Right...here goes....

I have a 50" Samsung plasma. It has 3 HDMI oututs and a optical output etc...

I have a DVD player with an optical output and a HDMI output

I have an XBOX 360 with HDMI output so god knows how i will connect this to the cinema system other than TV only!!!.

I have Sky+ HD with optical output and HDMI...

If i connect TV, SKY HD and DVD player to cinema system via optical cable will 5.1 surround sound work?????????????

The cinema system only has one optical input.........so will i need an optical splitter or a switch???

I assume if the XBOX or anything is conncected to the TV through HDMI, the TV will pick up the 5.1 cinema sound from via the optical???

I dont even have a clue what an optical cable does :doh: :doh:

Please help lol!

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by Beancounter1980

The HDMI will carry video and audio to your TV But your TV will probably only present a stereo sound output.

So deffo just plug all three in to TV with HDMI leads

The optical cable carries the digital audio to your cinema sound amplifier. You may find there is also a Coaxial Phono socket for Digital input which you may be able to utilise as second input, if its switchable*. Maplins will no doubt do switch boxes but they are a pain, so might be worth looking at an Audio upgrade.

*note dont believe the arguments for Optical vs Coaxial both work well enough.

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by goonybird

Onkyo A/V receiver

HERE

2589a5.jpg"]Should have all the in/ouputs you'll ever need.

The optical cable carries the digital audio. You may find there is also a Coaxial Phono socket for Digital input which you may be able to utilise as second input, if its switchable*. Maplins will no doubt do switch boxes but they are a pain, so might be worth looking at an Audio upgrade.

*note dont believe the arguments for Optical vs Coaxial both work well enough.

How are the switch boxes a pain mate???? If i connect all three to the switch box then i should in theory have surround sound on XBOX, SkyHD and standalone DVD player?

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by Beancounter1980

The HDMI will carry video and audio to your TV But your TV will probably only present a stereo sound output.

So deffo just plug all three in to TV with HDMI leads

Ok.....so let me get this right....connect all three with HDMI to the TV. And then look to connect all three to cinema system via optical???

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by Beancounter1980

How are the switch boxes a pain mate???? If i connect all three to the switch box then i should in theory have surround sound on XBOX, SkyHD and standalone DVD player?

I believe that they only switch audio?

Ok.....so let me get this right....connect all three with HDMI to the TV. And then look to connect all three) to cinema system via optical???

NO.

Ideally, jonny5ive's method is the best one.

Connect all your equipment to the AV amp and then have just one HDMI to the TV. Your amp will switch both audio and video for each item to the TV and play it in it's correct format from the amp. In other words, if the amp is turned off, you can still hear the Sky, Xbox etc through the normal TV speakers but in stereo. If it's switched on then it'll be in 5.1.

Be aware that the Sky HDMI doesn't carry 5.1 sound so you still need an additional optical/coax to enable that.

I believe that they only switch audio?

NO.

Ideally, jonny5ive's method is the best one.

Connect all your equipment to the AV amp and then have just one HDMI to the TV. Your amp will switch both audio and video for each item to the TV and play it in it's correct format from the amp. In other words, if the amp is turned off, you can still hear the Sky, Xbox etc through the normal TV speakers but in stereo. If it's switched on then it'll be in 5.1.

Be aware that the Sky HDMI doesn't carry 5.1 sound so you still need an additional optical/coax to enable that.

How is this possible?

Surely the standalone DVD player will not play video through the amp. Therefore it will need to be connected to the TV via HDMI and then an optical needs to be connected to the amp????

or am i being stupid here??? no offence intended at all mate...

Oh ****** i forgot to mention i already have a samsung reciever similar to Johnny's post!!!!!!

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by Beancounter1980

Onkyo A/V receiver

HERE

2589a5.jpg"]Should have all the in/ouputs you'll ever need.

Hi mate i have a Samsung receiver that came with the Speakers. Sorry for any confusion....!!!!

It has an optical outut, 2 HDMI etc...

How is this possible?

Surely the standalone DVD player will not play video through the amp. Therefore it will need to be connected to the TV via HDMI and then an optical needs to be connected to the amp????

Oh ****** i forgot to mention i already have a samsung reciever similar to Johnny's post!!!!!!

The marvels of modern technology!

Yes you can connect your DVD through the amp and it will play and switch video as well as audio through it. As you're wanting to utilise three different sources then it may be time to move on up to the next level and benefit from some new equipment?

I don't think your Samsung receiver will have got an optical output either - more likely an optical input.

You could of course just use the existing amp for two of the items but there could be problems if it didn't allow a different audio input to be paired with an HDMI (video) input. Plus you'd still have to 'bodge' for the third item.

I've got a new Onkyo A/V receiver connected to my Panasonic Plasma via HDMI, the SkyHD box, PS3 and Apple TV are all hooked up to the A/V unit via HDMI, the Wii is connected to the A/V via Component and then from A/V to TV via another component lead, the A/V unit can't convert the Component to HDMI. I am eyeing up a Panasonic BD player in the coming months that will take up the 4th and final HDMI on the back of the A/V unit.

The reason for the Wii Component lead to the A/V is that it's a special 5 plug lead including L/R audio that stops at the A/V unit to be processed.

When I turn the TV or any of the HDMI sources on, the A/V unit fires up. Selecting the input source switches the appropriate HDMI input to the common output up to the TV.

I also have an optical TOSlink cable running from the SkyHD box to the A/V unit to deliver Dolby Digital when watching a HD broadcast. The PS3 seems to deliver it via HDMI which it should do.

And I have a another TOSlink optical running from the Panasonic back to the A/V unit so it can supply Dolby Digital when watching FreesatHD.

Basically, the A/V unit acts as a hub for all of my HDMI sources (and the Wii). It means I have just one HDMI, one Component and one Toslink optical in the back of the telly and nothing else.

And with the TV being a Panasonic, it 'talks' to the Onkyo A/V unit through the HDMI lead.

The next step is the Apple dock that plugs in offering complete control over the ipod/iphone thats connected. Airplay via Apple TV is already an option.

This is the amp I went for to replace my ageing (non HDMI) Yamaha unit:http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr508/onky-txsr508-blk

It sounds fantastic! Avatar, Inception and Sherlock Holmes were simply stunning in Dolby Digital, it also sets itself up so no messing about with speaker levels etc.

It also has HDMI passthrough so it still passes the signals to the TV when in standby. There are loads of good A/V receivers on the market but I can recommend the Onkyo based on it's 'bang for buck'

This is the ideal solution to your problem and it isn't an overly expensive one at that.

All of my HDMI, Toslink and Component interconnects are Amazon Basics leads and they are really good for the price, don't be conned by the really expensive digital interconnects unless a significant distance is being covered. The opticals were something like £3.99 each and they appear to be of very good quality. The high speed HDMI cables were a similar price.