HELP! PLEASE! Setting up Surround Sound, TV, PS3, Xbox, Wii and Sky+HD

[admin_exported]

If anyone out there could help me I would be immensely grateful! I'm all excited about my new setup in my new house but the problem is: I have no idea what connects to what and how! Ok, here's a list of what I would like to setup:

Onkyo TX-NR609 Surround Sound Amp

Panasonic TH-42PX60B TV

Sky+ HD 1TB

Playstation 3

Xbox 360

Wii

iPod

Sky Modem/Router

Also, I'll be adding the Tannoy HTS-101 speakers (I'm waiting to find out what cables I need before ordering them and living in sin with my flexible friend, Mr MasterCard, for a very long time!).

HDMI? Optical? Component? Ethernet? USB? I'm clueless! I know when something sounds or looks good but don;t really know how to get there!

Also, do I need banana plugs (I think that’s what you experts call them?!) or is there a cheaper decent quality option? Do I need them at the Onkyo end AND the Tannoy end or just the Onkyo end?

I've tried speaking with a 'specialist' retailer who just doesn't seem to come back to me; he just wants to sell me the speakers!

Apologies if this all sounds a bit fickle and naive to you experts out there. Your help is truly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[duaplex]

Not at all CLS and welcome to the forums.

Firstly you do not need banana plugs you can go straight into the AV with your speaker wire. Banana plugs are designed for ease of use, so plugging in and unplugging wires is made easier, Its entirely your call if you want to use them.

As for the Other components.

Sky+ HD 1TB - Use HDMI on the back of AV, you also want to use and Optical cable as the Sky box cannot send 5.1 Digital across the HDMI. So use HDMI for video and Optical for sound, ONLY IN THIS CASE

Playstation 3 - Straight HDMI

Xbox 360 - Straight HDMI

Wii - Get yourself the component cable (best results) and go directly into the AV. If you don't have this then you can still use your Phono (Red, White) and video (yellow) cable (original wire into your AV too.

iPod - The Onkyo can stream the music off the iPod check manual for directions on that one.

Sky Modem/Router - Great for internet radio, so take an ethernet cable from your router directly into your AV.

Finally with the TV - Take a HDMI cable and go from the AV HDMI (output) to the TV.

That's it you are ready to go!

I assume you know about the wiring of speakers?