setting up surround sound???

Sput2001

I agree, much better in terms of sound quality to go for a separate surround amplifier & speakers and keep your existing DVD player. It'll cost a fair whack more to do so, though.

I recently picked up a perfect condition Pioneer DV-565 (with 6-channel output) for about £25 on ebay (and you'll be able to sell your existing player to make a bit of that back). I suspect you'll struggle to get a reasonable amp & speaker setup for less than £100.

It really all depends on your budget.

Sput2001

jasonrat wrote:

i've been looking but cant seem to find any with 6 channel outputs thx for all your help
will this one work

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/230822/art/peekton/pk6005-mkii-dvd-divx-play.html?srcid=4018

It has the on-board decoder but not the 6 phono outputs that you'll need.

jasonrat

it's all very confusing/ misleading. there are a lot of surround systems on ebay but not sure if they are the same like i've got. do i look for 5.1 digital surround specs? or is this any good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MASSIVE-320W-TOSHIBA-SD43-HOME-CINEMA-SYSTEM_W0QQitemZ230031201290QQihZ013QQcategoryZ72406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or is it the same (analogue stereo surround)

Sput2001

jasonrat wrote:

it's all very confusing/ misleading. there are a lot of surround systems on ebay but not sure if they are the same like i've got. do i look for 5.1 digital surround specs? or is this any good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MASSIVE-320W-TOSHIBA-SD43-HOME-CINEMA-SYSTEM_W0QQitemZ230031201290QQihZ013QQcategoryZ72406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or is it the same (analogue stereo surround)

If you wanted to keep your existing DVD player and get a new amp/speakers, that would work fine. That would give you 5.1 surround.

trets77

that would give you 5.1 but again your buying a inferior product to replace a perfectly good one . it is what is known as a HCIB product (Home cinema in a box). some come without dvd players ( not this one ) some have a dvd player with the package.sometimes the dvd player and and amp are in the same shell (looks like this one is)

all 5.1 amps fit all dvd players. the six outputs on your sub is what is confusing you. ,,,,,and the dvd/amp in the same shell ...... get past them .

any (and i really do mean any except totally ancient) dvd will have a 5.1 output. ( the 5.1 specs you mention) most have more than one for flexabilty. all home cinema amps ( again unless they are very very old will have 5.1 abilty look for dolby digital or DTS to be sure if your worried)


your pioneer dvd player will have one or more of the following.

1) a coaxial output that carrys all six seperate sound channels (5 + the .1) to the Amp in a single cable
2) a optical output which does the exact same job as above just a differnet method of doing it
3) six seperate outputs for each channel ( center /surround right + left / rear right and left/ sub) .these were a feature put in dvd players to allow people with older cinema amps / and hi fi seprates to achieve 5.1 without the need to buy a new amp. they would comonly have a onboard decoder on the dvd to decode the 5.1 track for the amps that had no means of decoding. YOU DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THESE WITH YOUR SET UP SO FORGET THEM !!!!!!!!!!!

so using either the coaxial or optical ( one only not both) output on your current DVD pluged into your new seperate amp this is what happens .

1) the dvd sends a raw 5.1 signal through the optical or coaxial cable to the amp.
2) the amp recieves and decodes this signal and splits into six channels ( centre / left + right surround / left + right rear / sub.
3) the amp then outputs these six channels to the correct speaker hey presto 5.1 surronud sound !!!!

the tosihba just does steps one and two without a external connection thats all

if your budget is tight for now the toshiba will give a 5.1 set up that will sound adequate at very best. however it won,t compare to what you could achieve with seperates.

the amps i orginally suggested with five good cinema speakers will really kick !!! and be flexiable for future upgrades should you wish of course. ( i,m half tempted to buy that denon myself it such a good product)

here is a better bet than that cheap toshiba. cheap is cheap for a very good reason , it is CRAP !!. you definatly get what you pay for in this market , have no doubt what so ever about that. but with a little homework a great system with quality products can be achieved with BIG savings .

1) these speakers don,t include a sub which you already have so don,t need to pay for
http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=ELTA-AVANTGARDE-5PK

2) pair them with any of the below

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-AVR-1602-Home-Cinema-Amp-BLACK_W0QQitemZ330033358291QQihZ014QQcategoryZ72406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-AVR-2803-surround-sound-receiver-amplifier-BLK_W0QQitemZ170033426561QQihZ007QQcategoryZ72406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ( very nice!!!!!)

or if your going to richer sounds check out there amps ( your paying new prices though)

http://www.richersounds.com/productlist.php?cda=productlist&sgroup=AVRECEIVERS&sort=price

3) connect your DVD to your new amp with any one of these


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/QED-P75-Digital-Coaxial-cable-1m_W0QQitemZ300031504686QQihZ020QQcategoryZ116850QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ( high quality)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quality-TOSLink-Optical-Lead-with-easy-grip-plugs-1m-UK_W0QQitemZ320030552893QQihZ011QQcategoryZ116850QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem( if moneys tight)

4) connect the five speakers to the amp with speaker cable buy when you go richer sounds you won,t get cheaper

http://www.richersounds.com/productlist.php?cda=productlist&sgroup=SPEAKERESSENTIALS&sort=price

5) connect your sub to the amp
http://www.richersounds.com/productlist.php?cda=productlist&sgroup=SPEAKERESSENTIALS&sort=price ( at richer sounds)

cheaper option
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-Metre-SUBWOOFER-CABLE-High-Quality-OFC-GOLD-PLATED_W0QQitemZ130029062102QQihZ003QQcategoryZ116850QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

a vist to your nearest richer sounds will be a very good idea as the staff are extremly helpful and nice and knowledgable


if you don,t want to shop around for each bit and have a seriously BIG budget and want THE best home cinema possible without hassel and with all the bits included(to compare below link is a a Porsche 911 turbo...... above products build a Ford Focus....... your toshiba system on ebay is Sinclair C5 with a flat tire and thats understating the fact !!!!)

http://www.creative-audio.co.uk/HCS_NAIMNVI_AELITE.htm

just add LCD or plasma for a truly AWESOME home cinema experiance and you will have your whole neigbourhood turning very green !!!!!
i,m drooling just looking at that link above lol better hide that savings account money before i go for a ride to buy that
any thing else you want to buy and ask my advice on i,ll be glad to help if you paste a link

jasonrat

hi is this any good from ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150040365953&ssPageName=STRK:MEDW:IT&ih=005

trets77

cannot say i have ever heard of it but it,s a move in the right direction