Optical Audio Cable Needed?

[admin_exported]

Hello,

I am due to recieve my first home cinema (Onkyo Ht-S3305) and blu ray player (Onkyo BD-SP308) soon and I want to be prepared to set it asap.

I have never done this before so I am a little confused about my Audio connection options.

I plan to connect:

Sky HD + XBox + Blu Ray directly to the Amp via HDMI

Amp directly to the TV via HDMI

Will I need a seperate Optical Audio out from the TV to the Amp to get my TV sound in the surround speakers? i.e when using both the SKY HD and the TV's built in freeview tuner. If so should I expect the cable to come with the Amp + speaker set? Will the speaker cable come with the Onkyo???

The amp is HDMI 1.4 but the TV is an older Sony (KDL 32W4500) so i dont think it would support audio return hence the need for the optical cable.

Also whats the best way to connect a Wii????

Thanks for any help, this is all still a bit confusing!

 

[The_Lhc]

JONDCL:
I am due to recieve my first home cinema (Onkyo Ht-S3305) and blu ray player (Onkyo BD-SP308) soon and I want to be prepared to set it asap.

I have never done this before so I am a little confused about my Audio connection options.

I plan to connect:

Sky HD + XBox + Blu Ray directly to the Amp via HDMI

Amp directly to the TV via HDMI

Will I need a seperate Optical Audio out from the TV to the Amp to get my TV sound in the surround speakers?

Yes.

i.e when using both the SKY HD and the TV's built in freeview tuner.

No, SkyHD will need its own optical cable is it does not pass surround sound via HDMI, so you'll need an optical cable from Sky AND on from the TV.

If so should I expect the cable to come with the Amp + speaker set?

Not an optical cable, no.

Will the speaker cable come with the Onkyo???

I'm guessing this is an all-in-one jobby? In that case yes it will come with speaker cable.

The amp is HDMI 1.4 but the TV is an older Sony (KDL 32W4500) so i dont think it would support audio return hence the need for the optical cable.

Correct.

Also whats the best way to connect a Wii?

No idea.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick response!!

Looks like I need more cables than I thought. Whats a resonable price for an Optical cable? I may have to take a trip to Richer Sounds but I always get scared I am going to buy something i dont need or is to expensive.

Interesting SKY does not send surround sound via the HDMI, is this because it is old spec HDMI or just SKY being annoying?

The systems is an Onkyo HT S3305 AMp+speaker set and an Onkyo BD SP308 Blu ray. I am yet to find a review of either but i got a good price. I still dont know how Onkyo can justify the high price of the blu ray against the sony players with more features mind.

 

[The_Lhc]

JONDCL:
Thanks for the quick response!!

Looks like I need more cables than I thought. Whats a resonable price for an Optical cable? I may have to take a trip to Richer Sounds but I always get scared I am going to buy something i dont need or is to expensive.

I wouldn't go crazy to be honest, the cheapest you can find will do fine for your setup.

Interesting SKY does not send surround sound via the HDMI, is this because it is old spec HDMI or just SKY being annoying?

I believe the spec for the boxes is HDMI 1.1 only.

The systems is an Onkyo HT S3305 AMp+speaker set

It will come with the speaker cable in that case.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for info and quick reply!!

On a slight tangent does anyone know if the 1 Terra Byte SKY box has an updgraded HDMI or is the only differene the storage?

 

[Anonymous]

I think the latest Sky box has just got more memory as you suspected...not entirely sure tho...

As for the Wii, I have mine all connected through the amp, audio into a spare input using standard phono inputs and video in and out through the amp also...I think yours allows this also but it can also be connected directly into video input on back of tv, but sound is best through the amp imo.ÿ

Enjoy the new toy !

 

[daveh75]

JONDCL: On a slight tangent does anyone know if the 1 Terra Byte SKY box has an updgraded HDMI or is the only differene the storage?IIRC the latest 500GB and 1.5TB models are HDMI 1.2 compliant.

 

[The_Lhc]

daveh75:JONDCL: On a slight tangent does anyone know if the 1 Terra Byte SKY box has an updgraded HDMI or is the only differene the storage?IIRC the latest 500GB and 1.5TB models are HDMI 1.2 compliant.

Pretty sure they still don't pass Dolby Digital through the HDMI though?

 

[Sun_Shang_Xiang]

Best way to connect the Wii is using a Wii component cable , use one of the 2 component inputs on the back of the Onkyo Amplifier for the Y Pb Pr (Green Blue Red ) video inputs and assign the audio phono plugs to one of the phono plugs in the rear, then set under the amplifier menu set audio output for the Wii component channel to whatever phonos you've decided to use on the back of the amplifier.

 

[daveh75]

the_lhc:daveh75:JONDCL: On a slight tangent does anyone know if the 1 Terra Byte SKY box has an updgraded HDMI or is the only differene the storage?IIRC the latest 500GB and 1.5TB models are HDMI 1.2 compliant.

Pretty sure they still don't pass Dolby Digital through the HDMI though?No,they definitely dont!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the advice people! looking forward to trying it all out