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Connecting 5.1 speakers to HDTV

Forum Home Theatre : HDTV - Connecting 5.1 speakers to HDTV

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Ok, here is my problem. I am trying to get all of my components in my "home theater" system to output their sound to 5.1 speakers that I am planning to buy. The components I have are:

Sony Bravia HDTV (Plenty of HDMI inputs... has optical output)
Cable box (connects to TV by HDMI)
Blu-ray (HDMI)

If I connect everything by HDMI to my TV, then use the optical output on the TV to my speakers, will I get "true" surround sound? I heard you can only get surround sound on the PS3 by optical sound only... is the same for the blu-ray player? Will going from blu-ray > HDMI > tv > optical > speakers give me real surround sound? For my cable box?

I'm trying to avoid dropping a couple hundred dollars on a receiver if possible. In short, this is what i plan on doing with my equipment:

Cable Box > HDMI > HDTV > Optical > Speakers
Blu-ray > HDMI > HDTV > Optical > Speakers

Will this work, and give me true surround sound?

Also, any recommendations on 5.1 speakers? (preferably tall speakers that stand on the ground, but not necessary)

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My XBR6 indicated on the manual that the HDMI IN -

HDMI: 1/2/3/4 480i, 480p, 720p 1080i , 1080p 1080p24

Audio: Two channel linear PCM 32, 44.1 and 48kHz, 16, 20, 24 bits, Dolby Digital.

This means that Sony will write pretty much everything what the is capable of but does not mentioned anything about surround signal, even though it has digital optical output signal.

I tried confirming this by using my Laptop sending AC3/DTS pass-through but the selection tab always revert it to PCM when a 5.1 DTS signals are played.

You may get lucky if you have the model XBR7 or XBR8 so check your TV specs.

Reply to rexter

You will need a surround sound processor somewhere since TVs don't have them built in. If the 5.1 speakers doesn't have it built in you will have to add a component to get surround. The optical out of the TV will probably only output 2 channel. If you want the higher quality audio codecs for the Blu Ray you will need a receiver.

Reply to americanaudiophile

I have two similar setups. One is in my bedroom and another is in my livingroom. I use the optical out on both ssytems to delier to a Sony 5.1 Receiver in the living room and aLogitech Z 5500 in the bedroom. In both setups, i get full 5.1 surround sound from my HTPC, DVD and Cable box.

Try it before you buy anything additioanal. It works and is painless and easy to setup. Optical out rules!!

Reply to ccasey12

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