Help connecting my basement HT

[bigsez]

I decided to do my own home theatre in a basement project-- I've read everywhere and am still having trouble trying to figure this out--

i have : sony str-dg1100 receiver
2 polk rc85i in-wall speakers
2 polk rc80i ceiling speakers
1 sony center channel and 1 sony subwoofer model#sa-w3000

I ran all individual speaker runs to the 5 speakers to the area where my reciver is going to be for the speaker hookup-- i also ran the subwoofer cable from my receiver to my sub-- is this correct?

also i am gonna feed my tv via hdmi, then i wanted to feed my receiver hdmi for ps3-- then i have a dvd player which i was going to hook up composite to my receiver, cd player to my reciver (not sure how to hook it up)an ipod dock to my receiver. I want all of this to go through my surround sound -- I dont know exactly if i did this correct or if i am totally off-- any help will be greatly appreciated-- i am lost and i never knew that stereo hookups was this complicated-- i thought it was going to be easy--

does everything go through the receiver and thats how i do it-- or do i have to wire all the ports in my tv(plasma 50in panasonic) to my receiver and switch the inputs through my receiver-- please help-- thanks a million for anyone who reads and can offer any help!!!

[bigsez]

just in-case i didnt explain to well-- i am remodeling my basement and building a bar-- i got 2 boards of drywall left to put up just so i can run all my wires to the spot of the bar where my receiver will be-- thats where i am at-- once again thnaks

[eugovector]

Wire everything to run through your receiver, even if that's not the easiest way to do it now, in the future when all you sources have audio over HDMI, you'll be glad you wired it that way. Also, start thinking about future proofing now that you have access to the wires. Fun more than you need, make sure you've got cat 5e for networking, and leave a pull wire there as well.

[salvasol]

bigsez wrote:

just in-case i didnt explain to well-- i am remodeling my basement and building a bar-- i got 2 boards of drywall left to put up just so i can run all my wires to the spot of the bar where my receiver will be-- thats where i am at-- once again thnaks

First, Welcome to the forum

Some people connect through the receiver and others (like me) connect all video signals directly to TV and audio to receiver ... the advantage is that, if I don't want to use the receiver to watch a regular program (news, etc.) I don't need to turn on the receiver ...

If you're installing the wires through the walls and you wont have acces to them in the future, What Marshall told you is your best option

I suggest you to use either of the following cables when making connections (this will depend on your equipment, but most have this options): for video HDMI is the best, then Component, then S video and last option Composite (yellow cable) and for Audio HDMI first, then Optical or Coaxial and last option Composite (Red and White cables)

[bigsez]

so basically i am running hdmi from my cable box to my receiver then to my tv-- then hdmi into my receiver for my dvd player-- then hdmi for ps3-- that is all of my ports on my receiver for hdmi-- what would i run optical cables for?

sorry to ask such dumb questions but i am totally confused on this subject--

so if i run all video to my tv--how do i wire my recveiver-- and which way is better?


thanks guys for the replies i do appreciate

[bigsez]

cat53 i have run for mi data( fios network) what else would the cat 5 be for?

[salvasol]

If youre using HDMI for all your connections you don't need anything else (as you described DVD, Cable and PS3 to receiver and from receiver to TV)

You only need Optical or Coaxial cables to your receiver if you connect your components to TV using HDMI's ... but in your case you won't

I just mentioned the different kinds of cables when I read that you were using component to connect your DVD

... then i have a dvd player which i was going to hook up composite to my receiver, cd player to my reciver (not sure how to hook it up) ...

Sorry for the confussion ... ... Feel free to ask anything, there's always somebody here to help us (Don't think is a dumb question, We asked the same when we started in this hobby )