Hey.

I'm going out at 1:00 to take advantage of the sales, as you do.

Basically, I need advice about getting my first 5.1 surround system.

I have An Amstrad Sky+ PVR3, An Xbox 360 premium (latest model with the HDMI out board, which I have connected via HDMI) and a Samsung DVD recorder (which I dont need plugging into the 5.1's as I just use it to record to DVD from Sky)

The 5.1 system I want to buy.
My HD TV set.

I know this is cheapo equipment but I have a budget and I'm not an audiophile, I don't want anything more than these, so no "get something else" posts please. =/

Basically what I want to know is how I can set up my Sky+ PVR and Xbox 360 with these speakers and my TV, and what extra cables I might need to buy first.

I have never done this before and dont want to come home to find I dont have the cables or anything to fit this all together properly.

Cheers.

Edit: I also assume speakers dont come with long cables, as I've had 5.1 speakers on my PC before and they are never long enough. Will the subwoofer being behind or near the TV be alright?

Well since you've asked for advice but don't want advice like "get something else".....there's very little point in replying with alternative options.......so get the one you've got your eye on....

Read it properly before making your sarcastic comments.

I want advice on what cables, adpaters I will need, if any, and how I will put these cables together. I don't want advice on "lawl qualities spend £8000" for something that I probably won't be able to tell a difference about, which is all people on forums like these seem to be able to bleet on about.

I'm just trying to narrow down what advice I actually want and not what advice you want to give me because it happens to be your hobby and not mine.

The main problem you will have, like me, is that you'll robably only have one Toslink input (the one with the red LED) in your 5.1 Amp. I use this for the Sky system.

I then have a 2 channel output from the TV into the Amp for artificial 5.1 on the xbox.

I also use the co-axial output from the DVD pklayer to get 5.1 from there.

They should start doing more 5.1 amps with 2 toslink inputs IMHO.

Thank you for replying.

I would much rather have full 5.1 from my Xbox 360 premium which I think has the optical out dealie, and then stereo or the next best thing for Sky+, since the only 5.1 channels I get are Disney. =P

Is this possible with the speakers I posted out of the box? Also my TV has an optical out, and I use HDMI for the Xbox, so would I just plug the optical cable from my TV into the speakers and it'll "go"?

Sorry if this sounds n00bish.

First para makes sense, I've got all the film channels so use the 5.1 quite a lot from the Sky box.

Not sure what 'optical' cable you've got from the TV, my brand new Panasonic 32" LCD only has co-axial (red and white outputs).

The system you linked to should accept all of the right outputs from your system.

My TV says it has an optical out, with a small square socket with a red light in it.

I think this is what it means.

Easy solution is...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...5241&doy=27m12

Yes it does.

Ugly, but genius!!!!!!!!