old-boo-radley

To make this as short and sweet as possible; I'm going HD. Finding a TV is one thing (I was thinking of this one http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...Flyer_Tracking which is $100 cheaper locally), but finding a home theatre for a nerd like me is another.

Here's what I need... I want to be able to hook up HD cable/PS3/Xbox 360/Wii and OLDER CONSOLES up to a home theatre. I was looking at this system here: http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...1&catid=19701#

Which has these inputs/outputs:



Can I do that with this receiver/home theatre? I don't necessarily need everything hooked up at once, I just want to be sure that I could run, say, a Dreamcast with A/V cables through this surround sound system.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Sdallnct

Well I don't think you could hook up everything you wanted into the receiver. But between the receiver and the TV you likely would be able to. Looks like the receiver has 3 HDMI inputs and the TV likely has a couple. Plus the TV has a couple of components inputs.

Personally I'd skip the Sony HtiB. You could do a lot better. for only a little more.

old-boo-radley

That's about all I can find at futureshop or Bestbuy though. I'm not from the States, so it's harder to come by these things. I'm concerned if you can hook up a/v stuff to that receiver.

Mr. Salty

Canada isn't the Third World. You do have other options, and I agree that you should stay away from the Sony HTiB.

But yes, you can connect audio and video devices to that receiver. That's what receivers are designed for. As Sdallnct pointed out, it has three HDMI inputs, as well as a few other options, although they appear limited.

old-boo-radley

Could you please point me to these other options, I've not been able to find anything outside those stores. Thanks!

Only others I've been able to find are:
https://www2.visions.ca/catalogue/ca...nuLevel=%27%27
https://www2.visions.ca/catalogue/ca...nuLevel=%27%27

Spiky

Amazon.
jr.com

An Onkyo set from jr could cost the same, but be much better sound quality. And likely more inputs, too.

old-boo-radley

Sadly, jr.com does not ship to Canada and neither does amazon.com.

In theory, I could plug any device into the red and white inputs, right? Plug the audio from Xbox 360 into those little inputs and then the component 3 way cables into the tv and I'd get to play 360 on the HDTV with the audio coming through the surround?

Mr. Salty

Future Shop carries Yamaha HTiB's Those would be better than the Sony.

Look, I don't live in Canada, but I have family there and I've spent plenty of time there. You don't say what part of Canada you're in, but it strikes me that you're not trying very hard. Seek out some local retailers, ask around.

Mr. Salty

I don't mean this as an insult, but it sounds like you don't even know what the various types of inputs are called or how they're used. You've now completely ignored two or three posts that talk about the receiver's HDMI inputs, and instead you've followed up with questions about "red and white inputs" and "those little inputs."

It sounds like you really need to educate yourself about home theater equipment. You can do that here (check out the FAQs and we can help you as well). And you should do this before making any kind of purchasing decision.

It's 4:30 a.m. here, so I can't go into details about the ins and outs of home theater right now, but if someone else doesn't come to your rescue I'll post more tomorrow night.

old-boo-radley

I'm from small town Saskatchewan. I have either Wal-mart or The Brick, which just opened a couple weeks ago or online ordering. I already have a Sony DAZ-DZ120 HTiB and I wouldn't even bother upgrading if it was a receiver, but it's one that has a DVD player which doesn't help me at all for hi-def stuff. The only thing I don't understand out of everything I need to know is how a non-HDMI unit would hook up to that receiver. I don't know the technical names, but I understand what most everything does, I just don't understand how this receiver would be able to have component plugs put into it. And the Onkyo unit I find that everyone loves doesn't have HDMI quality audio for some reason and is still $150 more than Sony on sale, but has every input imaginable. The Yamaha unit at Futureshop is $450 but is only 600 watts.

My current unit now retails for $150... and I'm relatively happy with it, I just need inputs and maybe would like a little better sounding system. If it's $400 more for 5 inputs and the same watts, then that's fine. I just want to be sure what I want can be done for sure. I don't want to order in a unit and then have it not do what I need it to do. I was thinking against that Sony unit because by the time I bought PS3/360 HDMI cables to hook them up, it'd be the difference in price right there for the Onkyo HTS5100.

Any time you ask a guy at a store, they just try to sell you the most expensive thing they can.

Spiky

Both their websites claim they ship to Canada. I'm pretty sure that's why amazon.ca doesn't have electronics, because amazon.com ships there. Amazon ships anywhere that UPS will go AFAIK. And shopping should be simple right now considering the exchange rate appears to be almost exactly 1:1.

And on your last post.....don't pay attention to the watts at all. Truly, they are absolutely meaningless numerals printed on a box in the products you are looking at. Every single company selling an HTiB at $400 is lying. They might as well say they have a billion-watt system. The only time they ARE meaningful for shopping is at the very high-end of receivers (and then barely) and for separate amps from quality companies. This is easily the most abused stat in all of audio video land.

Also, if you are worried about cable prices, try monoprice.com. They also ship to Canada. I think you might like the prices.

And yes, the red/white audio will work for any older video game. It will provide up to Dolby ProLogic Surround if possible, but not DTS or Dolby Digital. For those last 2, you need a digital connection like optical or HDMI.

Oh, I guess one more. Amazon sells that Onkyo 5100 for $435. Unless I misread something, that's hardly $150 more than your links. It is too bad that this is an early lineup from Onkyo and only has HDMI passthrough. That is definitely a bad choice on their part, you can see they've corrected it with the 6100 & 7100 that came out later. But these are a big step up in both quality and price. I haven't shopped these, but you might want to consider some HK or Yamaha all-in-one setups if they offer audio through HDMI in this price range.

On that audio note, there is one thing about the 5100 that is impressive at this price point. It offers a multi-channel analog input. So even though it can't offer the latest best sound from Bluray via HDMI, it can do so if you buy a Bluray player with actual analog output, like the new Sony 550. and it also offers Audyssey audio setup, that is VERY impressive at under $500 for a complete system. Audyssey will likely do more for this system than running the best DTS-HD-MA sound from a Bluray.

I guess what I'm saying is that between the amp quality, additional inputs, build quality and Audyssey....the Onkyo far outweighs the Sony's HDMI audio feature. The point of HDMI is to give better quality sound from Bluray, and easier hookups with fewer cables. If you can handle an extra cable for sound (optical), then the quality is not going to matter since the rest of the Sony sucks.

Mr. Salty

Amazon's site is a little vague on the shipping, making mention of how warranties and other manufacturer restrictions prevent them from shipping some products to other countries. So last night as a test, I started an order for an Onkyo HTiB to ship to a cousin's address in Canada, and Amazon said the order could not be shipped there because of restrictions.

I don't know if jr.com would be the same, but it might be.

Surely there are some Canadians around here who could point the OP to some could e-tailers north of the border.

old-boo-radley

Yep, that's what jr.com says when I put an item in my cart and selected Canada.

I'll be getting a PS3 for Blu-Ray.

I'll probably go the Onkyo, I'm not too worried about Blu-Ray audio from HDMI and I'm prtty sure that PS3 Blue-Rays aren't top of the line anyways. That and because even if I can plug in the audio of say, a Dreamcast, through the ports, if the RCA cable doesn't allow you to split it, it'll be impossible for me to hook up anyways. I checked on visions.ca (only place I can find Onkyo) and they only have the 5100 model. But, if all I'm really missing out on is HDMI audio, I'm not too worried, so long as 1080p can pass through it. This home theatre is intended for my room, so I'm not going to get full surround effects anyways.

Sdallnct

Onkyo is always better then Sony.
Actually the PS3 is one of the best blu-ray players you can get.
The PS3 does not have analog outputs. The only way to get the newest audio formats is over HDMI if the receiver will process it.
Why would you not get "full surround effects" in your room? Do you not plan on using surround speakers? If not, why are you looking at a HtiB?

No offense, but you say you know how everything works and hooks up, but your last past would seem to indicate otherwise.

Again if you need component inputs why don't you just use the ones on the TV you are getting? With today's universal remotes it would still be seemless in operation. Course you many not have enough audio inputs...but maybe....

Mr. Salty

You would be wrong about that. And if you're getting into Blu-ray and have HDMI capability, why the hell wouldn't you take advantage of it?

old-boo-radley

I'm not so much worried about surround, I just like the loudness and just better overall quality and fullness of the sound. The way my room has to be set up, I'm not going to be able to have the speakers exactly as they should be, I still get enough of it, but I'm not really a stickler for worrying a lot about the actual surround effect.

As for the PS3, I used to read around on forums all the time and people said the PS3 was obsolete because it didn't have some java thing for the Blu-Ray player and the image wasn't as good. I'm merely using info I've been given and that's why I'm here to ask questions, to expand and find inaccuracies in what I read and learn about what I don't understand in what I read. I guess now unless I use HDMI to hook things up, the best I could get is 7.1 surround hooked up via a PS3 component cable. Is that correct? And I would never be able to listen to Dolby Tru-HD audio, etc...

I know what everything does, I just don't know the ins-and-outs of technical stuff that I am certain 80% of home theatre owners don't know about either. Now I have the inputs all figured out and my confusion lies within this new audio stuff, which I still am not sure what I am trying to get.

I suppose I should be clear that I mostly watch horror movies, and older ones at that. At best, they get 5.1 tracks and oftentimes they're not incredibly impressive and I would use the system to listen to CDs on. Is it really essential to have Tru-HD audio for someone like me?

So, basically, I should wait until the Onkyo 6100 drops in price? So far the information I've gathered says nothing under that model really fits.

Spiky

I think you will find "regular" Dolby Digital just fine.

Sdallnct

Well what exactly do you want?

1st the PS3 is an excellent blu-ray player. It is among the best. It is especially nice how easy it is to upgrade the FW since it has built in WiFi. Image is excellent. And it is also a solid upconverting SD player.

Why do you want to hook your video thru your receiver? Especially if your really not interested in the newest audio formats? I have two complete surround systems including a dedicated theater room. I do not have either system set up where the video goes thru the surround receiver. Why? I'm pleased with the sound on the older receivers I have (IMO sound quality is still the most important factor in a surround receiver). Yes, I have a PS3. I simply have the HDMI output of the PS3 to my HDMI switch box which goes to my projector. And optical (or coaxial, can't remember) for audio directly to my receiver. This works well, but of course I do not get the "Tru" audio stuff. I get DTS and nice surround, but not the newest formats.

I have my entire system set that way (HD DVD player, Dish HD). HDMI going to a HDMI switcher to projector and optical or coaxial going to the surround receiver. With my universal remote it is a seamless process. Again, I don't get the newest audio formats.

My living room theater would be closer to your set up. I have a 47" Samsung flat panel LCD. My Dish HD receiver, HD DVD player and Wii all go directly to the TV via HDMI (or in the case of the Wii component). All audio goes directly to the receiver. Again, with a universal remote makes things seamless.

Basically you can use the surround receiver or TV or both for video switching.

At some point I'll upgrade my receiver. But not in huge hurry. I may upgrade my speakers in my theater room, and at that point I might upgrade my receiver. But this would only be to get the newest audio formats. I still don't see the entire benefit of using a surround receiver for video switching. Especially a cheap receiver. Yes, a couple of less wires, but considering how cheap wires are...who cares.

Spiky

Not for Boo, nor for you, it seems. But some of us need this. I have 6 video sources, not counting video games, and that's without BD yet. My projector has 1 input of each type. My 2ndary display has only 1 input total. Counting some other audio-only sources, the number and physical space required for wires is quite crazy. And that's with switching at the receiver. Although it isn't a cheap one.

Let's see, I just counted 21 wires. That was just for power, and didn't count 2 of them which are across the room. Hopefully I'll be adding another in a month or so for a preamp. But I may have to rethink my surge suppressors.

Did I mention the dual video hookups? I record to DVD-R on occasion, and nothing downconverts from HDMI so I need Svideo run, also. So the receiver actually needs to switch 2 sets of video. That's why Zone 2 exists at my house.

Mr. Salty

I don't think you read that on this forum. For one thing, one of the PS3's selling points is that the firmware is regularly updated, enabling additional capabilities. That applies to the "java thing" --- which the PS3 is now capable of. As far as picture quality goes, I've never, ever read complaints. The picture is at or near the top of the heap for Blu-ray.

old-boo-radley

I don't care if the video is hooked up through the receiver so much as I wasn't certain if you could hook up, say, a Dreamcast with RCA cables. If I hooked the video up through to the TV, the audio cables wouldn't reach to the receiver (some a/v cords don't let you split them). I figured if I had the video in too, I wouldn't have to worry about any problems. I know the PS3 has that optical out, but I don't think the old stuff like the DC has that. Plus, at best I do have a lot of shit to hook up - at the very least a couple older consoles, a 360, a PS3, PS2, DVD Recorder.

The forum I read it on was some gaming forum. Needless to say I'm really happy because I'd take a PS3 any day over a standalone Blu-Ray player since I do play games.

Basically I gather that the Onkyo unit is good - except I'll never be able to hear newer audio formats. It's something I'd like, but I don't know if it's worth waiting for or spending $100-$200.

Sdallcnt: Is this the TV you have? I was thinking of picking this up: http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...47&catid=23524

Sdallnct

Wow...6 sources? And no BD yet? Wow...that is a lot. But are there any surround receivers that can handle that many? I have seen some of the newer receivers with 3-4 HDMI inputs. So I guess if you used all of them, plus the component inputs it has, it would work.

Sdallnct

That may be the replacement to the one I have. I bought mine at Christmas and they dropped that model a few months later. I'm "please" with it.

Spiky

LD
DVD
2 DVR
DVDR
HTPC

It's a bit tricky since my current receiver doesn't have HDMI and I need two displays at once. But soon...

old-boo-radley

I ended up getting the Onkyo unit and a 46 inch Samsung 1080p screen.