Logitech Home theater question

[Syphanx]

Hi,
Currently at the moment I am using the Logitech Z-5500D computer speaker system as my some theater system. I'm also using a Samsung series 6 LCD 40” 650 series TV and a play station 3, 40gb for blu-ray viewing.
Because the Logitech has only one optical port, it is currently set up so that the optical connection goes from the Logitech system to the TV (Has optical connection on it) and then I just run an hdmi from the TV to the PS3, but for some reason I cant get Dolby Digital or DTS when watching blu-rays on the PS3 (I have tried configuring it on the play station but no luck).
So anyway what I want to do instead of this is buy a Pioneer VSX-LX51 amp and then EVENTUALLY get new speakers such as Klipsch or B&W etc. But for now for financial purposes I just want to know if it's possible to use the existing Logitech system with a pioneer amplifier? I am unsure if this will work because of the inbuilt amp/sub combination.
Someone please help me out!

Cheers,

Michael

 

[Syphanx]

Cmon any audiophiles out there willing to lend a helping hand?

 

[Crysalis]

Not a good idea... to put it quickly.

 

[ricanflow]

You can get a decent sounding pair of speakers for like $100 at best buy to hold you over until you can grab some nicer ones.

You can also hit up a pawn shop and look around...maybe you may find some older cerwin vegas or something.

 

[Crysalis]

you have it wired wrong. You need two cables. One HDMI and one SP/DIF (toslink, optical, whatever)

Run the HDMI from the PS3 to the TV.
Run the SP/DIF from the PS3 to the Logitechs from the optical output (shown below)

TV's will not "pass thru" Dolby of any kind... at least very rarely they do. For that reason, the TV should be in no way connected to the speaker system.

EDIT: Also make sure that the settings are correct for passing all decoding to the logitech's. You don't want the PS3 doing any decoding... let the logitechs do the work.

EDIT2: Make sure you keep your speakers down low at first until you make sure its working. This will not be a "variable" output.... it will be FULL signal from the ps3... you could potentially blow your system if you have it set high enough. Since no voltage is passed through, the signal is either ON or OFF... no volume here. You'll have to set the volume through the Logitechs.

EDIT3: (I'm bored at work). If you wanted to use only HDMI cables, you would need a A/V receiver that has HDMI ins and outs. This would eliminate the need for two cables from the PS3. That is the expensive route though...

 

[Syphanx]

Geese Crysalis you must have a lot of free time on your hands at work lol. But thanks for all the advice. The reason I ran it that way was because I wanted to have my tv run through the speaker system as well. Whereas if I run both hdmi and optical from the ps3 I have nowhere to connect my tv into the surround system…

As this seems to be a major problem I think I might just get the amp and some cheap speakers to start with.

Actually…. Would I be able to use the existing Logitech speakers (apart from the sub) and wire them to the pioneer VSX-LX51 amp? And then obviously just buy a new sub (and I could spend money on a decent one which I will end up keeping as Im only spending on one speaker).

 

[Crysalis]

You will end up either slowly destroying, or downright popping every one of the speakers. Bad idea.

To fix the TV+PS3 > Logitech, just go to radioshack and get sp/dif switch. It'll be much cheaper to do that as a temporary solution than to buy the amp and blow the speakers you DO have. You can still buy the amp, but just save it until you get a surround sound set.

Like this:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2946&seq=1&format=2

Can't beat it for $6

 

[Syphanx]

Mmm ok then I see…. Just getting off topic for a second, but how high should your speakers be mounted? I have a funny feeling mine are too high. Ear level?
Also is it ok if the centre speaker is mounted a bit higher say 400mm than the others? Simply because I don't have anywhere else to put it.

 

[Crysalis]

Right and left channel should be equal distance from the center channel (for example, 3 feet on either side). They should be at ear level or at least aiming at your listening position (both pointing straight ahead, not swiveled to the left or right). The center channel should be either below or above the TV and directly in the center. It's height is not as important. Also, the surrounds should be equal distance between you and the speaker (say 4 feet on either side of you) pointing directly at your ears.

 

[Syphanx]

oh ok thanks for all the help crysalis,
does the toslink optical fibre switch degrade the quality of the audio at all?