Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

I currently have a Panasonic SA-PT770 DVD upconverting DVD player. The biggest draw for me when I bought it 5 years ago was the Rear Wireless Speakers; the SH-FX70 product.

I am strongly considering finally taking the plunge to Blu. I really want to keep a setup where I can use rear wireless speakers. Does anyone know if this old item can be used with a new Panasonic Blu Ray player? Or if there are any systems out there that offer rear wireless speakers? Or alternative that include buying a low cost player, and setting it up with a system that has the requirements? Any advice would be great.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

I'd seriously consider getting away from your proprietary all-inclusive HT system (i.e., get rid of it), and try to buy a seperate Blu-ray player, with a used HT system which will accept typical Blu-ray outputs. Sounds like you don't want to spend too much so I'd be looking online for used equipment. HT Receivers can be had for cheap. The only thing new I would purchase, is the Blu-ray player.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

What he said.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

It's definitely a good time to switch to Blu-ray, players have never been cheaper. How do the wireless speakers hook up to the player? It sounds like a gimmicky home theater solution that is now off the market.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Thanks for responses.

Essentially...there is a little device that plugs into the back of the player. A separate device then can go in the back of the room, which can take the wires for the rear speakers. So there are no long wires going across the room from player to rear speakers. http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/SH-FX70

Well, give me advice... is it best to just buy player on its own, and then look for an additional sound system like DVD Polizei said? I don't really know much about this stuff when it comes to buying seperate components. I usually just would buy a system that was included with the player. I'm in a small space currently so I don't need anything ridiculous or over the top.

Any suggestions on a type/brand of player and of separate speaker system? Maybe something like a soundbar?

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

99% of soundbars are crap.

If you're trying to save money pick up something like a Yamaha HTIB (standard receiver/speaker package all in the same big box) and separate blu ray player.

The receiver/speaker HTIB can probably be had for around $400, a good blu ray for around $80.

It won't be the best sound (and far from the worst) but at least it will have a power subwoofer and you can upgrade speakers around it if you cared in a couple of years. Plus if the receiver goes out, you can still use the speakers that came with it and simply replace the receiver (and vice/verse).

Can you not run wires to the back of the room at all? Or do you just not want to deal with them?
If you can't then there are wireless rear kits where you hook up a transmitter to the rear speaker outputs on the receiver, and then you have a similar setup as that panasonic you mentioned in the back of the room. The big downside with those is that most put out very little wattage as the amp in the rear kit is tiny (and I can only assume the THD % is terrible. However, most people don't care as they either aren't using great speakers or aren't cranking up the system loud enough to notice the sound differential between the front and rear speakers.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

I went and looked at pictures of the back on Crutchfield's site. That appears to be a proprietary connection where they've built a small receiver section into a DVD player. As expected, I don't think you can re-use it with a new BD player.

As others suggested, get a small system built on separate components.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

It's worse then that.

That is a proprietary unit that only works with a blu ray home theater in a box.

You would have to find a whole new blu ray player with an amp/speaker outputs on it. Any compatible devices would have come with another wireless rear speaker kit.

I cannot express how much I loathe the blu ray home theater in a box concept. They are a terrible idea for more reasons than I care to really get into here (unless you are looking for the most basic of systems at a reasonable price that you don't care about completely replacing every 2-3 years)

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

What is your budget ? - it seems like you are looking for moderately priced systems.

Is it possible you could just buy a blu ray player for now and hook it up to your existing Panasonic system. IT may not have an HDMI input. But at lower price point not sure if that make a difference. You could then decide if you want Wi-fi, 3D and 4K up-scaling etc on your Blu-Ray player.

Don't just go for the cheapest BD player. Since it looks like you hold on to them for a long time. I prefer Sony and Panasonic electronics in general.

Here is a good Blu-ray player.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDPS790-B...blu+ray+player

If you need a good basic BD player here is another

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S1100...2425026&sr=8-1

You can them upgrade your Home theater set up later.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Ideally, I would love to just re-use the the speakers with the new Blu player...but I don't think that's possible as they are specific to the DVD player.

I guess the wireless thing isn't going to be possible... I don't know of any players that have them now. Maybe I should go with getting a receiver though so I can continue to add things to it...

Looking at this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKC0JM/...I23ACI9JU0FYOS

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PU2Y4S/...I1599I4XNEXO91

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S3500...el%3A+HT-S3500

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

You're definitely on the right track with the Yamaha and Onkyo sets there.

As I previously said, there are universal wireless rear kits out there that will work with those systems. You hook up a transmitter to the rear speaker outputs on the receiver and plug in a transmitter in the back of the room very similar to the previous wireless rear kit you had. The only downside is that they don't tend to have a lot of wattage going to the back speakers from the receiver unit.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

You "DVD player" is also a "receiver" since it is firing the speakers. Look at the back - there is a DIGITAL OPTICAL-IN. You connect your new Blu ray player's digital audio output to this input and you should be good to go. Unless your old player died and is not working ..this should work for now.

It also has AUX-IN I think, but optical-in would be better.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

That was going to be my next question as temporary fix... awesome. So I can just connect the Blu ray using an audio cable into the DVD player.

Any other suggestions on Blu ray players, less than $100? I was leaning towards that Sony - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...=nosim/dvdtalk

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

On the blu ray player there are two types of digital out (optical and coaxial ) one is round the other more square. Look behind your dvd player I believe it only has optical (black/square ) where the Sony blu ray player only has a coaxial ( round - orange ) output. So they both wont match.

(we are not discussing HDMI sound out - since that does not apply to you)

You may have to look what you have back of your dvd player - but it looks like what I mentioned above. If so you have to buy a Blu ray player that has either optical ( black/square) or both optical and coaxial.

( I have a picture - but not sure how to post the picture here without adding URL )

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Yea...this is what the back looks like. http://www.crutchfield.com.edgesuite..._JackPack.jpeg


Damn I thought I'd be able to do it this way. Do Blu ray players coming with that kinda optical audio these days?

Looks like this has what I need... http://www.bestbuy.com/site/smart-3d...specifications


Any thoughts between those 2, the Sony and Panasonic?

Also, the one you recommended looks like it has BOTH. If I can get this to work this would last me for a while before I move into a bigger space and then buy a receiver. This might be the one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...=nosim/dvdtalk

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Went with the Sony that soundman recommended. Hooked it up to the existing system. Seems to be working ok. Thank you all. When I have a bigger space I most definitely will be getting a receiver.

Edit: So I've tried some Blu Rays that during the Menus plays fine through the speaker, but once the feature starts, sound will only go through the front speakers? If turn the "receiver" volume all the way down, sound still plays through the TV. Any suggestions?

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Was a bit busy at work so could not get back to you.

But looks like you made a good choice with Sony.

Not sure why you are getting ANY sound from TV - If your digital out is going to "dvd player/receiver" you should only get sound from 5 SPEAKERS (not TV).

Also make sure when you are playing BD - go into setting and see if it is changed to 5.1 ( it may default to stereo.)

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Yea I'm not sure... I am getting sound in ALL speakers now...but there still is sound coming from the TV. Might be a setting I need to change. Will update if anything changes. Thanks again.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Check for an HDMI audio output setting in the receiver. There may be a passthrough function that is taking the audio from the optical input and sending it to the TV. Or you could ignore it, or turn down the TV volume when using the other speakers. Mute would probably show onscreen, so you don't want to use that.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

Turn off the ARC setting on your TV

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

^ perhaps this is the same, but i turned off the TV's internal speakers to play through soundbar. probably a sound setting.

Re: Possibly upgrading to Blu... need advice in regards to wireless speakers
 

dex14,

The LG BP530 3D/Wi-Fi BD player is on sale for $90 at Best Buy at the moment. If I didn't have my retarded Oppo player, I'd probably get this.