Advice please for connection queries.

[Skiman]

Hi everybody, first timeposter here but have been gleaning great advice over the last few months and am hoping that someone could help with the following conumdrum.

My present system consists of

Phillips 37 LCD (2 HDMI inputs - 1 currently in use)

Onkyo TX-SR605 (2 HDMI inputs + 1 HDMI output - all currently in use and 1 optical input in use for Sky)

Sony PS3 (40 gb)

Sky HD+ Box

Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1

Pair of (very old) Boston Acoustics A40 Mk1 speakers - acting as rear surrounds

NAD 5320 cd player (again very old)

Good quality cabling and mains equipment

Techlink Avatar PTV3 cantilever support

I am now contemplating adding a Sony BDP-S550 blu-ray player and wish to retain the PS3 for gaming. This now leaves me with a quandry over connections and any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Do I connect the S550 to the amp using the multi-channel connectors - and if so any recommendations which to buy? If I did this which is the best way to output the video signal? - through an HDMI switch into 1 of the amp's inputs and share the switch with the PS3 or direct to the TV's spare HDMI? All of the switches I've researched only mention inputting the switch into the display not into any other equipment. Would a better way be to connect the BDP-S550 to the amp via HDMI and send the PS3 audio via optical to the amp and the video via HDMI to the TV.

I know this is a rather convoluted request and I hope that I've made my problem clear enough to understand. I'm aiming for the best possible BD/DVD/SKY HD sound and picture - the CD playback is fine for me as things stand at the moment.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Sorreltiger]

Have you got an 'old' Sky+HD box. ÿIf so, could you use the component out instead of HDMI to free up an input for the Blu-Ray player?

 

[Skiman]

Thanks for the prompt reply Sorreltiger. I do have the 'old' Sky+HD box and so can do what you suggest. I don't own any component video cables but your fix certainly would save me some money by not having to purchase another HDMI cable or switch box. Having never used component leads before would there be a noticeable loss of picture quality?

Thanks again for the advice - I knew that the contributors to this site would come up trumps.

 

[Anonymous]

hi there,try mark grant cables quality cables and good prices

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Skiman:
Hi everybody, first timeposter here but have been gleaning great advice over the last few months and am hoping that someone could help with the following conumdrum.

My present system consists of

Phillips 37 LCD (2 HDMI inputs - 1 currently in use)

Onkyo TX-SR605 (2 HDMI inputs + 1 HDMI output - all currently in use and 1 optical input in use for Sky)

Sony PS3 (40 gb)

Sky HD+ Box

Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1

Pair of (very old) Boston Acoustics A40 Mk1 speakers - acting as rear surrounds

NAD 5320 cd player (again very old)

Good quality cabling and mains equipment

Techlink Avatar PTV3 cantilever support

I am now contemplating adding a Sony BDP-S550 blu-ray player and wish to retain the PS3 for gaming. This now leaves me with a quandry over connections and any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Do I connect the S550 to the amp using the multi-channel connectors - and if so any recommendations which to buy? If I did this which is the best way to output the video signal? - through an HDMI switch into 1 of the amp's inputs and share the switch with the PS3 or direct to the TV's spare HDMI? All of the switches I've researched only mention inputting the switch into the display not into any other equipment. Would a better way be to connect the BDP-S550 to the amp via HDMI and send the PS3 audio via optical to the amp and the video via HDMI to the TV.

I know this is a rather convoluted request and I hope that I've made my problem clear enough to understand. I'm aiming for the best possible BD/DVD/SKY HD sound and picture - the CD playback is fine for me as things stand at the moment.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks in anticipation.

The new Sky HD boxes do not have component so if anything went wrong with yours, you would have to rearrange again. I would go with your last choice, "Would a better way be to connect the BDP-S550 to the amp via HDMI and send the PS3 audio via optical to the amp and the video via HDMI to the TV.". But then, I know nothing about gaming - does hdmi give you HD audio for gaming? If not, the optical will do the trick.

 

[Skiman]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I have decided to go the component route and just hope that the SKY HD box survives (nearly 2 years old and so far no problems).

BTW have just ordered the Sony BDP-S550 for a shipped total of £228.98 with the redemption voucher for 2 BD movies (Batman Begins + Casino Royale), pretty good I think.

Thanks again for all the advice.