Got my stuff -- NOW WHAT????

[Murray1]

Santa is rounding up all the stuff and will arrive shortly. Now I need to know how to connect it all. He is bringing a couple of RTiA5's and a CSIA6 center. An HK3600 will drive it all. Already have a blue ray player and LCD Sony 46" tv. A couple of rear speakers will arrive later in the year. I am assuming all components go into the receiver via HDMI. Now I need help with cabling. What are interconnects? Don't the HDMI cables interconnect everything to the receiver? I see interconnects for some crazy prices. Do they handle audio better than HDMI? Anything special about speaker cabling. Is it best to order with connectors or just wrap wire around receiver post the old fashion way? My application is primarily home theater. Thanks for the input.

[wutadumsn23]

First things first, congrats on the new rig!! Setup should be fairly easy and is as simple as connecting the dots, lol. As for your speakers all you have to do is connect the terminals on the back of the speakers to the terminals on the back of the AVR, Positive to Positive, Negative to Negative. Every speaker will have their own seperate hookups on the back of the AVR and they will be labeled Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R and a purple (usually) colored RCA connection that may be labeled "Sub Out" or "Sub Pre Out" Looking at a picture of the back of your AVR I found on Google, the speaker hookups are clearly labeled and the ones you will be using for now will be the Red one, the White one and the Green one. Of course, the corresponding Black terminal will be used for each of the three I mentioned. If you have a sub you will use a sub cable to connect the sub's LFE out (if it has one) to the purple colored connector located in the middle of your AVR in the row of connections for the 6/8 channel inputs. It is labeled "Subwoofer" As for your components, the best/easiest way to connect everything is via HDMI. You will need one for your Blu-Ray player, and if you have an HD cable/satellite box you will need another one for that. You will need a third cable (or second one if your cable box isn't HD) to go from your AVR to your TV. Hook up is as easy as connecting one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI Out on your BR player to one of the HDMI In's on the back of your AVR. I would use the one labeled HDMI 1 for your BR player and then HDMI 2 for your cable box (if applicable) but it doesn't really matter. Then you will run an HDMI cable from the HDMI connection labeled "Monitor Out" on the back of your AVR to one of the HDMI In's on your TV, again I'm assuming the one labeled HDMI 1. Just some AVR's come with "preset" HDMI ports meaning that the HDMI 1 may already be set up for a DVD or BR player and it will save you from having to swap all the settings around if you were to hook it up to another HDMI In. You can also hook up your cable box via component cables if it has them instead of HDMI, but that isn't very common, usually it will have both or none. What exactly do you mean by interconnects? HDMI is, IMHO, your best option for video and audio since it will carry the new HD codecs and allow you to take advantage of them, whereas Digital Coax and TOSLINK Opttical cables won't. For the speaker wire itself, get some 12 AWG from Monoprice or Bluejeans cables, and you can use the bare wire connections or you could use some banana plugs or spades to connect everything too. Some people use bananas if they are going to need to be a quick disconnect kind of thing for frequent moving around or just for the ease of it. Hopefully I have answered all of your questions, but if not give us a shout and we can help as needed. Good luck and congrats again.

-Jeff

[bigaudiofanatic]

I am going to do a short format of what he said.

Connect all your speakers each one connected to its own terminal on the back fo the receiver.

Your sub "if you have one" the signal cable running from the receiver "sub pre out port" to the input of the sub either left or right does not matter on the sub.

Most of your devices should have a hdmi output. This should be fairly simple. Plug one end of the HDMI into the device such as your BR player or your cable or satellite box. On the back of the receiver they should be labeled what is what.

If you have a cd player as well that should be connected to cd in or another input such as that via rca's or fiber optic.

One of the last connections is to the tv use the hdmi output on the receiver and that goes to the input of the tv.

After that you should be able to calibrate your setup "if your receiver has a calibration mic" and be able to see and hear sound.

Give everything a bit of time to "hand shake" as that is what hdmi has to do before it can send anything.

I agree to get some nice speaker wire. If you want to be fancy get banana plus once I got them I never regretted it. But that can be for a later time.

I doubt you will have this problem but if you do not see anything on either your cable box or your br player. You might have to go into the settings and tell it to send out threw hdmi. But as I said with the tv you have now that should not be a problem


Overall have fun and take your time. Even get the wife involved. It is Christmas just enjoy yourself and your company!

[concealer404]

Stuff, and lots of it.

-Jeff

OMG. :p

[dorokusai]

I'm betting on good information from those two guys so I'll continue to monkey with my privates.

[bigaudiofanatic]

I'm betting on good information from those two guys so I'll continue to monkey with my privates.

Thanks and

[concealer404]

I'm betting on good information from those two guys so I'll continue to monkey with my privates.

Right on!

[DMara]

Good luck and congrats again.

-Jeff

Darn it, Jeff! My head is spinning reading your sh!t :D

[Ricardo]

First things first, congrats on the new rig!! Setup should be fairly easy and is as simple as connecting the dots, lol. As for your speakers all you have to do is connect the terminals on the back of the speakers to the terminals on the back of the AVR, Positive to Positive, Negative to Negative. Every speaker will have their own seperate hookups on the back of the AVR and they will be labeled Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R and a purple (usually) colored RCA connection that may be labeled "Sub Out" or "Sub Pre Out" Looking at a picture of the back of your AVR I found on Google, the speaker hookups are clearly labeled and the ones you will be using for now will be the Red one, the White one and the Green one. Of course, the corresponding Black terminal will be used for each of the three I mentioned. If you have a sub you will use a sub cable to connect the sub's LFE out (if it has one) to the purple colored connector located in the middle of your AVR in the row of connections for the 6/8 channel inputs. It is labeled "Subwoofer" As for your components, the best/easiest way to connect everything is via HDMI. You will need one for your Blu-Ray player, and if you have an HD cable/satellite box you will need another one for that. You will need a third cable (or second one if your cable box isn't HD) to go from your AVR to your TV. Hook up is as easy as connecting one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI Out on your BR player to one of the HDMI In's on the back of your AVR. I would use the one labeled HDMI 1 for your BR player and then HDMI 2 for your cable box (if applicable) but it doesn't really matter. Then you will run an HDMI cable from the HDMI connection labeled "Monitor Out" on the back of your AVR to one of the HDMI In's on your TV, again I'm assuming the one labeled HDMI 1. Just some AVR's come with "preset" HDMI ports meaning that the HDMI 1 may already be set up for a DVD or BR player and it will save you from having to swap all the settings around if you were to hook it up to another HDMI In. You can also hook up your cable box via component cables if it has them instead of HDMI, but that isn't very common, usually it will have both or none. What exactly do you mean by interconnects? HDMI is, IMHO, your best option for video and audio since it will carry the new HD codecs and allow you to take advantage of them, whereas Digital Coax and TOSLINK Opttical cables won't. For the speaker wire itself, get some 12 AWG from Monoprice or Bluejeans cables, and you can use the bare wire connections or you could use some banana plugs or spades to connect everything too. Some people use bananas if they are going to need to be a quick disconnect kind of thing for frequent moving around or just for the ease of it. Hopefully I have answered all of your questions, but if not give us a shout and we can help as needed. Good luck and congrats again.

-Jeff

Now I have a headache.

[Murray1]

Thanks all for your help and info. Some of you definitely went beyond the call. I almost feel I should pay you for your time. On second thought, I spent all my money on speakers and stuff. Anyway, hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[McLoki]

First things first, congrats on the new rig!! Setup should be fairly easy and is as simple as connecting the dots, lol. As for your speakers all you have to do is connect the terminals on the back of the speakers to the terminals on the back of the AVR, Positive to Positive, Negative to Negative. Every speaker will have their own seperate hookups on the back of the AVR and they will be labeled Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R and a purple (usually) colored RCA connection that may be labeled "Sub Out" or "Sub Pre Out" Looking at a picture of the back of your AVR I found on Google, the speaker hookups are clearly labeled and the ones you will be using for now will be the Red one, the White one and the Green one. Of course, the corresponding Black terminal will be used for each of the three I mentioned. If you have a sub you will use a sub cable to connect the sub's LFE out (if it has one) to the purple colored connector located in the middle of your AVR in the row of connections for the 6/8 channel inputs. It is labeled "Subwoofer" As for your components, the best/easiest way to connect everything is via HDMI. You will need one for your Blu-Ray player, and if you have an HD cable/satellite box you will need another one for that. You will need a third cable (or second one if your cable box isn't HD) to go from your AVR to your TV. Hook up is as easy as connecting one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI Out on your BR player to one of the HDMI In's on the back of your AVR. I would use the one labeled HDMI 1 for your BR player and then HDMI 2 for your cable box (if applicable) but it doesn't really matter. Then you will run an HDMI cable from the HDMI connection labeled "Monitor Out" on the back of your AVR to one of the HDMI In's on your TV, again I'm assuming the one labeled HDMI 1. Just some AVR's come with "preset" HDMI ports meaning that the HDMI 1 may already be set up for a DVD or BR player and it will save you from having to swap all the settings around if you were to hook it up to another HDMI In. You can also hook up your cable box via component cables if it has them instead of HDMI, but that isn't very common, usually it will have both or none. What exactly do you mean by interconnects? HDMI is, IMHO, your best option for video and audio since it will carry the new HD codecs and allow you to take advantage of them, whereas Digital Coax and TOSLINK Opttical cables won't. For the speaker wire itself, get some 12 AWG from Monoprice or Bluejeans cables, and you can use the bare wire connections or you could use some banana plugs or spades to connect everything too. Some people use bananas if they are going to need to be a quick disconnect kind of thing for frequent moving around or just for the ease of it. Hopefully I have answered all of your questions, but if not give us a shout and we can help as needed. Good luck and congrats again.

-Jeff

Good info, but I really hope you asked Santa for an "Enter" key this Christmas....


Just sayin'.....

Michael

[LessisNevermore]

I'll continue to monkey with my privates.

That's fine, as long as you don't call out your own name.

[mrbofus]

First things first, congrats on the new rig!! Setup should be fairly easy and is as simple as connecting the dots, lol. As for your speakers all you have to do is connect the terminals on the back of the speakers to the terminals on the back of the AVR, Positive to Positive, Negative to Negative. Every speaker will have their own seperate hookups on the back of the AVR and they will be labeled Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R and a purple (usually) colored RCA connection that may be labeled "Sub Out" or "Sub Pre Out" Looking at a picture of the back of your AVR I found on Google, the speaker hookups are clearly labeled and the ones you will be using for now will be the Red one, the White one and the Green one. Of course, the corresponding Black terminal will be used for each of the three I mentioned. If you have a sub you will use a sub cable to connect the sub's LFE out (if it has one) to the purple colored connector located in the middle of your AVR in the row of connections for the 6/8 channel inputs. It is labeled "Subwoofer" As for your components, the best/easiest way to connect everything is via HDMI. You will need one for your Blu-Ray player, and if you have an HD cable/satellite box you will need another one for that. You will need a third cable (or second one if your cable box isn't HD) to go from your AVR to your TV. Hook up is as easy as connecting one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI Out on your BR player to one of the HDMI In's on the back of your AVR. I would use the one labeled HDMI 1 for your BR player and then HDMI 2 for your cable box (if applicable) but it doesn't really matter. Then you will run an HDMI cable from the HDMI connection labeled "Monitor Out" on the back of your AVR to one of the HDMI In's on your TV, again I'm assuming the one labeled HDMI 1. Just some AVR's come with "preset" HDMI ports meaning that the HDMI 1 may already be set up for a DVD or BR player and it will save you from having to swap all the settings around if you were to hook it up to another HDMI In. You can also hook up your cable box via component cables if it has them instead of HDMI, but that isn't very common, usually it will have both or none. What exactly do you mean by interconnects? HDMI is, IMHO, your best option for video and audio since it will carry the new HD codecs and allow you to take advantage of them, whereas Digital Coax and TOSLINK Opttical cables won't. For the speaker wire itself, get some 12 AWG from Monoprice or Bluejeans cables, and you can use the bare wire connections or you could use some banana plugs or spades to connect everything too. Some people use bananas if they are going to need to be a quick disconnect kind of thing for frequent moving around or just for the ease of it. Hopefully I have answered all of your questions, but if not give us a shout and we can help as needed. Good luck and congrats again.

-Jeff

Replies like this is what makes POLK Forum such a great site. Strangers willing to help out others. Keep it up. Great job!!!