How do I wire up a Home Surround system

WLM21

Quite a few years ago, we purchased a Panasonic TV together with a matching home surround system, the Panasonic SC HT870.

For some reason, we could watch DVDs or listen to CDs with sound coming from the 6 speakers, but the normal TV never worked through the speakers. It never really bothered us, so we never sorted it out.

Now we’ve bought a new ‘modern’ TV and have successfully wired up the ‘Virgin box’

We would like to join the surround system box, even just to use it as a DVD player through the normal TV

Has anybody got a suitable wiring diagram for this ?

Of course, if we can get the full surround system wired up, that would be even better, although that’s not essential

Can anybody point me in the right direction to getting this sorted. Please … The ‘Mrs’ is getting a bit impatient.

thank you ! :beer:

Johnny_Dangerously

Hard to know without seeing your set up, but it sounds like you have an 'all
-in-one' system with the dvd player and receiver all in one unit. If so, I'd imagine you have an hdmi or optical cable going from the unit to the tv? If that's the case then I think you've got the dvd signal being processed by the unit first with sound, then the picture signal being sent to the tv after. So if you watch just tv, you are effectively upstream of the sound processing.

What you'll need is a cable that can feed back from the tv to the unit so you send it through the tv first.

I might be wrong, but if you can post the model numbers up here I can take a look at what your options are.

googler

WLM21 wrote: »

For some reason, we could watch DVDs or listen to CDs with sound coming from the 6 speakers, but the normal TV never worked through the speakers. It never really bothered us, so we never sorted it out.

Page 32 of the instruction manual. Have you connected the Audio Out from the TV to the TV Audio sockets on the sound system?

That's all you have to do.

http://www.theatresystem-manual.com/manuals/panasonic/Panasonic_SC-HT870.pdf

WLM21

Johnny_Dangerously wrote: »

if you can post the model numbers up here I can take a look at what your options are.

Thanks !

Set up is ..

New TV ... Sony 40R483B
Home Surround / DVD ... Panasonic SC HT870
Virgin box .. TiVo box

At present, only Virgin box connected, using a scart lead.

I noticed there is only 1 scart socket on the new TV, the old TV had two. The DVD was connected using the second scart.

Does that me the DVD is now just too old to use ?

Regards !

WLM21

googler wrote: »

Page 32 of the instruction manual. Have you connected the Audio Out from the TV to the TV Audio sockets on the sound system?

That's all you have to do.

http://www.theatresystem-manual.com/manuals/panasonic/Panasonic_SC-HT870.pdf

Thanks for that ... I'll have to buy a pair of cables, but will try that, probable at the weekend.

At present, only Virgin box connected, using a scart lead.

InsideInsurance

Why are you using SCART for the Virgin box? Doesn't it have a HDMI port?

If it does then use the HDMI ports for the Virgin box and you'll improve the image and free the SCART socket on your TV for the DVD

Cycrow

You should be able to connect the Virgin Tivo box via HDMI instead of scart.

This will also allow you to view the HD channels

Johnny_Dangerously

Hmm, I think you might be limited by the surround/dvd unit to connect all devices. It looks like your TV only has an analogue audio out (maybe headphone socket) which you could run back to your surround. But, this would only output Stereo, not surround (although it should play through all speakers). I think you also won't be able to control the volume from the TV, so you'd need to turn the TV volume right down and control from the surround unit.

Also, if you've only got one scart socket, you would need to connect the virgin box a different way. That should have an HDMI output, so you should be able to connect to the TV via HDMI so you only need the one SCART socket. Definitely check that before you buy one though.

All a bit tricky, and won't give you great results. I think what you'll need is:

1 - single to double male phono plug cable (from TV to surround)
1 - HDMI cable from virgin box to TV

Please anyone else jump in and correct me here. Either way, I'd recommend taking the manuals into a TV shop for their help before you spend any money on the cables.

Hope that helps (a bit)

WLM21

Johnny_Dangerously wrote: »

Hmm, I think you might be limited by the surround/dvd unit to connect all devices. It looks like your TV only has an analogue audio out (maybe headphone socket) which you could run back to your surround. But, this would only output Stereo, not surround (although it should play through all speakers). I think you also won't be able to control the volume from the TV, so you'd need to turn the TV volume right down and control from the surround unit.

Also, if you've only got one scart socket, you would need to connect the virgin box a different way. That should have an HDMI output, so you should be able to connect to the TV via HDMI so you only need the one SCART socket. Definitely check that before you buy one though.

All a bit tricky, and won't give you great results. I think what you'll need is:

1 - single to double male phono plug cable (from TV to surround)
1 - HDMI cable from virgin box to TV

Please anyone else jump in and correct me here. Either way, I'd recommend taking the manuals into a TV shop for their help before you spend any money on the cables.

Hope that helps (a bit)

Thank you again for your reply

I have taken pictures of the backs of the 3 items, the TV also has 2 HDMI connections, not shown on the photo
http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/wbmkk/media/Jan15/TV4_zpsd4e25e73.jpg.html http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/wbmkk/media/Jan15/TV1_zpsa2ba7a34.jpg.html http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/wbmkk/media/Jan15/TV2_zps5b6ee719.jpg.html http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/wbmkk/media/Jan15/tv3_zpsdbb4a40c.jpg.html

If the sound isn't going to be too good, can I still wire in the DVD, to at least play films / CDs through the TV speakers.

I was in S'bury tonight and noticed they have a wireless soundbar (Celcus brand) for only £29.99. Is is worth buying one of those, to help with the sound

thanks !

ps Sorry, I've never really been hifi / Tv set up keen, hence don't really know what's what

McKneff

The other option




Tell your wife to do it ha ha

Johnny_Dangerously

I think you've got a couple of options here. None perfect, but will give you roughly what you had before.


1 - run your dvd player to the TV via the 'component out' cables. This will give you the same set up as before. I.e tv wont be surround but dvd player will work, virgin box wont be surround.

2 - it looks like your virgin box has an optical out that will connect to your tv. That will mean you can run your dvd via scart, but still no tv surround.

In my opinion, because flat screen speakers are generally poor, i would go with a soundbar that has optical in, or HDMI with ARC (audio return channel) to connect your tv to the sound bar. That way you can do either option 1 or 2 above and still get decent sound. But that does mean your current speakers become redundant.

For cheapness, I'd go with option 1. I won't tell you my honest recommendation as it will get real expensive, real quick!