Advice please on connecting TV and PS3 to Sorround Sound System using TOSLink cables.

JoeyF · 18th April 2008, 12:27

Hi,

Please could I ask for your help.

I have my TV connected to my 5.1 sorround sound DVD system, currently with a HDMI Lead for video and a fibre optic TOSLink cable for audio.

I then bought a PS3

for playing Blu ray DVD's on (and games of course).

I would like to connect my PS3 to the sorround sound system in the same way as my TV, only trouble with that is that my sorround sound system only has 1 digital audio input.

Short of swapping over the cable every time I want to watch TV or watch a Blu ray DVD I was wondering if you guys have any solutions

Thanks in advance
Joe.

TTDegs · 18th April 2008, 14:27

Hi Joe

Are you saying that your TV connects to the surround with a TOSLink?
Ie your TV outputs 5.1?

And am I right in guessing you have an all in one home cinema system that includes a DVD player - and this is the thing with only 1 TOSlink input?

And I'm guessing (again) that your TV doesn't have TOSlink IN, only out?

TTDegs · 18th April 2008, 14:30

done a quick google

Keene Electronics
Maplin> TOSLINK
Amazon.co.uk: Ex-Pro Optical TOSlink SPDIF Splitter - Plus 2 x 1m Optical cables - Value Pack: Electronics & Photo

JoeyF · 18th April 2008, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTDegs

Hi Joe

Are you saying that your TV connects to the surround with a TOSLink?
Ie your TV outputs 5.1?

And am I right in guessing you have an all in one home cinema system that includes a DVD player - and this is the thing with only 1 TOSlink input?

And I'm guessing (again) that your TV doesn't have TOSlink IN, only out?

H TT,

My TV is connected to the home Cinema via a TOSLink but it is not 5.1, I only listen in stereo (Speakers on the TV don't sound as good as the home cinema.)

It is a home cinema with a DVD player, and it only has one TOSlink input.

And the TV only has 1 x output and no input.

I have seen splitters on the web, but I am unsure how this will work as both the sound from the TV and the PS3 will be travelling down the same fibre optic once it passes the splitter, or does the splitter stop this from happening?

Joe

TTDegs · 18th April 2008, 16:26

Cool... ish

If you use the toslink from your TV, when your TV is making sound, it will go down the toslink cable to the splitter.

If you then tune your TV to the PS3, and have no sound output from the PS3 to the TV then the TV won't have anything to send down the toslink

Instead, the sound will be going out of the PS3 to the splitter, and then on to the surround sound system

It will cause a problem if both your PS3 and your TV are trying to output sound at the same time - a switched toslink splitter would get round that, but a) they cost more, and b) you would have to get up to switch the switch!

2 other things to note - I'm not sure if the HDMI cable carries sound (or if it's 5.1) - I use a HDMI to DVI convertor on my TV (no HDMI)

The PS3 can (apparently) only output sound on either toslink or RCA - not both at the same time. dunno why, but read it in the manual.

Final point - I've not tried any of this, as I have a different setup, but at £5 for a splitter it might be worth a punt

Bungle · 18th April 2008, 22:50

TT pretty much has it (oh, and hasn't accepted me as a freind yet on the PS3

)
The best way to output the sound from a PS3 is through it's HDMI. It is the best audo output you can use, and can handle 7.1 channel uncompressed sound, which digital optical can't.

What I cannot understand is why out have your TV connected to your DVD/amp combo with an optical lead. I am guessing it's for watching TV broadcasts (or sky/cable) and getting the sound through your home cinema amp.
Most TVs have RCA outputs for audio (red and white phono jacks) and I will be shocked if your amp cannot accept that for the sound from the TV. That seems to me like your best bet.
If your TV does not have RCA out (and as it has TOSlink out i really would be supprised), can your sky/cable/freeview output directly to your amp with the RCA plugs, completely removing your TV from the equation, making your screen purely a monitor that handles no sound.
That way, your PS3 gets to output to your amp in 5.1 goodness, and you will still get good quality stereo sound watching TV.

Splitters are not the way to go. Ever.

TTDegs · 19th April 2008, 00:05

off topic (sorry!) - TTDegs has yet to suss out PS friend requests - sending or receiving...

JoeyF · 20th April 2008, 09:49

Thanks for the replies guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bungle

TT pretty much has it (oh, and hasn't accepted me as a freind yet on the PS3

)
The best way to output the sound from a PS3 is through it's HDMI. It is the best audo output you can use, and can handle 7.1 channel uncompressed sound, which digital optical can't.

That's what I thought although the DVD/amp dosent have a HDMI input!
As I only have 5.1 anyway the optical lead is a great alternative.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bungle

What I cannot understand is why out have your TV connected to your DVD/amp combo with an optical lead. I am guessing it's for watching TV broadcasts (or sky/cable) and getting the sound through your home cinema amp.

You're spot on! The TV has built in freeview, I thought I have an amp which accepts an optical lead why not use it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bungle

Most TVs have RCA outputs for audio (red and white phono jacks) and I will be shocked if your amp cannot accept that for the sound from the TV. That seems to me like your best bet.
If your TV does not have RCA out (and as it has TOSlink out i really would be supprised), can your sky/cable/freeview output directly to your amp with the RCA plugs, completely removing your TV from the equation, making your screen purely a monitor that handles no sound.
That way, your PS3 gets to output to your amp in 5.1 goodness, and you will still get good quality stereo sound watching TV.

Splitters are not the way to go. Ever.

Both my TV and amp have Phono sockets, but I thought this was "old hat" technology compared to the TOSLink option, hence why I went for that which worked really well the sound was great. The amp only has one TOSLink input hence my problem.

The phono sounds like a good option and I think I might go down that route.

Just out of curiosity have you had dealings with splitters before?

Bungle · 20th April 2008, 16:31

As the saying goes, any chain/system is only as good as it's weakest link.
As long as you use descent quality cables, there is absolutly nothing wrong with normal phono style interconnects. Whatever you do, though, don't use the ones that you get with equipment, there are really terrible.
Splitters are generally very poor in quality, and can tend to introduce signal reduction or noise into the equation. I have used splitters before, and they are a poor solution to having too many bits of kit to connect to an amp!
Your PS3 is a lovely bit of AV kit, and deserves priority as far as cabling goes. The freeview tuner on your TV will not be making full use of the optical cable, and will sound just as good through a medium quality interconnect.

18th April 2008, 12:27	#1 (permalink)
JoeyF Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 23rd October 2006 Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire Posts: 373 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Advice please on connecting TV and PS3 to Sorround Sound System using TOSLink cables. Hi, Please could I ask for your help. I have my TV connected to my 5.1 sorround sound DVD system, currently with a HDMI Lead for video and a fibre optic TOSLink cable for audio. I then bought a PS3 for playing Blu ray DVD's on (and games of course). I would like to connect my PS3 to the sorround sound system in the same way as my TV, only trouble with that is that my sorround sound system only has 1 digital audio input. Short of swapping over the cable every time I want to watch TV or watch a Blu ray DVD I was wondering if you guys have any solutions Thanks in advance Joe.

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This thread is about: Advice please on connecting TV and PS3 to Sorround Sound System using TOSLink cables., it's in Any non Civic chat here please! at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; Hi, Please could I ask for your help. I have my TV connected to my 5.1 sorround sound DVD system, currently with a HDMI Lead ...

18th April 2008, 14:27	#2 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Joe Are you saying that your TV connects to the surround with a TOSLink? Ie your TV outputs 5.1? And am I right in guessing you have an all in one home cinema system that includes a DVD player - and this is the thing with only 1 TOSlink input? And I'm guessing (again) that your TV doesn't have TOSlink IN, only out?

18th April 2008, 14:30	#3 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	done a quick google Keene Electronics Maplin> TOSLINK Amazon.co.uk: Ex-Pro Optical TOSlink SPDIF Splitter - Plus 2 x 1m Optical cables - Value Pack: Electronics & Photo

18th April 2008, 16:26	#5 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cool... ish If you use the toslink from your TV, when your TV is making sound, it will go down the toslink cable to the splitter. If you then tune your TV to the PS3, and have no sound output from the PS3 to the TV then the TV won't have anything to send down the toslink Instead, the sound will be going out of the PS3 to the splitter, and then on to the surround sound system It will cause a problem if both your PS3 and your TV are trying to output sound at the same time - a switched toslink splitter would get round that, but a) they cost more, and b) you would have to get up to switch the switch! 2 other things to note - I'm not sure if the HDMI cable carries sound (or if it's 5.1) - I use a HDMI to DVI convertor on my TV (no HDMI) The PS3 can (apparently) only output sound on either toslink or RCA - not both at the same time. dunno why, but read it in the manual. Final point - I've not tried any of this, as I have a different setup, but at £5 for a splitter it might be worth a punt

18th April 2008, 22:50	#6 (permalink)
Bungle Rocketship door handle Join Date: 3rd July 2006 Location: SE London/Kent Posts: 1,217 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	TT pretty much has it (oh, and hasn't accepted me as a freind yet on the PS3 ) The best way to output the sound from a PS3 is through it's HDMI. It is the best audo output you can use, and can handle 7.1 channel uncompressed sound, which digital optical can't. What I cannot understand is why out have your TV connected to your DVD/amp combo with an optical lead. I am guessing it's for watching TV broadcasts (or sky/cable) and getting the sound through your home cinema amp. Most TVs have RCA outputs for audio (red and white phono jacks) and I will be shocked if your amp cannot accept that for the sound from the TV. That seems to me like your best bet. If your TV does not have RCA out (and as it has TOSlink out i really would be supprised), can your sky/cable/freeview output directly to your amp with the RCA plugs, completely removing your TV from the equation, making your screen purely a monitor that handles no sound. That way, your PS3 gets to output to your amp in 5.1 goodness, and you will still get good quality stereo sound watching TV. Splitters are not the way to go. Ever.

19th April 2008, 00:05	#7 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	off topic (sorry!) - TTDegs has yet to suss out PS friend requests - sending or receiving...

20th April 2008, 16:31	#9 (permalink)
Bungle Rocketship door handle Join Date: 3rd July 2006 Location: SE London/Kent Posts: 1,217 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	As the saying goes, any chain/system is only as good as it's weakest link. As long as you use descent quality cables, there is absolutly nothing wrong with normal phono style interconnects. Whatever you do, though, don't use the ones that you get with equipment, there are really terrible. Splitters are generally very poor in quality, and can tend to introduce signal reduction or noise into the equation. I have used splitters before, and they are a poor solution to having too many bits of kit to connect to an amp! Your PS3 is a lovely bit of AV kit, and deserves priority as far as cabling goes. The freeview tuner on your TV will not be making full use of the optical cable, and will sound just as good through a medium quality interconnect.