Question about audio setup for consoles

[Americanidle]

I currently have a 360,Wii and PS2 connected via component cable selector box to my hdtv. I have never had a surround sound system hooked up and never thought much about audio connections. I have been debating picking up one of the high rated LG all in one systems from CC. I'm not sure how I would hook the audio portion up for all the systems if I added a receiver into the picture like that. I'm thinking I might need something like the Psyclone souce selector that has optical audio for each port. I would assume that the audio out would go from the selector to the receiver and then I just use the selector to switch between the systems?

[Kevin Grey]

If you get a decent receiver you shouldn't need a new selector for just what you listed.  You'll want to hook up your 360 via a digital optical connection and I would go ahead and hook up your PS2 the same way.  Almost all receivers these days take at least two optical inputs, so no worries.

Wii doesn't have digital out, just the red/white analog connections which makes that easy since all receivers will accept that too.  Make sure the receiver supports Dolby Pro Logic II (the sound format that the Wii outputs) but, again, that's pretty much standard these days. 

With that setup (new receiver and existing selector box), you would need to steps for each source:

1) Select the appropriate video output on your switch box
2) Select the appropriate audio output on your receiver.

However, a lot of receivers these days have component switching as well, so it's even possible to eliminate the switchbox altogether if you want as long as you get a receiver that takes at least three component inputs. 

[Americanidle]

What's the normal connection from hd cable box for audio? Does that need an optical connection on the receiver as well? I just wonder if the receiver could support everything. My setup currently is the 3 system, the tv, the hd cable box and a dvd player. I do know the LG I looked at doesn't have any component inputs.

[Kevin Grey]

What's the normal connection from hd cable box for audio? Does that need an optical connection on the receiver as well? I just wonder if the receiver could support everything. My setup currently is the 3 system, the tv, the hd cable box and a dvd player. I do know the LG I looked at doesn't have any component inputs.

Oh, yeah if you have an HD Cable box and another DVD player in the mix then you need to keep at least the component switchbox. 

HD Cable usually uses optical audio, though some boxes may do digital coaxial (usually color coded orange).  However, you can hook your PS2 up via analog (red/white) if necessary without losing much so for digital hookups you'll need:

1) DVD Player
2) HD Cable Box
3) 360
4) PS2 (optional)

Most receivers will support some combination of digital optical and coaxial jacks, though they usually have more optical than coax.  Check your DVD player to see what kind of digital connections it supports- many of them support both. 

Quality-wise there really isn't a difference between getting your digital audio via optical or coaxial. 

First thing to do, then, is to look on the back of all of your components and see which digital audio outputs they support and add up your requirements.  Use this image as a reference:



Total up how many optical outputs you have and how many coaxial outputs you have and make sure that whatever receiver you look at meets at least those minimums. 

[Americanidle]

Kevin,

 Thanks for the info. I did look up the specs of the LG unit and the receiver only has one optical audio input. The receiver has a built in upconverting dvd player so i wouldn't need my external one anymore. That would leave me with needing to hook up the ps2,wii,360 and the cable box. The Psyclone selector does 4 so that should work. I could run optical out from the Psyclone to the receiver. The only confusing part would then be the cable box. Would I run the component video straight to the tv as it is now and then run optical audio to the selector box?

[Kevin Grey]

The only confusing part would then be the cable box. Would I run the component video straight to the tv as it is now and then run optical audio to the selector box?

That would work.  You can also run the component video through the selector box, too, but i would avoid that since most selector boxes limit your video bandwith which can hurt your HD picture quality.  Not usually noticeable on graphics stuff like the 360 but it might be more apparent on true HD video. 

You probably will want to to patch the Wii's audio directly into the receiver.  Most switchboxes won't convert an analog audio signal (from the Wii) into digital and pass it through the digital output.  If you do end up needing to plug the Wii's audio into the switchbox, make sure you have a set of analog audio cables (red/white) output from the switchbox into the receiver in addition to the digital audio cable. 

[lildrgn]

Quick: where's Kevin Grey???

I'm thinking of getting some Wii component cables as the blurriness of Zelda is driving me nuts. If I take the comp cable and go into the back of my receiver, do I need component cables to go out to the tv as well? Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks.

[Misguided]

If I take the comp cable and go into the back of my receiver, do I need component cables to go out to the tv as well?

Yes.

[Kevin Grey]

Quick: where's Kevin Grey???

Yep, exactly what Misguided said. 

[lildrgn]

Quick: where's Kevin Grey???

Yep, exactly what Misguided said. 

DAMMIT! I thought so. I just don't want to pay for more cables.