I don't even know what

[CarComp]

Hey all. First post / new member. Can't edit my thread title. I meant to fix that after I wrote everything and forgot to do it! It should have said "Help with my first surround sound - streaming only"


For the longest time, I had a 65" rear projection '3 bulb' 480i sony tv that served me well. I've had it since 1997. I also had a HTIB from around 1999 that had a 10" sub and served me well. It never sounded amazing, but it was always better than the built in TV speakers, and the surround sound sorta worked ok when playing a DVD in it, but i'm not sure if i ever got true surround from any other source (cable TV, the computer, etc). Just didn't seem possible when all I was piping in was red and white audio RCA jacks.

Last year, I decided to use some of my tax return to buy a nice 70" LED LCD Vizio that I'm very happy with. I also picked up a random $200 Walmart sound bar + sub-woofer that plugs into the TV's digital optical output port. Needless to say the TV sound is better than the sound bar + sub. The TV cannot get the low sounds, but its so much more spacious sounding and 'room filling' than the sound bar. I am attributing this to the TV probably having a built in sound processor that adds fake spacial effects. *bad experience with a sound bar.

I did some research on the optical port on my tv and it seems like its only able to output stereo sound. Looks like using it for 5.1 or anything else is out. I'm also not sure if its possible it can even do that on ANY TV.

The sound bar sounded clear, but, well, it was like when you know you are hearing mono sound, and you know it should be stereo, then you fix it and think 'ahhh thats better'. Thats what it was like switching between the sound bar and the TV.

So now, this year I am contemplating throwing some tax return money towards a receiver. I already have a nice set of surround speakers (a pair of sony 4" drivers for the front, and a pair of yamaha 'small' rear surrounds, as well as the 10" floor sub that I can either leave internally amplified, or I can power it using the receiver. I also have a couple of nice center channel speakers. I have a lot of speakers.

I do not own a blue ray player. I only intend to stream content using Plex or Netflix / VUDU / etc. I also do not use cable. I'm a cord cutter.

Here's the gist of the post... How on earth do i determine what to buy? My TV doesn't seem to have any output other than red / white RCA and the optical out with 2.0 stereo. I'm not really looking for ridiculous surround, but i would enjoy having ambient noises in movies be behind me at the bare minimum, have vocals coming out of the center channel.

Should I get a Roku or something, and then pipe that through a receiver using HDMI and hope for the best? I really want to get something *LIKE* surround sound from Netflix / vudu / Plex.

Can surround sound somehow magically get 'decoded' from red / white RCA jacks? Sounds stupid but who knows. I've tried to research it but there's too much info conflicting out there.

Am I just missing something?

FYI I understand the source must be encoded with surround information. I'm pretty sure that a lot of my content is, since the little '5.1' indicator pops up all the time when i'm streaming things.

FYI2 The room my TV is located is HUGE. Not sure if even a good sound bar would work well due to the 10 ft from my TV where the couch is.

I'm posting this first, to generate some opinions to consider, and i'm going to checkout other people's installations in the meantime.

Thanks guys.

 

[purbeast0]

since your tv was purchased last year, it has to have an HDMI input on it.

HDMI also transfers the audio signal along with the video signal.

i'm also assuming that the apps you are talking about (netflix, plex, etc) are smart tv apps, and you're streaming from a server or something.

so whatever receiver you get will (most likely since it is 2016) have HDMI inputs on it so you will be able to get the sound transfered with the HDMI cable from your TV to your receiver.

HDMI cable can transfer the 5.1 signal no problem too.

 

[CarComp]

since your tv was purchased last year, it has to have an HDMI input on it.

HDMI also transfers the audio signal along with the video signal.

i'm also assuming that the apps you are talking about (netflix, plex, etc) are smart tv apps, and you're streaming from a server or something.

so whatever receiver you get will (most likely since it is 2016) have HDMI inputs on it so you will be able to get the sound transfered with the HDMI cable from your TV to your receiver.

HDMI cable can transfer the 5.1 signal no problem too.

The thing is, the TV has the Smart apps for streaming built in. There's no HDMI out on the TV, only inputs. The only audio outputs on it are the optical and the red / white RCA.

It does have HDMI inputs, but, well maybe I don't get how HDMI works.. Wouldn't the signal have to come from 'something' TO the TV to use an input? How would the sound come back out of an input HDMI when i'm using the built in streaming applications?




Here is the TV I have.
http://www.amazon.com/Vizio-D-Series-D650IB2-65-Inch-Full-Array/dp/B00NS65PW6

http://cdn.vizio.com/documents/downloads/hdtv/D650iB2/UM_D650iB2.pdf


THE TV INPUTS

FYI My tv has an HDMI ARC

 

[CarComp]

Ok i'm starting to answer my own question. Looks like I just need to buy a receiver. I'm making it harder than it really is. I just learned about ARC in the last 10 minutes.

 

[mdram]

the opticle cable should carry 5.1

it is even shown in the second image you linked

 

[cmdrdredd]

the opticle cable should carry 5.1

it is even shown in the second image you linked

Yes optical will do 5.1 dolby digital and in some TVs DTS 5.1. An HDMI cable from the TV to a receiver using ARC will provide the same, except you only need one cable.

 

[MongGrel]

I prefer TOSLINK optical myself in conjunction with HDMI for video from the computer to the Receiver, but have an old Auzentech sound card I even had to buy an adapter to use for sound, as all the slots on the MOBO are PCI-e.

Can do DTS with the main rig to it.

Yeah, you sound at the point a receiver is in order.

I have a Sony I like, but there are a lot of Dennons, Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo receivers people love also.

I've just been using Sonys for awhile myself and have gotten comfortable with them myself over time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J356C0K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Picked it up on sale for $277 att though.

There are others with better wireless, even the next higher Sony, but is not something I use personally to stream to the TV.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I prefer TOSLINK optical myself in conjunction with HDMI for video from the computer to the Receiver, but have an old Auzentech sound card I even had to buy an adapter to use for sound, as all the slots on the MOBO are PCI-e.

Can do DTS with the main rig to it.

Yeah, you sound at the point a receiver is in order.

I have a Sony I like, but there are a lot of Dennons, Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo receivers people love also.

I've just been using Sonys for awhile myself and have gotten comfortable with them myself over time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J356C0K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Picked it up on sale for $277 att though.

There are others with better wireless, even the next higher Sony, but is not something I use personally to stream to the TV.

I have a Sony dn-1040 and like it pretty well for the money when I bought it a few years ago. My next purchase will need to have Atmos and since I use AirPlay a lot, support that too. From my PC I run HDMI to the receiver and output 5.1 through it and then it goes to my tv. It is easier that way.

 

[boomhower]

I'd get something with sound correction built in, Audyssey is a really good pick. It really does make a big difference.