DVD-Rs and Surround Sound

[computer]

Well, I was looking at buying a Philips DVD-R 890 (Recordable DVD system) and I have a question to ask all you lot out there (bear in mind I'm in the UK, so make sure you thing about region 1 or 2 or whatever if it matters )

Ok, I have a Cambridge Soundworks DeskTop Theater 5.1 DTT2200 surround sound system for my PC, and I'm wondering if I could hook up these speakers (with built in amp/bass unit) to the surrond output on the DVD player.... I would like to know if I can, if i need other equipment (decoder, amp or whatever). I'd really like to do this but plugging it strait in, or getting a new lead or something

thanks,
comp

 

[elzt]

According to the technical spec from Philips site, the DVDR890's only got 1 digital audio output, ie. it doesn't have built-in 5.1 surround sound decoder. Does your Cambridge system has such built-in decoder, like dolby digital and/or DTS decoder? If it doesn't, then you need to get an external decoder or an AV receiver with built-in decoder.

As for the region thing, you can get a <A HREF="http://www.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/sbs/uk/dvdPlayers/keyword/DVD+r+890/type/DVD+Player/manufacturer/Philips/category/consumer/127701.html" target="_new">multi-region version of DVDR890</A> if it matters.

 

[computer]

umm, the 5.1 system has the following inputs:
Green (Front L/R)
Black (Rear L/R)
Orange (Center + Subwoofer)
they're analogue inputs (i can plug in a mic to the green socket and it comes out the front two speakers)

does this help?

 

[elzt]

If those 3 are the only inputs that your 5.1 system's got, then it means the system doesn't have built-in decoder. It requires six discrete channels of decoded audio signal to be fed into the system. Since the Philips doesn't have built-in decoder either, the best option is to get an external decoder or an AV receiver with built-in decoder like I said.