# Audio surround sound from RCA connections?



## pabs (Sep 26, 2010)

Hey everyone! My first post.

I'm in the process of setting up a home theater in my basement. 

I have a mixture of old and new equipment for my setup. 

Here's a list of my equipment:
Projector: Optima HD 66 (new from Best Buy)
Receiver: Onxyo HT-R530 (used from Craigslist)
Blu-ray Player: Sony (new from Best Buy)
Speakers: MTX 200W (recycled from College days!)

Originally, I purchased the Projector to do outdoor theater on the weekends with the family/neighbors. I set up the equipment and projected onto a screen I built from PVC piping and Black-out Curtain material from a fabric store. We had some fun gatherings!

Now that it's getting colder, I've decided to set up permanently in the basement. I've modified the framing for the frame to fit in the basement. Eventually, I'm going to set up a permanent screen on one of the walls, but that's going to require some modifications to my shelving/bookshelf on the wall I need to project to. That will be one of my many winter projects.

To my question, the receiver, being older, doesn't have HDMI connections. I am running all of the video (blu-ray and HD cable) through an HDMI splitter directly to the projector. I would run all of the audio, from each source, directly to the receiver via Optical Cables, but it turns out the receiver's optical inputs do not work. I've had to resort to Analog RCA for the audio. Currently, I only have the two large speakers hooked up. They sound great, but I'll eventually want to connect additional speakers to complete a 'theater surround' sound. If all of my sources are connected to the receiver with just the red/white RCA cables, will my system be able to reproduce true surround sound (once I've added the additional speakers), or will the sound just be distributed to just left and right sound? I'm hoping to not have to purchase another receiver. I'll do that as an absolute last resort if I have to.

Any input is greatly appreciated.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I just skimmed over the owners manual and from what i saw on the connection section your only option is to use analog or digital inputs, the AVR, in surround mode should put sound through to all speakers.:T


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

However, from the source’s red/white RCA outputs you’re only going to get matrixed Dolby Pro Logic, not discrete Dolby Digital. I’d suggest Cragslisting a “new” receiver.

Regards,
Wayne


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

> but it turns out the receiver's optical inputs do not work.


Did you assign the digital inputs to the input sources? 
Page 33 of the manual:

http://filedepot.onkyousa.com/Files...essionid=f030587867e62af56cc7207994792566a2c7



http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/33523-audio-surround-sound-rca-connections.html#ixzz10j0fQYiR ​


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## pabs (Sep 26, 2010)

Unless I'm doing something wrong, I tried assigning the Optical inputs to the sources per the Manual and I was getting no sound. I tried all three ports and neither seemed to work. When I picked up the receiver from the seller, he asked how I was going to connect the audio. When I told him I'd be using Optical, he told me his 'friends' that also have Onxyo receivers claim they have problems with the Optical Inputs. My guess is he already knew they didn't work. I got an extremely good deal on the receiver, so I wasn't concerned that I might have to go to RCA's. I originally only purchased this for use outdoors where I would only have two front speakers anyway.

I guess I can live with 'Matrixed Dolby Pro Logic' until I decide to upgrade. Will there be a noticeable difference between the Pro Logic and the Digital?

Thanks for the input.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Dolby Pro Logic is analog and does not carry full range audio to the surround channels nor is it stereo on the rear channels, digital is far better in every way.


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## Stroh (Sep 14, 2010)

I have not looked at the details of your receiver but on my setup to run DVD-Audio and SACD it has to run through RCA cables. I believe it has something to do with copyright reasons. Any how with 5.1 surround it does an excellent job as far as quality goes coming through analog signals. I do feel optical is much clearer than analog but I am really pleased with the way the DVD-Audio sounds. Just my two cents worth but you may get buy with your current set up if it has 6 RCA inputs.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Stroh said:


> I do feel optical is much clearer than analog but I am really pleased with the way the DVD-Audio sounds. Just my two cents worth but you may get buy with your current set up if it has 6 RCA inputs.


You are speaking of multi channel inputs and outputs this is a different ball game all together as the DVD player must have the multi channel outputs (most do not)


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## Stroh (Sep 14, 2010)

Yes I forgot I had to buy a specific model of DVD player to get those outputs.


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## pabs (Sep 26, 2010)

Tony - You are correct. My Blu-ray and cable receivers (comcast) only have the two RCA jacks each (red and white) not the 6 RCA's. Am I still going to be able to get Dolby Pro Logic?


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Pro Logic is essentially DSP that the reciever applies to the stereo signal it's recieving over the RCA connections. I think you'll find that a reciever that can reproduce discrete dolby digital 5.1 will be much mor effective.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

One last try. Did you set the audio out to bitstream in the player's set up menu? Apparently it needs to be that for optical out.


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## Stroh (Sep 14, 2010)

Have you tried using the coax? Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe that would also get you Dolby Digital.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Stroh said:


> Have you tried using the coax? Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe that would also get you Dolby Digital.


Yes it will, there is no difference


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## pabs (Sep 26, 2010)

Yes I did set the digital inputs. The first thing I did when I brought the receiver home was download the owner's manual.

As for the Coax, there's only one digital Coax into the receiver. That will work for my cable box, but my blu-ray player doesn't have a Coax out.


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

At this point I think you have to judge how much you want to spend to get the receiver working the way you'd like but there are options.

First pickup one of these.

Then you have the option of either going with a manual optical switch box or one that can be operated with a universal remote.

It's possible but it may be worth it to just get a new (or new to you) AVR.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

pabs said:


> Yes I did set the digital inputs. The first thing I did when I brought the receiver home was download the owner's manual.
> 
> As for the Coax, there's only one digital Coax into the receiver. That will work for my cable box, but my blu-ray player doesn't have a Coax out.


What mike is talking about is going into your dvd or blu-ray players menu and setting those to bitstream output your player should have a digital coax out which looks just like an RCA type connector. Commonly, even on my 10 year old dvd player it has both digital coax and optical.:T


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## pabs (Sep 26, 2010)

Thanks everyone.

Well, my winter project came earlier than expected! I started demo on my basement. I will be re-building the entertainment wall that will hold the screen and that cabinets below for my AV eqipment. 

I will end up installing in ceiling speakers for the surround. I am going to check my Optical inputs on my receiver by hooking up the Cable Optical Output to it. If if it doesn't work, I'm going to try the converter suggested by Infrasonic.

I am going to end up spending more than I origianlly planned for on the basement remodel, so I don't think I'll upgrade my receiver for a while.


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

In the history of all home remodels I don't think one has been done under budget!

The converters should work but just be sure to purchase them from somewhere with a good return policy just incase (like Amazon).

Good luck!!


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Be sure to start a Thread and post pics.:T


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