Phono Cables Sugestions

[gino_76ph]

im currently the owner of a Sony 40" 1080p LCD and a Logitech Z5500 5.1 Multimedia Speaker System.
i was told by Sony that in order for the tv speakers to work whilst my 5.1 is connected is for me to use a phono cable to connect my speakers (Audio In) to the TV's Audio Out. my questions are:

1. was Sony correct in saying/explaining that to me?

2. if it was a phono cable will my speakers still churn out the intended sound output it is capable of which is Dolby ProLogic II, DTS & THX?

3. what type/make/brand of phono cable i need to look for? is it a 2 prong one?,etc.

[Funkstar]

Yeah, thats probably right

What model is it and we can check the specs?

You are only going to get stereo audio out of the TV, so not DTS. No idea if your TV will output Prologic and THX isn't n audio format.

Any old cable will work. I wouldn't spend a fortune on it as you aren't using hih end equipment, so exotic expensive cables ont make a blind bit of difference. They are just standard stereoaudio cables (the ones with the red and white ends) any will work.

[99Flake]

Pro-Logic will come out of any stereo output since it is just an extra carrier on the standard signal, should be fine there.

But as Funkstar says, since you are using standard phono you won't get digital surround sound, so no Dolby Digital or DTS.

On the other hand if you are just putting normal TV (sky/freeview) into your setup it makes no difference as it is only your DVD player that will be able to do full 5.1 and above. (yes I know some Sky boxes can do it but hey).

[gino_76ph]

my tv is a Sony KDL-W3000 1080p LCD. (bought days ago!)

so basically what you are saying that unless the freeview/Sky streams is on a Dolby Surround there is no way my 5.1 can output Dolby? will it instead "simulate" a "fake" surround sound?

and

what if i connect my Sony DVP-NS78 upscaling DVD player using a phono cable to the TV audio out will my speakers be able to output a Dolby Digital (ProLogic II et al) or DTS or THX? or will i need a optical/coaxial cable? and is a optical cable better than a coxial?

[Funkstar]

The only thing that phono cables cant transer is stereo audio and Prologic type signals (a bit like stereo-on-steroids).

If you want surround sound, connect the source directly to your speakers. Video from your DVD goes to the TV, audio goes to the speakers with coax or optical. If you want surround from Sky (i think some films hve it but thats about it) then you need to connect that directly to your speakers with coax or optical.

the only reason your TV has an audio output is so the audio from the in built tuners can go to an AV amp. You do not need to route the audio through the TV from external sources. In fact you are best not, as you will introduce more noise into the signal anyway.

the down side of this is you will have to change the input on your TV as well as the speakers when switching from Sky to DVD (as an example).

the optical vs. coax argument is a complex one. you don't have thousands of pounds worth of speakers and digital recievers so it's not an argument you need to worry about.

[gino_76ph]

so, is there another cable better than phono?

if im viewing freeview (via a freeview box) using my connected 5.1 what cable would you recommend? and how do i connect it to my tv? (and what did you meant by "introducing more noise to the signal"?)

if im viewing a DVD from my upscaling dvd player connected to my 5.1 would you recommend the optical/coaxial route?

[99Flake]

For your freeview box I would use a phono cable from the box to the 5.1 speaker system, this will give you stereo sound and maybe pro-logic. Use the SCART lead for your picture. If your freeview box has no phono out take it from the television.

For you DVD player, plug a lead (of your choice) that will give you video into your TV, be it SCART, composite, component or HDMI. Then take a Coax OR optical out into your speaker setup for full 5.1 digital surround. The cable type will make bugger all difference.

[Funkstar]

Originally Posted by gino_76ph

(and what did you meant by "introducing more noise to the signal"?)

With freeview box ->TV -> Surround there are more connections, more risk of interferentce, possible bad/cheap audio circuits inside the TV etc. Best keeping it as clean as possible. On theother hand, with Freeview as the source and the equipment you are using, the chances of actually hearing any difference are negligable.

Originally Posted by gino_76ph

if im viewing a DVD from my upscaling dvd player connected to my 5.1 would you recommend the optical/coaxial route?

Doesn't matter, just whatever inputs you have on the surround system. And don't be fooled into getting expensive 'digital' cables. you won't be able to tell the difference, if indeed there is any between £50 cables and £5 cables.

[schmunk]

Originally Posted by gino_76ph

and is a optical cable better than a coxial?

Yes, if you prefer the slightly harder sound you get from your 1s and 0s travelling through 2' of glass. Personally, I like the extra malleability that 2' of copper adds to the sound, particularly to the 1s.

[gino_76ph]

Originally Posted by 99Flake

For your freeview box I would use a phono cable from the box to the 5.1 speaker system, this will give you stereo sound and maybe pro-logic. Use the SCART lead for your picture. If your freeview box has no phono out take it from the television.

For you DVD player, plug a lead (of your choice) that will give you video into your TV, be it SCART, composite, component or HDMI. Then take a Coax OR optical out into your speaker setup for full 5.1 digital surround. The cable type will make bugger all difference.

my Humax 1080i Freeview Box has no phono out as far as i know but if it does you said connecting the speakers to the tv is "the" option for me. that's cool for me.

but

the issue of the exact type of phono cables...my 5.1 reciever/amplifier has a "Front - Rear - Center/Sub" out at it's back. and as Sony told me before i need to connect my 5.1. to the audio out of my TV. would that be a 3-prong and a 2-prong end? or a 2-prong to 2-prong end would do? im confused.

[Funkstar]

The phono (actually it isn't phono and you only get that from a turntable) or Stereo output on the Humax will be included in the SCART connector.

Does the manual of the Logitech speakers not sugest how to connect everything up?

[gino_76ph]

i connect my Humax Freeview box via HDMi to my Sony LCD. the Logitech speakers does have a manual but it's in vague/generalised terms. ive emailed them and they told me that i need a three 3.5mm connectivity to my 2 audio out on my LCD. i was told by somebody else that it's the 2-prong end (connected to the audio out) and ONLY 1-prong end which is then connected to the decoder. my main worry is if it's only 1-prong end would i still be able to use ALL speakers of my 5.1?

[Funkstar]

Maplin > 3.5mm Stereo Plug to 2 Phono Leads

this is what you need then. I didn't realise the Logitech speakers used 3.5mm jacks instead of phono plugs.

there are probably several ways the speakers will deal with the stereo audio.

Stereo Left -> Front Left
Stereo Right -> Front Right

Stereo Left -> Front Left + Rear Left
Stereo Right -> Front Right + Rear Right

As above but also using the center and sub speakers.

remember that other than this first basic option, they are all faking the surround sound, it might beusing all 6 speakers but it's not like when you get full DTS/Dolby from a DVD.

[gino_76ph]

i went to the Sony dealer store where ive bought my tv and asked the person(s) my question and they told me the same thing. but what they told me (after seeing the online specs of my Logitech Z5500) that the 1-prong i need to connect is to the earphone jack of the decoder and set it to 2-channel as the tv is only capable of 2-channel output (apparently) when watching Freeview thru a Freeview box. where they right in saying that?

also

if we consider just watching normal Freeview channels is it better to connect my freeview box to my 5.1 decoder or my 5.1 decoder to my tv? if Yes to the former..what cable would i need?

[Funkstar]

Freeview is only capable for two channel output. There is no provision of AC3 or DTS encoded audio in the UKs terrestrial digital setup. So yes, the sony shop is right.

Do not use a headphone output unless it is the only available option. the audio from that goes through an amplifier first, so you are quite likely to get distortion when you try and ampify it again using the surround sound set.

Personally I would connect the freeview box to the TV as normal and just use the TV for the sound, that way you con\t have turn the surround on and off when you just want to watch the news. You can always have a cable, like the one i linked to, connecting the TV and the surround just in case you want to use them for some more volume. Remember you will never get real surround from anything broadcast on Freeview, but you will probably be able to set the Logitech decoder to output to all speakers.this will give you more volume and probably a fuller sound.

[gino_76ph]

if i don't use the headphone output at the side of my decoder (the second output has a symbol of a music note. im presuming this is for any music-related products like an mp3 player,ipod,etc.) as you've noted there might be distortions then do i just connect the 1-prong to any of the input in my decoder in my case the Green colour-coded one which represents the "front" speakers?

and secondly

would you connect your freeview box to your 5.1? or jujst your 5.1 to your tv when watching normal freeview?

read: i only want to watch freeview with a "better than good" sound and be able to use ALL of my 5 speakers while watching freeview. because i fear if i connect the 1-prong to only one of the inputs at the back of my decoder then only the front speakers (which i have said earlier is the green-coloured input) will work.