Have i overlooked something?? (Surround sound question)

[admin_exported]

I currently have a Panasonic 28" CRT hooked upto a Panasonic surround sound system which consists of (The included dvd player, sub, four tall standing corner speakers and the centre speaker. Now having been to my friends house a few days ago and noticing his setup it got me thinking. He seems to be running a small LCD hooked upto what seems an amp and some speakers with a dvd player...

My question is this..

He can channel the sound through his speakers whilst watching normal television channels... I can only get surround sound to work out of mine when the dvd player is on and running, not through say, ITV.

What am i doing differently/wrong?? Have i missed/wrongly connected something?

 

[professorhat]

Definitely going to need more details on your setup to say why you can't get sound from normal TV. However, your friend's setup is not unusual - is he using a separate DVD player, amp and speakers compared to an all-in-one system you own? Model numbers really help here as it helps us geeky guys track down where the difference is and why you can or can't do what you want to do!

 

[Big Chris]

Most models of home cinema system have inputs for additional sources.

First. Check your manual, or the back of your unit. Hopefully, you'll have at least 1 pair of RCA/Phono inputs (1 red, 1 white). Your TV should also hopefully have the same on the back, but for audio output.

It's simple really, just buy a pair of audio interconnects and join the two together. If all goes well, you should now be able to select a different input on your home cinema system and listen to your TV in pseudo surround (Dolby PL2). Be aware, you may have to mute or actually enter your TV menu to turn off the TVs speakers (Different manufacturers do things differently, some of them, mute also mutes the audio outs, others it doesn't).

If your TV doesn't have audio outputs, or your Home Cinema doesn't have additional inputs. You're buggered.

 

[Anonymous]

The tv i have is a Panasonic TX-28PS1 and the surround system is the Panasonic SC-HT880. As far as i thought, because all the leads and cables needed to connect everything were supplied, a complete surround sound system just plugged in and did everything for you, i didn't realise i had to buy additional interconnects aswell to channel the surround sound through the tv. I've just had a look at the back of the set, the outputs are, two scarts, both of which are in use, an aerial socket, not in use as i have cable, and two seperate ones, a red and a white. I presume these are the RCA/Phono inputs you are referring to? Does this improve my situation??

 

[Big Chris]

Yeah, as long as they're inputs, not outputs. (Check the manual)

Now, has the TV got the same on the back (Outputs this time, not inputs like the Home Cinema) If so, go get a cheapish interconnect and join the two together. Put it on the correct input, and you're set.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, that WAS the TV that i checked before, the TV specs are below..

Rear Input Connectors - RF x 1 21-pin SCART x 2

Rear Output Connectors - Audio (RCA) x 1

Front Input Connectors - S-Video x 1 Composite x 1 Audio (RCA) x 1

Headphone Jack x 1

Also, the back of the surround sound dvd player has four pairs of red/white sockets. They are as follows.......

AUX, VCR Audio in, TV Audio in, REC out... Does this help any??

 

[professorhat]

Indeed, connect the rear audio RCA output on the TV to the the TV Audio in sockets on the back of the all-in-one unit with the lead Chris mentions above and you should then be all set.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers guys, wish i'd have known that ages ago!! Thanks very much for the help!!

 

[Big Chris]

RyanJH:Cheers guys, wish i'd have known that ages ago!! Thanks very much for the help!!

No worries. Good luck and let us know how it goes/sounds. Don't forget to mute the TV speakers though, or if muting the speakers mutes the home cinema too, try the set-up menu on the TV see if you can turn the TV speakers off.

 

[Anonymous]

Well guys, i bought those interconnects, and i now have surround sound through my tv!!!

Thank you so much for the advice prof and chris! Who would have thought something so simple as a pair of cables would have stopped me from having this sooner?? But obviously, i wasn't to know. Luckily you guys did!!!

Now my terrestrial channels sound as good as my dvd's!!

Thanks again fellas!

 

[Big Chris]

Glad it worked out.