HD TV/PS3/SKY+/Surround sound set up

[lamboluke]

Ok, was hoping for some help as i'm going a little insane here with trying to work out how i'll connect it all up when our tv arrives next week.

We've bought a HD Tv - Panasonic TH42PZ70B
Surround sound - Panasonic SC-PT850And a -
PS3, SKY+
(back of the tv for reference):
hdtvtest.co.uk/image/hdtv/Panasonic-TH42PZ70B/connection.jpg

Now my dilema is how to connect the lot up. The TV has two HDMI slots in the back, so this is how i'm going to connect the PS3 to the TV via HDMI cable (already have).
The surround sound has HDMI slot, as well as an optical out, aux and scart. Now would i connect the ps3 to the surround sound via an optical cable (which i have), as obviously the HDMI slot on the ps3 is connecting to the tv.

What about the sky+? I have stereo cables which i would imagine go into the aux slot (on the surround sound, and from the sky+'s aux as it isnt an HD signal)
Sky+ rear for refference
chrisgreen.co.uk/wp-content/Uploaded_Content/PICT0350S.jpg

Would i need to connect the surround sound to the tv? Or not as the surround sound would be connected to the ps3/sky+ and they would be connected to the tv any way, and i dont plan on watching standard 1-5 through the tv.

Am i right? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Ps the pictures arent mine, just using them for refference. Thanks!

[Gav]

You actually missed the fairly important image of the rear of your surround sound


I'm not sure whether you are aware, but the Surround Sound amp contains a DVD player (with full Dobly Decoding & Whatever).

I -think- Sky+ supports 5.1 surround sound, hence the reason it has optical out, but someone will have to back me up on this, but I doubt it's carried on many channels (so I wouldn't worry about it).

So here's what I would do:

• Connect the PS3 to the TV via. HDMI
• Connect the PS3 to the Surround Sound via. Optical

• Connect the Surround Sound to the TV via. HDMI

• Connect the Sky+ Box to the TV via. SCART
• Connect the Sky+ Box to the Surround Sound via. Red&White :]

Sorted

[lamboluke]

Thats a great help there Gav! I take my hat off to you for finding the picture of the back of the surround sound system lol, i spent ages and failed to find a big enough pic!

The way you've explained it is great as thats really easy to follow !!!
One question, you say you doubt 5.1 is carried on many channels... but on the chanels it isnt, with the surround sound connecterd via red/white will it still play out of all 5 speakers?

Also, what are your opinions on optical switches?
tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/scan/fi=products/st=db/sp=resultsprod/co=1/sf=prod_group/se=Digital%20Optical%20Splitter/op=eq/nu=0/ml=50.html

Thank you!
EDIT: Just bought another HDMI cable as i needed another !

[Jimdefruit]

Red and white is not surround sound it is only stereo. However, the unit may split the signal to give psuedo surround by reversing the front channels to the rear speakers.

[Gav]

Well, the red and white leads only carry stereo, so you're Sky+ box won't be outputting surround sound anyway. Your speakers will either just send the right channel to the front right speaker and the left channel to the front left speaker and leave the rest off, or it will join the front and rear speakers together so they're playing the same sound.

That particular optical splitter is for 1 source to 2 recievers, which is the opposite of what you want. You want something like this, then you can set it up as follows and get 5.1 from the Sky+ Box SW001 - Toslink Switch - Digital Audio Optical Switch - Only £7.99 at www.tvcables.co.uk :

• Connect the PS3 to the TV via. HDMI
• Connect the PS3 to the Optical Switch to the Surround Sound

• Connect the Surround Sound to the TV via. HDMI

• Connect the Sky+ Box to the TV via. SCART
• Connect the Sky+ Box to the Optical Switch to the Surround Sound

[lamboluke]

Thank you for the replies ! Do you think i should go with the optical splitter? Would it still give top quality sound through the optical signal? If so i'll buy it and then buy another optical cable to have both the ps3 and the sky+ playing 5.1 !
Appreciate all this help btw, thank you !

[Gav]

The optical switch, not the splitter yes

There should be NO quality loss, because of the way optical cables work. They send the sound as data that has to be processed on the receiving end, rather than other cables which are processed by the source.

A bad optical cable wouldn't reduce quality, it would maybe make sound packets drop occasionally, but the sound quality would be perfect.

[lamboluke]

Sorry, i keep getting mixed up. I'll buy that optical switch now and also another optical cable !
I really do appreciate the help, its just a pain having to wait for the TV to turn up lol, but i'll order the switch and other optical cable so its ready when it does turn up. Thank you !

[AVdude101]

hi,

i have recently purchased TOSHIBA 40XF355DB and have a PANASONI SC-HT540 and a PS3.

i was wondering how i would connect all these up together so i can get the surround sound for the PS3.

any one able to help?

many thanks

[Jimdefruit]

I dont think you can because it doesn't have the input facilities. Several people have asked the same question. I really don't know why Panasonic make the unit. Its a very expensive DVD player.