First Purchase(s) and a Question ....

[indianajdp]

First of all, I've waited a long time and finally made the plunge into the world of Blu-Ray. I feel like I've time-warped back to 1999 when I first started adding DVDs to my home theatre library.

Anyway, I tok advantage of Amazon's most recent offer and ordered Pearl Harbor, Meet the Robinsons, and 300, and today I purchased Invincible and Santa Claus 3 for the kids, so the library has started.

The bigger purchase was a Sony Laptop (VGN-AR600) with a built-in Blu-Ray player. I'm not at all technilogically saavy enough to fiure this out on my own, so I figured this would be a great place to ask for some direction.
1. Can I run this player through our receiver to play Blu-ray discs on our Samsung HD set?
2. If so, is all I need something as simple as a component cable? If so, which one?

We are in the midst of setting up the laptop right now, so I can post more specifics about the system later if needed. I'm glad to finally be joining the BD age and even happier I found this forum!

Receiver: Yamaha HTR-5650
TV: Samsung HP-R4272

[nhaase]

I could not find your laptop model, what is the specific model number? I could only find the AR600 series. The best option for playback on a TV is if your laptop has an HDMI output, does it? If so, you can plug that in to your TV, but the sound will only be through the TV speakers.

A few questions for you:
What all outputs does your laptop have (specifically, does it have HDMI)?
Do you have a receiver with an HDMI input?
If so, does your receiver accept audio through HDMI, or just video?
Does your TV have an HDMI input?

Once we know more about your hardware setup, we can help you more.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by indianajdp

First of all, I've waited a long time and finally made the plunge into the world of Blu-Ray. I feel like I've time-warped back to 1999 when I first started adding DVDs to my home theatre library.

Anyway, I tok advantage of Amazon's most recent offer and ordered Pearl Harbor, Meet the Robinsons, and 300, and today I purchased Invincible and Santa Claus 3 for the kids, so the library has started.

The bigger purchase was a Sony Laptop (VGN-AR600) with a built-in Blu-Ray player. I'm not at all technilogically saavy enough to fiure this out on my own, so I figured this would be a great place to ask for some direction.
1. Can I run this player through our receiver to play Blu-ray discs on our Samsung HD set?
2. If so, is all I need something as simple as a component cable? If so, which one?

We are in the midst of setting up the laptop right now, so I can post more specifics about the system later if needed. I'm glad to finally be joining the BD age and even happier I found this forum!

Your laptop has an HDMI output, so just connect it to your Samsung TV's HDMI input and you're home free. Or connect the laptop to an HDMI input on a receiver and connect that receiver to your Samsung TV via HDMI as well.

[nhaase]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Your laptop has an HDMI output, so just connect it to your Samsung TV's HDMI input and you're home free. Or connect the laptop to an HDMI input on a receiver and connect that receiver to your Samsung TV via HDMI as well.

The only problem w/ doing HDMI directly to the TV is not getting the surround sound.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by nhaase

The only problem w/ doing HDMI directly to the TV is not getting the surround sound.

Yeah I know. That's why I offered the second option. I'm pretty sure that laptop can do both audio and video through HDMI, so he could plug the laptop into the HDMI input of a receiver (HDMI switching capable receiver) and the HDMI output of the receiver into the HDMI input of the television.

[indianajdp]

Originally Posted by nhaase

The only problem w/ doing HDMI directly to the TV is not getting the surround sound.

My concern as well...so going through the receiver is the way to go.
Do I need a specific cable for that?

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by indianajdp

My concern as well...so going through the receiver is the way to go.
Do I need a specific cable for that?

Yes, an HDMI cable. It does both audio and video in one cable.

[indianajdp]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Yes, an HDMI cable. It does both audio and video in one cable.

Thank you both!

I'm off to Fry's this afternoon to pick up some things, so this will be one more addition to the basket!

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by indianajdp

Thank you both!

I'm off to Fry's this afternoon to pick up some things, so this will be one more addition to the basket!

I hope you have a receiver that is capable of switching both audio and video through HDMI. Otherwise there is no point in getting the extra cable.

[indianajdp]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

I hope you have a receiver that is capable of switching both audio and video through HDMI. Otherwise there is no point in getting the extra cable.

Ughhh...anyway of knowing that beforehand?

[gvortex7]

I just noticed that you edited your original post with the receiver info. I'm sorry to tell you, but that Yamaha receiver won't do. If you want to full Blu-ray experience (both high quality audio as well as video) you'll need to upgrade that receiver as well. The cheapest and best option for entry level is the Onkyo TX-SR605 which you can get online or at Fry's for $400 or less.

[indianajdp]

Thanks again...I had hoped that would not be the case. Oh well, looks like I'll be making a purchase aftre the Holidays and hope I can pick one up a bit cheaper during those after-the-holidays specials.

[nhaase]

If you have an optical out on the computer, or an external sound card which has an optical output, you can get the surround sound from that while having the HDMI go to your TV.

[gvortex7]

Or just use the audio out on the laptop and you can get up to Dolby Digital 5.1 surround if you have a good 5.1 pc speaker set. You won't get lossless sound that way though.

[RichardBlank]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Yes, an HDMI cable. It does both audio and video in one cable.

Good advice. Thanks.