How to set up a LaserDisc player to a reciever to hear.

[ATARI800XLfan]

I did have one last question though, when I use the receiver I plug in the Optical into the receiver and do I just connect the video from the LaserDisc into the tv like normal or does that also need to go into the receiver.

The video cable goes directly to the TV. If your TV supports it, get a SVideo cable for a better pic. If no SVideo then go ahead and use the yellow composite video cable.

Optical Cable - Laser Player to Receiver

SVideo - Laser Player to TV

Red and White Audio - Laser Player to TV

So why also hookup the audio cables to the TV? So the TV speakers will also be on when watching a Laser movie, adds to the "Surround" of the sound in the room.

So would I still need external speakers for the receiver, I am pretty sure only has red,white and yellow though. Also why would I still hook the left and right speaker to the TV directly, wouldn't it still sound garbled with Digital on.

[CRTGAMER]

I did have one last question though, when I use the receiver I plug in the Optical into the receiver and do I just connect the video from the LaserDisc into the tv like normal or does that also need to go into the receiver.

The video cable goes directly to the TV. If your TV supports it, get a SVideo cable for a better pic. If no SVideo then go ahead and use the yellow composite video cable.

Optical Cable - Laser Player to Receiver

SVideo - Laser Player to TV

Red and White Audio - Laser Player to TV

So why also hookup the audio cables to the TV? So the TV speakers will also be on when watching a Laser movie, adds to the "Surround" of the sound in the room.

So would I still need external speakers for the receiver, I am pretty sure only has red,white and yellow though. Also why would I still hook the left and right speaker to the TV directly, wouldn't it still sound garbled with Digital on.

The receiver has to have external speakers to work. Just try the connections out listed in my previous Reply and enjoy the movie.

[ATARI800XLfan]

What are some good speakers people would recommend for it, planning on having just 2 at first like the TV has. What are people's thoughts on Pioneer Speakers. Also would I need a Amp for the speakers or do they hook straight up to the receiver then hook into a power outlet. Also just double checking so seeing as my LaserDisc player does not have AC-3 If I want the newer movies all I can watch is DTS enabled movies right? Will DTS work with just 2.1 surround or only 5.1?

[ATARI800XLfan]

I was also wondering if something like this would work instead of a receiver. 5.1 is 5 speakers plus sub right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TECHNICS-SH-AC300-5 ... 33697e0d60

would digital LaserDiscs still sound good using this even if I do not have 5.1 speakers, what about the 2 in the TV and maybe two more separate ones. With this could I just hook the front right and left front output directly into the inputs on my tv. Would this also work speaker wise. It is not a very big room it is in.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frisby-5-1-Surround ... 1e65205b9e

[isiolia]

What are some good speakers people would recommend for it, planning on having just 2 at first like the TV has. What are people's thoughts on Pioneer Speakers. Also would I need a Amp for the speakers or do they hook straight up to the receiver then hook into a power outlet. Also just double checking so seeing as my LaserDisc player does not have AC-3 If I want the newer movies all I can watch is DTS enabled movies right? Will DTS work with just 2.1 surround or only 5.1?

Speakers vary a lot. Pioneer isn't really known (in the larger sense) for their speakers, but some of what they make is fairly decent. Quite a lot here is a matter of cost.

You shouldn't need an amp - a receiver is essentially a combination of multiple components, one of which is an amplifier. Speakers themselves don't need to be plugged into the wall. They have a positive and a negative wire run to them from the amp.
Things like computer speakers tend to have an integrated amplifier, which is what you plug in on those.

DTS can be encoded with different numbers of channels, so it -could- depend on exactly what the individual LD has on it. As far as the receiver goes, you could probably set it to use a "phantom" center channel (or use a pre-out to the TV) to make sure you get center channel audio (typically important as it's where most dialogue comes from).

I was also wondering if something like this would work instead of a receiver. 5.1 is 5 speakers plus sub right?

5.1 is front right/left, center, rear right/left, and sub yes.

Just using the decoder like that would work, but you'd have far fewer options. It's again something that a receiver normally integrates.

If you're using it in combination with powered speakers, like the set you linked to, it'd work.


All that said, I'd just kind of wonder why with a lot of this stuff. For the purpose of simply watching movies, there's almost no reason to go with LD over DVD (much less Blu-ray if you have the gear). There are things that never made it to DVD, some truly magnificent collector's edition LDs...but for things you've mentioned, the DVDs are cheap, readily available, and better quality (well, there were complaints about audio mastering on Jurassic Park DVDs I recall, but they may be fixed now, and the Blu-ray is soon anyway).

IMO, it's more logical to go with a receiver to start with rather than the decoder and powered speakers. Simpler, can use as an A/V switch (most likely), and more flexible/robust when it comes to hooking up more devices or future expansion. Decoder + powered speakers kinda means you need an amp (or receiver with discrete inputs) if you want to upgrade speakers.

[CRTGAMER]

I was also wondering if something like this would work instead of a receiver. 5.1 is 5 speakers plus sub right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TECHNICS-SH-AC300-5 ... 33697e0d60

would digital LaserDiscs still sound good using this even if I do not have 5.1 speakers, what about the 2 in the TV and maybe two more separate ones. With this could I just hook the front right and left front output directly into the inputs on my tv. Would this also work speaker wise. It is not a very big room it is in.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frisby-5-1-Surround ... 1e65205b9e

Have you tried my earlier suggestions yet? See how everything works out with your existing Receiver with the best connections. Optical to the Receiver and its own dedicated two speakers; SVideo and Audio Analog direct to the TV. I think you will be happy with it, especially if you have the Receiver speakers at the back of the room on both sides of the couch.

If you are not happy with that, you can always add the surround system later, be sure to have some speakers at the back. I hear systems that sound great but all the sound is blasting from the front of the room. A good system will surround the room with sound but it does not have to be a dedicated "Surround" amp system. Just a good placement of the speakers.

[ATARI800XLfan]

I was also wondering if something like this would work instead of a receiver. 5.1 is 5 speakers plus sub right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TECHNICS-SH-AC300-5 ... 33697e0d60

would digital LaserDiscs still sound good using this even if I do not have 5.1 speakers, what about the 2 in the TV and maybe two more separate ones. With this could I just hook the front right and left front output directly into the inputs on my tv. Would this also work speaker wise. It is not a very big room it is in.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frisby-5-1-Surround ... 1e65205b9e

Have you tried my earlier suggestions yet? See how everything works out with your existing Receiver with the best connections. Optical to the Receiver and its own dedicated two speakers; SVideo and Audio Analog direct to the TV. I think you will be happy with it, especially if you have the Receiver speakers at the back of the room on both sides of the couch.

If you are not happy with that, you can always add the surround system later, be sure to have some speakers at the back. I hear systems that sound great but all the sound is blasting from the front of the room. A good system will surround the room with sound but it does not have to be a dedicated "Surround" amp system. Just a good placement of the speakers.

Thanks, sorry if I seem to be asking a lot of question, I can be a indecisive person sometimes. When you mentioned Audio Analog direct to the TV wouldn't it still be in digital though seeing as the front of the Player says digital or is it that with the optical plugged in I can turn the setting on the Player to analog and the optical will still send the digital sound to the receiver even though the Player says the movie is set to analog. Not quit sure what you are suggesting. Very new to sound systems and such.
This is another receiver I am looking at. The one things I like about it is that in the description is says that to expand your opportunities for surround sound fun, Circle Surround mode produces 5.1-channel sound from 2-channel sources. The VR-507 is ready to accommodate your home audio/video desires now and down the road! Does that mean it will produces 5.1 channel like sound with just 2 speakers. Based off of the pictures of the back of the receiver from ebay, how would I hook up speakers. Just the front 2 if I do not want surround sound, where would the center and sub hook up at.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

[isiolia]

This is another receiver I am looking at. The one things I like about it is that in the description is says that to expand your opportunities for surround sound fun, Circle Surround mode produces 5.1-channel sound from 2-channel sources. The VR-507 is ready to accommodate your home audio/video desires now and down the road! Does that mean it will produces 5.1 channel like sound with just 2 speakers. Based off of the pictures of the back of the receiver from ebay, how would I hook up speakers. Just the front 2 if I do not want surround sound, where would the center and sub hook up at.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

What it's doing is taking two channel source audio and piping it through all the speakers. You won't always have a 5.1 signal, so that just gives you the option to still have the receiver use all the speakers. It's pretty common to see some form of it on receivers.

It's not the surround from two speakers thing - which tends to net pretty poor results that I've heard.

The speaker connections are the pairs of red and black binding posts. If you look at the zoomed in picture, the main speakers + center are the three pairs of larger binding posts, the four smaller are for an additional set of mains and the rears. The larger ones either screw down on top of speaker wire, or can use banana plugs. The smaller ones are spring-loaded clips.

Subwoofer out is typically a mono RCA jack. If you look to the left of the speaker posts, you can see the Subwoofer Pre-out. Subwoofers use a lot of power, and so are typically run off of their own amp.


All that said, $95 with no remote...isn't much of a deal on that. You can buy a current base model receiver used or refurb for not a lot more, though if you plan to use a lot of older devices that might not suit (no s-video).

[ATARI800XLfan]

This is another receiver I am looking at. The one things I like about it is that in the description is says that to expand your opportunities for surround sound fun, Circle Surround mode produces 5.1-channel sound from 2-channel sources. The VR-507 is ready to accommodate your home audio/video desires now and down the road! Does that mean it will produces 5.1 channel like sound with just 2 speakers. Based off of the pictures of the back of the receiver from ebay, how would I hook up speakers. Just the front 2 if I do not want surround sound, where would the center and sub hook up at.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

What it's doing is taking two channel source audio and piping it through all the speakers. You won't always have a 5.1 signal, so that just gives you the option to still have the receiver use all the speakers. It's pretty common to see some form of it on receivers.

It's not the surround from two speakers thing - which tends to net pretty poor results that I've heard.

The speaker connections are the pairs of red and black binding posts. If you look at the zoomed in picture, the main speakers + center are the three pairs of larger binding posts, the four smaller are for an additional set of mains and the rears. The larger ones either screw down on top of speaker wire, or can use banana plugs. The smaller ones are spring-loaded clips.

Subwoofer out is typically a mono RCA jack. If you look to the left of the speaker posts, you can see the Subwoofer Pre-out. Subwoofers use a lot of power, and so are typically run off of their own amp.


All that said, $95 with no remote...isn't much of a deal on that. You can buy a current base model receiver used or refurb for not a lot more, though if you plan to use a lot of older devices that might not suit (no s-video).

Thanks alot that really does help. I would not pay the seller that much but that model does seem to come up on auction quit often. With digital movies would I need a sub or would the movies sound fine with just the right, left, and center kind of on a tight budget. Does it matter what brand of Optical cable I use. I think these speakers would work but I was wondering what the gold holes are on the left and right speakers. http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Speakers-Left- ... 3cb4219c55. Thanks again, not very good with kind of stuff.

[isiolia]

Thanks alot that really does help. I would not pay the seller that much but that model does seem to come up on auction quit often. With digital movies would I need a sub or would the movies sound fine with just the right, left, and center kind of on a tight budget. Does it matter what brand of Optical cable I use. I think these speakers would work but I was wondering what the gold holes are on the left and right speakers. http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Speakers-Left- ... 3cb4219c55. Thanks again, not very good with kind of stuff.

The importance of a sub depends on the rest of the speakers.

For some setups, a sub is essential - the satellite speakers simply aren't capable of producing lower frequencies well at all, and are intended to be coupled with a subwoofer. Here would be an example.

In systems utilizing larger main speakers, you tend to rely on a sub more for the very low frequencies - bass you can feel more than hear.

A good sub can add a lot either way, but it's not essential if your main speakers are of decent size/capability for the space you're trying to fill.

The speakers you linked to are relatively small, and likely would not make good main channel speakers without a sub. The gold holes are threaded for mounting brackets/stands, which gives you an idea of the size.

IMO, start with a good stereo pair of speakers, then build out. Ideally, you want speakers that "match" acoustically, so if you can find something that'd be easy to go back and buy more of the same series/etc, that'd be preferable. However, on a tight budget, just starting out...look at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. Plenty of people dump their older, bigger speakers when they get the tiny little home-theater-in-a-box systems, which rarely sound nearly as good.
Speakers tend to last a long time - my family still has ones my dad bought in college, over 30 years ago. Given how heavy good speakers tend to be though...shopping online may mean a lot of shipping charges offsetting a good deal.


Optical cable brand is irrelevant. It works or it doesn't. The signal is purely digital. Cable brand in general is entirely marketing. Don't get suckered into overpaying for that stuff. You can often find cables for cheap on Amazon if you're ordering other stuff - or Monoprice is good, among other online houses (though shipping charges tend to make ordering just one cable kinda meh).