Confused with Surround Sound

 

New member
Username: Vla08

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-07
I have bought a Philips Home Theatre System model# HTS355 and I am confused. Having read through other posts, I find that people are having the same problem as I. Because when I'm watching a dvd the surround sound works great, but the tv is a different story. I have read about the optical and coaxial cable solutions but what happens when my cable box has the optical audio outlet and the sorround sound unit does not? what do I connect the the optical audio cable to from the cable box then? or is there another solution? NEED HELP PLEASE..
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1746
Registered: Feb-04
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Aaron, you are correct....the #1 question is 'how do I get TV sound through my system?'

Fortunately, the answer for your situation is easier than some. Your cable box, in addition to its optical output, will have the standard right/left red/white audio outputs. You need only to connect those outputs to the inputs on the back of the HTIB receiver. I believe your unit has two sets marked "TV" and "AUX" respectively. You need a standard RCA stereo cord of sufficiant length to do this.

With this hookup, you will not hear Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. You will have analog stereo, but then you can switch in any of several digital surround modes such as "classic", "concert", "jazz", "rock", etc.
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New member
Username: Vla08

Post Number: 2
Registered: Aug-07
ok. so no Dobly Digital 5.1 surround sound but the analog stereo settings should take the place of that, right? will that sound good and are there other options?
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1748
Registered: Feb-04
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It will sound OK, but it all depends on the simulated surround setting you pick. After trying these surround settings you may conclude that straight old stereo may be best for regular TV viewing.

Your other option would be to buy a full-featured audio/video receiver that has an optical digital audio input and will decode all Dolby Digital signals going into it.
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Bronze Member
Username: Hodedofome

TX USA

Post Number: 84
Registered: Dec-06
If his cable box is not an HD one and he's not watching a 5.1 encoded HD broadcast then there's no point is using the digital connections anyways, all standard def shows are two-channel.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1751
Registered: Feb-04
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Because AT's Philips does not have a digital audio input, the next best solution is the cable box's analog R/L outputs. But even if his cable box was not HD, I still would have recommended he use the digital audio output if he could.

Just because a particular channel is not HD, it does not mean the audio is not DD 5.1. Conversely, not all HD programs provide DD 5.1. A quick check on my cable this morning revealed a repeat of "Entourage" in DD 5.1 on HBOW, a non-HD channel. At the same time, HBO-HD was in DD 2.0 while showing "Message in a Bottle." Starz-HD was in DD 2.0 for "The Professional" while StarzW (non-HD) was in DD 5.1 for "The Illusionist." The point is that the specific digital audio feed can change with the program regardless of whether the channel is HD or not.

Furthermore, the first 99 channels on my system are all PCM 48kHz on the box's digital output, which is much higher quality than the same box's analog outputs. Above channel 99, all channels are at least DD 2.0, with some at 5.1, again far better sound than the analog feed.

I have no idea if this is standard practice around the country, but I find it hard to believe that my cable service is atypical.
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Bronze Member
Username: Fred333

Post Number: 13
Registered: Oct-07
I kinda had the same problem and I ended up going with a receiver, just form the fact that I was looking to future in case I upgrade.


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