Hooking Wii up to new Sony Bravia LCD tv? HDMI cable?

[golfgal]

Note that with HDMI, HDCP applies. With HDCP, certain connections require support of this specific security protocol across all aspects of the connection. This typically is only a problem when you have something in between your source (i.e., the Wii, a Blu-ray player, a DVR, a video tuner box, cable box, satellite box, etc.) and your display (i.e., your television). This device-in-the-middle is generally used to allow you to switch your display between several HDMI sources. If you have one of these devices-in-the-middle, you typically know it, because generally they're only used by video-geeks. However, having said that, I know folks who have a setup like this, who very definitely are not video-geeks. They are folks who purchased a full system (including a Blu-Ray player) from a high-end video store, including installation that included connection of their HD DVR from their cable company, so all the geeking was done for them. However, a software update from their cable company, a few months after they purchased the system, resulted in nothing but an error message on the television -- you guessed it -- all because of HDCP.

This is the only significant down-side of HDMI, as compared to component video (plus TOSLINK or SPDIF for audio). To good news is that if you're hit with this problem, you can just switch to component video (plus TOSLINK or SPDIF for audio) -- the difference in quality isn't that noticeable.

No -- you need component video (or HDMI) to have a great picture. You can get a good picture with the standard cables.

I don't know much about Wii's, but component video cables are cheap. I've got a couple of dozen spares in my basement. (I'm not kidding. We cleaned out closets this weekend, and collected all cabling together. I could open my own Radio Shack, at this point. ) Is there something about the connections on the Wii that don't allow you to use standard component cables?

So, just so I understand you, I need to get the HDMI cable to connect my new TV and DVD surround sound system for better picture quality, right? I just hook up ONE HDMI to the DVD and the other end to the TV and that takes the place of all the other wires back there now, except the speaker wires, correct?

 

[bicker]

The difference between HDMI and component cables, in terms of video quality, is a matter of some significant debate. I'm of the opinion that if you can detect a difference, then you're probably paying too little attention to the content of what you're watching. What cannot be denied, though, is that one HDMI cable does replace four cables (three for component video's red, green, and blue; and one for digital audio) or five cables (three for component video's red, green, and blue; and two for analog audio).

However, the answer to your question is a bit more complex, and depending on where your television tuner is. It sounds like you'll be using the television tuner in your television. So you'll need one more audio connection, from the television's digital audio (SPDIF or TOSLINK) output port to a digital audio input port of the surround sound system. That way, when you're watching television, the sound will still come out of your great surround sound system.

Remember.... monoprice.com is your best source for cables.

I've been looking into what we would buy. We've got our eye on a Sony, this one: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HT-SS2300-Blu-ray-Matching-Component/dp/B00180MQWG (with the matching blu-Ray player). We're figuring that we're better off getting ready for blu-Ray instead of getting a new DVD player.

 

[golfgal]

The difference between HDMI and component cables, in terms of video quality, is a matter of some significant debate. I'm of the opinion that if you can detect a difference, then you're probably paying too little attention to the content of what you're watching. What cannot be denied, though, is that one HDMI cable does replace four cables (three for component video's red, green, and blue; and one for digital audio) or five cables (three for component video's red, green, and blue; and two for analog audio).

However, the answer to your question is a bit more complex, and depending on where your television tuner is. It sounds like you'll be using the television tuner in your television. So you'll need one more audio connection, from the television's digital audio (SPDIF or TOSLINK) output port to a digital audio input port of the surround sound system. That way, when you're watching television, the sound will still come out of your great surround sound system.

Remember.... monoprice.com is your best source for cables.

I've been looking into what we would buy. We've got our eye on a Sony, this one: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HT-SS2300-Blu-ray-Matching-Component/dp/B00180MQWG (with the matching blu-Ray player). We're figuring that we're better off getting ready for blu-Ray instead of getting a new DVD player.

The Amazon price is about what I paid for our system. I thought about Blu-Ray but I wasn't sure you could play regular DVD's on a Blue-ray, besides, we have been getting buy using our XBox as a DVD player for years so this is an upgrade for us .

For the audio, just get the higher end audio cables. I have the normal white/red ones.

One other question, in the audio section of my TV there is a yellow receptacle marked "coaxial". Is that a hook up for the cable from the DVD player?? It looks like the receptacles for the audio (colored with a hole-not a typical cable connection with the threads for the screw on the outside). Do I just use the yellow ended cords that came with the system for this connection or do I need something else? I appreciate all of your help on this. I am pretty good at following directions but they aren't very clear for the hook-ups for the tv.

 

[ICF]

We have a Wii and I bought (on clearance) a Wii component cable but haven't tried it yet. You will get a better picture if you use the component (not to be confused with composite).

They aren't that expensive. Here's one at buy.com for less than $25.

http://www.buy.com/prod/mad-catz-nintendo-wii-hd-component-cable/q/loc/108/204392077.html

as an FYI, your best deal on any type of cables will usually be found on EBAY. I've bought many types from there for usually 75% less than in the stores have never had any issues.

 

[bicker]

The Amazon price is about what I paid for our system. I thought about Blu-Ray but I wasn't sure you could play regular DVD's on a Blue-ray

You can. I don't know of a single blu-Ray player released yet that didn't support DVDs.

besides, we have been getting buy using our XBox as a DVD player for years so this is an upgrade for us .

Yup, understandable. For us, switching to upconverting (the Wal-Mart ad for your SC-PT760 indicates that it is an upconverting DVD player) would be a step up. Though, we were watching Smallville on DVD last night, and quite frankly, I think it might be hard to see how the video really could have been that much more noticeably better. That's one thing that is dissuading me from spending any money on upgrading. Other than the fact that my wife and I find it difficult to figure out (each time) how to get the sound system in the right mode for what we're watching, we have no real strong motivation to upgrade at this time.

Having said that, you mentioned that you've got an XBox. The thought that we may someday get a game system pushes us towards a system that has a lot of extra input ports; that's one thing you might want to keep in mind with the surround sound system you purchased, before purchasing a separate blu-Ray player, for example. The SC-PT760 has only a few input ports -- enough for what you need now, but not many more.

For the audio, just get the higher end audio cables. I have the normal white/red ones.

The digital audio cable will give you surround sound for the television programs you watch. The normal RCA (white/red) cables don't support true surround sound.

One other question, in the audio section of my TV there is a yellow receptacle marked "coaxial". Is that a hook up for the cable from the DVD player?? It looks like the receptacles for the audio (colored with a hole-not a typical cable connection with the threads for the screw on the outside). Do I just use the yellow ended cords that came with the system for this connection or do I need something else?

Okay, I am not sure which Polariod television you bought, so I'm basing this on the TLA-04011C. You mentioned that the port is in the audio section for the television; I'm assuming you mean it is in the "Audio Out" section, close to the power port (as opposed to on the far left -- the port on the far left is a composite video out port, and there is absolutely no reason you'd ever want to use composite video for anything, anymore ). In that Audio Out section there are four ports there: On the left half are the traditional RCA audio out ports, white/red. To the right of that are two digital audio output ports: The top one is the optical port (SPDIF/TOSLINK) and the bottom one is the coaxial port (SPDIF).

In my earlier message, I mentioned that you needed to run an audio cable from your television to your surround sound system. These are the two ports in your television that support this. (Only one of the two need be connected.) However, your surround sound system only supports the optical port. The matching port on your is labeled "Optical In" and is located just to the right of the HDMI port. So you connect the surround sound system's HDMI port to the television's HDMI 1 IN port to feed video from a DVD into your television, and then connect a TOSLINK (optical audio) cable from your television's Audio Out/Digital/Optical port to the surround sound system's Optical In port.

I appreciate all of your help on this. I am pretty good at following directions but they aren't very clear for the hook-ups for the tv.

Reading the manuals Polariod provides is pretty shocking AFAIC. These superior connections are addressed in the manuals in a very tangential manner. In the manual for the Sony I'm looking at, there are pages upon pages, showing many different configurations, showing many different peripheral devices you may have, with wiring diagrams for each one.

 

[golfgal]

On the monoprice site, does it matter which HDMI cable I get? There are about 100 choices, the plain black one with the gold connections ok or is there a better one?

 

[golfgal]

OK, I think I just figured this tv thing out. The tv programs don't have surround sound because we don't have a HDTV satellite box. Working on that now.

 

[bicker]

You have satellite? Well, then you're not only not getting surround sound, but you're also not getting HD from television.

 

[golfgal]

You have satellite? Well, then you're not only not getting surround sound, but you're also not getting HD from television.

I had to upgrade to the HD plan for the satellite too. They are coming next week to install the new converter box-that should help, right? Oh, and I ordered the HDMI cable and one for our Wii from monoprice for a whopping $24 including shipping. The HDMI alone at Walmart was about that . Thanks for the site recommendation!!