Blu-ray connection to home theatre

[murphs76]

Hi,
I currently have a Panasonic Viera Full-HD Plasma (TH-50PZ80A) and a Panasonic home theatre system (SC-PT850W) connected to each other via HDMI cable. The home theatre receiver does NOT have a HDMI In socket.

What is the best (or only) way to connect a Blu-ray player (quite possibly Panasonic DMP-BD60) to my current set-up? Do I just connect directly to the TV's second HDMI input and then rely on RCA cables running from the TV to the AUX ports on the home theatre's receiver? And, if so, do I lose much in audio quality?

Sorry for the long question!

Thanks,
Murphs76

[cembros]

connect the player to the tv via hdmi for video and audio through the tv speakers, and an optical spdif cable from the player to the receiver for audio

[SlmShdy1]

You will lose quality as far as the new HD audio codecs go. You can do as cembros suggested and use an optical cable. This will only give you 5.1 surround with Dolby Digital and DTS tracks. Using RCA cables would just give you 2.0. Using either one won't give you the ability to listen to TrueHD, DTS-HD, or Uncompressed PCM so HD audio is out of the question (unless you're okay with 2.0).

[cembros]

Originally Posted by SlmShdy1

You will lose quality as far as the new HD audio codecs go. You can do as cembros suggested and use an optical cable. This will only give you 5.1 surround with Dolby Digital and DTS tracks. Using RCA cables would just give you 2.0. Using either one won't give you the ability to listen to TrueHD, DTS-HD, or Uncompressed PCM so HD audio is out of the question (unless you're okay with 2.0).

yes this is true, but with his setup the setup i explained will give the best results possible. Just a quick question though the analoge inputs on the back of the receiver are only 2 ch (one red and one white) and not 5.1 ch right

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by cembros

yes this is true, but with his setup the setup i explained will give the best results possible. Just a quick question though the analoge inputs on the back of the receiver are only 2 ch (one red and one white) and not 5.1 ch right

I am not familiar with the Blu-ray player mentioned, but I don't think it would allow you to send two channel audio both through the HDMI out to the TV and the RCA out to the receiver.

And yes, the red/white RCA cables are only two channel. You need optical, digital coax, analog surround or HDMI to send surround sound.

[murphs76]

OK, it seems that I will have to put up with 2 channel sound for the time being.
There is a more expensive unit that has 7.1 channel analog outputs.
I think it's either go the more expensive one or invest in a receiver with an HDMI input.

Thanks for your help!

[squirrel101]

i'm not sure about the panny but for my liv. room i use fiber optic out of my samsung for the audio , anything connected to the tv's audio is then sent to the receiver digitally.