Home Theter Setup...HELP!!!
 

I just bought a Tashiba HD A2 player and I want to be able to hook it up to my existing surround sound. The problem lies in that my surround sound receiver is one of those all in one systems that have the DVD player.

Since i really wont be using that DVD player no more (its a Philips HTS3555) it would mainly be used as a receiver so i can get surround sound using the HD player. Both players have HDMI capabilities so on and so forth. Basically how would i go about connecting the HDMI cables to my HD A2 and still be able to enjoy surround sound using the other DVD Player/Receiver. Just need a basic set up on what cables need to go from the HD Player to the TV and to the receiver. I'm clueless to this stuff, a little help from pros here would be appreciated.

If it helps my TV is an LG 37" HDTV LCD Model 37LC7D

Good luck with that. HDMI doesn't enter into the equation for you, audio-wise; your Philips has HDMI output, but not input. It does have a digital coax input, but the HD-A2 does not have a digital coax output, just optical.

Basically it means i have to go with the red/white audio cables? Now will i still be able to get some surround sound or am i basically stuck using the TV speakers when i watch HD movies?

Through the analog (red/white) connections, you'll get Dolby Pro-Logic II, but not Dolby Digital or DTS.

There may be optical-to-coax converters, but I don't know how much they cost or how well they work.

This is the kind of trouble people run into with these all-in-one home-theater-in-a-box units. There are inevitable limitations when upgrading.

My recommendation would be to start saving up for a basic, lower-end surround receiver (Onkyo makes some great bang-for-the-buck stuff). You could then use your existing speakers, which probably aren't very good, and then upgrade the speakers when you can afford to.

So I imagine by getting an optical cable plus the optical-coax converter it shuld have my problems fixed?

Does your Philips receiver/dvd player have Coax or optical inputs on it? If so then just connect that to your A2. If it doesn't then you may have to use the 2-channel RCA connections. I also don't know if they make a converter to optical, but even if they do you're not going to get DD or DTS through it. Your best bet is to purchase a new receiver. Even something inexpensive will work better than the setup you have now.

The Philips has coax inputs. What i ended up doing was I got a Optical cable which i will hook up to a optical-coax converter and then use the digital coax cable to hook it up to the Philips. Eventually i will upgrade to a better receiver but after dropping $1,800+ dollars in the past 2 months on upgrading my previous TV and now to a HD Player I will have to wait and save up a few more pennies to get a better receiver

You didn't read any of the other posts in the thread, did you?

And yes, the OP will get DD and DTS with a converter.

Should work just fine. Just make sure you buy the right product. They are one-directional. You need optical to coax, not the other way around.

The cables i bought are optical, digital coax and the converter is optical to coax. I received my HD DVD player today and popped in one of the HDEnvirnments DVD's and needless to say it was breathtakingly beautiful. Everything was so crisp and it almost felt like you were there. As far as the sound goes until i get my cables I hooked the red/white analog cables and I am able to get Dolby Pro Logic II. It's good enough to hold me over for the next 2 days. Thanks for all the help

My mistake then. I wouldn't think he would get DD or DTS through the composite connections regardless of a converter. That's pretty cool though if it works out without any problems. I know that if you convert from COAX to OPTICAL it will work, I thought he was converting from optical out on the HD to the Composite in on the Philips.

Guess I should have paid closer attention and noticed that you were the one who pointed out that his Philips does indeed have a COAX input. My fault.

Composite is video, typically coded with yellow. That would certainly not work.

But both audio coax and optical carry the same signal, albeit in different ways. It can be converted back and forth with good reliability. Always better to have fewer connections and conversions, but you do what you have to.

Just got the cables and converter in today and everything works like a charm. I am now able to get DTS. The connection was very simple and the sound is awesome compared to the analog i was running before. Certainly a difference.

I guess I'm confusing my terminology. I always thought that the Yellow (video), Red (R audio), and White (L audio) was called Composite. I didn't think that term solely applied to video only. What's the Red and White called then? Just analog audio or RCA?

Yep, analog stereo. RCA is the name of the connector. That actually applies to composite, analog audio, component video, etc.

Since we're on the topic....composite refers to the 5 part video signal combined into one signal. So it is just the video portion.