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Help! 5.1 system from TV audio output?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 128
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in TV and Home Entertainment Technology #1
Hi,
Sorry if this is a silly question!
I'm looking to buy a 5.1 home cinema system (that excludes DVD/BlueRay*) to operate from audio output from the digital audio out / HDMI from my TV**.
I've seen some systems, many them are aimed at PC output. This is not a problem so long as it sounds good.

My question is: do I need an amplifier to go with these systems? Are there any you guys can recommend for £200 or less?
:confused:
* As my audio is from Freeview/PC/memory stick only
** TV is a Toshiba 46xv635DB

Many thanks in advance.
;)

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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    #2
    teachimp wrote: »
    Hi,
    Sorry if this is a silly question!
    I'm looking to buy a 5.1 home cinema system (that excludes DVD/BlueRay*) to operate from audio output from the digital audio out / HDMI from my TV**.
    I've seen some systems, many them are aimed at PC output. This is not a problem so long as it sounds good.

    My question is: do I need an amplifier to go with these systems? Are there any you guys can recommend for £200 or less?
    :confused:
    *     As my audio is from Freeview/PC/memory stick only
    **     TV is a Toshiba 46xv635DB

    Many thanks in advance.
    ;)

    They have a built in amplifier. You will only get stereo out of the TV spdif though
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,327
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    #3
    Well, the coax/SPDIF output will give you two channels of audio. As Dolby Pro Logic is a (poor, but better than nothing) surround sound system if the programme you're watching is so encoded (most films are), then you'll get surround on that basis.

    But you'll need a 5.1 channel amp capable of Dolby Pro Logic (again, most are), and a 5.1 speaker set to match it.

    That's the best you can do with that TV alone anyway. But we'll soon have Freeview HD which, hopefully, will carry 5.1 Dolby/DTS Digital. You'll need an external Freeview STB to get it though, as your TVs Freeview receiver won't be able to receive Freeview HD.

    Freesat, free to air satellite, Virgin and Sky all offer 5.1 digital surround sound and HD TV services. With that TV you'll need an external set top box (STB) to get those services, though.

    A separate 7.1 AV Amp or Receiver & speakerset, capable of HD audio, would be a great start, and will future proof your audio/video requirements for the foreseeable future, and allow you to add any or all of the above STBs now.
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    #4
    RobAnt wrote: »
    Well, the coax/SPDIF output will give you two channels of audio. As Dolby Pro Logic is a (poor, but better than nothing) surround sound system if the programme you're watching is so encoded (most films are), then you'll get surround on that basis.

    But you'll need a 5.1 channel amp capable of Dolby Pro Logic (again, most are), and a 5.1 speaker set to match it.

    That's the best you can do with that TV alone anyway. But we'll soon have Freeview HD which, hopefully, will carry 5.1 Dolby/DTS Digital. You'll need an external Freeview STB to get it though, as your TVs Freeview receiver won't be able to receive Freeview HD.

    Freesat, free to air satellite, Virgin and Sky all offer 5.1 digital surround sound and HD TV services. With that TV you'll need an external set top box (STB) to get those services, though.

    A separate 7.1 AV Amp or Receiver & speakerset, capable of HD audio, would be a great start, and will future proof your audio/video requirements for the foreseeable future, and allow you to add any or all of the above STBs now.

    I would be amazed if Freeview HD has dts sound. Even Skys dvb-s2 full 1920 x 1080 satellite transmissions can't find the bandwidth for dts. Most all in one home cinema kit does not have dts decoders so listening would be restricted to the few with proper AV amplifiers
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,327
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    #5
    Agree, pretty much, with what you say, Graham.

    I find, however, that my receiver (Cambridge Azur 540R V2) downmixes Dolby HD 7.1 to DTS 5.1, not DD 5.1. I guess it downmixes to the best performing service it can get away with. But that's on Blu-Ray disks, not broadcast TV.

    Not entirely sure why it downmixes to DTS 5.1.
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    chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #6
    RobAnt wrote: »
    Agree, pretty much, with what you say, Graham.

    I find, however, that my receiver (Cambridge Azur 540R V2) downmixes Dolby HD 7.1 to DTS 5.1, not DD 5.1. I guess it downmixes to the best performing service it can get away with. But that's on Blu-Ray disks, not broadcast TV.

    Not entirely sure why it downmixes to DTS 5.1.
    The DTS-HD system has a core 5.1 stream that can be extracted and fed to systems that cannot handle the full DTS-HD 7.1 stream. I suspect this is what your Blu-Ray player is chucking out.

    I would be very surprised indeed if the receiver could do anything at all with a Dolby Digital 7.1 stream much less convert it to a completely different, not to mention rival, format.

    http://www.dts.com/DTS_Audio_Formats/DTS-HD_Master_Audio.aspx

    Click the link on the right for the White Paper if you are interested.
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    #7
    RobAnt wrote: »
    Agree, pretty much, with what you say, Graham.

    I find, however, that my receiver (Cambridge Azur 540R V2) downmixes Dolby HD 7.1 to DTS 5.1, not DD 5.1. I guess it downmixes to the best performing service it can get away with. But that's on Blu-Ray disks, not broadcast TV.

    Not entirely sure why it downmixes to DTS 5.1.

    Yes it's giving you the best quality option it can find that your amplifier will support. Some discs on my system give up to 7.1 channels of pcm with my amplifier
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,327
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    #8
    chrisjr wrote: »
    The DTS-HD system has a core 5.1 stream that can be extracted and fed to systems that cannot handle the full DTS-HD 7.1 stream. I suspect this is what your Blu-Ray player is chucking out.

    I would be very surprised indeed if the receiver could do anything at all with a Dolby Digital 7.1 stream much less convert it to a completely different, not to mention rival, format.

    http://www.dts.com/DTS_Audio_Formats/DTS-HD_Master_Audio.aspx

    Click the link on the right for the White Paper if you are interested.
    Yes, that sounds about right. I use TotalMedia Theatre and that pumps out the best it can extract from the audio data stream.
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