Home theater/ surround sound question

[antiv6]

I bought a new tv a few days ago Toshiba 47ZV650U and bought a samsung surround sound system HT-TZ515 to be exact(sounds great for the 200 i paid). Im trying to figure out how to get surround sound out of more than just the tv (through optical cable) or the dvd player itself. I have my laptop and xbox connected to the tv through hdmi and am gettting sound but not from the back speakers and center channel. The tv is connected to the system through an optical cable. Is there a issue with my physical setup, tv settings, or samsung settings? Thanks:beer:

 

[65fastback2+2]

tv will only output incoming signals in 2 channel pcm. This is why you only get a left and right on your xbox. it will only output 5.1 if you use an antenna and get locals over the air and its broad cast in 5.1

the wise thing to do is return it and apply your $200 towards this: Denon - 5.1-Ch. 3D Pass Through Home Theater Speaker System - DHT591BA

 

[DVan8504]

Everything that can be connected via HDMI to your receiver should be. For example: my ps3, xbox 360, and hd cable box are all connected to my receiver as inputs via HDMI and one HDMI goes out to the tv from the receiver. If you're still not getting sound out of all your channels and you're sure the speakers are hooked up properly, switch your audio presets on the receiver and see which ones get the sound you want.

 

[65fastback2+2]

Everything that can be connected via HDMI to your receiver should be. For example: my ps3, xbox 360, and hd cable box are all connected to my receiver as inputs via HDMI and one HDMI goes out to the tv from the receiver. If you're still not getting sound out of all your channels and you're sure the speakers are hooked up properly, switch your audio presets on the receiver and see which ones get the sound you want.

he doesnt have a receiver. he has a htib which is honestly a piece of junk and has almost no inputs.

i friggin hate htib's and their "1000 watts of power" lies and junk

 

[antiv6]

thanks for the help, im not looking for any serious audio, this setup is in a small bedroom and is more than enough lol, the samsung part was off craigslist normally its a lot more than 200 so i dont have a super low end audio setup. The tv and the surround sound was 900 in total (new tv used surround but like new) We have a much better setup in the room next to mine.

 

[65fastback2+2]

thanks for the help, im not looking for any serious audio, this setup is in a small bedroom and is more than enough lol, the samsung part was off craigslist normally its a lot more than 200 so i dont have a super low end audio setup

samsung only makes super low end audio setups

thats why it wont even do basic surround sound, because its a piece of crap

now you wanna talk high end audio, start here: Vienna Acoustics - high end speakers and loudspeakers for your home theatre $26,000 for the pair

 

[tistan]

samsung only makes super low end audio setups

thats why it wont even do basic surround sound, because its a piece of crap

now you wanna talk high end audio, start here: Vienna Acoustics - high end speakers and loudspeakers for your home theatre $26,000 for the pair

chump change for svtp ballers

 

[CobraBob]

I'm not an audio expert but have set up a couple of systems in my home. Sounds like Jason is right in his recommendation. It would be better if you were connecting your other devices to a receiver, like mine are. Your problem is connecting them to the television. But that is a problem you can correct with a smallish investment. Then again, it's only a bedroom and maybe you're content with surround for the television and 2-channel for the other devices.

 

[03 TOPLESSSVT]

he doesnt have a receiver. he has a htib which is honestly a piece of junk and has almost no inputs.

i friggin hate htib's and their "1000 watts of power" lies and junk

this^

 

[DVan8504]

he doesnt have a receiver. he has a htib which is honestly a piece of junk and has almost no inputs.

i friggin hate htib's and their "1000 watts of power" lies and junk

I'm aware he has a HTIB, but some of them have HDMI inputs. And I know a couple people who bought $100 HTiBs from wal-mart and got sound out of all 5.1 speakers, so it doesn't make sense that he can only get sound from 2 of his. His setup may not be super nice, but all the speakers should at least work.

 

[65fastback2+2]

I'm aware he has a HTIB, but some of them have HDMI inputs. And I know a couple people who bought $100 HTiBs from wal-mart and got sound out of all 5.1 speakers, so it doesn't make sense that he can only get sound from 2 of his. His setup may not be super nice, but all the speakers should at least work.

some of the most expensive htib's are coming with inputs, but between he only paid $200 for it and it was used on craiglist....chances are SUPER good its not one of those.

you can get it to work a couple of ways

1) turn it to 5 channel stereo (gets all 5 speakers to play, but not surround codecs)
2) run optical cables from each device to the optical in on the htib receiver. problem is, this doesnt work with xbox too well, and it probably only has 1 optical input and he has multiple devices. this means physically plugging and unplugging connections depending on what you want to do. which blows.
3) depending on the htib receiver it might* can decode 2 channel pcm as prologic 2 and "make" surround. Prologic is surround sound made from stereo. It sounds sorta like surround, but just sucks more. Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby TrueHD are your current formats for true surround sound.

 

[BlckBullitt01]

I'm not an audio expert but have set up a couple of systems in my home. Sounds like Jason is right in his recommendation. It would be better if you were connecting your other devices to a receiver, like mine are. Your problem is connecting them to the television. But that is a problem you can correct with a smallish investment. Then again, it's only a bedroom and maybe you're content with surround for the television and 2-channel for the other devices.

+1. From what I know, if you are running sound from the xbox through a HDMI to the T.V. then back to the audio, you will be loosing alot of the surround sound quality through the HMDI cable/T.V. if possible you would want to run optical audio cables straight to what you are using for surround sound (hence why alot of people use an audio receiver w/ multiple optical inputs).

 

[txyaloo]

some of the most expensive htib's are coming with inputs, but between he only paid $200 for it and it was used on craiglist....chances are SUPER good its not one of those.

you can get it to work a couple of ways

1) turn it to 5 channel stereo (gets all 5 speakers to play, but not surround codecs)
2) run optical cables from each device to the optical in on the htib receiver. problem is, this doesnt work with xbox too well, and it probably only has 1 optical input and he has multiple devices. this means physically plugging and unplugging connections depending on what you want to do. which blows.
3) depending on the htib receiver it might* can decode 2 channel pcm as prologic 2 and "make" surround. Prologic is surround sound made from stereo. It sounds sorta like surround, but just sucks more. Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby TrueHD are your current formats for true surround sound.

My former 10yr old Kenwood HTIB could decode DTS just fine... Just because something is an HTIB doesn't mean the receiver completely sucks.

 

[65fastback2+2]

My former 10yr old Kenwood HTIB could decode DTS just fine... Just because something is an HTIB doesn't mean the receiver completely sucks.

i dont think you followed what I was saying

optical outputs on TV's (except the rare 1 or 2 new models) only output 2 channel pcm. 2 channel pcm is not DTS.

2 channel pcm either gets you stereo left/right (like the op is getting) or it gets you prologic (fake surround). You wont get DTS from the optical output on the TV. The TV's audio processor cant pull DTS from the HDMI cable then convert it and output it off the optical output.

 

[txyaloo]

i dont think you followed what I was saying

optical outputs on TV's (except the rare 1 or 2 new models) only output 2 channel pcm. 2 channel pcm is not DTS.

2 channel pcm either gets you stereo left/right (like the op is getting) or it gets you prologic (fake surround). You wont get DTS from the optical output on the TV. The TV's audio processor cant pull DTS from the HDMI cable then convert it and output it off the optical output.

Yeah, apparently reading comprehension > me.

Op, you need one of these if you expect surround sound from all of your devices. Each device needs an optical connection or HDMI connection going to the receiver. Since your receiver only has HDMI out and one optical toslink in, you're going to need a toslink switch.

Remote controlled:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003C15798]Amazon.com: 4x2 Remote Control Digital Optical TOSlink Audio Selector Switch Switcher Splitter: Electronics[/ame]

Manually controlled:
For only $5.28 each when QTY 50+ purchased - 3X1 Optical Audio Toslink Bi-Directional Manual Switch | Toslink Switch / Converter

 

[antiv6]

Thanks, ill have to pick one of those up, i know i dont have an amazing system but remember this is in a bedroom i dont need 600+ worth of equipment i just wanted something more than what the tv could produce. It sounds great in my opinion, it may be 200 but it cost 500 when it came out and most the used ones online i found were like 350.

 

[BlckBullitt01]

Thanks, ill have to pick one of those up, i know i dont have an amazing system but remember this is in a bedroom i dont need 600+ worth of equipment i just wanted something more than what the tv could produce. It sounds great in my opinion, it may be 200 but it cost 500 when it came out and most the used ones online i found were like 350.

FWIW, if you need more wiring, etc. check out

FireFold - HDMI Cable and Products, TV Mounts, Networking, and More!

No need to pay the ridiculous prices some of these places charge.

 

[antiv6]

FWIW, if you need more wiring, etc. check out

FireFold - HDMI Cable and Products, TV Mounts, Networking, and More!

No need to pay the ridiculous prices some of these places charge.

Awesome thanks again ill definitely pick some stuff up from that site:beer:

 

[oilwell1415]

Just because something is an HTIB doesn't mean the receiver completely sucks.

It shouldn't, but it does.

 

[2k3gt]

i dont think you followed what I was saying

optical outputs on TV's (except the rare 1 or 2 new models) only output 2 channel pcm. 2 channel pcm is not DTS.

2 channel pcm either gets you stereo left/right (like the op is getting) or it gets you prologic (fake surround). You wont get DTS from the optical output on the TV. The TV's audio processor cant pull DTS from the HDMI cable then convert it and output it off the optical output.

You probably can't even enjoy a movie unless the audio and video are PERFECT huh. Lol that must suck for you..