BASIC ADVICE REQUIRED FOR TOTAL NOVICE!!!

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I'm finally being dragged into the 21st century & will be purchasing an LCD tv in the next few days. I already got a bargain home cinema system - Panasonic SC-PT560 - and have a good old-fashioned VCR which I'm reluctant to throw away; I have a BT Vision box too. The advice I would like please is what cables do I need to get better sound/vision than the ones already supplied & what connects to what (yes I AM a girl)!!! Not quite decided on the tv yet but am looking at either Sony 4000 series or Samsung LE, at least 32". If I feel particularly flush may even manage a Panasonic plasma.

All help gratefully received thank you

 

[Anonymous]

Go the hole hog and get the panasonic i have had quite a few lcds,but since getting a plasma i have noticed the better quality picture.You should spend approx 10-15% of your system cost on a good set of leads QED is what i use.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that, was looking at QED or maybe Chord Company... Just have to find out what cables I need and where to put them

 

[Anonymous]

You won't go far wrong with a Plasma I currently have the Panasonic 37TH-PX80B which I think is a fantastic TV, though it might have been replaced now as I beleive that Panasonic have a new range coming out. I'm sure somebody out there will let you know!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, so I'm feeling pulled towards the Pana plasma now... It so happens that was the model I was looking at, but does it particularly matter that it isn't fully HD??? Are there ways of getting around this???

Also still hoping there is a good samaritan out there who can say what cable goes where

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

We will use the Home Theater for all the sound so as to always get surround sound, and aim to maximise the picture quality.

Connect the HDMI output from the Home Theatre (labelled AV Out HDMI) ÿto the TV. This will provide picture from when you play DVDs, the sound will naturally come from the Home Theater.

Connect the HDMI output from the Vision box to the TV, This will provide the picture from the Vision box.

Connect the optical audio output from the Vision box to the Home Theater (labelled Optical In). This will provide the sound from the Vision box to the Home Theatre.

So far you will need 2 HDMI cables - just get cheap namebrand ones, and one Digital Optical Audio cable - again get a cheap namebrand one.

You will need to switch the TV input from HDMI 1 to HDMI 2 depending on whether the picture is coming from the HT or the Vision.

You will need to switch the HT input from AV to D-IN depending on where the sound is coming from.

To hook up the VCR then

Connect the audio from the VCR (red and white plugs together) to the audio in on the HT (labelled Aux L and R). This will provide sound from the VCR to the HT.

To get the video from the VCR to the TV, get a set of component video cables (they will have red, green and blue connectors at each end). Plug them into the component out sockets on the VCR. and the Component in sockets on the TV.

To play the VCR you will select Aux in on the HT and component in or similar on the TV.

So, to do this you will need one set of audio cables (two wires, white and red connectors) and one set of component cables (three wires Red, green,blue connectors). You are likely to already have these somewhere.

Although it sounds complex, the cables will be obvious where to connect, and if you keep the big picture in your mind of where picture and audio is going and why, it all comes clear.

IMPORTANT: The TV you get will need to have at least two HDMI inputs for this to all work! This is because you need one for the HT and one for the vision box.ÿ

Please post if anything is not clear or needs more explanation.ÿ

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Fantastic, thank you so much for that. Next stop, tv shop!!!

 

[Anonymous]

johna11:
Connect the HDMI output from the Vision box to the TV, This will provide the picture from the Vision box.

Why not connect the BT Vision box via HDMI into the AV amp (HT)?

 

[Anonymous]

This model of Home Theatre does not have an input HDMI port.