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Surround Sound Help

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 298
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in TV and Home Entertainment Technology #1
I'm wanting to buy my dad a Blu Ray Player but he loves his surround sound, and I'm not sure about connections and stuff.

He has a new ish TV (matsui) and a Virgin V+HD box with a normal DVD player at the moment. Currently he can only get surround sound when using the DVD player (Red, Yellow & White connectors).

I would like for him to have surround sound when using both the Virgin Box and a Blu Ray Player, however I would settle for just the Blu Ray but not off the ones I've seen have the red, yellow and white connections.

HELP Please.

Comments

  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #2
    You do not get true surround sound from the red and white audio connectors. These are stereo analogue audio only. The best you will ever get from them is a downmix to Dolby ProLogic which can give a fairly good surround effect but is not as good as Dolby Digital.

    Dolby Digital however requires a digital audio connection. What exactly is he using for Surround Sound at the moment? That will help us determine what the options are.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 298
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    #3
    chrisjr wrote: »
    You do not get true surround sound from the red and white audio connectors. These are stereo analogue audio only. The best you will ever get from them is a downmix to Dolby ProLogic which can give a fairly good surround effect but is not as good as Dolby Digital.

    Dolby Digital however requires a digital audio connection. What exactly is he using for Surround Sound at the moment? That will help us determine what the options are.

    Currently he just uses the surround sound when watching films via his DVD player. Will I need to get a new surround sound system with the digital audio connection?

    I've seen the Philips BDP 3100 Blu Ray Player in Argos its has listed

    7.1 channel audio output.
    Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS HD and Dolby True HD decoding.
    Dolby.

    Is this what I need?

    Thanks in Advance for all and any help you can give.
  • hardeephardeep Posts: 2,330
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    #4
    I'm wondering if your dad has a combined dvd & home cinema system?

    (ie a single box plays dvds and has speakers connected to it - sorry for sounding patronising.)
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #5
    But what has he got? Make and model. It could be he can use the existing system.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 298
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    #6
    hardeep wrote: »
    I'm wondering if your dad has a combined dvd & home cinema system?

    (ie a single box plays dvds and has speakers connected to it - sorry for sounding patronising.)

    No, its just a cheap DVD Player from Woolworths and a surround sound system from Asda (about 2-3 years old), it has lots of red and white wires.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 298
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    #7
    chrisjr wrote: »
    But what has he got? Make and model. It could be he can use the existing system.

    The brand is ONN (Asda home brand), sorry I don't know the model. it was very cheap £50ish.

    Here's the same one he has on eBay

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ONN-Surround-Sound-System-/270686108073
  • hardeephardeep Posts: 2,330
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    #8
    purplegoldfish wrote: »
    No, its just a cheap DVD Player from Woolworths and a surround sound system from Asda (about 2-3 years old), it has lots of red and white wires.

    Fair enough - as chris said all it's probably doing is downmixing to ProLogic. Which would suggest that a new surround sound kit might be in order.

    Do you have a budget - there some very good all in one blu ray/home cinema kits available as well as some good seperates. (Personally I would stay clear of one box solutions but I appreciate that the lack of hassle appeals to some.)
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #9
    purplegoldfish wrote: »
    No, its just a cheap DVD Player from Woolworths and a surround sound system from Asda (about 2-3 years old), it has lots of red and white wires.
    In that case the Asda thing is probably not up to the job. So will more than likely need taking out and putting into the retirement home :)

    Which means you will need to get something better. Which can get expensive. If you want a proper surround system Richer Sounds have the Onkyo 3305 system for £230 or there abouts which is remarkable value for what is a very decent system.

    http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/onkyo/hts3305/onky-hts3305-blk

    That is in the same sort of territory as the all in one systems. Which may be an option if you have not yet bought a Blu-Ray player. For example

    http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/lg/hb405su/lg-hb405su

    It does have a digital audio input which you could use with the Virgin box to get surround sound from that.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 298
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    #10
    Thank You for all your help.
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