HDMI and TV / DVD / Surround Sound?

Question

Please help because this stuff is driving me mad.

I have a LCD TV/DVD combi, so the dvd player is already built into the TV. The tv is HDTV.

The side of the tv has a HDMI INPUT. What i want to know is, if I find an AV Receiver with the same HDMI socket on it, then plug surround speakers into the receiver, then use a hdmi cable to plug the receiver to the tv/dvd, will I get surround sound on my TV and dvd?

I don't want to go buying things until I get it right.

Thanks

Answer 1

No, that will not work.  In order to get the surround you must connect an OUTPUT on the TV to an INPUT on the receiver.  This is usually done with an optical or digital coax cable.

Answer 2

Based on your information, you can't get surround sound with that unit.

At best, you can connect your TV's earphone jack to your receiver and get stereo sound (you can get an adapter cable from Radio Shack to go from miniplug to RCA.)  This will allow you to at least use better speakers, but it won't be surround sound.

In general, I don't like those TV/DVD combo units since they're very restrictive, and if one part breaks down, you pretty much end up having to replace the whole unit.

If you really want surround sound that badly, get a separate, stand alone DVD player and connect it to your TV and receiver.  You can get a good upscaling DVD player with a HDMI port for under $100 at most electronics stores, so it's not too bad.   Just remember, you'll need a HDMI cable for your TV, and either an optical audio or digital coax cable for your receiver.  

Don't spend gobs of money on cables.  A $20 no-name brand HDMI cable works just as well as those stupid $50-$250 monstrosities.  Same goes for the optical audio or digital coax cables.

Answer 3

The HDMI connection on your TV/DVD combo is an input. It is there so you can connect other HD components to your TV (like and X-Box).

To get surround sound, you need a receiver cabable of at least Dolby Pro Logic II 5.1, preferably DTS or better.

Then you need an appropriate number of speakers. Usually 2 front, 2 rear, 1 center, and a sub woofer.

Once you have all that hooked up, connect the Audio Out to the receiver using RCA cables (red and white) or digital optical audio (if available). You will probably have to do this for both the TV and the DVD player, as they might be separate outputs on the back of the TV/DVD player.

Just as a side note...just because the DVD player is part of the HDTV doesn't mean it is an HD DVD player! So, if you want to watch HD or Blue Ray DVD in 1080p, you'll need a second DVD player capable of this. You would connect using the HDMI input.

Now, to really make things fun...what does HDMI mean..."High Definition Multimedia Input". So, that means it carries both video and audio. If you were to get an X-Box or HD DVD player, you would first connect it to the receiver using HDMI and then to the TV on HDMI....whala...1 cable.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

More than likely not. But if you include a model number of your existing TV there may be another way. Include models for everything you currently have or are seriously considering.

EDIT:

Your only option to use your current set up is to hook up a mini to RCA adapter cable and settle for stereo sound. For a bedroom set this would be more than acceptable. As long as you get a good system that incorporates a auxiliary in you should be fine. I would also recommend a universal remote to ease the confusion as most stereo systems now will not control a TV, but it is worth a shot.

Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo are all base line names to start with when considering a stereo system, but like anything else make sure you like the sound.