Does RadioShack Onkyo HT-S8230 = HTS-570?

HI, I bought that same Onkyo from radio shack two days ago.. I guess it's identical to the onkyo 570. I live on Maui here in Hawaii and there really isnt much to choose from except some sonys at sears and costco and at walmart they have a pioneer...

Can anyone tell me if this is a OK system.... and if so how I would go about hooking it all up correctly.. I have a panasonic 42" edtv plasma comercial model I just got a few months back.. Here are the specs of the onkyo :


Designed for great movie sound reproduction with a 5.1-channel AM/FM receiver and five 100-watt speakers in wooden cabinets, plus a 100W RMS subwoofer*

• Entertainment package includes front and surround speakers—two of each, a center speaker and an 8", powered subwoofer

• Three speakers are magnetically shielded (front pair and center) for location next to the TV without interference

• Setup is simple with color-coded speaker terminals

• Receiver supports Dolby® Digital, Dolby® Pro Logic® and DTS® decoding

• Remote control included

• Power output: 8 ohms, 1kHz, FTC, 100W/channel

• Speaker drivers: 3.12" cones (two front & two surround speakers), dual 3.12" cones (center speaker)

Subwoofer

• Down-firing, powered

• Driver size: 8"

• Dynamic power: 100W

Speaker Dimensions (WHD)

• Front: 4.0x6.6x4.3" (10.1x16.7x10.9cm)

• Center: 10.4x3.7x4.3" (26.4x9.4x10.9cm)

• Surround: 4.0x6.6x4.3" (10.1x16.7.x10.9cm)

• Subwoofer: 9.06x17.18x15.87" (23.01x43.63x40.30cm)

Speaker Frequency Responses

• Front, Center & Surround: 10Hz-20kHz

• Subwoofer: 34-150Hz

Receiver Inputs/Outputs

• Audio/Video: 4/1

• Monitor Out: 1

• Audio: 2/1

• Multichannel Input: 4

• Digital Input (Optical/Coaxial): 1/1

• Subwoofer Pre-Out: 1

• Speaker A/B switching

• Headphone jack

• Dimensions: (WHD) 17.12x5.87x14.75" (43.48x14.90x37.46cm)

• Weight: 19.4 lbs. (8.7kg)

Tuner

• 30 FM/AM presets

• Automatic/manual tuning

• Playback DAC: 96kHz/24-Bit


Also I'm having trouble setting it all up to connect it to my HD cable box (scientific atlanta Explorer 8000HD) and my dvd player currently only have it hooked up to my dvd player, a Panasonic dvd -S31 which has a component video out a regular audio out and a digital audio out and also has a s-video port.


Any kind of help would be great...

thanks

scott

Hey Scott. I ended up getting this from Radio Shack just a few days ago too. I've got it all setup, and when going from no surround sound, this sounds amazing. I've never really heard much to compare it to, so my opinion is skewed. But I'm sure if you're like me, and going from TV speakers to this, you'll love it.


As for connecting it...you say your DVD player has digital out (probably coaxial?), so you'll want a digital coaxial audio cable (about $20), just plug that from your DVD player to the input on the receiver.


Since you have an HD box, I'd guess it has optical audio out? I'm not familiar with HD or cable (I've got DirecTV, which has optical out), but if you have it, that's what you'll want to connect from the cable box to the receiver. Again this is just a $20 cable. Both are available at Radio Shack.


Since the Onkyo receiver only has composite video inputs/output, you'll just want to connect your DVD player and cable box directly to your TV, as it is now. I know you'll want to be using the component out on your DVD player, but I don't know how the HD cable box connects.


As for the HT system...make sure you get the fronts on stands. It makes a world of a difference. Center I just set on top of my TV entertaiment center. The rear surrounds you'll want elevated also, wall mounted is probably your best bet.


Also, get some better speaker wire. I picked up 100' of 14 AWG at Home Depot for $35. 16 AWG though is probably fine, I've heard, and you can get 50' for about $9 at Radio Shack. Get a couple spools, depending on your room size, maybe more. It's cheap.


When it's all setup, get Saving Private Ryan, and watch the beach landing scene.


Good luck.

Hey AKTICK, as we say in Hawaii, MAHALO!!! many thanks...

using the directions it came with was kinda confusing, you cleared some things up for me!

I'm going to go out and get a optical and coaxial after work and some 14 or 16 guage wire tonite and get busy...

couple more questions..


My sci atlanta explorer 8000hd cable box has a optical audio out and also a digital audio out which is the coaxial input on the receiver, my panasonic dvd player(dvd-S31) has only the regular audio connection and has a optical audio output..


Since both my cable box and my dvd player have optical outs for audio and my onkyo receiver only has one optical input, which would you suggest I use for the optical input , the dvd or the cable box?

I thought I should use the optical from the dvd player and use the coaxial for the audio from the cable box.. sound correct?


If I do it this way though do I have to have the receiver always on when I want to watch anything on cable?


Sorry about all the questions , I use to be okay at all this stuff, BUT......


thanks again


scott