solman98

Over the holiday's I set up our new entertainment center and TV (50" Samsung). I hooked everything up for a basic setup using the RCA cables and coax cables. Well I want to finally finish it all up and hook everything up for better visual and audio quality. So I started looking into the various hookups on the back of each component and would love some guidance on this newer system. TV is new, but using my older Onkyo AV Reciever, Sony DVD player, and the Comcast digital converter box (Motorola). I also have a cheap Phillips DVD/VHS player for some of the old movies I don't have on DVD yet. But that will just get hooked up via the coax cable. It's the rest I would like some guidance on. I have the user manuals with me so I can answer most questions on what I have available to work with. I want to be able to use the surround sound with any component. Here is what I have so far.

To hook the tv up to the converter box, I was going to use a DVI-HDMI cable & RCA audio cables. Seems to be the best choice. IS there any thing else that needs to be done there?

For the surround sound, I was looking at using a digital or optical cable and video/audio RCA cables.

For the DVD player, I only have the option for RCA cables. SHould I hook that up to the reciever, or to the TV? Looks like I may even be able to hook it up to the cable box. I would like to just use the menu function from the TV to select what component I'm using.

The back of the TV has what it looks like is two set of component in RCA hookups, but only one is marked "IN".

Two HDMI hookups. (plus a DVI audio RCA input)

One digital audio out (optical)

There are also side panel hookups, but leaving those alone for other items as needed to be hooked up (games, etc).

Thanks in advance.

solman98

Been looking over this more, I think I may have it figured out....LOL

Cable box - TV = DVI-HDMI cable with the L/R audio cables.
Receiver = Only needs the Digital Audio Out (optical) cable
DVD = Component cables (L, R, Y, Pg, & Pn)

All this is hooking directly to the TV

Cable Coax run the normal pattern between everything

Sound about right?

xzombiex66

I have my cable box and PS3 hooked up to the receiver with optic, I have always seen problems with hooking up hdmi through the receiver then to the tv, sometime causes a delay. Hooking sound up through audio composite you will degrade the sound quality so try and stay away from that. If you do hook the cable up through the receiver using hdmi it should carry both sound and video, you shouldn't have to hook up audio.

solman98

My cable box does not have a HDMI hookup, but has a DVI jack.. I read that a DVI - HDMI only carries video, so it needs the audio cables?

With the old setup, I had most thing running through the reciever then to the TV. I'm attempting to run it all to the TV this time. ON paper, it seems like what I listed will work. But before I head to Best Buy and buy the DVI-HDMI adn optic cables, I wanted to ask. I have plenty of RCA cables.

twistrman

buy your cables online at a place like monoprice or meritline. Don't pay the high prices at BB and DON'T buy any monster cables...

Only tips I have since I haven't got around to upgrading any of my stuff and won't put in a surround sound til I have a house. Since I don't want the neighbors bothered by me all the time shaking the walls.

solman98

I did in fact order my cables from monoprice. I got a 6' DVI-HDMI cable, 6' digital cable, 25' monitor cable, and a splitter for $27, shipped. That was cheaper that just the digital cable from BB.

twistrman

nice. I was looking at getting some stuff from there, but just don't know about the distance I want to go. From my computer in one room, to the next hooked up to the tv. To go all the way around the outside walls I would probably need a 50' and then run into the problem of needed an extender or something. Plus then I gotta run audio that length, since the imac only outputs video on imac (and I don't think my tv has a separate audio in matched with the hdmi). Or I could go straight through the room and just move it when I am not using it, still the audio problem without buying a $50 adapter. All a hassle, I just want to watch content on the computer on the tv....

xzombiex66

Wow you must have an old cable box DVI sucks man, who is your provider?

solman98

Comcast, they have newer boxes, I've had a couple of them. They totally suck. Since they make the DVI-HDMI cable, I think I'll still be good to go with it.

My computer is in a corner and the TV is in the middle of a wall from that corner. No base boards are seen, so it should work out pretty good. I almost went with the 15' cable, but with my luck would be a foot too short....

xzombiex66

Wow that sucks man I work for Time Warner cable and I seen nothing but problems with DVI.