Sony HT-DDW890

tap28

Hi,

I have a Philips 32pf7411 LCD tv and a Sky+ box. My birthday is coming up and my wife bought me http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/541205/art/sony/ht-ddw890-home-cinema-sys.html. :D
It doesn't come with a DVD player, what one should I get (I have been using my PS2 since we moved). I have a budget of €200 approx.
Does it come with all the cables I need?
Are they good enough?
If not which ones should I buy?
Is there anything else I need to know?

Thanks,

Tap

The Ritz

You could go for the Philips 5980
(http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/571333/art/philips/dvp5980-dvd-player.html)

or the Sony NS78HS (http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/597485/art/sony/dvp-ns78hs-dvd-player.html)

both will connect via hdmi to your tv. They're both well inside your budget and will allow you a few blips to spare for some extra goodies. If multiregion dvd is important to you, I'd go for the Philips which will do MR with a simple handset hack. The Sony can be made multiregion afaik, but it's a little more complicated. www.videohelp.com is your friend for all MR details.

You should connect the dvd player to the tv using a HDMI cable (don't pay hundreds.......... shiney looks doth not a great cable make, www.lindy.ie for decent quality cables without breaking the bank. You should get a digital interconnect (single cable with an RCA connector at each end, like this:



You'll probably find there's a basic one included with your dvd player - well worth replacing with something of a bit better quality, but not worth spending huge money on.

Connect the digital out (usually a single orange socket)on the back of the dvd palyer to the corresponding socket on your new Sony av amp. Make sure you set up you dvd player to send video via hdmi and sound via the digital out in the relevant menu.

The Sony amp/speakers package should come with enough speaker cable - you can decide yourself if you want to repalce with slightly better quality - I did with mine many moons ago and the difference was well worthwhile to me - try Maplins, 79 strand speaker cable for starters.

Have fun with your new toys................ tell us how you get on.

Health Warning to Regular Posters: The minute this thread heads towards a cable/interconnect/speaker cable discussion from hell, the culprits will enjoy an extended holiday from the HE forum, compliments of

The Ritz

tap28

Thanks for your detailed reply. You probably guessed I'm a beginner when it comes to this stuff. However, like in most things no point in buying good equipment and being let down by poor cables/connections

Ok let me get this straight.
Buy an hdmi cable and use this to connect the TV and DVD player
http://www.lindy.com/eire/productfolder/03/37/37400/index.php


Buy a digital interconnect cable and use this to connect the amp to the DVD player.
http://www.lindy.com/eire/productfolder/03/37/37510/index.php

Then buy good quality speaker cable.

Would I be able to get all of this in Maplins without breaking the bank? (I work neat their Limerick office)

Thanks

Tap

The Ritz

The HDMI caable you linked to is bit pricey in this case......... try something like this....http://www.lindy.com/eire/productfolder/04/41140/index.php Maplins can be quite pricey for hdmi cables - check by all means, but I wouldn't pay €70 for a hdmi cable at this stage.

Maplins stock this interconnect : http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=220205&doy=14m10

It will probably be over €30, would do the job grand, as would one a litle less expensive, have a look there and see what else they may have. is sthere a branch of Peats in Fun City ?? You could also try there.


Ritz.

tap28

Thanks for getting back to me.

I have checked out the hdmi cable and a digital interconnect cable much cheaper to buy online.

Ok next question.
Should I connect my Sky + to the amp? If so how?
Can I connect my PS2 to the amp? If so how?

Thanks,

Tap

god's toy

Use the Toslink output on the sky+ box to the input the back of your amp, you have two of these Toslink connectors so your Playstation can use one too. you will need two of this type of cable (link)
For Video you could use HDMI cables as your amp has two inputs for this.

tap28

Thanks for all the replys.

Went into Harvey Norman and they wanted over €350 for all the cables.:eek:
Instead I order everything form Lindy including P&P €121 some differance.

All I need now is for the Sony system to arrive:D

The Ritz

The price of HDMI cables in HN is pretty horrendous, right enough, and some of the "advice" (male cow manure....) I've overheard being doled out there would make your toes curl.

Ritz.

tap28

Everything arrived and it is better than I expected. The difference in picture and sound quality is staggering.:D
The only problem I have is getting Sky + up and running trough the amp. I have a toslink running from it to the amp and an hdmi cable from the amp to the TV. Result: no sound or picture.
Toslink still connected, running a scart lead direct to TV. (Making sure its in RGB mode) Result: Picture and sound from TV, no sound from amp.
Don't know what I am doing wrong? Can ye help?


Regards,

Tap

god's toy

Did you set the input mode to 'opt in'?

The Ritz

I have a toslink running from it to the amp and an hdmi cable from the amp to the TV. Result: no sound or picture.

Is the Sky+ box a Sky HD box ? If so I assume you also have a hdmi cable running from the Sky box to the amp ? That's the only way the amp wil pass video to the telly - toslink only passes the digital sound stream.

If the Sky box is the standard definition kind, then you should check the settings on the sky box to get it to output sound via optical and use a fully wired scart (check the plug, all the pins should be there) and send RGB video via scart to the telly, one of the scart sockets is usually marked "RGB". This will give you sound via your amp and video direct to your telly.

Ritz.

tap28

Thanks for the reply’s.
It's still not working.
The Sky+ box is the standard definition kind. The scart is fully wired, its sending RGB via the scart, however the TV doesn't have a marked "RGB". I have changed the settings on the skybox to get it to output sound via optical. Still no joy.

This is the process I went trough:
1) Turn off TV, Sky+ box and amp.
2) Insert toslink into Sky+ and amp, Insert scart into Sky + and TV.
3) Turned back on TV, Sky+ and amp.
4) Set amp for Satellite.
5) System Set-up-> Picture settings-> Video Output-> RGB-> Save settings
6) System Set-up-> Sound settings -> Audio Output-> Stereo
-> Optical Output-> Dolby D-> Save settings

End result I can hear sound from TV but not external speakers.
What am I doing wrong?

Tap

The Ritz

Hi again..............

Set amp for Satellite.

............. check the input on the back of the amp where the optical cable is connected - is it marked "Satellite" ?

Also:

System Set-up-> Sound settings -> Audio Output-> Stereo
-> Optical Output-> Dolby D-> Save settings

Is this all one step - i.e. are you sure that the Sky+ box is outputting via optical ?

According to the Sky website the following are the steps:

SET AUDIO OUTPUT ON SKY BOX TO DOLBY DIGITAL
1. Using the Sky remote control press the services button.
2. Using the up/down arrow buttons, highlight SYSTEM SETUP and press select.
3. Highlight SOUND SETTINGS and press select.
4. Highlight Optical Output and using the left/right arrow buttons change setting to Dolby D.
5. Highlight Save new settings and press select.
6. Press the SKY button to return to normal viewing.



A bit of a puzzle, this one.

Ritz.

tap28

Thanks for all your help.
It's sorted now. It turns out the toslink to the back of the amp wasn't quite inserted enough. Pushed it in until I heard the "click" and hay presto it's working.
This one of the most helpful forums on boards.

Tap

The Ritz

Glad you got sorted out................ enjoy your new kit.


Ritz