Help with surround sound set up please!

smicer07 · 13-07-2011, 20:17

Hi guys,

I've just got a samsung d450 surround sound system and I'm trying to sort out the audio for my xbox, sky box etc. I've got them all connected to the tv via hdmi connections and I've got sound from the speakers but it's not 5.1 obviously as the back speakers don't produce sound. I've just bought an optical switch which has an I/0 port and 3 other ports. I'm confused as to how I'm meant to connect this all up! Do I plug the speakers via optical into the I/0 port then run another optical cable to my xbox etc?

Any help or further questions would be good thanks!!!
Simon

LSainsbury · 13-07-2011, 21:35

Uhhh??? Care to clarify that model number? Normally the speakers plug into the relavant sockets / pinch connectors on the device - opticals are for inputs.

smicer07 · 13-07-2011, 22:44

Samsung d-450 it is. I've plugged all the speakers into the DVD unit, I'm just unsure how to connect the DVD unit to everything else.

hedgie · 13-07-2011, 23:57

Sorry of this is teaching granny to suck eggs but I will have a go.

To get surround sound you will need a digital 5.1 audio signal. a digital audio can be connected one of three ways.

HDMI
Optical Digital (Toslink usually)
Coax Digital (usually marked SPDIF)

I have found a spec for a Samsung D 450 at Comet.

http://www.comet.co.uk/p/DVD-Home-Ci...uct_desciption

This has no HDMI inputs so you will have to connect your kit using Optical or SPDIF it has one of each.

I don't know about Sky kit but all my stuff is connected via TOSLINK or HDMI cables.

Xbox, TiVO, DVD Recorder and BluRay

In your case you need to connect each source to your optical switch using TOSLINK cable and then connect the output to the Surround Sound System.

To make this work you will need to make sure you chaneg the optical switch when you change the source on the TV.

Cables are really expensive on the high street. I use Cable Mountain.

http://cablemountain.com/epages/esho...%20Category%22.

Good luck

Hope this helps

M

LSainsbury · 14-07-2011, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

Samsung d-450 it is. I've plugged all the speakers into the DVD unit, I'm just unsure how to connect the DVD unit to everything else.

No.....you mean it's a Samsung HT D450 - right??

smicer07 · 14-07-2011, 12:14

Sorry yes!

smicer07 · 14-07-2011, 16:18

I've connected the samsung audio via optical cable to the optical switch. Then I've plugged the tv into the switch and it works ok, however if I plug the xbox or sky box in, I don't get any sound from them! Argh! Any ideas?

LSainsbury · 14-07-2011, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

Sorry yes!

The full model number helps...one gets you a TV and other gets a surround sound device!

---------- Post added at 16:41 ---------- Previous post was at 16:40 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

I've connected the samsung audio via optical cable to the optical switch. Then I've plugged the tv into the switch and it works ok, however if I plug the xbox or sky box in, I don't get any sound from them! Argh! Any ideas?

Mke sure you are using one at a time and switch one off when not using it - i.e. when using Sky - switch off the XBox and vice-versa.

Have you set the audio out on each device to use the optical out?

smicer07 · 14-07-2011, 17:09

Have done as you said but still nothing from the xbox or the sky plus box. If I connect the tv to the speakers via optical switch it works, but when I plug in optical i/0 to speakers and one of the other ports to xbox or sky I get nothing at all :-(

LSainsbury · 14-07-2011, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

Have done as you said but still nothing from the xbox or the sky plus box. If I connect the tv to the speakers via optical switch it works, but when I plug in optical i/0 to speakers and one of the other ports to xbox or sky I get nothing at all :-(

Plug all the speakers into the 5.1 device NOT the TV and leave alone.

Plung in the optical outs from the Sky box and Xbox into the optical in's on the switch box. Plug the optical out of the switch box to the optical in on the 5.1 DVD device. Make sure the outputs on each device is set to use the optical out for audio and SWITCH OFF the device you're not using.

Failing that - knock us up a wiring diagram of what you have where...

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 17:29 ----------

BTW - may be a bit pointless for the Sky box - I'm not sure if they broadcast in 5.1.

Edit - scrub that last bit - they do but only via the optical so you're in luck!

smicer07 · 14-07-2011, 17:32

Well the sky box works now but despite my best efforts the xbox is still unwilling to play ball. I wonder if my optical adapter for the xbox isn't working with my system? Just bought it on eBay since my xbox is the old core with no optical out...

LSainsbury · 14-07-2011, 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

... since my xbox is the old core with no optical out...

Uhh? How you connecting it to the optical in then?

smicer07 · 14-07-2011, 19:00

I've got an adapter for it off eBay- which gives the xbox an optical port. Supposedly! Hdmi av cable with optical it's called.

LSainsbury · 14-07-2011, 19:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

I've got an adapter for it off eBay- which gives the xbox an optical port. Supposedly! Hdmi av cable with optical it's called.

Link??

**Matt D** · 14-07-2011, 20:26

Pre-Slim 360s had to use a proprietary cable to enable optical audio out, using the AV port.

The RGB SCART, Component, and VGA cables all have an optical out on them. MS also made an audio dongle, with optical & RCA outputs, which plugged into the AV port if you wanted optical audio and used HDMI.