[yoodontknomi]

Hey everyone, this is my first post, and I am really sorry if this has been answered many times before, but I am really confused!


First, here is my tv: Vizio VP322HDTV10A,


Here is my surround sound system, its a HTIAB by Samsung: HT-Z410



Okay, so I have a time warner HD cable box that has the component, HDMI, and Optical...

I have an Xbox 360 with options of component, HDMI, and the optical


How should I set it up so that my cable box AND the xbox are both beautifully surround sound ready??


Thanks again, so much for helping! I hope to be around for a long time!

 

[samsurd2]

Here's a recommendation FWIW. If the Z410 is like the Z510 (couldn't find the Z410 on Samsung's site), you'll have to connect the video outputs from the cable box and Xbox to the Vizio (suggest you use 2 of the 3 HDMI connections on the Vizio). Go this way because there are no video INPUTS on the Z410 as far as I can tell. For audio, I'd connect the cable box to the Z410 with an optical cable. As near as I could tell, the Z410 only has that one optical input and no other digital audio inputs. If that's the case, then connect the Xbox to the Z410 using red/white RCA (stereo) cables. Finally connect the HDMI OUTPUT on the Z410 to the 3rd HDMI input on the Vizio (that will take care of playing DVDs).

 

[jdubau55]

 Buy this and run both the optical from the cable and the 360 to it. Then run the out into the Samsung. Run the video from both sources into the TV.


You will have to manually switch back and forth the optical, but it is cheap and it works. You can buy switches that you can use a remote with but they are much more pricey.

 

[Ted the Penguin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by samsurd2 /forum/post/15485907


Here's a recommendation FWIW. If the Z410 is like the Z510 (couldn't find the Z410 on Samsung's site), you'll have to connect the video outputs from the cable box and Xbox to the Vizio (suggest you use 2 of the 3 HDMI connections on the Vizio). Go this way because there are no video INPUTS on the Z410 as far as I can tell. For audio, I'd connect the cable box to the Z410 with an optical cable. As near as I could tell, the Z410 only has that one optical input and no other digital audio inputs. If that's the case, then connect the Xbox to the Z410 using red/white RCA (stereo) cables. Finally connect the HDMI OUTPUT on the Z410 to the 3rd HDMI input on the Vizio (that will take care of playing DVDs).

just based on this suggestion... I would actually recommend hooking up the 360 via optical and the cable box via analog stereo cables... but it really depends on what you care about... there are also some optical switches you can get (monoprice) that would let you hook up both, but you would have to change inputs on the switch.

 

[yoodontknomi]

If I use your advice, and plug one of the items in with just the red and white cables, will that item be able to use true 5.1 surround sound or just the pro logic II where it simulates the surround sound through the fronts and center?


Thanks again guys!


also, is this what your talking about?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

 

[jdubau55]

For your first question, no running the red\\white will NOT be Dolby Digital 5.1. It will be ProLogic.


For #2, yes that is what we are talking about. That will allow you to run up to 3 devices into a receiver that only has 1 input (like you). I used to use one of these with an old Sony receiver we had. It sucks having to get up, but a lot of times you are getting up to put in a DVD or change video games.


You can get automatic ones but they are a lot more. Like this....

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.as...3108&sku=28731


I'll take the $5 please.

 

[RainmanP]

Maybe I am missing something. If your TV has 3 HDMI ports and all devices have HDMI, just connect all three to the TV with HDMI and connect the TV back to the Z510 with optical audio. You don't need another audio connection. Unless either the cable box or the Xbox is one of those devices that only sends video signal over HDMI. I know my original HDTV cable box only had DVI so I had to use a DVI to HDMI cable for video and red/white for audio. The new box has HDMI. HDMI carries the video and audio. I realize that may be pretty elementary, but I only found out a few months ago.

 

[samsurd2]

^^ The problem with this approach is that the optical output on 99.99% of TVs only puts out 2 channels (stereo) UNLESS the input is via the TVs own internal digital tuner - i.e., the input is from an antenna (local HD stations broadcasting DD 5.1 for example). Otherwise a DD 5.1 digital input to the TV via an HDMI cable will be converted to two channel PCM when output from the TV's optical audio output.

 

[HDMI Guy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RainmanP /forum/post/15553576


Maybe I am missing something. If your TV has 3 HDMI ports and all devices have HDMI, just connect all three to the TV with HDMI and connect the TV back to the Z510 with optical audio. You don't need another audio connection. Unless either the cable box or the Xbox is one of those devices that only sends video signal over HDMI. I know my original HDTV cable box only had DVI so I had to use a DVI to HDMI cable for video and red/white for audio. The new box has HDMI. HDMI carries the video and audio. I realize that may be pretty elementary, but I only found out a few months ago.

Listen to samsurd2. The approach suggested by RainmanP will NOT work. I would get the switch from monoprice. You will then have 5.1 from all of your sources and the option to add another source with 5.1 in the future.

 

[ObiSix]

Would the 2 channel audio mixed in DPL II sound bad?

 

[Tulpa]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ObiSix /forum/post/15720534


Would the 2 channel audio mixed in DPL II sound bad?

Depends on what you mean by bad. If you have no choice, it can deliver surround sound, but most if not all agree that 5.1 discrete (meaning it was mixed with 5 channels and LFE) is head and shoulders better. There's no point in downmixing it and rematrixing it back up if you don't have to do so.

 

[ObiSix]

Thanks and I agree. I'm kinda in the same boat as I have all my equipment connected via HDMI but don't have enough Optical inputs on my HTIB reciever. I hate to buy the Toslink switcher as I have everything automated through my Harmony remote, but true 5.1 does sound alot better.

 

[HDMI Guy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ObiSix /forum/post/15797634


Thanks and I agree. I'm kinda in the same boat as I have all my equipment connected via HDMI but don't have enough Optical inputs on my HTIB reciever. I hate to buy the Toslink switcher as I have everything automated through my Harmony remote, but true 5.1 does sound alot better.

Would something like this help. http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2