Surround Sound from OTA

[jbcheshire]

I currently have my OTA antenna hooked straight into my HDTV and the sound is currently from my TV. However, I also have a surround sound system for 5.1 sound.

The question I have is, what is the best way to get the HD signal/picture still sent to my HDTV yet also get the surround sound through my surround sound system?

I have the Samsung Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6830888&type=product&id=1091101853964

My tv is the Sony Grand WEGA 50" Widescreen Digital-Cable-Ready Rear-Projection LCD HDTV http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6784474&type=product&id=1089890509997

Thanks.

 

[PhillyOTA]

From the link you provided, the only way to hook-up an external sound processor is through the optical Dolby Digital output.

Eddie

 

[jbcheshire]

Can you explain a little further?
I forgot to mention that the surround sound receiver is by JVC RX-6022VSL. It was part of a home theater package http://books.jvcservice.com/download/260597235/27325.pdf

thanks.

 

[PhillyOTA]

I can't see your pdf link right now. If your JVC has an optical input, hook up an optic cable between your TV optical out to your JVC optical in.

1 wire and you are done with the connection.

Eddie

 

[jbcheshire]

I see what you are saying on the sound between the receiver and the tv and it does have an optical link. However, I am concerned with where the feed from my OTA antenna should be plugged into so that I keep the true/original hd/digital picture? Is it possible to split the signal from the antenna so that for the picture i send one cable to the tv and the other cable goes to the receiver to get the surround sound???

 

[PhillyOTA]

Leave everything as it is and ADD the optical cable. It only carries audio.

Eddie

 

[jbcheshire]

How does the sound get TO the receiver for the OTA stations?

 

[PhillyOTA]

From the TV optical output, through the optical cable, in through the optical input on your surround receiver.

Don't worry, you are overthinking this!

Eddie

 

[TuxCoder]

Right, PhillyOTA is correct above.

I see your confusion, but all that's happening is when you tune your TV to a digital OTA channel (HD from antenna), the sound from that channel is also being made available out of the optical digital audio port on the TV.

In fact, you have almost the same TV as I do. My 50" Grand Wega is the KDF-E50A10 but I assume their features are similar enough. I'm pretty sure I remember reading in the manual that the optical digital audio output is only 'active' when you're using the ATSC tuner. In other words, if watching one of the [many] A/V inputs, or if tuned to an analog station (i.e. cable channel or analog OTA), there will be no sound from that port. I notice the 'laser' is still on but there's probably no audio data. But when watching HD from a directly connected antenna, which is what you're interested in, you'll have sound going to your audio receiver. (I don't use that port personally, since my connections are quite complicated; I'm not even using the TV's ATSC tuner... but I've got all my OTA HD with DD 5.1 still )

BTW, to try to clarify more of your questions above, the audio receiver is just getting audio data from the TV as explained above, and playing (& amplifying etc.) it. It doesn't know or care where it came from, and does not need to do any HD tuning or anything on its own.

 

[jbcheshire]

Ah, the light's starting to come on... haha..
So, my tv will pass the sound back to the receiver to distribute to the 5.1 speakers?? And it is passing all five of the sound back to the receiver without losing any? wow, didn't realize that...

I will have to check all of this out when i get home today.
Thanks!

 

[TuxCoder]

Yes, all six channels of audio--5 'directional' speakers + LFE (subwoofer)--are contained within the one digital stream.

 

[jbcheshire]

Great!!!
I was wanting to catch the Rams tonight on MNF and wanted to have the surround sound with it to hear those fans behind me!!!!

 

[Kevinw]

Just to clarify..
Your TV antenna conects to your TV. -and your audio connects from your TV using an optical cable to your surround sound receiver.

 

[sdallnct]

Great!!!
I was wanting to catch the Rams tonight on MNF and wanted to have the surround sound with it to hear those fans behind me!!!!

I watched last weeks MNF in HD thru my Voom box (last weekend was my 1st weekend with HD). My Voom box works just like your TV, the RF from the antenna goes to the RF IN on the Voom box, I then use the optical audio out on the Voom box, to the optical audio IN on my Surround receiver. (I also have to mess with video, but you don't).

Pretty good sound and does add another dimension. You will enjoy it!

 

[jbcheshire]

Hey guys, thanks for the input!
I was able to move things around last night and it was Great!!!!
Now, i have another issue to resolve... LOL.

I only have one digital audio input and one optical audio input, but I have three pieces of hardware that I want get surround sound from... 1) OTA, 2) DVD player, 3) dish 508 dvr. The A/V reciever does have inputs for doing a 5.1 surround from my DVD player, so should I downgrade my dvd player from the digital audio input to the 5.1 surround and move my 508 dvr into the digital audio? Or, did i miss something and the TV will pass the surround sound to the A/V for the 508 like it does for my OTA antenna using the Optical audio???

 

[TuxCoder]

Hey guys, thanks for the input!
I was able to move things around last night and it was Great!!!!

Cool, glad to hear of your success.

No offense, but the following is a little unclear...

I only have one digital audio input and one optical audio input, but I have three pieces of hardware that I want get surround sound from...

Do you mean one coax digital audio (single RCA) and one optical digital audio? I'll assume so for now.

1) OTA, 2) DVD player, 3) dish 508 dvr.

What style(s) of digital output do each of those support (coax and/or optical)? Remember, coax digital audio is a single RCA connector, not the white/red L/R analog RCA connectors. Coax digital audio (called S/PDIF) is usually orange or black. BTW, optical is usually called TOSLink. Both ultimately put out the same thing though.

The A/V reciever does have inputs for doing a 5.1 surround from my DVD player

...again, coax or optical?

so should I downgrade my dvd player from the digital audio input to the 5.1 surround and move my 508 dvr into the digital audio?

5.1 surround is digital audio...

Or, did i miss something and the TV will pass the surround sound to the A/V for the 508 like it does for my OTA antenna using the Optical audio???

No, the 508 will still need directly connected to the A/V receiver, like the DVD player. As I mentioned above, if your Grand Wega is like mine, the digital audio output is only active when viewing ATSC digital/HD OTA stuff using the TV's built-in tuner. Besides, you would have to have the 508's audio going through an analog audio connection to the TV in the first place to do that...

What you'll eventually end up with is your TV, DVD player, and 508 all connecting to the A/V receiver. Depending on what the supported connections are among all those, you will probably need to add a switch of some type and possibly some coax-optical adapter. I use a 4-way rotary optical switch I got on clearance (new) from Radio Shack for $10 and it works perfectly.

 

[jbcheshire]

Tux,
Sorry I wasn't clear, but you did guess mostly right on everything I had.
The inputs for the 5.1 surround on my A/V from the DVD player are the RCA (red/white) ones. So, i have like 10-12 plugs.... The A/V in addition has one Coax digital audio (orange) and one TOSLink connections.

So, it sounds like I need that coax-optical adapter you mentioned. Does it have a specific name I should look for?

Thanks.

 

[hancox]

the analog connections aren't really a "downgrade" per se, just "different"

Most people who have SACD or DVD-Audio players are forced to use these, as digital connections for those formats are either expensive or not compatable.

 

[jbcheshire]

When I use the multiple (8, 10, 12,...) analog connections, am I still getting audio comparable to the digital format stated as being dolby digital?

 

[Carl B]

When you use the red and white RCA plug wires for audio, it's just analog stereo sound, not DD anything. You need the coax or optical digital cables to get DD sound. Check your A/V receiver manual. You may have another digital connection available w/ a different input tag on it. Most digital connections on A/V receivers are optical.