Sound bar to use with DVD player and Youview box

almillar

Any sound bar in theory should work though.

Absolutely NOT! OP gave a specific list of devices they wantet to connect, and plenty of soundbars won't have the needed connections. Loads of people on the forums buy the wrong equipment and then go looking to spend extra on rubbish switches.
Neither of those Argos links are any good as they only have 1 input as far as I can see. You want at least TWO optical digital (or HDMI if your DVD has it) inputs
None of this has any relation to sound quality of course...

visidigi

(text removed by MSE Forum Team)

Didn't say the technika wouldn't be tinny, Richer Sounds are usually very good at allowing you to sample whatever you want (within reason) on the instore demo kit.

yangptangkipperbang

almillar wrote: »

OP gave a specific list of devices they wantet to connect, and plenty of soundbars won't have the needed connections. Loads of people on the forums buy the wrong equipment and then go looking to spend extra on rubbish switches.

Agree - generally !

almillar wrote: »

Neither of those Argos links are any good as they only have 1 input as far as I can see. You want at least TWO optical digital (or HDMI if your DVD has it) inputs

Disagree ! The Panasonic I referenced has ONE optical i/p and a good "old-fashioned" Phono Audio connection (if you want it !). Most modern TVs will supply 2.1 via their optical o/p. If they have an optical o/p they WILL supply 5.1 - but only from the TV's own tuner, not an external device.

From Panasonic: "No HDMI ports are provided since the sound bar can work with any components directly connected to the TV"

I have a Panasonic TV and the Panasonic soundbar works absolutely fine.
But - as you say, people do buy the wrong thing because they haven't done their homework on, in this case, what the TV can output.

If you want 5.1, or whatever, you don't buy a £130 soundbar - if you want to markedly improve the sound on a modern wafer thin TV, they are just the thing.

METAL_MICKEY

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

Agree - generally !





If you want 5.1, or whatever, you don't buy a £130 soundbar - if you want to markedly improve the sound on a modern wafer thin TV, they are just the thing.

This big time even you spend a lot more. A few years back I was seriously impressed a single friends 5.1 set up during the stunning opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan.

However, I needed a wife friendly solution with no ugly trailing wires and speakers dotted round the lounge. The answer was a £500 Yamaha YSP 800 sound bar. Greatly enhances the sound of my thin LCD tv but not so hot at replicating a proper 5.1 surround set up. The key issue is that sound bars try to bounce beams of the walls so the shape of your room is critical as is viewing position. My room is too irregular in shape and my couch is flush to wall.

Buy from a specialist with a listening room and take heed of your lounge set up

[Deleted User]

METAL_MICKEY wrote: »

The key issue is that sound bars try to bounce beams of the walls so the shape of your room is critical as is viewing position. My room is too irregular in shape and my couch is flush to wall.

If you bought the Bose I linked to above, it has an audio calibration system which optimises it for your room environment, regardless of shape, size and furnishings.
It goes someway to explain why the Bose costs almost £1300!;)

Dan-Dan

Hmmm , lots of food for thought guys , thanks

almillar

Disagree ! The Panasonic I referenced has ONE optical i/p and a good "old-fashioned" Phono Audio connection (if you want it !). Most modern TVs will supply 2.1 via their optical o/p. If they have an optical o/p they WILL supply 5.1 - but only from the TV's own tuner, not an external device.

I disagree with your disasgreement! You're suggestion will make do of course, with an optical and stereo phono, but why not, when going out to buy something, buy it with the right connections - ie 2 digital optical inputs.
These inputs should be filled by the YouView box, and the DVD. The TV tuner does get left out this way. TVs aren't meant to pass sound through, and most will downmix anything to 2.1 or stereo.
Of course I take you're point about 5.1 through a soundbar - it ain't gonna be a cinema, but you might as well keep as much bandwidth as you can.
Dan-Dan - £200 would get you this -
http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/home-cinema-separates/home-cinema-systems
Which will get you much better sound and can be upgraded in the future. You can even just use the front speakers if you wish...

METAL_MICKEY

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

If you bought the Bose I linked to above, it has an audio calibration system which optimises it for your room environment, regardless of shape, size and furnishings.
It goes someway to explain why the Bose costs almost £1300!;)

The Yamaha had that too with a little microphone sensor that bleeped at you but still not a patch on proper 5.1 with a sub woofer.

yangptangkipperbang

almillar wrote: »

Dan-Dan - £200 would get you this -
http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/home-cinema-separates/home-cinema-systems
Which will get you much better sound and can be upgraded in the future. You can even just use the front speakers if you wish...

The OP was asking about a Soundbar - NOT a five speaker system

[Deleted User]

METAL_MICKEY wrote: »

The Yamaha had that too with a little microphone sensor that bleeped at you but still not a patch on proper 5.1 with a sub woofer.

The Bose has a wireless sub woofer!:p

(I don't know why we are continuing this conversation, I wasn't seriously suggesting any money saver should buy a £1300 Bose sound bar)