Home Theater

[BAC5.2]

So I was rooting through my mother-in-law's attic and found some really cool stuff.

Aside from the Fixed FIA legal MOMO Race Bucket seat, I found a BUNCH of home audio stuff.

I found 2 mean receivers, a CD Changer, a few powered subs, and a bunch of speakers.

So I got to thinking. I like Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. Maybe I'll set up a system on the basement TV so I can play Guitar Hero with even more awesomness.

I've got 3 Polk Audio speakers (one is a center, then two flank speakers) and some larger "REALISTIC" speakers that look pretty aggressive. One of the recievers is a Yamaha, and the other is a DENON. I don't know which is better so I was going to try them both (though I WOULD need to get a remote for either). One of the subs is a Mirage and the other is a Polk. Both look pretty nice overall. The changer is a 6-disc unit by Yamaha.

So I have all of the wires, and I have everything ready to go. Then I realized.... Do I need some kind of amp, or is the reciever enough?

I downloaded the manual for the Yamaha and it mentions nothing about an amp. Same with the Denon, but that's about it. No other specifics.

How would you go about setting it up? Also, looking at the back there are outputs for MAIN speakers (which I assume to be the front flank speakers), then the rear's (L&R) and a center (with the option of Dual center speakers or single by bridging). But no clip output for the sub.

The back of both subs has 8 line level inputs, but I don't know where to source them from.

The Yamaha receiver has video in/outputs, but I'm not sure how to go about setting it up. Run video to the TV and audio to the reciever from the game systems? Or run everything to the receiver, and then video back to the TV?

Ideas? Input?

[ciper]

I would assume the 8 line level inputs on the subs are for an external processor. Some receivers had a 6 channel input so you could add new sound formats as they came along. I had a very nice digital pro logic receiver that had this. For a while I used a DVD player with a built in Dolby Digital decoder which meant NINE RCA cables just for the DVD

Get the model numbers of the receivers. Both brands have made quality units. I would imagine they both have 80 watt amplifiers on board for your speakers. It should be enough for at least a 300 square foot room.

Does the receiver do video switching? It adds convenience but can reduce quality especially if its component video switching was intended for 480i/p and you are using HD resolutions.

If it was me I'd run all the composite/s-video stuff through the receiver and then any component direct to the the TV.

Since the speakers obviously aren't matched you should find someone with an SPL meter. Any HT nut in your area will probably own the old "Star Trek" style radio shack unit. (they actually used it as a prop in Enterprise)

[Fkyx]

Ideas? Input?

Pix or it didn't happen?

[BAC5.2]

The receivers are as follows:

A Yamaha RX-V793 - All I could find on it was that it was Yamaha's least expensive Dolby 5.1 receiver.

A Denon AVR-1601 - I couldn't find anything on this one.

Here's what I was planning -

Run RCA video from the PS2 to the TV input and the audio feeds to one of the audio inputs on the receiver. Then do the same with the XBOX. I also have a DVD/VHS player I'd like to hook up, and I might do it the same way. That way, only the TV will play through the factory TV speakers.

The TV's are Samsung HDTV's, but I don't know the resolution. They are only a few years old, but not plasma TV's.

[ciper]

The 1601 was a good low end receiver! It has five 60 watt channels. It does component switching and DTS decoding.
http://www.bigupload.com/files/HCOXN76B ... f.zip.html

The Yamaha has five 80 watt channels. It only does composite and Svideo switching.
http://rapidshare.com/files/127689400/RX-V793.pdf.html

I'd probably go for the Denon.

You really should use component video and digitial audio for the PS2, Xbox and DVD player. All three of them should be capable of at least 480P

[BAC5.2]

Hmm, so how would you recommend I set the whole thing up?

The connectors for the PS2 and XBOX (non-360) are the 3-RCA type. 1 for video and L/R audio.

Isn't 5x60 < 5x80? You'd still choose the Denon?

[ciper]

The Denon does DTS decoding and component video switching. If you plan to run all video directly to the TV and have no DTS capable movies then the Yamaha should be fine.

For the PS2 and Xbox you should buy the Component video cables which will give you three RCA just for video and then use digital audio.

How many component inputs does the TV have?

[BAC5.2]

The Denon does DTS decoding and component video switching. If you plan to run all video directly to the TV and have no DTS capable movies then the Yamaha should be fine.

For the PS2 and Xbox you should buy the Component video cables which will give you three RCA just for video and then use digital audio.

How many component inputs does the TV have?

2 Component inputs and 3 standard V/L&R audio inputs. One of the components is taken by the FIOS box.

The TV downstairs is primarily for gaming. We have a full 5.1 surround setup upstairs using an off-the-shelf home-theater system. I suppose I could see how much some component cables are and go from there. At least have the XBOX use component video. The PS2 is really only for Guitar Hero and GT4. The XBOX is used for Halo, GTA, and all of the other cool games.

[legacy92ej22t]

Both receivers are good. I like Denon best personally, I have an AVR7 series myself.

Component switching is good, less wiring and you don't have to switch inputs on the tv.

For the subs, they don't have LFE in? It's a RCA A/V style input? Plus, both receivers should have an LFE out (rca style). That the preferred way to hook it up.

If not, then they (the subs) usually have the clip style for speaker wire. It will be L-R input and L-R output. Run the main speaker L-R front, out of your receiver into the sub, then run out of the sub to your main L-R speakers. (this is how you hook up Stereo receivers with no LFE to a sub.

You should have the LFE out though. The female RCA connector on the receiver is usually colored black, or orange and it will say sub, sub-woofer or LFE.

[legacy92ej22t]

The Denon AVR-1601 does NOT have component upconversion or switching, it doesn't have component at all actually. It's Composite and S-video switching only.

http://www.usa.denon.com/avr1601_productsheet.pdf

If the Yamaha is the same way, and you don't care about DTS, then use the Yamaha.

[BAC5.2]

Thanks Matt! Can I send pics to your BB and you can tell me how it's supposed to work? All of the subs I found have line-level inputs, not RCA's. They DO have an L/R RCA but I plugged it in and nothing happened.

The Yamaha has two possibilities for center channel output. Could I just use one of them to the input of the sub and the other for the input of the center channel? Or should I bridge them and run them through the center channel and run the front L/R speaker wire through the sub and then to the speakers?

Should I be worried about signal lag? What if I want to run two subs (or is that even necessary)? Just run them in series, or signal the second sub off of the rear L/R output.

I'm not going to be able to run true surround yet. The room isn't designed for it. It's a HUGE room, with only one corner dedicated to the TV. It's probably almost 800 to 900 square feet. I'll HAVE rear speakers, but they won't be imaged perfectly.

How loud is 5x80 going to be with a sub? I'd imagine pretty. I run 4x50 (RMS, not peak) in the Forester and when the speakers weren't blown and the amp set up right, it was FAR louder than I could handle. Granted, that's in 40 square feet, but still...

[ciper]

I don't know where i got the idea that the denon had component switching. I say go for the Yamaha.

The Yamaha has 2.5 digital inputs so thats a little more flexibility.

Does the sub have an internal amplifier? If so I suggest connecting it to the LFE output on the Yamaha. Its just below the RCA out for the center plug. (labeled subwoofer)

[legacy92ej22t]

Thanks Matt! Can I send pics to your BB and you can tell me how it's supposed to work? All of the subs I found have line-level inputs, not RCA's. They DO have an L/R RCA but I plugged it in and nothing happened.

Sure, send em my way. especially the back of the subs. You want to use the L of the L/R RCA on the back of the sub. You need to then hook it the sub out on the receiver like ciper said. If you already did this and it didn't work then you probably need to go into the setup on the receiver and turn on the sub out. Make sure you set the fronts to "small" or "normal" not "large". if set to Large then you wont hear crap out of the sub.

The Yamaha has two possibilities for center channel output. Could I just use one of them to the input of the sub and the other for the input of the center channel? Or should I bridge them and run them through the center channel and run the front L/R speaker wire through the sub and then to the speakers?

NO, don't use the center channel for the sub. The center channel will not receive the low frequencies. You have to run the front L/R into the sub then out to the fronts. Then set the receiver to "large" so that the low end goes to the mains (front L/R) that way the sub captures them.....

Unless you have dual center channels, then just figure out which is the main and use it.

Should I be worried about signal lag?

no, don't worry about lag.

What if I want to run two subs (or is that even necessary)? Just run them in series, or signal the second sub off of the rear L/R output.

Use a male to female RCA splitter (Y cable, 1 male, two female) off the sub out on the receiver and then just two sub cables, one to each sub.

How loud is 5x80 going to be with a sub? I'd imagine pretty. I run 4x50 (RMS, not peak) in the Forester and when the speakers weren't blown and the amp set up right, it was FAR louder than I could handle. Granted, that's in 40 square feet, but still...

My Denon is 7x75w and it's loud, not club loud but loud enough that I've never maxed it out. It's high current though too.

[legacy92ej22t]

Well, did you ever get it all hooked up?