at wal mart, pick on up and enjoy.

Order an HDMI cable for your video, and an optical cable for your audio, (from monoprice.com, of course) the PS3 has both outputs built in.