Wiring for Home Theater

[oskar22]

Got a new TV and revised my wiring but not sure if all is ok. The system works good but perhaps there is room to improve. I wonder if someone can point out any mistakes on the attached schematic.

Yes my audio receiver is old but the sound is the best and maybe in the summer I will get a new one

[oskar22]

Sorry but I want to include an updated schematic which indicates more applicable connections. Also I want to point out some of my questions:

On the Bell receiver the component video and digital audio are not used and I wonder if they should and how.

On the Panasonic the component TV-IN is not used and perhaps it should?

On the JVC is the Antenna OUT required?

[oskar22]

The new schematic was not included in my previous post

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Oskar, you really do need to upgrade your reciever so you can go all HDMI, simplify your wiring, and get the best quality out of your entire system.

At the end of this year the studio are going to flag the component outputs to be downrezzed to 480p. At that point even your Bluray output would be knocked down to 480p.

My advice is to upgrade the receiver to a HDMI based one.

[oskar22]

As mentioned, I do have plans to change the AV receiver but with 600 total watts of power or 100 watts x 6 in surround mode at 0.9% THD including Dolby digital, DTS-ES + Pro Logic II decoding +++ so many other goodies its not my priority.

Now if someone who knows how to properly connect all these gadgets together provide me with some recommendations, it will be more fun and interesting to see the results.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

As mentioned, I do have plans to change the AV receiver but with 600 total watts of power or 100 watts x 6 in surround mode at 0.9% THD including Dolby digital, DTS-ES + Pro Logic II decoding +++ so many other goodies its not my priority.

In the world of A/V today, none of what you mention are really goodies - they are sound formats of the past. This receiver cannot even process the new flavors or the old lossy formats. There are very few Bluray's that use the old lossy audio formats, Lossless DTS and Dolby codecs now dominate all releases. So what you think is goodies, are really nothing more than relics of the past. If you update the receiver, then a whole world opens up for you, and it become SO much easier to connect all of your components to the receiver and get the best quality out of them.

When you ask people for help, it is not wise to dismiss the advice that is given -especially if it is sound and wise. If you do, it make people less likely to help you again.

[oskar22]

Hey Sir Terrence, I don’t deny what you say is true and I appreciate your time but in my opinion not everyone likes or wants to have the latest in the AV gadgets and besides, the majority of us don’t even understand the difference between a high end system and a $100 Wal-Mart system. In my younger years, yes I used to have the latest and the best but now in my retirement, a low to medium end system is more than enough for my needs, lol.

Forums are a great place to exchange ideas and help each other and over the past 20 years or so I have helped and got help on numerous occasions from the various forums I subscribe and never thought that I must have the latest equipment to get help.

Sorry, I don’t want to sound stubborn but I find it strange that in an AV specialized forum like this one, the only reply I have to my question is to get a new receiver

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Hey Sir Terrence, I don’t deny what you say is true and I appreciate your time but in my opinion not everyone likes or wants to have the latest in the AV gadgets and besides, the majority of us don’t even understand the difference between a high end system and a $100 Wal-Mart system. In my younger years, yes I used to have the latest and the best but now in my retirement, a low to medium end system is more than enough for my needs, lol.

Understood.

Forums are a great place to exchange ideas and help each other and over the past 20 years or so I have helped and got help on numerous occasions from the various forums I subscribe and never thought that I must have the latest equipment to get help.

You don't have to have the latest equipment, you just have to recognize that many folks have moved past the inputs and outputs you are using a loooooong time ago. Most of us have moved on to HDMI, because that is the optimum way of doing A/V in this day. I haven't used component outputs since 2004 myself.

Sorry, I don’t want to sound stubborn but I find it strange that in an AV specialized forum like this one, the only reply I have to my question is to get a new receiver

Here is the rub Oskar. Here is what you said.

Got a new TV and revised my wiring but not sure if all is ok. The system works good but perhaps there is room to improve.

A. You state that you are not sure if all is okay, and then in the next sentence you say it works good. This kind of conflict makes it difficult to respond to your question. If it works, then all IS okay. If it does not, then you have a problem.

B. There is no way to improve what you have done based on the fact that your receiver is outdated. If you really want to improve your setup, follow my advice - get a new receiver. It is not going to get any better with what you have now.

[noddin0ff]

oskar22

You don't have a blu-ray shown but you indicate that one is connected to the TV via HDMI?

Given the outs on the JVC combo, that's how I would have hooked it up. If you do have a Blu-ray most would probably and preferably feed it BR>Receiver>TV so the Receiver can handle the AV switching.

If everything you want to have work works, then I'd say you've got it hooked up as best you can.

I'm a bit rusty on HDMI pass through via the TV. If you do have a BR and you are passing the audio from BR HDMI > TV > TV optical > Receiver.... I don't think that should work. My argument being that I don't think most TVs will decode and pass through multi-channel audio that way.

Basically, I suspect that if you upgrade to BR you will by necessity need to upgrade the receiver. OR find one of the rare (or nearly non-existant) BR players with 5.1 channel analog outs for sound... But then it doesn't appear that you have 5.1 analog IN's on your receiver, so its moot that way too.

When Sir T. says "There is no way to improve what you have done based on the fact that your receiver is outdated." ...it's possible to read this translated as "You've done the best you can with what you currently have."

[BadAssJazz]

I probably would have connected the Bell HD Receiver to the Panasonic AVR via Digital Optical cable, so that I could take advantage of 5.1 Dolby Digital TV broadcasts where available. But that's more a personal choice and not requisite for everyone's appreciation.

Aside from that, as others have indicated, it appears that you've achieved optimal connections/settings/performance for the equipment at hand. As long as the experience is pleasing to your eyes and ears, that's all that matters. Enjoy!

[oskar22]

Hey noodinoff and BadAssJazz, much appreciated your excellent insight

Sorry for the omission but the Bluray has only one HDMI output and connects straight to the HDMI of the TV. I did not indicate it for clarity since there is no other option.

Unfortunately my Receiver does not have any HDMI connections and as rightly pointed out from Sir Terrence it must be replaced which I intent to do so in the near future

I also agree that most TVs will not decode and pass through multi-channel audio and the reason I have it the way shown on my schematic is just convenience. If I take the digital audio from the Bell Receiver to the audio receiver (TV IN optical) I don’t hear much difference plus I have to use the remote to switch the audio between the TV, BR, and JVC (VCR/DVD). The way it is now the audio plays no matter which equipment is ON

As you rightly pointed out, as long as the experience is pleasing to my eyes and ears, that's all that matters. I only started this thread to find out if I was missing out something very important.

Thank you all

[noddin0ff]

Hey noodinoff and BadAssJazz, much appreciated your excellent insight

Sorry for the omission but the Bluray has only one HDMI output and connects straight to the HDMI of the TV. I did not indicate it for clarity since there is no other option.

Unfortunately my Receiver does not have any HDMI connections and as rightly pointed out from Sir Terrence it must be replaced which I intent to do so in the near future

I also agree that most TVs will not decode and pass through multi-channel audio and the reason I have it the way shown on my schematic is just convenience. If I take the digital audio from the Bell Receiver to the audio receiver (TV IN optical) I don’t hear much difference plus I have to use the remote to switch the audio between the TV, BR, and JVC (VCR/DVD). The way it is now the audio plays no matter which equipment is ON

As you rightly pointed out, as long as the experience is pleasing to my eyes and ears, that's all that matters. I only started this thread to find out if I was missing out something very important.

Thank you all

No problem. Happy to 'help'. Do you get multi-channel pass-through with your current set up? If so, I wouldn't think there would be any difference vs direct...possibly a small signal delay relative to the picture but I doubt I would notice.

[oskar22]

Don’t know what multi-channel exactly is but I think it refers to the audio? The AV receiver is set to surround and if the broadcast is suitable, all 5 speakers works There is no sound difference if I take the digital output from the Bell Receiver to the Panasonic optical IN except that I have to switch the Panasonic with the remote every time I change the video input.

With the current set up, I only switch the video source I want

BTW I have not been able to find out how to switch OFF the power stand by red light on the front of my new Samsung TV. Is it safe to have this light ON all the time?

[Hyfi]

BTW I have not been able to find out how to switch OFF the power stand by red light on the front of my new Samsung TV. Is it safe to have this light ON all the time?

Don't sweat it. It is always on and blinks off when you turn on the TV. I took a small sticky note, magic markered it black, and covered it up because it is annoying in the bedroom at night.

Only way to turn it off is to unplug the tv.

[oskar22]

Don't sweat it. It is always on and blinks off when you turn on the TV. I took a small sticky note, magic markered it black, and covered it up because it is annoying in the bedroom at night.

Only way to turn it off is to unplug the tv.

Nice to know and will do the same, thanks for your time