Home Theater Mega Thread - Page 35 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

RedMileDJ · 12-01-2013, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I would generally advise against using the optical out on your TV in the future however. Most soundbars have HDMI switching capabilities anyhow.

Wait, wait...my TV possibly has an HDMI OUTPUT for Audio, to a sound-bar?

I'll have to look up the model.

EDIT: Found it! This is the TV I bought last year on Boxing Day.

http://www.samsung.com/ca/consumer/t...PN51E530A3FXZC

Vulcan · 12-02-2013, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Wait, wait...my TV possibly has an HDMI OUTPUT for Audio, to a sound-bar?

I'll have to look up the model.

EDIT: Found it! This is the TV I bought last year on Boxing Day.

http://www.samsung.com/ca/consumer/t...PN51E530A3FXZC

I've never heard of a TV with HDMI out. What I believe he's referring to is feeding your cable box and Bluray, etc. with HDMI cables out to your sound bar and run an HDMI out from your sound bar to your TV input. That way you don't have to play with toslink cables and the sound may be better.

Vulcan · 12-02-2013, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14

Looking for some expertise or some thoughts on a solution. I did my Home Theatre/Man Cave about 6 years ago. Wired it for projector through the ceiling and walls to where the media centre is. A couple of months ago the HDMI connector (the metal piece) snapped off the end of the cable as it was being pulled out of a device (not by me). So it is now useless. I also wired component originally so I have one connection still but I do not want to keep pulling the cable to various sources for my projector: Shawbox, BR DVD, etc.

Any idea if rewiring/splicing or another solution is possible? Perfect world would be DIY but I am now open to hiring someone now for a solution if there is one.

Looking forward to any thoughts/ideas. Thanks.

Any chance you could tape a new HDMI cable to the old one and fish it through by pulling on the old cable.

Brannigans Law · 12-02-2013, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

On full size receivers, it should show you the type of signal being received (graphic of 5 speakers+sub vs graphic of 2 speakers, lit 5.1/DTS logo, etc). A lot of TVs downscale audio, but there are some that don't. You could check your TVs manual (though it may not say at all).

yep just as the resident geek here figured my damn tv outputs to a fake signal not a real 5.1 digital surround sound. boo. well, its not worth spending 300 on a receiver and another 2 to 3 hundred on a new sub for now. Maybe in a year.

Ignorance was bliss

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I've never heard of a TV with HDMI out. What I believe he's referring to is feeding your cable box and Bluray, etc. with HDMI cables out to your sound bar and run an HDMI out from your sound bar to your TV input. That way you don't have to play with toslink cables and the sound may be better.

Yeah this is what I mean.

For example, one of the soundbars I use is a Sony HT-CT150 (I got a nice deal on a display model) which essentially has a lot of the same rear panel functions as a receiver, with 3 HDMI in and 1 out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brannigans Law

yep just as the resident geek here figured my damn tv outputs to a fake signal not a real 5.1 digital surround sound. boo. well, its not worth spending 300 on a receiver and another 2 to 3 hundred on a new sub for now. Maybe in a year.

Ignorance was bliss

Sorry.

RedMileDJ · 12-02-2013, 10:29 AM

I still don't get it. I like to think I know how these things work. So...I feel dumb asking.

So, I would plug my PS4 (once I get it) TV, Blu-Ray, etc into the sound-bar, via HDMI? Then the sound-bar into the TV? How does that work?

I'm confused.

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 10:38 AM

Here's a look at the back of the soundbar I posted:

You would plug all your Input (Blu-ray, PS4, PC) devices in the HDMI ins, then run an HDMI cable from "TV OUT" to your TV's HDMI in. To be fair however, not all soundbars have HDMI ins, but those ones should generally be avoided.

RedMileDJ · 12-02-2013, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Here's a look at the back of the soundbar I posted:

You would plug all your Input (Blu-ray, PS4, PC) devices in the HDMI ins, then run an HDMI cable from "TV OUT" to your TV's HDMI in. To be fair however, not all soundbars have HDMI ins, but those ones should generally be avoided.

Ok, so thus eliminating the need for an HDMI switch?

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 10:56 AM

Correct. Receivers/soundbars with receiver type functions (like above) work as switches.

RedMileDJ · 12-02-2013, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Correct. Receivers/soundbars with receiver type functions (like above) work as switches.

And probably offer better sound / video quality, over sending through a switch.

This is perfect! I'm looking to get a sound-bar anyway!

Now to find one that offers enough HDMI plugs (TV, PS4, Chromecast & Blu-Ray, Shaw box) and has a built in sub. I don't want a sub on the floor with the little guy running around. I think Yamaha has one with it built in.

Thanks for the info and help!

RedMileDJ · 12-02-2013, 11:36 AM

Looks like the Yamaha model I was referring to, only has an optical out: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...f72a8883a2en02

I don't want to derail the thread too much. I thought we had a sound-bar thread. Can't find it. Even tried the search function.

Can anyone recommend a brand or model of sound-bar that has plenty of HDMI "ins" and built in sub, so I don't have a box sitting on the floor?

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 11:47 AM

I think you would be very hard pressed to find an "all-in-one" soundbar that has receiver functions unfortunately. It appears they typically have fairly poor sound processing as well.

You could however get one with a wireless floor sub (they almost always have 3xHDMI in), and hide the sub behind the couch or under a table or something.

RedMileDJ · 12-02-2013, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I think you would be very hard pressed to find an "all-in-one" soundbar that has receiver functions unfortunately. It appears they typically have fairly poor sound processing as well.

You could however get one with a wireless floor sub (they almost always have 3xHDMI in), and hide the sub behind the couch or under a table or something.

Could I hide the sub behind, wired or wireless, the TV stand and still get decent sound/bass? Like, not have it on the side or in front of the TV stand? There's lots of room behind the TV stand (where all the wires and stuff are). Plus the stand is against the wall, in a corner, away from where the little guy can get at it all.

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Could I hide the sub behind, wired or wireless, the TV stand and still get decent sound/bass? Like, not have it on the side or in front of the TV stand? There's lots of room behind the TV stand (where all the wires and stuff are). Plus the stand is against the wall, in a corner, away from where the little guy can get at it all.

That's where I keep mine!

Subs are more about ambient sound. A lot of aficionados even turn the sub so the air firing hole faces a wall or corner.

DoubleK · 12-02-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Could I hide the sub behind, wired or wireless, the TV stand and still get decent sound/bass? Like, not have it on the side or in front of the TV stand? There's lots of room behind the TV stand (where all the wires and stuff are). Plus the stand is against the wall, in a corner, away from where the little guy can get at it all.

Corners usually give the best response. Start at about 8" from the wall and adjust from there.

photon · 12-02-2013, 12:04 PM

Anyone happen to know a Blu-ray player that has an HDMI in? Have a friend that needs it to operate like their VCR (yes they have a VCR, this is in an effort to get rid of their VCR), i.e. press play and the movie plays, stop the movie regular TV comes back on.

Alternately any experience with an auto-switch? Something like this? http://www.cablestogo.com/product/40349

PsYcNeT · 12-02-2013, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Anyone happen to know a Blu-ray player that has an HDMI in? Have a friend that needs it to operate like their VCR (yes they have a VCR, this is in an effort to get rid of their VCR), i.e. press play and the movie plays, stop the movie regular TV comes back on.

Alternately any experience with an auto-switch? Something like this? http://www.cablestogo.com/product/40349

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I used this one from Amazon for a long time. No video degradation, auto-swaps to the active device. Doesn't need an extra cable. Pretty great for an 8$ device.

From the last page.

14 · 12-03-2013, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Any chance you could tape a new HDMI cable to the old one and fish it through by pulling on the old cable.

Unfortunately no. The cables were secured throughout the rafters. Hindsight I should have done the vacoflo tubing to put cables through so you can feed new ones through anytime.

DoubleK · 12-03-2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14

Any idea if rewiring/splicing or another solution is possible? Perfect world would be DIY but I am now open to hiring someone now for a solution if there is one.

You can splice pretty much anything, but HDMI cables have multiple strands in them, you will be splicing forever.

If you are a DIY-er, I'd be dropping drywall, if I were you.

TheGrimm · 12-04-2013, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14

Unfortunately no. The cables were secured throughout the rafters. Hindsight I should have done the vacoflo tubing to put cables through so you can feed new ones through anytime.

Shot in the dark, but did you happen to run CAT5 to your projector? Might be able to run HDMI over it. If not, re-terminating HDMI can probably be done, but I've never attempted it so YMMV.

Here is an HDMI repair kit, let me know if it works for you! http://www.houselogix.com/products/hdmi-repair.asp