How do I connect my kit to get the best sound/vision

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone give me some expert advice? I just want to get 5.1 sound and the best pic possible.

What's the best way to connect this lot together, and
which terminals on the AV should I be using for each device?...there
just seems too many options of connecting.....

Also, The tv has Freesat, so will It automatically get the free HD channels
through Sky+ even though I'm not subscribed to HD?

My set up is: Harmon Kardon AVR 140 (no HDMI), Harmon Kardon DVD 22, Sky+, PS3, Panasonic 32" TXLZD85

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks.

 

[Dan Turner]

If your amp doesn't have an HDMI input, then you'll need to connect your TV, DVD and PS3 to the amp with coax or optical cables to get Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 sound. Connect Sky plus to the amp with a stereo analogue interconnect. You want to connect your DVD and PS3 to the TV with HDMI cables for the best picture, and the best connection available on your Sky+ box (RGB scart?).

Unfortunately to get the HD sound formats (Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio) when playing back blu-ray discs you would need an amp with an HDMI input - without that then it's 'standard' DD or DTS only.

Also I can't see how you would be able to get freesat HD channels through the sky box. You would be able to watch freesat (including the HD channels)on the TV via it's internal freesat tuner as long as you have been able to hook your satellite dish up to it. And you'd get DD sound as long as you've hooked it up to the amp digitally as mentioned above. You would continue only to get the same channels via the Sky box though.

In order to hook up the sky box and the TV to your dish at the same time you might have to get a new 'LNB' fitted to it with an additional feed coming off it for hooking up to the TV. Not 100% sure on that one though.