Stereo Receivers: 5.1-6.1:Component?
Monday, March 14th, 2005 - 2:42am
Greetings folks. I'm a bit confused on all this new, fandangle stereo stuff as related to component hook-up for dvd movies or X-Box games.
Here's the deal (and I may have brought this up before, but search didn't help me much). My present, Sony receiver's are shot. So I have a couple of friend's that are upgrading theirs and have offered me their old ones. One free and one with a little 'deal'. Now the thing is the free one is 5.1 and I was going for that. But then I was talking to someone that said 5.1 (these are both Yamaha's btw) won't give me 'component' hook-up's and therefore a better sound and pic quality that could be had by component. Whereas the 6.1 will.
My question is, is component 'really' that much better? I mean I'm not all that visually acute. So would I really notice the difference for a movie or X-Box game? Is it like folks who have perfect pitch in music and therefore can really tell the difference from one cd player to the next for quality. Will this quality be that defining (i.e. 'component' versus whatever the 5.1 could give me)?
Any insight or informative thought's on this is most welcome.
Thanks
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
First thing''s first... Yamaha makes the best receivers of the mainstream brands. You can''t do any better unless you move up to Harmon Kardon or Denon, so you''re stepping up receiver wise here either way.
Second: it sounds like someone somewhere along the line has tried to confuse you on what exactly a home theater receiver actually does.
The difference between a 5.1 receiver and a 6.1 compatible receiver has absolutely nothing to do with it''s video switching capabilities or the quality of picture you get on your TV. It has to do with it''s ability to play 6.1 audio tracks on DVD''s or from other sources. The Xbox only supports 5.1 sound anyway, and 90% of DVD movies these days still only have 5.1 audio tracks on them. You really want to look at what you need sound-wise from a receiver.
It sounds to me like if I were you I would take the free one, but I can''t even say that for sure without knowing which Yamaha receivers they are.
If it''s possible for you to get the model numbers from the receivers, it would help the rest of us help you out a bit more, and make it easier to explain the differences between the receivers, and to help clear up what sounds to me like a lot of confusion on what a receiver does.
XBLive: Thin J
PSN: Thin_J
I don't imagine master craftsmen leaping away from completed projects and shouting "Done, motherf*ckers! - 1Dgaf
Just to clarify..
The 5.1 or 6.1 or 7.1 you see thrown about for recievers references the # of speakers connected to create the sound field.
5.1 is
1 center channel, 1 Front Left Speaker, 1 front right speaker, 1 rear left speaker, 1 rear right speaker, and a subwoofer.
6.1
adds a center rear speaker
7.1 removes a center rear speaker in favor of a r middle and l middle speakers
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
85's face the truth you're too dumb.
http://www.myspace.com/armyofthepharaohs
My brother uses component hookups. I personally don''t see much difference.
Doesn''t the DVD player have to have the component outputs?
Tim's Fusion Weblog
Component, DVI, and HDMI (newer TV''s, DVD''s and Recievers may have this connection) are the only way to get a ""HD"" signal passed through your AV setup (HD being 480p, 720P and 1080i/P)
A reciever that can do ""HD"" switching (whatever the connection type it supports) really only allows you to use the reciever to select multiple inputs into a single output (usually your TV, Monitor, Projector etc..)
You can just as easily do the ""HD"" switching with a seperate ""box"" which is what I do simply because I have way more inputs than my reciever could handle.
If you do get a reciever and plan to do HD switching make sure you get a reciever with sufficient bandwidth to handle the top end HD resolutions or you may see occasional artifacts or ""screen noise""
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
85's face the truth you're too dumb.
http://www.myspace.com/armyofthepharaohs
Thanks folks! Here''s the deal. I went to best buy to see these up close and personal and ask questions. The guy told me the 6.1 (and you know, I just did get that all that mean''s is number of speaker''s and woofer
) has the component hook-up in the back, whereas the 5.1 doesn''t. But as Sarc mention''s, I probably wouldn''t notice the difference anyway.
(And thank''s Thin'' for letting me know I''m on the right track with Yamaha and some good info. TheGamingGuru for further explanations).
That said, here''s the model number''s to make sure. They are upgrading ''cause their woop-to-do home theater types. I just want a cheap, affordable (free!) system that allow''s me to enjoy movies and game''s off my X-Box with some decent surround sound (or whatever it''s called that let''s me hear one thing behind my head, or off to by left/right while the main action is still to my forefront...if you get my drift.).
Here''s the models I believe:
Yamaha 500W 5.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver
Model: HTR-5730
Enjoy powerful audio capabilities with a host of high-performance features to customize your listening experience. Find out how Yamaha sets the standard in home theater performance.
5.1-channel receiver features multiple surround sound decoders, including DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic
Yamaha-exclusive Cinema DSP advanced surround sound decoder creates a rich, independent soundfield that will envelop you in an unmatched surround sound experience
Surround sound programs: Yamaha Quad Field DSP, 5 HiFi DSP, 29 Cinema DSP and Silent Cinema, Dolby Digital, Digital EX (phantom), Pro Logic, Pro Logic II and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 (phantom)
And :
Yamaha 600W 6.1-Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver - Black
Model: HTR-5740
Great value without sacrificing quality. The Yamaha HTR-5740 features 6.1-channel sound, Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES surround sound decoders. Plus 600W total power, easy on-screen setup, A/V controls and Yamaha''s digital ToP-ART parts and circuitry, combine with a host of other exclusive features to make this one a true top-notch home theater receiver. Find out how Yamaha sets the standard in home theater performance.
6.1-channel receiver with multiple surround sound decoders including: Dolby Digital EX, DTS, Cinema DSP. Learn more about surround sound home theater.
Digital ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology) incorporates: 1) High Performance Digital Circuitry, 2) High Density Cinema DSP Circuitry, and 3) Wide-Bandwidth Power Amplifiers to deliver superior sound quality
HDTV-compatible component video output "” a component video out frequency response range of 5Hz-60MHz ensures compatibility with HDTV monitors and HDTVs
Thanks for the imput and and help!
(oh! btw, And I just have a Sony TV . If I remember correctly a 27 or 29"" WEGA Trinitron something or other. It''s a couple, 3 years old)(Sear''s had a sale on it)
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
If your TV is already capable of handling all your devices that you are going to run component cables for than go with the 5.1 system. You are better off running the devices straight to the TV whenever possible.
Otherwise I am sooo jealous! I wish I had a friend who was willing to just give me a digital stereo. I am still running a dolby surround sound system
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
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Go 5.1 for free. Seriously who runs their video through their receiver anyway? I mean thats just one more layer of electronics for the signal to go through. I run video straight to the tv, audio straight to the receiver.
Spiderman wouldn't sneak, Spiderman would go. -Elysium
XBL: TheZedian
O.k. Gaald and Zedian. Video straight to the TV (however I do VHS tape some things when I''m not home on. So...?)
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
What kind of TV do you have? What sort of devices are you looking to run, and which ones have component capabilities? If I knew that I could tell you how you would want to hook everything to together to get the best bang for you buck.
As far as the VCR is concerned you should still be able to hook it up as well.
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
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Component passthru is rather convenient if you have more than say two A/V devices hooked to your receiver. Say, I have a cable box, a DVD player, an Xbox, and a GC. All of them have component outputs, so I could aggregate them thru the receiver if it had such a feature. Instead, each time I switch from TV to Xbox I have to change the video input on TV AND change the sound input on receiver. I can do it using my remote on which I have macros, but for that I''d have to find it wherever my wife has hidden it away from the baby this time.
Moreover, it may happen so that your TV has a limited number of component inputs. Mine has only 2. The DVD player and Xbox exhaust that, so I am ending up with the cable box hooked up via HDMI, and GC via composite.
A solution is a component imput switch box. Pelican makes a decent SystemSelector Pro, much cheaper than established ""A/V"" brands, with an IR remote. But come think of it, that''s one extra device in a picture where you actually want more simplicity, not less of it.
Xbox Live tag Gorilla800lbs
TV: And I just have a Sony TV . If I remember correctly a 27 or 29"" WEGA Trinitron something or other. It''s a couple, 3 years old)(Sear''s had a sale on it)
And I just have the X-Box for movies and games. VCR and of course my cable box for tv. Pretty ''simple'' really, but sometimes the wires are going everywhere and all I do is stare w/ not a thought to be had
I already have the cables that are one down from ''component'':Advance Pack. Would of got the Hi-Def ones, but no one had them when I went looking which was a bummer seeing they were the same price. (even bought extensions for my tv was a bit too far from the X-Box.)
Thanks!
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
Well without knowing the exact model of the TV I can''t say exactly how you would hook everything up.
Lets assume on the TV you only have 1 component input, 1 S-video Input and, 2 RCA inputs and 1 RCA output(yellow for video, and Red and White for stereo sound)
You would hook your Xbox up using the component cables directly to the TV, for sound you would use either the optical out or the RCA audio outs on the back of your xbox (digital or RCA not both) and plug that into the back of the 5.1 stereo reciever.
On your cable box you would you use the S-video out and plug that directly into your TV, you would than use the Optical out on the back of the cable box and plug that into the other optical in on your 5.1 stereo reciever. (You might find the S-video and Digital Audio out of the Cable box tricky and problematic with the rest of this configuration. If so save yourself the trouble and just run the RCA outputs from the back of the cable box instead as is described below. Don''t be afraid to try it out though,)
Now here is where things can get wacky. You should also be able to run the RCA outputs from the cable box and put those into the Reciever (all three video and sound) and than on the VCR you would run the RCA outputs into the VCR (RCA) inputs on the Reciever and the VCR (RCA) outputs on the Reciever into the RCA Inputs on the VCR. Than run the Monitor out from the Reciever into 1 of the RCA video Inputs on the back of the TV. This should allow you to both Record stuff from your cable box onto your VCR and Play it back on the TV. As well as watch stuff from your Cable box directly on your TV.
I hope this isn''t too confusing.
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
Spoiler Fanatic!
Thanks for taking the time to write this out. I''ll take a closer look at it in the morning. My TV model number is KV-27FS100 (in case that makes a difference to the above).
Thanks again!
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
Since we''re on the subject, I can never get my signal to ""DIGITAL"" it always says analog even if I run an optical cable from my DVD player to my receiver. What''s up with that?
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Well it might be two things. As I mentioned before you might end up with some wackiness if you have both the analog and the digital cables hooked up at the same time. If you want digital just go with the digital cable and unplug the analog ones.
The other possibility is that you have to actually go to some menu option on the device you are using and select the digital signal as the default.
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
Spoiler Fanatic!
Gotham, you have to go into the DVD player settings and tell it to send out a DTS signal. This is Gaald''s second suggestion.
Make sure to read the manual because it might not say DTS in the menu. Mine said something like ""stream"".
Spiderman wouldn't sneak, Spiderman would go. -Elysium
XBL: TheZedian
Instead of starting a new thread, I thought I might take up some space on this one.
I bought a cheap Symphonic 27"" flatscreen (which only has rca and s-video connections) after my son destroyed my 27"" Sony wega trinitron flat screen that had a nice selection of input/outputs. My question is this: I have my tv hooked into my dvd player through the s-video connection with the sound through the other 2 rca connections (leaving the video unhooked of course). In turn I have the dvd player hooked to my newly aquired Sony Bookshelf system http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001LCZZQ/ref=ase_ecampaigncom-2...
My problem is that I can watch movies (via the dvd player) in the simulated surround sound that the stereo provides, but I cannot watch regular tv through my stereo. Is there any way around this?
Quintin_Stone wrote:
lunabean wrote:Well the easiest way to to do this would be to an AV switcher. You can plug all your devices into the switcher and the the output on the switch can be connected to the TV and the Stereo. The only thing is you would have to manually switch it when you switched the devices you wanted to use or pay a lot more for one controlled by remote.
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
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Is there wireless to a second TV? Does one loose anything? (it would have it''s on mini receiver and such, but the lady likes to watch her tv from bed (but it''s not the major one that will be in the front room.
And when ''component'' is mentioned above, were talking either the X-Box Advance or Hi-Def, right?
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
?
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
Spoiler Fanatic!
Sorry. Guess that wasn''t too clear
Two aspects here. One is to try and get a TV hook-up from my cable modem (Comcast) some 40 feet away to a bedroom that won''t demand a long cable snaking to it.
The other question is when you were talking about ''component'' cable hook-ups from X-Box to TV, I was trying to clarify that the AV Advance pack for the X-Box was ''component'' as much (although not better) then the Hi Definition AV pack X-Box cable you can get (which I guess is ''true'' component) for I only have the former. Should I just go ahead and just get the later?
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
Well I ended up getting the HTR-5740 for the fella really made it almost nothing. And as usual, I tried to hook everything up (took a couple hours) and still fell short. Some channels aren''t getting sound. All movie channels do, but some local don''t (and some not so local). Plus I''m trying to fathom hooking up my VCR so I can record. Can someone, with the the above imformation I''ve given on the Sony TV I have, Yamaha receiver etc., point me to a really(!) clear explanation on how to set everything up (nice, clear, diagrams too)?
I have to say that the color on the X-Box with the Hi Def cables are amazing. My brother-in-law, avid X-Boxer with Burnout 3 (about 113 in the world), sat down and in about 4 hours got more then half way thru HALO 2. I probably would of never experienced some of the game playing if I wasn''t watching him on and off. Truly cool graphics to say the least. Links even looked better (i.e already looked awefully good as is). Need to check out GR 2 and such.
Anyway, got away from my main ''Help!'' for getting all my electronic gear hooked up right (and if any GWJ''er is in the Seattle area and is willing to help, I''d be very grateful.)
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
How do you have your stuff hooked up right now?
As far as the VCR is concerned, if you are looking to record stuff than you just need to plug the RCA OUT from the VCR into the RCA VCR IN on the reciever and the RCA VCR OUT on the reciever into the RCA IN on the VCR. Than when you want to record something just make sure that you have the proper device selected on the reciever. For example if you want to record stuff from your cable box than you select the channel for you cable box and the signal will automatically be sent through the VCR out on the reciever and into your VCR. That is of course if everything is all set up properly.
"Can I have a job? I donut have much experiences, butt I always use an spellchecker spellchecker on my articles." - Sway
Using Prayer To Microevolve Latent Antibiotic Resistance In Bacteria since 2005!
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Thanks. That seems to be simple enough. Stil can''t figure out why I can''t get sound on some channels (just a few) of my basic cable channels (the movie ones are fine)
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon
just for fyi purpose, a bud suggested my problem with sound on some channels and not others might have to do with SAP being set. And yep, that was it. It was on Auto SAP. Once that was cleared, sound on all channels (guess some stations to support it (Secondary Audio Program)
XBL: DonanGWJ
PSN: Toxdon