How do I get proper 5.1 with my setup?

[xhaydenx]

So I was hoping someone could help me understand how to get proper 5.1 on my PC.

My surround sound has an amp, a sub and 5 speakers. It's quite a few years old, but it does give me 5.1 when gaming on PS3, PS4 and Xbox 360 games.

On PC games, however, it doesn't. It does sound good, but the 5.1 doesn't sound as clear as on the consoles. I'm referring to things like hearing voices from behind you, footsteps etc.

For the consoles, I plug the amp into them via optical. I have the PC set up the same way. Optical from amp into PC motherboard.

So how do I get the best 5.1 experience with my set up?

Here are my specs, if it matters:
i7 4790k
Asus Sabertooth Mk1 motherboard.
gtx 980
16gb ram.

 

[ssddx]

are you getting true 5.1? (does your motherboard support dts connect, ddl, or other processing which compresses audio so that you can use 5.1 on optical.

optical only supports 5.1 as compressed. only hdmi can do uncompressed 5.1 (does your amp (i'm guessing its a receiver not just an amp right?) accept hdmi?

 

[xhaydenx]

are you getting true 5.1? (does your motherboard support dts connect, ddl, or other processing which compresses audio so that you can use 5.1 on optical.

optical only supports 5.1 as compressed. only hdmi can do uncompressed 5.1 (does your amp (i'm guessing its a receiver not just an amp right?) accept hdmi?

Okay, so my amp/receiver doesn't have HDMI.

Looks my motherboard doesn't support DTS connect either, which is super annoying as I just bought this one.

Is there anything else I can do, or does my motherboard just not support it?

EDIT: I tested in windows sound settings. There's a test for DTS audio. When I run the test it plays a tune through each speaker. I hear it one by one in all 5 speakers. So it works there correctly, it seems.

 

[ssddx]

well, there are all manner of different software which can compress audio for use over optical. i only named a few which came to mind.

if windows "speaker test" is working properly and all speakers appear and sound when the icon flashes i would say that yes, you are getting 5.1 sound.

i only mentioned this to determine if you were upscaling stereo sound to 5.1 using a dolby mode (which could cause distortion) or were getting the true signal. since it appears everything is working fine we can check this off the list

but before we do, i'd sugest trying out a dolby digital 5.1 movie on both systems to see what your findings are. just do NOT use vlc media player for this, use something else (vlc has known issues when using home theater systems and various bugs)

--

a few other possibilities:

if your other devices are also using optical to connect for audio as well.... then perhaps the difference is in the sound chip used the devices. you might have better luck with a cheap soundcard over the built in audio on your motherboard as realtek is really only anywhere from low to average on quality. realtek drivers also typically leave alot to be desired as well. generally for such things as optical out onboard is fine but this could be a possibility.

equalizer settings. check to see that they are all flat, or if you prefer a different type of sound adjust them a bit to see if you can find a happy medium.

perhaps a difference in how the audio is handled by your pc games vs console games in relation to optical. or perhaps the audio in certain games is better mastered than others. honestly, without testing out the same exact game on both (or playing the same dvd movie on both) its hard to tell if this is the case or not. while i use hdmi myself, i have noted that the audio scores on many ps3 games seem a bit more dramatic than those used on pc games. also of note you should check out the audio options in game (on pc) to see what you have and if there is an option for HD audio (sometimes its disabled to make the game run better) and check if you're using software or hardware processing for it. play with the audio settings and see if you find something you like.

speaker balance. if your rear speakers sound light and muffled perhaps boost the volume to them so they are more akin to the front speakers in volume levels.

--

why is the game outputting 2.0 not 5.1?

first i would verify that this is indeed the case and that it is true with multiple games not just one. also verify with video to see if this is true or not. also check that in game you are set to surround sound not stereo.

if you've verified it all, perhaps an issue with compressing and sending out the audio via optical.

you may want to link what model and brand your amp/receiver.

 

[xhaydenx]

well, there are all manner of different software which can compress audio for use over optical. i only named a few which came to mind.

if windows "speaker test" is working properly and all speakers appear and sound when the icon flashes i would say that yes, you are getting 5.1 sound.

i only mentioned this to determine if you were upscaling stereo sound to 5.1 using a dolby mode (which could cause distortion) or were getting the true signal. since it appears everything is working fine we can check this off the list

but before we do, i'd sugest trying out a dolby digital 5.1 movie on both systems to see what your findings are. just do NOT use vlc media player for this, use something else (vlc has known issues when using home theater systems and various bugs)

--

a few other possibilities:

if your other devices are also using optical to connect for audio as well.... then perhaps the difference is in the sound chip used the devices. you might have better luck with a cheap soundcard over the built in audio on your motherboard as realtek is really only anywhere from low to average on quality. realtek drivers also typically leave alot to be desired as well. generally for such things as optical out onboard is fine but this could be a possibility.

equalizer settings. check to see that they are all flat, or if you prefer a different type of sound adjust them a bit to see if you can find a happy medium.

perhaps a difference in how the audio is handled by your pc games vs console games in relation to optical. or perhaps the audio in certain games is better mastered than others. honestly, without testing out the same exact game on both (or playing the same dvd movie on both) its hard to tell if this is the case or not. while i use hdmi myself, i have noted that the audio scores on many ps3 games seem a bit more dramatic than those used on pc games. also of note you should check out the audio options in game (on pc) to see what you have and if there is an option for HD audio (sometimes its disabled to make the game run better) and check if you're using software or hardware processing for it. play with the audio settings and see if you find something you like.

speaker balance. if your rear speakers sound light and muffled perhaps boost the volume to them so they are more akin to the front speakers in volume levels.

--

why is the game outputting 2.0 not 5.1?

first i would verify that this is indeed the case and that it is true with multiple games not just one. also verify with video to see if this is true or not. also check that in game you are set to surround sound not stereo.

if you've verified it all, perhaps an issue with compressing and sending out the audio via optical.

you may want to link what model and brand your amp/receiver.

Thanks. You've given me a bit to look into. I appreciate it.

As for the model of the reciever its a Kenwood KRF-VF200D. All I could find on the net for it was this, but its for a slightly newer version: http/images.kenwood.eu/files/prod/868/5/KRF-V6200D_7200D_EN.pdf

I don't have a DVD or Blu ray drive in my PC. I can only really test it with games.

One thing to note: When I play on consoles, my receiver's display lights up with 5 icons, one for each speaker. In PC games, it's only ever 2. When I did that Dolby Digital test in windows though, it went to 5 when it reached my back speakers.

On the PS3, when all are lit up, I can change the listen mode between stereo and Dolby Digital. But on PC, I can only get some settings like Jazz, Theater and Pro Logic. Pro Logic is the one I usually use. There is no DOlby Digital option.

Also if I bought something like this and hooked it up from HDMI from my video card to it, would it work then in 5,1? : https/www.jbhifi.com.au/tv-home-entertainment/home-theatre/pioneer/pioneer-htp072-600w-5-1ch-home-theatre-system/420875/

 

[ssddx]

according to the manual, your receiver supports DTS (compressed audio over optical). this is what your ps3 is likely outputting as.

now, what you should be running your receiver on is either auto-surround, DTS or similar (it may also display PCM).

i believe pro-logic upscales a 2.0 stereo sound into fake surround which would explain the sound quality loss. not sure what theater is but it may be an audio effect giving a more hollow/reverb/concert hall sound. jazz sounds like an eq effect.

if you wanted to use and keep your current sound system, perhaps a cheap soundcard which definitely has dts support? the xonar dg for $27 has this as an option and may work better than your onboard.

i'm thinking that your pc isnt transmitting 5.1 over optical, or is doing so using a method your receiver doesnt support.

what you linked below looks like a home theater set. were you thinking about totally upgrading your system? if you are completely happy with your current speakers there is not a need to do anything quite so expensive but that is up to you. if you're really looking to upgrade your system i'd take a look at the energy take classic 5.1 set or monoprice 10565 (cheap knock off with similar sound) paired up with a receiver of your choice. for the price, they are hard to beat on sound. or, if you liked your speakers but just wanted a newer receiver with hdmi as an option then you could just replace that by itself as well.

let me know what you're thinking.

 

[xhaydenx]

]according to the manual, your receiver supports DTS (compressed audio over optical). this is what your ps3 is likely outputting as.

That manual is for a newer version of my system, but my one does have DTS written on the front.

now, what you should be running your receiver on is either auto-surround, DTS or similar (it may also display PCM).

i believe pro-logic upscales a 2.0 stereo sound into fake surround which would explain the sound quality loss. not sure what theater is but it may be an audio effect giving a more hollow/reverb/concert hall sound. jazz sounds like an eq effect.

Yeah, it does seem like its trying to fake the 5.1 I've noticed some sounds will only come out the rear speakers, like background ambience, but overall, the experience is nothing like in games, where the sound position is completely clear.

if you wanted to use and keep your current sound system, perhaps a cheap soundcard which definitely has dts support? the xonar dg for $27 has this as an option and may work better than your onboard.

Yeah, I actually looked at that sound card and did some reading. From what I read, that card will still only do 2.1 over optical, and I can't plug my receiver into the other ports it has. Found this info in this thread: http/arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1209339

i'm thinking that your pc isnt transmitting 5.1 over optical, or is doing so using a method your receiver doesnt support.

what you linked below looks like a home theater set. were you thinking about totally upgrading your system? if you are completely happy with your current speakers there is not a need to do anything quite so expensive but that is up to you. if you're really looking to upgrade your system i'd take a look at the energy take classic 5.1 set or monoprice 10565 (cheap knock off with similar sound) paired up with a receiver of your choice. for the price, they are hard to beat on sound. or, if you liked your speakers but just wanted a newer receiver with hdmi as an option then you could just replace that by itself as well.

let me know what you're thinking.

Well, I was looking at some PC speaker sets and thinking that I could just plug it not through HDMI or optical, but through the actual jacks on the back of my PC. Does that give worse quality?

I was looking at this one perhaps. From reading that review, I'd need a whole bunch of converters for the cables though, and it'd have to go through Analogue.

Not really sure what to do lol. Thanks for the help so far though.

 

[ssddx]

hmm. the dg lists DTS support on its official specs page. if it wont work for your needs perhaps check out the dx or creative z and see if they do.

speakers plugged in via 3.5mm would work, however you'd be SOL when it comes to your other sources using it. essentially it would be for pc only and generally pc speakers are inferior to any home theater sets. the only set which works for multi-sources is the heavily-overpriced z906 (sports optical and 3.5mm connections). technically yes, you could use an adapter to convert from optical or hdmi to analog for a regular pc speakers set (typically called 5.1 hdmi audio extractor in the case of hdmi) and it would work but its really not the best solution and pc speakers will likely sound worse than what you have now.

if you did not want to buy a soundcard, and want to update your whole system BUT are still happy with the speakers you have now, perhaps its worth thinking about upgrading just your receiver to something which supports hdmi. before considering it too much i will ask how you currently connect up your pc and consoles to screens. are you currently using just one big tv for everything (hdmi would work great then) or are you using a tv for the consoles and monitor(s) for the pc? (which can get clunky for hdmi but possible)

 

[xhaydenx]

hmm. the dg lists DTS support on its official specs page. if it wont work for your needs perhaps check out the dx or creative z and see if they do.

The DX doesn't have an optical slot. THe Creative Z one looks like it would work, but its pretty expensive.

speakers plugged in via 3.5mm would work, however you'd be SOL when it comes to your other sources using it. essentially it would be for pc only and generally pc speakers are inferior to any home theater sets. the only set which works for multi-sources is the heavily-overpriced z906 (sports optical and 3.5mm connections). technically yes, you could use an adapter to convert from optical or hdmi to analog for a regular pc speakers set (typically called 5.1 hdmi audio extractor in the case of hdmi) and it would work but its really not the best solution and pc speakers will likely sound worse than what you have now.

What about this set? It has an optical. I thought I could go into the PC via the analogue connections (with converters as it says in that review later on) and then Optical into my console.

http/www.vortez.net/articles_pages/microlab_m_1910_5_1_surround_system_review,4.html

if you did not want to buy a soundcard, and want to update your whole system BUT are still happy with the speakers you have now, perhaps its worth thinking about upgrading just your receiver to something which supports hdmi. before considering it too much i will ask how you currently connect up your pc and consoles to screens. are you currently using just one big tv for everything (hdmi would work great then) or are you using a tv for the consoles and monitor(s) for the pc? (which can get clunky for hdmi but possible)

If I can avoid buying I soundcard then that'd be great. I didn't realize I could just buy a single receiver. Thought I'd need to get the sub and new speakers with it.

So at the moment, I connect both the PC and the PS4 to a Sony Bravia HDTV via HDMI.

 

[xhaydenx]

So before I got this Kenwood Home theater kit I had a really old set of Logitech 5.1 speakers. I found them and plugged them in to the PC through the motherboard at the back.

Done some tests in a game and the difference is huge. It was proper 5.1 just like I'm used to when playing on consoles. Switching back to the Kenwood Kit mid game and it just feels totally different. I haven't been getting anywhere near 5.1 up until now on PC.

I know you said if its a dedicated set of PC speakers then I won't be able to use it for other things, such as connecting to my console, but it looks like that Microlab kit I linked earlier would be able to do that correct?

I couldn't really tell in game, but with playing mp3s the sound quality on the Logitech speakers weren't as good as the Kenwood ones. You couldn't make out some sounds as clearly on the Logitechs. Parts sort of felt muddled. The Kenwood was worth a fair bit more though, and it was newer. I'm wondering if these Microlab ones, being much newer, will at least be on part with my Kenwood.

Is there that much difference between plugging in via optical vs the ports at the back of the PC?

What do you think, Sssdx? You're my go to on this one.

 

[ssddx]

it seems that you are already pretty happy with how your speakers sound which to me makes it seem like a waste to get new speakers. generally unless you're not happy with how your current speakers sound i wouldnt suggest it. that and the microlabs do not seem like much of an upgrade over what you have now. also realize that having speakers with their own amp/inputs not a receiver also severely limits you on the types and number of sources you can use.

while you of course dont have to follow my opinion, since you do not want to deal with a soundcard and since you use a tv for both sources you might want to think about upgrading to a newer receiver which supports hdmi and keeping your old speakers. if you play your cards right you could upgrade your speakers at a later date (to something which actually would be an upgrade) to use with this new receiver if you ever felt the need for an upgrade.

--
perhaps a little on what i use myself..

i originally bought and used a logitech 5.1 setup (x530 which is better than the current z506) along with a soundcard. about 4 years ago or so i upgraded to a receiver and speaker system after not being happy with the other options given to me. i may have spent more but it was well worthwhile and i dont think i could ever be happy with pc speakers now that i've heard the difference. i use an hdmi capable receiver to swap between a pc, ps3, ps2 (running it on component cables), laptop and other sources and it works great. 5.1 support on pc is uncompressed (PCM), same on ps3. while it seems like pc/ps3 have slightly different sound, both i would say sound good to me.

i currently use a pioneer vsx-30 receiver paired with the 5.0 klipsch quintet set and a sw450 klipsch subwoofer. photos in signature or here http/goo.gl/zcmFbN which is hooked up to my gaming pc and all my components.

in the other room we use a sony strdh540 paired up with some sony fs-f500p floorstanders. while the receiver is not as nice for sure it does offer some pretty good output power for the extremely low price we paid for it. overall a good discount buy i'd have to say.

--

optical vs 3.5mm:

optical is pure digital.
3.5mm is analog.

digital generally is less affected by electrical noise, and optical the least of all digital cables. however, generally unless you have something generating some pretty mean interference you arent going to notice it on 3.5mm.

it should be noted that 3.5mm since its an analog signal and already processed and converted to analog from its digital origin is uncompressed sound. if you ignore the possibility of electrical noise interference completely, 3.5mm can technically be superior. however also worth noting that almost no decent hifi sets use 3.5mm input for 5.1 and generally your selection of speakers with 3.5mm is pretty poor. it should also be mentioned that 3.5mm is amped which means to use powerful speakers with it you would need to double-amp which means a loss of clarity. basically: while they can be compared they are both used in two different scenarios so are more like apples vs oranges. both fruits, but different.

--

other than that, its only a connection type. what matters more is the hardware driving the connection. a good soundcard (dac+amp) driving 3.5mm makes a big difference and likewise having propper support for 5.1 over optical and a decent sound chip can mean the difference between optical working for you and not.

--

to recap: i'm thinking getting a new receiver may fit your needs best.

you're free to make your own choices of course.

 

[xhaydenx]

I'm still open to getting a new receiver. I can't seem to find anywhere that just sells a receiver though. Is there any brand any particular I should look for?

I'm not really wanting to spend $300+ for it. If it were around 1-200 I'd be ok.

Sound clarity isn't really something I notice all that much. I noticed on the Logitech speakers, but they are really really old. I couldn't even find the model no. on them. Just having proper 5.1 is way more important to me personally.

just getting a new receiver and using my existing speakers would be great if I can manage that. Would be much simpler.

If I did just get a receiver, how would I hook it up? HDMI from vid card to Receiver and that's it? It doesn't have to go through my TV or anything? My video card doesn't need DTS connect or anything like that?

 

[ssddx]

well, prices depend on where you live, but at least in the usa you can certainly find ones for $200.

sure, dvi-d -> hdmi cables or straight hdmi would work. i use the previous myself.

your call, if you just wanted to get a cheap speaker set for the pc use only and keep your set as is for console that would work too.

i'm only here to give you options, thats it. what route you pick is up to you.

 

[xhaydenx]

well, prices depend on where you live, but at least in the usa you can certainly find ones for $200.

sure, dvi-d -> hdmi cables or straight hdmi would work. i use the previous myself.

your call, if you just wanted to get a cheap speaker set for the pc use only and keep your set as is for console that would work too.

i'm only here to give you options, thats it. what route you pick is up to you.

Not really keen on having PC speakers and my receiver set up at the same time. That'd be too much running around. I think you're right about a new receiver being the way to go for me. I'm looking at this one at the moment. It's a bit more than what I wanted to pay, but what the hell. Look good?

https/www.jbhifi.com.au/tv-home-entertainment/all-tv--home-entertainment/onkyo/onkyo-tx-sr333-5-1-channel-home-cinema-receiver/640768/

So with HDMI from vid card to TV, I read some stuff that said your TV has to support it. Is that right? I don't need to have the display HDMI from my graphics card and my sound HDMI from the graphics card both going into the receiver? One goes into receiver, the other into the TV?

And going the HDMI route means that I don't need my motherboard to support DTS connect at all right, as the HDMI handles that?

Should any speakers work with any receiver?

Thanks again for the help. Sorry for being a hassle, its just been hard to try and sort this stuff out and I wanted to make sure I got it right.

 

[xhaydenx]

Think i've run into an issue: my Nvidia gtx 980 only has one HDMI port. It has 1 HDMI, 1 DVI and 3 Display ports. From what I understand I need it to have 2 HDMI ports: one to go from PC to Receiever and one to go from PC to TV?

 

[ssddx]

you're fine.

you only need 2 hdmi ports if you did not route video through the receiver (video passthrough). since you have consoles you will be connecting up via hdmi you may as well run the pc video through the system as well. this is what i currently do, all cables go into the receiver, one hdmi out to the tv.

the only case where this does NOT work right is when you want video from one source but audio from another, then things get a little tricky. otherwise, it works perfect.

in any case, you likely have a dvi-d port, dvi-d to hdmi cables work perfectly (i use one myself). yes, dvi-d can carry sound and is pretty much an equivalent to hdmi in terms of quality levels though if you have hdmi as an option i'd go with straight hdmi out.

using two cables (one to tv, one to receiver) is only for people who do not want to run video through the receiver. as long as you dont have any post processing modes on there really is no reason not to use just one cable if you're using a tv for input. for some people using 120hz monitors connected via displayport or DL-DVI then they need to run two cables (since receivers dont handle 120hz signals) but for your needs you will not have to worry about this.

i think perhaps you're talking abut ARC for tvs and support. this is where you connect from source -> tv then have the tv <-> receiver and it can send audio back along this path to a receiver. while it works for some scenarios, i dont think this is something you will have to worry about.

when picking a receiver you will want to look at the wattage @ what ohm impedence your speakers are listed at. this will be something like 50w @ 8ohm, 80w @ 6ohm or similar set of numbers. receivers also have such ratings. generally speakers will give a range such as 15-75w @6ohm which means your amp or receiver should be somewhere within that range in order to power them. closer to the top of the range and you'll be able to drive them better and louder. you CAN buy a larger than needed amp however if you exceed the maximum rated power for the speakers you have to make sure you do NOT crank up the volume past what the speakers can handle or you could damage them. generally not suggested to buy larger than what you need UNLESS you have future plans on buying better or bigger speakers (for instance you wanted to eventually upgrade to floorstanding speakers or larger bookshelf speakers which can often be 100w @ 8ohm compared to say some small set which is rated for only 50w now. the rating should be in your manual or on the back of your speakers.

a gtx 980 will have no issues with hdmi and sound. i use a gtx770 myself, before that a gtx470. we have had support for audio for quite a long time.

onkyo is generally a lower end brand. while they work, you may want to see what other options you have.

aus prices will be higher (they tend to be at least 30% higher than here, the usa). you might also have more of a limited selection. i would suggest first looking at what the entry levels for sony, denon, onkyo, yamaha and pioneer are priced at. i know entry level models of some brands often go for about $200 (when on sale that is) here so you *should* be able to find something reasonable even at your prices somewhere.

i'd do a little more digging before settling on one model.

 

[xhaydenx]

you're fine.

you only need 2 hdmi ports if you did not route video through the receiver (video passthrough). since you have consoles you will be connecting up via hdmi you may as well run the pc video through the system as well. this is what i currently do, all cables go into the receiver, one hdmi out to the tv.

the only case where this does NOT work right is when you want video from one source but audio from another, then things get a little tricky. otherwise, it works perfect.

in any case, you likely have a dvi-d port, dvi-d to hdmi cables work perfectly (i use one myself). yes, dvi-d can carry sound and is pretty much an equivalent to hdmi in terms of quality levels though if you have hdmi as an option i'd go with straight hdmi out.

using two cables (one to tv, one to receiver) is only for people who do not want to run video through the receiver. as long as you dont have any post processing modes on there really is no reason not to use just one cable if you're using a tv for input. for some people using 120hz monitors connected via displayport or DL-DVI then they need to run two cables (since receivers dont handle 120hz signals) but for your needs you will not have to worry about this.

i think perhaps you're talking abut ARC for tvs and support. this is where you connect from source -> tv then have the tv <-> receiver and it can send audio back along this path to a receiver. while it works for some scenarios, i dont think this is something you will have to worry about.

when picking a receiver you will want to look at the wattage @ what ohm impedence your speakers are listed at. this will be something like 50w @ 8ohm, 80w @ 6ohm or similar set of numbers. receivers also have such ratings. generally speakers will give a range such as 15-75w @6ohm which means your amp or receiver should be somewhere within that range in order to power them. closer to the top of the range and you'll be able to drive them better and louder. you CAN buy a larger than needed amp however if you exceed the maximum rated power for the speakers you have to make sure you do NOT crank up the volume past what the speakers can handle or you could damage them. generally not suggested to buy larger than what you need UNLESS you have future plans on buying better or bigger speakers (for instance you wanted to eventually upgrade to floorstanding speakers or larger bookshelf speakers which can often be 100w @ 8ohm compared to say some small set which is rated for only 50w now. the rating should be in your manual or on the back of your speakers.

a gtx 980 will have no issues with hdmi and sound. i use a gtx770 myself, before that a gtx470. we have had support for audio for quite a long time.

onkyo is generally a lower end brand. while they work, you may want to see what other options you have.

aus prices will be higher (they tend to be at least 30% higher than here, the usa). you might also have more of a limited selection. i would suggest first looking at what the entry levels for sony, denon, onkyo, yamaha and pioneer are priced at. i know entry level models of some brands often go for about $200 (when on sale that is) here so you *should* be able to find something reasonable even at your prices somewhere.

i'd do a little more digging before settling on one model.

Alright. I think I'm close to fully understanding how it's going to work.

The one thing I'm unsure of is this:

this is what i currently do, all cables go into the receiver, one hdmi out to the tv.

So if the PC is only connected into the receiver, does that mean that the receiver has to be on every time I want the PC on? This is a pretty big thing for me. Not sure if I always want to have the receiver on just to have my PC display on the TV.

And does my TV have to support this pass through function, or do all HD TVs support that normally?

Thanks for explaining the speaker pairing. Makes sense. I've narrowed it down some more and I think I like the Denon line. These are the ones I'm looking at:

http/www.harveynorman.com.au/tv-blu-ray-home-theatre/home-theatre-speakers/av-receivers/pioneer-5-1-channel-av-recevier.html

http/www.harveynorman.com.au/tv-blu-ray-home-theatre/home-theatre-speakers/av-receivers/denon-5-2-wireless-bluetooth-av-receiver.html

http/www.harveynorman.com.au/tv-blu-ray-home-theatre/home-theatre-speakers/av-receivers/denon-avr-x500-5-1-surround-av-receiver-black.html

http/www.harveynorman.com.au/tv-blu-ray-home-theatre/home-theatre-speakers/av-receivers/yamaha-5-1ch-rx-v377-av-receiver.html

Out of all those I like the look of the Denon's. The wireless one, the AVRX510, doesn't state that it has decoders for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio. I'm guessing these are important for gaming? Saw on the net that there's a model called AVRX510BT which does have it. Not sure if they're pretty much the same. If not the Yamaha's seem nice too.

 

[ssddx]

So if the PC is only connected into the receiver, does that mean that the receiver has to be on every time I want the PC on? This is a pretty big thing for me. Not sure if I always want to have the receiver on just to have my PC display on the TV.

yes, if you used video passthrough that is. considering that you already have your receiver/amp on right now to get audio (otherwise you would get zero audio except the tv speakers) i dont think its really all that big of a deal. however, there is a feature on some sets (read end of my post) that you may want to read about.

And does my TV have to support this pass through function, or do all HD TVs support that normally?

no. as far as the tv is concerned its as if you directly connected to the pc or console.

Thanks for explaining the speaker pairing. Makes sense. I've narrowed it down some more and I think I like the Denon line. These are the ones I'm looking at:

those spec pages are crud. you may want to look at the actual manufacturers page for them as you will want to see the full listing of specs. for example the vsx-524
http/www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Pioneer+Receivers/VSX-524-K
the 524 has 80w@8ohm per channel which means it will handle satellite and most bookshelf speakers good, but is a bit light for floorstanders. it comes with many dolby formats supported and has nice automatic room calibration.

generally you'll be running in straight PCM mode (the receiver will normally be set on auto-surround i suggest) most of the time for pc and console gaming (uncompressed sound). for some movies which use compressed dolby digital sound you'll see a dolby digital tag show up on your receiver. the only time i ever change from automatic is when playing music where i want to play sound on the rear channels as well (ext stereo mode).

perhaps i'm a bit biased since i personally use a pioneer, but i've found them to be rather nice. mcacc to setup was really easy and calibrated speakers using a test mic.

hmm, i saw a feature called hdmi standby through on this model.. i'm guessing this means standby (off) mode allowing hdmi to pass through it. of course this means you wont get audio while its off (and when using a pc you if you just start it up randomly you might get wonky behavior without a restart...possibly) but this may quell your issue with having the receiver on all the time when the pc is on (though personally i consider it a non-issue honestly).

as far as the others? i didnt read their spec sheets much but i found it odd the yamaha doesnt list any 8ohm speaker support on its official specs page and it seems that the pioneer offers more sound modes and slightly more power than the denon does.

 

[xhaydenx]

Thanks for clearing up the HDMI connection confusion I had.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Denon one I was looking at has the HDMI standby pass through. I want that feature. I think I'll get one today.

I'll let ya know how it goes.

 

[xhaydenx]

Alright so I got the Denon. It's awesome. It was simple to set up too. A lot nicer having less cords going around.

Ssddx, thanks a million for helping with all this. I tend to stress over things before buying, so I appreciate you taking the time and having the patience to work through it all with me. Thanks again!