Topic: Newbie and Not-so Noob Thread: Questions (FAQ) on Setting up

[MAtZTER]

Maganda yan pag maging mainstream yung mga HD DVD's tapos maging presyong VCD na lang yung mga DVD natin @ P99!

Ayus yan, lalo na pag TV mo ay 32" below, di naman gaano pansin yung difference ng HD sa SD sa maliit na TV.

[corsy]

Hi guys.. I'm definitely an HT newbie. (and also a pinoy dvd newbie).  I'm trying to setup (or buy an  all-in-1 system). Budget is 20-25K lang. po.  Really need help! and hoping for your suggestions. thanks!

[sassyboy]

Hi please enlighten me.

Does all big screen television capable of processing 1080i, 720p, 720i signals? if my tv is atleast 32inch but without hdmi input can i benefit from a hd signals?

Kailangan ba yung player at yung tv ko can output and accept 1080i, 720p, 720i? or pwedeng yung player lang ang mag labas ng hd signal?

What is the difference betweed RGB and component (Y, Pb, Pr)? Di ba pareho lang ng cable ang ginagamit dito?

[MAtZTER]

Hi guys.. I'm definitely an HT newbie. (and also a pinoy dvd newbie).  I'm trying to setup (or buy an  all-in-1 system). Budget is 20-25K lang. po.  Really need help! and hoping for your suggestions. thanks!

Bro, at that budget, you might be only able to buy a HTiB or a 2nd hand separates from the B/S section. I would still go for the 2nd option of course. Separates are much better than HTiB's in terms of sound quality, kahit segunda mano.

My general advice to newbies is to save up some more (at least 40k) & buy the best your money can buy instead of getting a so-so setup now (so-so din yung sound) & upgrading them slowly. This is very costly & time consuming (and what happened to me).

[laklak]

Hi, Im about to setup our HT system at home. Basically the only thing new in my system is the LCD monitor, the rest of the system would be "recycled" from our old system.

My system includes
Pioneer VSX-D508 AV Receiver (Circa early 00's)
Bose 301 Series IV speakers (circa 1996)
Sound Bites satellite speakers
Generic Center speaker

My Questions

1. My Bose 301 was originally used in tandem with a Pioneer AM/FM 2channel Amplifier. I guess this speaker is 3-way, would this matter if I use it as  the fronts for my system? I read in one of the threads here that fronts should be 2-way.  Im thinking of getting a DaiIchi center speaker, do you think it would match?

2. Is it okay to use "no name" brand speaker wires?

3. Im thinking of adding a subwoofer, im not particular with the brand, could you suggest a brand that is cheap but with reasonable quality. My idea of cheap is between PHP1.5K to PHP2K

[Mrk]

Hi please enlighten me.

Does all big screen television capable of processing 1080i, 720p, 720i signals? if my tv is atleast 32inch but without hdmi input can i benefit from a hd signals?

Kailangan ba yung player at yung tv ko can output and accept 1080i, 720p, 720i? or pwedeng yung player lang ang mag labas ng hd signal?

What is the difference betweed RGB and component (Y, Pb, Pr)? Di ba pareho lang ng cable ang ginagamit dito?

isa rin yan sa tanong ko eh...pero sa linaw ata ng picture nagiiba yan...

mas malinaw ata yung component compared sa video out single rca and s-video if im not mistaken

[godlykdude]

Hey Guys,

I just got an HT system from Abenson.  It's a Harman Kardon AVR 145 receiver with JBL SCS 188 speakers.  The HK receiver only supports 5.1 but the JBL speakers are meant for 6.1. Meaning 1 speaker will be a spare.  I got the whole package for 41,700 Php.  The original price was 49999.  I paid cash that's why they sold it to me at that price.  Even threw out a Harman Kardon IPOD docking station so I thought it was a bargain.  At first I just needed a speaker system to address the issue of poor sound of my LCD TV that I am using with my HD DVD (Xbox 360) and Blu Ray (PS3) players.  Guess the Abenson's sales people's sales talk proved to be effective as it forced me into buying it.  I was breezing through different showrooms and I thought this was the best as far as value for money is concerned.

Anyway, my question is I would like to ask for your opinion if this was indeed a wise choice as far as the price is concerned.  I do not have any experience with tinkering with audio equipment and I am practically  a noob when it comes to this, how can I get the best out of this equipment? 

I set it up in my room which is quite small coz it's just a condo-apartment (6x4 meters).  I mainly used the supplied wires for the speakers.  I used an optical cable to connect my HD-DVD and Bluray players and used a regular RCA cable for the LFE input-Subwoofer.  The high-end cables are damn too expensive and I'm not sure if I'm willing to dish out that much again.  I am quite happy with the performance of the current set up although I haven't made any adjustments.  But if you could give some suggestions on the setup, I would appreciate it. 

Best regards...

[scofield]

sir parang medyo mahal ata yan kuha mo jan. dapat sa abenson din ako kukuha two years ago pero hindi ko kinuha dahil ayaw nila pumayag sa tawad ko. hanggang sa mapadaan ako sa showroom ng HK sa SM north. up to now satisfied ako, only regret is sana bago ko nabili yung mga speaker ko ay nakilala ko rin yung mga ibang brands.

nonetheless enjoy your new toy. maganda yan..

[godlykdude]

Yeah, sana dun din ako sa HK SM North kaya lang nainip ako sa paghihintay na maidemo sakin yung halos kaparehong unit.  Kalapit lang yung Abenson and I thought pareho din naman since sabi dun sa Showroom, sila din daw nagsusupply sa Abenson, Automatic Center and SM North so pare-pareho lang ang price.  Anyway, I think maybe if I haggled more, I would've gotten it at a lower price.  But I don't mind much about it now that I am enjoying the HD + HT experience.  If you have suggestions on how I can get the most out of this equipment, please feel free to give your suggestions.  I will appreciate it.  Thanks.

[av_phile1]

Does all big screen television capable of processing 1080i, 720p, 720i signals? if my tv is atleast 32inch but without hdmi input can i benefit from a hd signals?

Not all big screens are capable of high definition display.  Remember those Sony and Philips screens with DRC or line doubling abilities.  They are just NTSC resolution but can display nicely on 32" screens because of their line doubling capabilities.

High Definition starts at 720p and 720i. Many european and american high def broadcasts are at these resolution. It's definitely much better than your DVD quality 480i resolution.

Most large screen HD capable TVs like LCDs and Plasmas have a native resolution of 720p.  All LCD native resolution are progressive but can accept interlaced signals.  The more expensive ones can accept 1080i signals and upscale them to 1080p.

Kailangan ba yung player at yung tv ko can output and accept 1080i, 720p, 720i? or pwedeng yung player lang ang mag labas ng hd signal?

Your player can output at any resolution.  Be it standard 480i DVD up to 1080p high def found in HD DVD and Blu-ray discs if you have the proper player.  The HDTV will just upscale or downscale to its native resolution.  Ideally, you should have a display capable of displaying the player's output resolution. 

What is the difference betweed RGB and component (Y, Pb, Pr)? Di ba pareho lang ng cable ang ginagamit dito?

Nope, they belong to different analog signal standards. 

[scofield]

one question: pareho lang ba ang magiging out put ng digital connection (optical or coax) at 6.1 or 7.1 analog direct in sa AVR?

Ibig ko pong sabihin ay ganito:

dvd player ko connected sa optical in ng avr = dolby digital or dts

dvd player 5.1output connected sa 6channel direct ng avr = din ba sa dolby digital or dts? assuming may built in dolby and dts decoder yung dvd player ko.

why I asked this: namamahalan na kase ako sa optic cable at coax cable. pero madami akong stock ng ordinary rca cable yung mga free sa dvd player.   may extra kase akong player pareho ko silang ginagamit.

[kingkydoo]

one question: pareho lang ba ang magiging out put ng digital connection (optical or coax) at 6.1 or 7.1 analog direct in sa AVR?

Ibig ko pong sabihin ay ganito:

dvd player ko connected sa optical in ng avr = dolby digital or dts

dvd player 5.1output connected sa 6channel direct ng avr = din ba sa dolby digital or dts? assuming may built in dolby and dts decoder yung dvd player ko.

why I asked this: namamahalan na kase ako sa optic cable at coax cable. pero madami akong stock ng ordinary rca cable yung mga free sa dvd player.   may extra kase akong player pareho ko silang ginagamit.

Sir, it's either you use the analog connection (6 RCA cables), or the digital connection (optical or co-axial).
BTW, yung free RCA cables na provided ng dvd player ay low quality lang (manipis ung wires). Actually, you could use it naman. But if you want optimum sound quality, I suggest investing in better RCA cables.

Sir, kung gusto mo ng cheap but quality co-axial cable, meron naman binebenta ang ace hardware, P199 lang, 3.7m na, black yung color niya. (BTW, you can also use the co-axial cable as an RCA, and vice-versa. Pareho lang yung material na ginamit)

[scofield]

^thanks alam ko nga meron coax na less than 200, meron nga rin 500pesos na optical sa ace pero sayang eh. kuripot mode ako ngayon eh. hehehehetry ko na lang yung 6 direct analog muna.

[tonedeaf]

Hi all!

I'm using this long weekend to fiddle around with the wires and settings of my set-up. Here are some questions which occurred to me while I was unplugging all the wires and dismantling the whole thing.

1. what is the use of 2 sets of front speakers? Di ba eto yung speaker A (fronts, center, rears) and B(fronts only)? Can you use them together? or are  you supposed to allocate one set for one use (like HT) and the other set for another purpose (like music)?

2. the flooring of my house is parquet. the spikes at the bottom of my floorstanding speakers (fronts) cause all sorts of scratches on the floor. can i just remove the spikes? i figure, its not like i have an ideal set-up anyway (no sound insulation, no carpets, no thick curtains etc), what's one more violation? 

a. in the alternative, can i just put like mini floor mats below the spikes (assuming for the sake of argument that i can find one, and that the effect isn't too horrible, design wise)?

3. i kind of misjudged the length of wires i use for the set up. for example, i got this really long component video cables when the distance between the tv and receiver is only maybe 2-3 feet. and then the speaker wires for my surrounds are likewise a little long. is it okay to tie them up and consolidate so the wires aren't too messy?

4. do you use the FM function of your receiver to listen to radio?

5. how do you set the speakers to 'large' or 'small'? i've been reading the manual and i can't seem to find what button to press?

6. what's the meaning of the letters "HF" and "LF" at the back of my front speakers?

[mb88]

Good day!

Hereunder are my inputs/suggestions to address your queries:

1. AVReceivers or amps have A+B speaker outputs to offer flexibility to the consumer should he plan to use two sets of front speakers for the AVR or to use it for bi-amping a single set or to use two different speakers for HT and music as you mentioned, or to use both sets for both music and HT. Possibilities and combos are many and it would depend on your preference and liking. Try it out.

Be very cautious, however of the impedances of your speakers and the nominal load that your amp can handle. Normally, AVRs or amps are safe for 4-8ohm loads. Should you decide to run 2 speakers simultaneously, make sure that each is at least 8ohms to give your amp a safe 4ohm load for the fronts. Running low ohm loads will make your amp run hotter and eventually shut it down. After prolonged use, it will surely damage your AVR 

Be forewarned also that doing so, you will eventually be able to compare different speakers and know their different signatures with the ability to do side by side tests. More importantly you will now be able to identify characteristics that you like and dislike, and distinguish your sound that will initially be your reference in auditioning other gear. Do the same for a different amp and it shall be your entry to the never ending quest of your sonic nirvana.

2. I suggest you put 25 centavo coins between the spikes and your floor and test it also without spikes. If you do not hear any difference, who cares?  To me floor mats dont look good. It's too Nova Villa to me  but if you want them, it's your choice

3. Tidying up the wires is good. Just make sure that it is looped and you dont fold it at the ends to damage it. Also, avoid joining signal cables (RCA.Component,etc) with power cables to prevent unwanted noise that may go into the signal path 

4. I dont. Reception isnt that good in my area

5. Sorry, I am not familiar with your AVR but normally it is the arrow and/or  +/- buttons. Press SET UP and use the arrows to toggle from different settings. I am sure your manual can guide you best

6. HF=High freq (tweeters), LF=Low freq (mids/low). You can route Speaker A to HF and Speaker B to LF
Please refer to your speaker manual first and disconnect the jumper before doing this.   

Hope this helps

[tonedeaf]

Good day!


6. HF=High freq (tweeters), LF=Low freq (mids/low). You can route Speaker A to HF and Speaker B to LF
Please refer to your manual first and disconnect the jumper before doing this.   

Hope this helps

i use ixos 6003 speaker wires. it's got 3 wires intertwined. the persons who set it up put one of the wires in +HF and the other in -HF. ok, good to know this.

[mb88]

Your speakers have jumper cables connecting the [HF+ and LF+] and [HF- and LF-]. That is why using one set of wires will "connect" both the LF and HF already. I think leaving it as is will be best.

Buying a new set that will run from speaker B may not introduce a significant sonic difference but will surely look good

[streetsmart]

3. Tidying up the wires is good. Just make sure that it is looped and you dont fold it at the ends to damage it. Also, avoid joining signal cables (RCA.Component,etc) with power cables to prevent unwanted noise that may go into the signal path 

Good advice but let me add a detail: It's best to have your AV cables completely separate from your power cables because the power cables may cause noise. However, this is often not completely possible. If the AV and power cables should cross each other, make sure that they do so at a 90 degree angle. Never locate them in parrallel.

[MAtZTER]

1. what is the use of 2 sets of front speakers? Di ba eto yung speaker A (fronts, center, rears) and B(fronts only)? Can you use them together? or are  you supposed to allocate one set for one use (like HT) and the other set for another purpose (like music)?

5. how do you set the speakers to 'large' or 'small'? i've been reading the manual and i can't seem to find what button to press?

1.) I wouldnt suggest using them together. But using one 5.1 set for HT plus 1 pair of FS/BS for music is a good idea. Example: a 5.1 satelite/sub set for HT and a pair of BS/FS for music. I believe in using specialty musical speakers for music & HT speakers for HT (thats just me).

2.) I used to have an Onkyo 494 like yours. It doesnt have speakers settings for large or small, instead its on the subwoofer settings. Setting 1 for giving all the LF to the sub, setting 2 for half LF to fronts & half to the sub, setting 3 for all LF to the fronts (I think).

[kingkydoo]

Good advice but let me add a detail: It's best to have your AV cables completely separate from your power cables because the power cables may cause noise. However, this is often not completely possible. If the AV and power cables should cross each other, make sure that they do so at a 90 degree angle. Never locate them in parrallel.

Question, are speaker wires "power cables" or "signal cables"?

[streetsmart]

Question, are speaker wires "power cables" or "signal cables"?

"AV" cables are Audio-Video cables. The speaker wires carry the audio signal and are therefore part of the AV cables. AV cables can also be called signal cables because they carry the audio-video signals.

The general rule is that the AV cables should not run in parrallel with the power cables.

[niceNslow]

may budget na ako but nalilito kung anong brand and set-up ang gusto ko, before na puro plano alam ko kung ano ng brand ang gusto ko but now na may budget na and malapit na ako bumili, bigla-bilglang nalilito na ako. yung room size is 12ft(long) by 9ft(wide), ano ba magandang display para sa maliit na room, projector(benq w100) or lcd(samasung or sony)? wharfedale yung unang choice ko, mission yung pangalawa, parehong bookshelf. sa surround ano magandang brand? sa center speaker? sa sub? ang receiver ko pala is sansui na 5.1. dapat din ba na id go for hd or yung 1080p stuff?

[tonedeaf]

2.) I used to have an Onkyo 494 like yours. It doesnt have speakers settings for large or small, instead its on the subwoofer settings. Setting 1 for giving all the LF to the sub, setting 2 for half LF to fronts & half to the sub, setting 3 for all LF to the fronts (I think).

thanks. will check this out. 

[niceNslow]

reply naman kayo?

[Philjonc]

may budget na ako but nalilito kung anong brand and set-up ang gusto ko, before na puro plano alam ko kung ano ng brand ang gusto ko but now na may budget na and malapit na ako bumili, bigla-bilglang nalilito na ako. yung room size is 12ft(long) by 9ft(wide), ano ba magandang display para sa maliit na room, projector(benq w100) or lcd(samasung or sony)? wharfedale yung unang choice ko, mission yung pangalawa, parehong bookshelf. sa surround ano magandang brand? sa center speaker? sa sub? ang receiver ko pala is sansui na 5.1. dapat din ba na id go for hd or yung 1080p stuff?

for small room, use lcd, get all mission speakers for front/surround/center, velodyne sub, your receiver should have hdmi as well as your source(dvd player). enjoy dude!

[kingkydoo]

Sir, huwag siguro projector ang gamitin niyo, baka maduling kayo. 

An LCD TV would do. Pwede rin siguro plasma (40" up).

Ok wharfedale's. If you could afford more, then try mission's.

[niceNslow]

wala yata hdmi yung sansui receiver ko but for now siguro gamitin ko muna ito then upgrdae na lang sa sunod. salamat sa mga reply. dagdag pa kayo ng mga input pls?

[audiojunkie]

wala yata hdmi yung sansui receiver ko but for now siguro gamitin ko muna ito then upgrdae na lang sa sunod. salamat sa mga reply. dagdag pa kayo ng mga input pls?

It means you already have sansui AVR... If you are getting plama or LCD w/ HDMI to time  to get new AVR with same option but if possible have pre-outs of 5.1 or 7.1 channels incase you want to power amp in the future. If more on movies check yamaha or HK but 50/50 music/HT Denon or Marantz. Wafe or mission are both bang for the buck but audition them to suit your taste...  

[niceNslow]

@audio
salamat sa reply sir. audition ako bukas kung mission or wharfedale or paradigm, parang kinakabahan nga ako eh, parang hindi kasi approachable yung kausap ko sa phone, but who knows. wish me luck guys!

[accastil]

id go for a plasma, a very good one(but you need to darken the room). for the speakers, id go for the cheapest (but decent) possible options. the receiver, any decent one with at least 100wpc rms will do.

to be more specific:
sony LCD (the flagship model para malupit ang resolution)
denon or onkyo AVR or anything cheaper but decent.
dai-chi all around
a subwoofer.