HELP WITH CONNECTING AV SYSTEMS

TomJohn · 30 Dec 2013 at 10:38

I'd be grateful for advice on connecting up my systems. I have a Loewe Xelos tv with 2 x HDMI (not ARc enabled, I didn't even know what that was until the other day) and digital co-ax out, plus some other connections. I have a Panasonic Bluray player with 1 HMDI and 1 Lan connection. I have an old Kenwood V5050D AV receiver with digital co-ax input and digital optical input, no HDMI.

At present the bluray connects to the TV via HDMI and the TV connects to the Kenwood via digital co-ax. When I watch TV i can get the sound through the Kenwood. When I watch bluray I also get the sound through the Kenwood but it doesn't appear to be dolby digital, its telling me its pro-logic. The DD light in the Kenwood doesn't light up either. Is there any other way I can connect things up better? If the bluay sound is travelling down the HDMI to the TV and then out the digital co-ax to the Kenwood then surely I would get dolby digital?

Hope this makes sense.

Any advice gratefully received, otherwise I assume its a case of buying a new AV receiver.

John

FrankJH · 30 Dec 2013 at 10:46

Even spending a £200 or so will get you a much better AV amp which will improve the sound no end (especially from blu ray but you should notice TV sounds improving too (and when changing the amp, you will plug the BR player into the amp and then the amp into the tv which isnt practical on the current setup)

Without any equipment changes I think your current setup is optimal although you are degrading the sound considerbly

TomJohn · 30 Dec 2013 at 11:24

Thanks for your reply. I guess I knew the answer was going to be a new amp and its overdue. Any recommendations in the £150 - £200 range.
I'm still curious as to why the sound getting to the amp from the BR through the TV isn't full digital.
I assume the TV not being ARC enabled won't be an issue when I get a new amp.

Cheers.

Shimmyhill · 1 Jan 2014 at 16:06

Most tv's do not pass 5.1 sound from the optical out no matter what the input is - most pass 2.0 only and thats what your amp is getting hence the pro logic only.

To get DD you should run the optical out on your bluray player straight into the amp not via the tv.

Of course getting a shiny new amp will give you far more but he above is a free access to DD!