NEWBIE.. HELP Blu Ray/Wii Installation

[fabulosity]

Hey guys!!

HELP! I have a professionally mounted LCD 46" JVC TV in my living room. All the wires are inside the wall and they made a little plug behind it to. When it was mounted; it was just attached to the cable box and the DVD player.. (I know really nothing about this kind of stuff).. however the guy who mounted it sold me a "monster" cable for $115 in addition to the mounting. I know I got ripped.. so I am trying to be proactive this time. Now I have a new Blue Ray player.. Sony S550 that I need to be integrated, as well as a Wii. We have the Wii in the office now as that is the only TV where the inputs were exposed (all of our TV's are mounted). My fiancee knows less about this stuff than I do.. so theres no help there. We want to put the Wii and the BR player on the JVC.

What cables do I need to buy? I know the BR's need an HDMI cable.. can I use the one that I have from the DVD player..but I'm thinking maybe the "monster" cable is attached to the cable box for HD.. What's the best cable I should get? I found a place HDPI.us that has pretty cheap cables. Are these legit? Do I have to get another cable for the Wii or can they ones it came with work? They were only 3 bucks on this site so I was going to get a 3ft one..just in case the other one wasn't long enough.

Guys I'm such a newbie. Please help me.. And I apologize for all of the questions. Please offer any suggestions too.. that would make our viewing better. I just get mad that I can't do this stuff myself.. We're paying $105 for someone to come out to do this because we don't want to reck the tv or damage it because its mounted. But I'll be darned if they get me for some more money that I don't have to spend; which is why I want to have all the cables already.

Thanks guys!

[kpkelley]

Do you have a receiver that the television is hooked up to or does the audio come only from the television speakers?

[jasontkelley1746]

as far as the Wii, the cables they gave you will work fine. For the blu-ray player you will want to hook up an hdmi cable from the blu-ray play into one of the hdmi inputs on the tv. What kind of monster cable did he sell you? and yes you did get ripped off. majorly!

[gearyt]

sounds like you have everything directly wired... no receiver
my secret is to tape a wire onto an existing cable,
pull it out,
tape on the new wire,
and pull back in...
wa la,, new wire in hole


good luck
geary

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

Do you have a receiver that the television is hooked up to or does the audio come only from the television speakers?

Nope..we're simple folks around here. Only from the television speakers.

[DeadDog]

Get your cables from monoprice.com

Everyone here swears by them and they are very high quality. You definitely want an hdmi cable for the blu-ray player, and I would suggest component cables for the Wii. The composite cable it comes with is o.k. but you'll get a better picture by using component cables. These can also be found at monoprice.com

Wii cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

HDMI cables:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/se...E&keyword=hdmi

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by jasontkelley1746

as far as the Wii, the cables they gave you will work fine. For the blu-ray player you will want to hook up an hdmi cable from the blu-ray play into one of the hdmi inputs on the tv. What kind of monster cable did he sell you? and yes you did get ripped off. majorly!

Thanks! I was thinking it was such a short distance that they should work but the cord on that site was only 3.52 so I was thinking I would buy one just in case we ever needed a longer one.

I've been reading the thread on cables and I feel like I got straight raped! I fell victim to all the stuff the people in that post said.. heard the brand name monster.. was my first time with HD.. so after he hooked it up.. we were in awe of the colors.. but any cord would have done that. Oh well. That was two years ago and I don't even know what kind of cord it is..other than "monster".. The "monster" that stole my money! He got over on us big time .. he probably purchased it from monoprice. We had him do all of our TV's..which look flawless... but seriously.. we could've saved some money.

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by gearyt

sounds like you have everything directly wired... no receiver
my secret is to tape a wire onto an existing cable,
pull it out,
tape on the new wire,
and pull back in...
wa la,, new wire in hole


good luck
geary

Thanks! You guys really rock here. I like it.. Maybe I'll learn something about blu rays. I've been fascinated reading here for the last hour.

One more question.. do I need anything to access the Blu Ray live stuff.. like how can I get it? I think the S550 comes with it. Can it not go on wireless (I think I read that in some post). We have a wifi connection, but I think I read that this has to be hard plugged to router? Well the router is going to be upstairs and the BR downstairs. Same thing with the Wii.. we just got it for Xmas so we haven't gone online yet; but I bought a lan adapter that I probably should be taking back because it won't work on separate floors..

This is probably an easy question for one of you smart people. How can I get the Wii to recognize my wifi connection?

And again thanks so much! I am so happy right now..

[kpkelley]

Do you know what model television it is?

How many hdmi inputs?
What cables are you using to connect the other devices to the television?
The bracket in the wall for the wires, is it a plug style or hole style?

For your cables you can go to monoprice.com they have excellent cables and great prices. To connect the Blu-ray player you should use an hdmi cable if there is a port open. If not, then you could use a set of component video cables and an optical audio cable. The wii has a special adapter for it's video and audio output, as such you must purchase wii specific cables. I believe it comes with a composite video cable and two analog audio cables. You could upgrade that to a component cable.


As for your wifi question, no the S550 can't do wifi. However you can connect it to a wireless network via a media bridge. What it does is creates a wireless receiver of sorts for your hard wired components, so they can be connected to a wireless network. If you remember the company that makes your wireless router perhaps we can suggest the compatible bridge.

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by DeadDog

Get your cables from monoprice.com

Everyone here swears by them and they are very high quality. You definitely want an hdmi cable for the blu-ray player, and I would suggest component cables for the Wii. The composite cable it comes with is o.k. but you'll get a better picture by using component cables. These can also be found at monoprice.com

Wii cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

HDMI cables:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/se...E&keyword=hdmi

Thanks! I am so getting the component cables for the wii and a pink skin for my controller and nunchuk too... lol.. For 1.36, I couldn't pass it up. I appreciate the link.

Now the HDMI cables.. this is the one I was going to get was the 6ft one which looks like they're out.. I guess I can get the 10ft, but it's a really short distance and I'm not trying to hide all that cord under the console. Also..since it is going "in wall" do I need to get the "in wall" one or it doesn't matter?

[gearyt]

6' for an in-wall connection is really short
you will probably be happier with the 10'
you can leave the excess in the wall

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

Do you know what model television it is?

How many hdmi inputs?
What cables are you using to connect the other devices to the television?
The bracket in the wall for the wires, is it a plug style or hole style?

For your cables you can go to monoprice.com they have excellent cables and great prices. To connect the Blu-ray player you should use an hdmi cable if there is a port open. If not, then you could use a set of component video cables and an optical audio cable. The wii has a special adapter for it's video and audio output, as such you must purchase wii specific cables. I believe it comes with a composite video cable and two analog audio cables. You could upgrade that to a component cable.


As for your wifi question, no the S550 can't do wifi. However you can connect it to a wireless network via a media bridge. What it does is creates a wireless receiver of sorts for your hard wired components, so they can be connected to a wireless network. If you remember the company that makes your wireless router perhaps we can suggest the compatible bridge.

I think it has more than one HDMI input back there.. I'm going to go try find the same model on the net to see. Because if its only one I'm screwed right because that needs to go the cable (which we watch more of) to make it HD right.

The other devices are just with regular red/white/yellow (do you guys call them optical?) cords that came with it. Sidebar: Is there a need to keep the old DVD player hooked up? The BR should be able to upscale all DVDs right; there wouldn't be a "DVD" that wouldn't we be able to watch on there. Therefore, no need to keep the old school plugged and connected or is there?

Since they're so cheap, I'm going to order all of the cords that you suggested.. just in case we don't have an HDMI port open back there. I can't see back there.

We have a linkysys Rangeplus wireless router.. I was looking for the model number, but guess I threw the box away.

OMG, thanks so much.

[fabulosity]

http://www.amazon.com/JVC-LT40X776-4.../dp/B000A7FTOA

This one looks like our TV; but ours is bigger.. and I read that it only has ONE HDMI input...

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by gearyt

6' for an in-wall connection is really short
you will probably be happier with the 10'
you can leave the excess in the wall

Thanks, I will get the 10 ft one.. which is good because it is available! The shorter one is sold out.

[kpkelley]

Here are two wireless bridges that should work: wireless g wireless n.

You should use the monoprice cable and see if the installer guy will buy back the monster one. Perhaps this whole thing can result in a net positive

[fabulosity]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

Here are two wireless bridges that should work: wireless g wireless n.

You should use the monoprice cable and see if the installer guy will buy back the monster one. Perhaps this whole thing can result in a net positive

LOL. Yeah right.. maybe I should sell it to him at a steal of $75!
You really don't know how this made my day. Now another question, can the Wii get on wifi?

ETA: Thanks for the router info, I think I am going to go with the 2nd one as a reviewer has posted dummy details on how to get it to work...lol!

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by fabulosity

LOL. Yeah right.. maybe I should sell it to him at a steal of $75!
You really don't know how this made my day. Now another question, can the Wii get on wifi?

ETA: Thanks for the router info, I think I am going to go with the 2nd one as a reviewer has posted dummy details on how to get it to work...lol!

The wii can be connected via lan to the same bridge. The second is wireless N, while the first i wireless G. The second will work with all wireless standards(b,g,or n), but you don't need it if you only have a wireless g router.

[fabulosity]

K.. this is my shopping bag from monoprice.. want to make sure I got the right one of everything.. So I'm getting the wii cables, hdmi cables (2) just in case, and the alternative hook up with the composite cables if indeed there is only one HDMI input.

3566 6FT Nintendo Wii Audio Video ED Component Cable - White $3.52 $3.52

2770 PREMIUM 12FT 3-RCA Component Video Coaxial RG-6 18AWG 75Ohm CL2 Rated Cable $13.42 $13.42

3490 Nintendo Wii Audio Video ED Component Cable $3.52 $3.52

5136 High Speed HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Certified Cable 28AWG - 10ft (Gold Plated Connectors) - BLACK
(Limit 40 per Customer) $4.69 $9.38

1419 6FT Optical Toslink Cable
(Limit 6 per Customer) $2.14 $2.14

3497 Nintendo Wii Remote Control Nunchuck Silicone Skin - Pink $1.36 $1.36

3494 Nintendo Wii Remote Control Nunchuck Silicone Skin - Black $1.36 $1.36

[CptGreedle]

You can buy component cable cheap for the Wii (5 connectors at one end: red, green, blu, left audio white, right audio red) to get slightly better image, but usually the provided cable will work fine. Just be sure you adjust it for widescreen.

You should only need 1 Wii component cable. If you get HDMI, you do not need anything else for the Blu-ray player.

Your cart should have 1 Wii cable, 1 (or 2) HDMI cable(s), and any accessories for the Wii. The Wii remote comes with a skin that is pretty nice, so you don't need to buy another one unless you like a specific style. If yours doesn't have one, you can get one free from Nintendo.

[matthewrounds]

High Speed HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Certified Cable 28AWG - 10ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated Connectors) - BLACK

These are the ones just below the ones in your order are what I usually purchase. They are temporarily out of stock. I am not sure of the difference, maybe someone else can comment.