[GenTarkin]

I have a question, I have a Mitsubishi DLP 60c9 (2009 model) and was wondering...do the HDMI ports support ARC?


Reason I ask, is I am looking for a decent way to upgrade its sound, was thinking a soundbar setup kinda like this one:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...specifications


I just dont know how to hook all my stuff up to the tv and this.

I have devices that dont have HDMI ports.

I have a wii, an older multi dvd player without hdmi.

I plan on adding a BD player eventually.

I want to hear the tv sound through this bar as well. ( I have baby basic comcast cable going into TV, has digital and analog channels)



The DVD player has only coaxial digital out for audio. (other than RCA L/R but I want multichannel audio)

The wii has just stereo RCA L/R out.


So I assume on the soundbar, I plug the coaxial digital out from DVD player into that port on soundbar.

Plug the wii L/R to the audio in L/R on soundbar.

(all video out on the above devices go in to tv right?)


Then since the coaxial digital is being used by DVD on soundbar, I have to use the L/R RCA from tv to soundbar instead?


Does anything then need to be plugged in to the TV from soundbar? like the HDMI output?

Also, when I get the BD Player, I assume I just run the HDMI from that, to the soundbar then HDMI from soundbar to TV?(would this be the only time I actually need to run something from soundbar to TV in terms of HDMI out?, which may not be needed for other devices above?)



So, if I have this figured correctly, if the TV supports ARC...I wouldnt need to run the extra analog RCA audio L/R from TV to receiver RCA to get the TV/cable sound going to receiver right? Its not needed for any other function of my devices correct?


Another question just popped into my head...

My TV sits on a stand thats pretty deep, would it be fine to just put the soundbar sitting on the stand in front of the TV? Or does this hinder its sound...(vs putting it on wall on top , behind tv?)

Thanks

 

[Possumgirl]

I don't think your TV has ARC. Take a look at your connection panel. If you see ARC next to any of the HDMI inputs, then it does support it. I looked at the diagram in the owner's manual and didn't see ARC anywhere, nor was there any mention of it.


So assuming the TV doesn't have ARC you have a bit of a problem with that DVD player because if you use the coax input for it then you won't have digital audio out from the TV. Two solutions: 1) take advantage of BF sales and get a BD player or 2) purchase a digital coax to digital optical converter and use that to go from TV to soundbar.


You can put a soundbar on the stand in front of the TV. Some of the effects may get absorbed by furniture and other stuff, so soundbars usually sound better above the TV but it will still sound good on the stand.

 

[GenTarkin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Possumgirl /forum/post/19548850


I don't think your TV has ARC. Take a look at your connection panel. If you see ARC next to any of the HDMI inputs, then it does support it. I looked at the diagram in the owner's manual and didn't see ARC anywhere, nor was there any mention of it.


So assuming the TV doesn't have ARC you have a bit of a problem with that DVD player because if you use the coax input for it then you won't have digital audio out from the TV. Two solutions: 1) take advantage of BF sales and get a BD player or 2) purchase a digital coax to digital optical converter and use that to go from TV to soundbar.


You can put a soundbar on the stand in front of the TV. Some of the effects may get absorbed by furniture and other stuff, so soundbars usually sound better above the TV but it will still sound good on the stand.

Thanks for your response, yeah your right in regards to ARC...none of my ports have that, and is that only a feature of 1.4 HDMI? Cuz I am pretty sure mine are just 1.3 =)


As far as the converter is concerned...

something like this should work right?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...mat=4#feedback


Also, since its not doing any D to A conversion vice versa, it wont degrade the quality right? what about any sound latency? or should it just work fine.


Thanks

 

[Possumgirl]

AFAIK, ARC is part of the 1.4 HDMI specification so you won't find it on 1.3 HDMI sets.


Yes, that converter is what I meant. I've never needed to use one but it should work just fine. Looks like there are quite a few satisfied customers of it that posted on Monoprice.


That way you can use the coax input for DVD audio. For the Wii, connect both audio & video to the TV. You won't need any HDMI connections for now. When you do get a BD player, connect it via HDMI to the soundbar and then run HDMI from soundbar to TV. Assuming you take the DVD player out of the mix, you can then just have a straight coax run from the TV to soundbar eliminating the need for the converter.

 

[GenTarkin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Possumgirl /forum/post/19549952


AFAIK, ARC is part of the 1.4 HDMI specification so you won't find it on 1.3 HDMI sets.


Yes, that converter is what I meant. I've never needed to use one but it should work just fine. Looks like there are quite a few satisfied customers of it that posted on Monoprice.


That way you can use the coax input for DVD audio. For the Wii, connect both audio & video to the TV. You won't need any HDMI connections for now. When you do get a BD player, connect it via HDMI to the soundbar and then run HDMI from soundbar to TV. Assuming you take the DVD player out of the mix, you can then just have a straight coax run from the TV to soundbar eliminating the need for the converter.

OH , sweet so I wont need any HDMI cables till I buy the BD player ... didnt even think of that lol!

What would be preferable you think? use the coax digital -> optical converter on DVD player or on the TV?


optical is less prone to interference right?

 

[Possumgirl]

If the coax is properly shielded there shouldn't be a problem. I don't have experience using it though, so maybe someone else will stop by with better insight.

So it's probably six of one, half dozen of the other which way you connect. With the DVD player, you're going to have to change inputs on the TV and the soundbar either way.


I should have mentioned this already but forgot. You may want to run an HDMI from the CT-150 to the TV in order to use the CEC functions such as auto on, auto off, volume control. The Mits and the Sony should "play nice" together although there's no guarantee. In fact that would be a reason to use the optical connect for the TV even after you replace the DVD player so the CT-150 would automatically recognize and switch to the TV input.

 

[GenTarkin]

Thanks so much for that, I am now interested in the JVC TH-BA1 as well based on many user feedback on this forum. Seems it definitely has better audio / surround quality then the sony. But, I am thinking about inputs now...


For my setup listed above, I assume I would need 2 coax -> optical digital converters. One from TV, one from my current DVD player.

The wii I can still run directly to TV via RCA...and TV will send sound to soundbar over optical correct? just like with the sony.


Now, when I buy a BD player, I just use one of those optical cables from it to the soundbar. Then I run an HDMI from the BD player to TV for video right?


I am wondering, in the setup above, how does the TV know not to send the HDMI audio from BD player right back through the optical out to the soundbar ?? lol?

Or, do I just mute the TV and adjust soundbar sound directly via its remote?

 

[chopchop0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenTarkin Thanks so much for that, I am now interested in the JVC TH-BA1 as well based on many user feedback on this forum. Seems it definitely has better audio / surround quality then the sony. But, I am thinking about inputs now... For my setup listed above, I assume I would need 2 coax -> optical digital converters. One from TV, one from my current DVD player. The wii I can still run directly to TV via RCA...and TV will send sound to soundbar over optical correct? just like with the sony.

I've heard that it depends on your TV. For OTA broadcast, the optical should send digital/5.1, but some people on this forum were telling me that many TVs will downconvert HDMI audio to stereo/2.1 through the optical port.


That being said, I've seen some anecdotal reports that my TV, the LG 55LH90 will pass 5.1 through the optical, so I went ahead and got the JVC TH-BA1 soundbar. For it's price and audio quality, as mentioned here on AVS, it seemed to be the best soundbar solution for me.


I'm a home audio noob, so I am not even sure whether I will be able to tell the difference between 5.1 and 2.1 signals on a soundbar that is "4.1" anyways.

 

[Possumgirl]



Quote:
Originally Posted by GenTarkin /forum/post/19551955


Thanks so much for that, I am now interested in the JVC TH-BA1 as well based on many user feedback on this forum. Seems it definitely has better audio / surround quality then the sony. But, I am thinking about inputs now...


For my setup listed above, I assume I would need 2 coax -> optical digital converters. One from TV, one from my current DVD player.

The wii I can still run directly to TV via RCA...and TV will send sound to soundbar over optical correct? just like with the sony.


Now, when I buy a BD player, I just use one of those optical cables from it to the soundbar. Then I run an HDMI from the BD player to TV for video right?


I am wondering, in the setup above, how does the TV know not to send the HDMI audio from BD player right back through the optical out to the soundbar ?? lol?

Or, do I just mute the TV and adjust soundbar sound directly via its remote?

The JVC is highly regarded by members here. You'd likely be happy with either it or the Sony. You've got the connection scenario right for the JVC.


With either soundbar your TV will output 5.1 audio (when available) from your basic cable connection and 2 ch. from your Wii. The DVD and (future) BD players will send audio directly to the soundbar. I don't know the answer to your last question but I'm guessing you just mute/lower volume on the TV.