# Surround sound setup help



## Rancid-Milk-Man

I want to connect my PS3, Xbox 360, DirecTV HD up to my Panasonic SC-PT750 5-DVD Home Theater System In Black, Model SCPT750. I have a 4x1 HDMI switch however I'm really confused and I need help. If it helps any my TV is a Samsung 27" HDTV Slimfit CRT Tube.

Is it at all possible to have my surround sound work with the resources I have currently, and if so. How?


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## yustr

You should be able to neatly hook everything up to your system. I don't have an Xbox here so I don't know what the outputs are but I will assume it has digital audio and component video (red,green blue RCA jacks - you may need to buy an accessory cable that has these. :4-dontkno ). If it has HDMI output then thats even cleaner.

You'll need plenty of HDMI cables though - which are over priced. Shop on line before shelling out $100 for one at BB or Radioshack.

Here's how I'd hook it up.

Cable box ---> HDMI switch
PS3 ---> HDMI switch
HDMI switch ---> HDMI input on PT-750
HDMI from PT-750 to TV
XBox ---> via component video directly to the TV and digital audio (co-axial or optical doesn't matter) to the PT-750. (I'm guessing that it will only output one "monitor" signal which in this case you want to be the HDMI.)

So that's 4 HDMI cables (+1 if the Xbox has it.) 

To watch you'll have to tell the switch which signal to pass through to the PT-750 as at least the cable box will always be sending - which could confuse the switch if it also sees a PS3 signal. 

But from there, the PT-750 should take both audio and video from the HDMI input and decode the audio and pass the video to the TV via its HDMI out.

To play Xbox you'll change the TV "Source" to the component input and the PT-750 to the digital input.

It's really not that complicated. Just start slowly and go one step at a time. One tip is to use a small piece of tape (athletic wrapping tape works great but duct or masking will work too) and label both ends of each cable; e.g. "From PS3" so when you're behind the unit you don't have to wonder which cable you have in your hand.

Good luck and post back if yu have any problems.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> You should be able to neatly hook everything up to your system. I don't have an Xbox here so I don't know what the outputs are but I will assume it has digital audio and component video (red,green blue RCA jacks - you may need to buy an accessory cable that has these. :4-dontkno ). If it has HDMI output then thats even cleaner.
> 
> You'll need plenty of HDMI cables though - which are over priced. Shop on line before shelling out $100 for one at BB or Radioshack.
> 
> Here's how I'd hook it up.
> 
> Cable box ---> HDMI switch
> PS3 ---> HDMI switch
> HDMI switch ---> HDMI input on PT-750
> HDMI from PT-750 to TV
> XBox ---> via component video directly to the TV and digital audio (co-axial or optical doesn't matter) to the PT-750. (I'm guessing that it will only output one "monitor" signal which in this case you want to be the HDMI.)
> 
> So that's 4 HDMI cables (+1 if the Xbox has it.)
> 
> To watch you'll have to tell the switch which signal to pass through to the PT-750 as at least the cable box will always be sending - which could confuse the switch if it also sees a PS3 signal.
> 
> But from there, the PT-750 should take both audio and video from the HDMI input and decode the audio and pass the video to the TV via its HDMI out.
> 
> To play Xbox you'll change the TV "Source" to the component input and the PT-750 to the digital input.
> 
> It's really not that complicated. Just start slowly and go one step at a time. One tip is to use a small piece of tape (athletic wrapping tape works great but duct or masking will work too) and label both ends of each cable; e.g. "From PS3" so when you're behind the unit you don't have to wonder which cable you have in your hand.
> 
> Good luck and post back if yu have any problems.


Thank you very much for your fast and detailed response. The xbox360 does have HDMI and my TV has 2 HDMI ports, However the PT-750 only has one HDMI port.


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## yustr

Your very welcome, that's why we're here.

Assuming that your HDMI switch does have a way of choosing which one of the inputs it sees, I'd route the Xbox through it too. Then it's only one cable from the switch to the PT750 and one from there out to the TV. Very neat and clean.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> Your very welcome, that's why we're here.
> 
> Assuming that your HDMI switch does have a way of choosing which one of the inputs it sees, I'd route the Xbox through it too. Then it's only one cable from the switch to the PT750 and one from there out to the TV. Very neat and clean.


Maybe I'm not understanding but which cable type am I suppose to run from my PT750 to my TV?


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## bruiser

For good prices on cables, including HDMI, look here: www.monoprice.com/home/


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

bruiser said:


> For good prices on cables, including HDMI, look here: www.monoprice.com/home/


That's where I always buy my cables. It's amazing how these other companies rip you off with these huge price tags.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> Your very welcome, that's why we're here.
> 
> Assuming that your HDMI switch does have a way of choosing which one of the inputs it sees, I'd route the Xbox through it too. Then it's only one cable from the switch to the PT750 and one from there out to the TV. Very neat and clean.


This is my Switch

These are the PT750 connection types



> AV receiver : 1 x headphones ( phone stereo 6.25 mm ) - front ¦ AV receiver : 4 x audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 3 x audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x 5.1 channel audio line-in ( RCA phono x 6 ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 3 x composite video input ( RCA phono ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x composite video output ( RCA phono ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 3 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 2 x component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x monitor output ( RCA phono ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x monitor output ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x SPDIF input ( RCA phono ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 3 x SPDIF input ( TOS Link ) - rear ¦ AV receiver : 1 x SPDIF output ( TOS Link ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x 5.1 channel audio line-out ( RCA phono x 6 ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x composite video output ( RCA phono ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x S-Video output ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear ¦ DVD changer : 1 x SPDIF output ( TOS Link ) - rear ¦ 1 x HDMI output ¦ 1 x IPod docking


Would I need an HDMI splitter for my Surround sound?

E.G

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...d=1011303&p_id=2522&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
??


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## yustr

Rancid-Milk-Man said:


> Maybe I'm not understanding but which cable type am I suppose to run from my PT750 to my TV?


Use HDMI. Your PT750 should upconvert all sources and send them to the TV via the HDMI Out jack.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> Use HDMI. Your PT750 should upconvert all sources and send them to the TV via the HDMI Out jack.


Here I made this.










I don't think I have enough HDMI slots for what you're saying...



> HDMI switch ---> HDMI input on PT-750
> HDMI from PT-750 to TV


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## yustr

Hold the phone! I think we're screwed. 

I saw the same list of connections that you printed but looking at the pic you posted there is NO HDMI input. In fact there do not appear to be any inputs - excepting the iPOD input. I confirmed this with the owner's manual from HERE

This unit will not work for what you want to do. There's simply no way to get it to work for the PS3, XBox or Cable Box!!!

Your only choice, assuming you want to keep this unit, is to hook the games and cable box to the HDMI switch and run the HDMI Out from the switch directly to the TV. Then use the component video out from the PT750 to the TV.

You can also run a pair of RCA cables back from the TV to the PT750 (AUX input) and get stereo and simulated surround but it will not be true surround.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> Hold the phone! I think we're screwed.
> 
> I saw the same list of connections that you printed but looking at the pic you posted there is NO HDMI input. In fact there do not appear to be any inputs - excepting the iPOD input. I confirmed this with the owner's manual from HERE
> 
> This unit will not work for what you want to do. There's simply no way to get it to work for the PS3, XBox or Cable Box!!!
> 
> Your only choice, assuming you want to keep this unit, is to hook the games and cable box to the HDMI switch and run the HDMI Out from the switch directly to the TV. Then use the component video out from the PT750 to the TV.
> 
> You can also run a pair of RCA cables back from the TV to the PT750 (AUX input) and get stereo and simulated surround but it will not be true surround.


Then what's this? 

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1179/p1010158ai6.jpg

Grrr.. NVM I see it says HDMI Out.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

Could you recommend a surround sound system?


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## yustr

Sure - some questions first:

How big is your space?
How loud do you listen?
How much can you spend?
What else do you listen to besides movies?
How important is music only listening?
Is there a SAF to consider (Spouse Acceptance Factor)
Do you need music sent to other areas of your house?
Do you have size limits (e.g. do the speakers have to fit into a cabinet?)

Think about these for awhile and post back. I'll be glad to help you build a system that meets your needs. But right now, I'm going to bed...     :grin:


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

yustr said:


> Sure - some questions first:
> 
> How big is your space?
> How loud do you listen?
> How much can you spend?
> What else do you listen to besides movies?
> How important is music only listening?
> Is there a SAF to consider (Spouse Acceptance Factor)
> Do you need music sent to other areas of your house?
> Do you have size limits (e.g. do the speakers have to fit into a cabinet?)
> 
> Think about these for awhile and post back. I'll be glad to help you build a system that meets your needs. But right now, I'm going to bed...     :grin:


It's a small room

Depending on which kind of music. Medium to loud.

I play video games obviously and I'd like to connect my ipod up this.

No I don't need to send any music

I'd like to mount the speakers on the wall to cover the two holes made by the current speakers lol.


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## ebackhus

Can you give us the dimensions and where you have your furniture placed? What we're looking to create is a "Sound Stage." It'll ensure that the aound you hear is optimally balanced and tweaked.


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## Rancid-Milk-Man

ebackhus said:


> Can you give us the dimensions and where you have your furniture placed? What we're looking to create is a "Sound Stage." It'll ensure that the aound you hear is optimally balanced and tweaked.


I can't give you demensions right now because I'm in my A+ certification class. However I did make you this fancy picture of the layout of my room.


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## sarabande

I don't have the Panasonic HTS.
I am using a older Yamaha Audio/Video receiver that is about 5 years old, so does not have HDMI switcing.

Here is what I did. I use a 4x1 HDMI switch . This box has 4 HDMI inputs and 4 separate Optical Toslink inputs.

I connect my Cable Box HDMI to the switch and the Toslink ouput to the switch .
Same with the HD DVD.
Then I run the HDMI output of the switch to the HDTV. The HDTV shows the video, and my yahmaha is processing the surround via the Optical connection.

See application diagram:










I set the source audio to bit stream mode to get surround sound from the Optical outputs.


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## yustr

Yes that will work for the video portion. However, the Panasonic does not have a digital audio input so it will not work for surround processing. Let's await Rancid's response to see what he wants to do, then we can give him our recommendations. 

BTW: I've always liked Yamaha receivers, they do make a good product.


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