[davyk31]

I have bought a lot of new equipment and am getting confused how to connect it all up.

Equipment is Samsung Smart LED TV
Samsung 3d Bluray Home Cinema Kit
Sky+ HD 1TB Box

From what I understand I run an HDMI from Home Cinema Kit to the TV to get picture. I also run an HDMI from Sky HD box to TV therefore the TV takes two HDMI inputs.

I also run an Optical cable from the Sky Box to the Cinema Kit to give me sound from Sky.
Does this achieve all I need and to best quality?

Only issue I have noticed using this setup with my current Sky+ box connected is when I play movies downloaded via the Smart Hub on the TV. These are only playing through the TV speakers and not the Cinema kit. Guess this makes sense as its only the Sky sounds going to the amp. Do I need to connect the TV back into the amp to get these movies in surround sound or is that possible?

Experts please help.

[willhollin]

Only one HDMI cable should go from home cinema to TV.

SKY box into home cinema box with an HDMI cable.

[sheps]

Use the optical-out from the tv as the input into the cinema kit; the HDMI out from the sky box to the TV will carry the same signal as the optical, so your sky audio will run from box to tv to cinema kit. This means anything you watch on the tv can have its audio played through the cinema gear...

[davyk31]

Are the answers so far not differing.

Will says connect Sky box to Amp and then amp to TV.
Sheps talks about connecting Sky box to TV.

I have read somewhere that the Sky box needs to be connected to the Amp via Optical to give 5.1 sound from Sky. Think the TV manual also confirmed this by saying the output from TV would only be 2 channel and to connect sky box to amp direct by optical to get surround sound.

Seems in a way I need to use optical from Sky to Amp but then also an audio output from TV to Amp to get decent sound from the Lovefilm/Blinkbox apps on TV. Problem is that there is only one optical in on amp.

[daveyM3]

To get surround sound from the Sky box through your home cinema kit you will need to use an optical cable. The Sky box is connected to the Tv via a hdmi cable. If your home cinema kit has hdmi in sockets, you can connect your blu ray player directly into one, and run a hdmi cable from the home cinema kit to the tv. This will output the movie sound through the home cinema kit speakers, and the movie picture to your tv.

[sheps]

Right, I've just checked.

HDMI can carry 5.1 Audio (which I knew was the case) BUT (and here's the killer) it doesn't on a Sky box - economy of components and all that...

So, you need to use the optical cable from the sky box to your amp if you want 5.1 Audio from your sky.

You know you can by optical splitters, right?
It's not an elegant solution, but better than naff-all.

[davyk31]

Thanks guys.

Just to clear up a point, the Bluray player and Amp are an all in one box so no connection needed there.

Good research Sheps on the 5.1 via HDMI, think that is why I was getting conflicting answers.

So ............

Its optical from Sky HD box to Home Cinema Kit.
HDMI from Home Cinema kit to TV
HDMI from Sky HD box to TV or Home Cinema Kit ??? I'm thinking it goes to the TV.

This still leaves a problem getting the sound from films downloaded to TV into the Surround sound system. Perhaps these won't ever be in 5.1 ? Even if its not 5.1 there would be advantage in getting the sound through the sound system, is the only option therefore via optical from TV back to sound box? Is there another means to output sound from TV back to sound system?
How do the splitters operate Sheps, do these need manual switching over?

[sheps]

Does the cinema amp thingy have any other inputs?
What audio outputs does your TV have besides Optical?

If you don't think the streamed programmes will be multi-channel audio there's little point in sweating the optical thing - use a standard pair of RCA's?

[davyk31]

I'm not sure of the streamed film are 5.1 or stereo.

Cinema kit has either optical input or Aux input via red and white phone cables.
TV can also give phono input I'm sure.

[chris330D]

Ideally you want HDMI out of amp and into tv. HDMI out o sky box into amp. Optical out of sky box into amp. In the sound settings on the sky box you can then set it to put audio through optical. You only need this if you want surround sound but as you have sky and the speakers it would be silly not to use them.

[davyk31]

Does it make any difference whether the HDMI from Sky box goes to Amp or direct to TV. Thinking if it went direct to TV then we could possibly have the sound through TV without the amp turned on. Might be useful when granny is here babysitting and does not understand the sound system.

[davyk31]

Any thoughts on whether HDMI to TV or Amp from Sky box?

[willhollin]

Can you post a photo of the back of the amp?

[davyk31]

Back of amp has :
Network LAN
Ipod
Digital Optical In
Hdmi out
HDMi in x 2
FM aerial
Component Out, 3 phone type sockets
Aux in, 2 phone sockets
Video out, phono type
Speakers sockets

[225_AB]

Most amps will allow the signal to pass through. i.e if amp is on standby and sky box and tv are on the programme will play through tv.

HDMI cable usually also returns audio signal back to amp.

You should have

HDMI and optical from sky hd to home cinema
Hdmi from home cinema to TV

Can you post the model of tv and home cinema please.

[davyk31]

TV is a Samsung UE40d6530 and Cinema Kit is a Samsung HT-D6500

Agree with Doc on the connections but don't think that lets the TV play back through the amp when I'm not watching sky eg. when watching streamed films to the TV from Blinkbox or Lovefilm.

[225_AB]

Both tv and home cinema support Audio return channel. You need to make sure that the HDMI is connected to HDMI 2 input on TV.

[davyk31]

So even though I will have nothing in HDMI 1 then I connect the home cinema kit into port 2?

[daveyM3]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Does it make any difference whether the HDMI from Sky box goes to Amp or direct to TV. Thinking if it went direct to TV then we could possibly have the sound through TV without the amp turned on. Might be useful when granny is here babysitting and does not understand the sound system.

This is exactly why I run the HDMI from the sky box direct to the tv and not the amp If I want to have the sound from the sky box through the home cinema kit I use the optical input. If you run the HDMI cable direct to the amp you will have to use the home cinema speakers to provide the sound for everything you watch on the Sky box.

[chris330D]

Not sure you're right here. Most amps will pass the signal through to the tv when on standby mode. I have a single connection to the tv and this is HDMI from the amp. Of I want surround sound on I just turn on the amp otherwise the signal passes through and comes out the tv speakers.

[225_AB]

Originally Posted by davyk31

So even though I will have nothing in HDMI 1 then I connect the home cinema kit into port 2?

Yes try HDMI 2 because I believe that this is the one that supports the audio return channel. Give it a go and report back.

[225_AB]

Originally Posted by daveyM3

This is exactly why I run the HDMI from the sky box direct to the tv and not the amp If I want to have the sound from the sky box through the home cinema kit I use the optical input. If you run the HDMI cable direct to the amp you will have to use the home cinema speakers to provide the sound for everything you watch on the Sky box.

Not strictly true as most amps will support pass through as Chris330D says. I use my amp this way with a harmony remote. So if I want just sky through tv I press watch tv. Sky box and tv are turned on with sound via tv speakers. If I want to hear sound via amp and 5.1 speakers I press watch sky and as well as tv and sky box amp is also turned on and all correct inputs selected.