Help, TV and Blu ray

[VBDon]

I need a new TV and a blu ray player. I have a decent surround system(three years old, but good enough for me), I saw the post for a nice 40" TV, but saw compatibility problems listed on blu ray players that I don't understand. I'm not connecting any of this to the internet or a computer. I just want to watch blu ray dvds. I don't know enough to even ask the right questions. Is it as easy as a dvd player, just hook the blu ray to the surround system and then to the TV?
#2. I see so many wide screen TV's playing at sport bars and houses that are out of ratio. Is this problem the TV, cable or other box??? It seems to me this should be easily fixed by the TV remote but apparently its not that simple.
I currently have cable but may be switching to satellite.

 

[Blurry]

To watch Blu-Ray or the now defunct HD-DVD discs, you will need an HDMI compliant TV. Most TV's manufactured after 2006 meet this standard.

I'm assuming that your surround sound system was purchased several years back. This means that you cannot enjoy the benefits of 7.1 Lossless audio, which also requires HDMI for the receiver/HTIB unit. However, you can use the S/PDIF output from your surround system to play back Dolby Digital/DTS audio.

In summary, watching Blu-Ray discs is pretty much similar to watching DVDs.
1) Connect TV to Blu-Ray player via HDMI Cable
2) Connect sound system to Blu-Ray player via S/PDIF cable
3) Turn on Blu-Ray player and check settings so that the player outputs sound via S/PDIF.

Voila, you should be done.

As for your second question, sports bars usually subscribe to basic cable/satellite TV. As a result, the channels are in 4:3 aspect ratios, which is why they appear stretched out on today's widescreen TVs.

Cheers,

 

[VBDon]

what is s/pdif? And did you mean input instead of output? Output goes to the 6 speakers(and other a/v equip). As far as input terminals for a dvd player, I have DVD optical in, coaxial in, comp video or audio in. Can't I use these? Does this mean my digital audio/visual control center won't work for sound off a blu ray disc player?
#2 Can't the aspect ratio be adjusted on widescreen tv's to allow for the cheaper signal? And just have bars left and right, so at least the picture is right???

 

[Rio Rebel]

Originally posted by: Blurry
To watch Blu-Ray or the now defunct HD-DVD discs, you will need an HDMI compliant TV. Most TV's manufactured after 2006 meet this standard.

I'm assuming that your surround sound system was purchased several years back. This means that you cannot enjoy the benefits of 7.1 Lossless audio, which also requires HDMI for the receiver/HTIB unit. However, you can use the S/PDIF output from your surround system to play back Dolby Digital/DTS audio.

In summary, watching Blu-Ray discs is pretty much similar to watching DVDs.
1) Connect TV to Blu-Ray player via HDMI Cable
2) Connect sound system to Blu-Ray player via S/PDIF cable
3) Turn on Blu-Ray player and check settings so that the player outputs sound via S/PDIF.

Voila, you should be done.

As for your second question, sports bars usually subscribe to basic cable/satellite TV. As a result, the channels are in 4:3 aspect ratios, which is why they appear stretched out on today's widescreen TVs.

Cheers,

You do NOT NOT NOT have to use hdmi for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD (or any other high definition connection.) For any high def connection, you CAN use component cable, or dvi if your device has it. Some people swear that a digital signal is better, some swear that there is no difference. Regardless, it is as close to fact as you can get (on a subjective subject) that there is no significant difference between component and hdmi per se. There can be significant differences in the signal due to things like cable length, cable quality (though this too is usually overstated), and especially input differences. Many people have devices with very different calibrations for hdmi vs component inputs, and they don´t realize that what looks better to them is often simply the fact that one input (usually hdmi) looks better out of the box because the manufacturer didn´t calibrate the inputs to be the same.

So no, you absolutely do not have to use hdmi. You may see a slight improvement in quality, and you will get the convenience of running one cable for audio and video. Also, most dvd players will not upconvert over component. On the flip side, there are still quite a few compatibility issues with hdmi and you *could* run into one, where two devices do not communicate...although this is becoming less common with newer devices.

Cheers.

 

[erwos]

Well, there's one other downside to component and Blu-Ray, which is that I don't think it'll output more than 1080i. At least, the PS3 won't.

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: erwos
Well, there's one other downside to component and Blu-Ray, which is that I don't think it'll output more than 1080i. At least, the PS3 won't.

Depends if the TV can accept 1080p over component, which most won't.

What he needs is an HDCP Capable TV to use on either DVI, Component or HDMI

 

[VBDon]

apparently no one understood all of the question, I'll try again. I will buy a hdmi blu ray and tv, so I will connect the hdmi cable from the dvd to the tv for video. Will the blu ray(dvd) have an audio output to connect to the my digital audio/visual control center(surround system) via DVD optical in, coaxial in or audio in?
What is s/pdif? i do not have this on my surround system.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: VBDon
apparently no one understood all of the question, I'll try again. I will buy a hdmi blu ray and tv, so I will connect the hdmi cable from the dvd to the tv for video. Will the blu ray(dvd) have an audio output to connect to the my digital audio/visual control center(surround system) via DVD optical in, coaxial in or audio in?
What is s/pdif? i do not have this on my surround system.

Yes, the Blu Ray will have a digital output of some sort to run to your surround sound receiver.

S/Pdif is a digital output...most commonly either RCA or Optical (Toslink)

 

[newnameman]

Originally posted by: BassBomb

Originally posted by: erwos
Well, there's one other downside to component and Blu-Ray, which is that I don't think it'll output more than 1080i. At least, the PS3 won't.

Depends if the TV can accept 1080p over component, which most won't.

What he needs is an HDCP Capable TV to use on either DVI, Component or HDMI

HDCP has nothing to do with component.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
You do NOT NOT NOT have to use hdmi for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD (or any other high definition connection.) For any high def connection, you CAN use component cable, or dvi if your device has it. <snip> Regardless, it is as close to fact as you can get (on a subjective subject) that there is no significant difference between component and hdmi per se.

ICT flag

Buy a non-hdcp compliant hdtv and you are gambling on the future.

This insignificant difference may suddenly become a very significant difference between component (or even dvi) and hdmi.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: VBDon
apparently no one understood all of the question, I'll try again. I will buy a hdmi blu ray and tv, so I will connect the hdmi cable from the dvd to the tv for video. Will the blu ray(dvd) have an audio output to connect to the my digital audio/visual control center(surround system) via DVD optical in, coaxial in or audio in?
What is s/pdif? i do not have this on my surround system.

http://www.blu-ray.com/players/
There are over 30 different Blu-ray players from a handful of manufacturers. I'm positive at least one of them has the audio outputs you require.

 

[Oyeve]

SPDIF

Sony Philips Digital InterFace or Interconnect Format. Something like that. They both invented it. been around for quite some time. Even before DVD and optical.

 

[Rio Rebel]

Originally posted by: VBDon
apparently no one understood all of the question, I'll try again. I will buy a hdmi blu ray and tv, so I will connect the hdmi cable from the dvd to the tv for video. Will the blu ray(dvd) have an audio output to connect to the my digital audio/visual control center(surround system) via DVD optical in, coaxial in or audio in?
What is s/pdif? i do not have this on my surround system.

The answer to this is dependent upon the capabilities of your surround receiver. The Blu-Ray player will almost certainly have digital audio output, either optical or digital coax or both. So it's up to your receiver. If your receiver has HDMI capability, you only need to run an hdmi cable from the Blu-Ray to the receiver, and from the receiver to the tv.

If you don't use an hdmi capable receiver, you can still use hdmi from the Blu-Ray to the tv, and you'll use the digital audio output from the Blu-Ray to the receiver.