The Doorway to Home Cinema
Feb 24 '01
The Bottom Line If you have a DVD player, buy a receiver, and experience cinema sound in your home.
Receivers are huge boxes which have tons of features sockets and setup menus, depending on the price, time you buy at and the features you have receivers are different in many ways to a standard amplifier.
The Job
Every receiver has a purpose, most common type of purpose is with a DVD player, the receiver will include a number of decoders inside, and also allow an external decoder to be added, whether from a built in one from a DVD player or a separate processor. The price will determine the specs it has; the latest receivers may include the latest DTS 5.1, Dolby 5.1, THX and possible the latest Dolby EX, technologies and decoders. And will amplify each channel, except the low frequency channel through speakers. The low frequency channel is a low speaker called a Subwoofer, these will often have there own amplifier and will reproduce the lowest sounds normal speakers can't reproduce. The subwoofer can be placed almost anywhere, and you need to tune it so that it starts at the lowest point your other speakers reproduce. It takes time to get the set-up right.
Those encoded signals
Dolby Digital A six channel signal decoded into the DVD Video or DVD Audio sound signal. Five channels- right left front, rear right and left, centre front, and a low frequency channel.
Dolby Ex Very similar to Dolby Digital, it uses the same 6 channels but adds three rear channels, so a rear right, left, and a rear centre, offering more sound around you. Only the latest hardware supports this code.
DTS Very similar to Dolby Digital, another company create the same 6 channel signal but some say it is more convincing to D Digital. Only available in 5.1, and not too common but becoming available to discs. Your DVD player will need to be able to read these discs to hear sound.
With all these signals, you will need a DVD player to read these signals. Most DVD player, which are compatible with DTS, will have it switched off in their set-up menus, switch it on for sound.
The sockets at the rear of the receiver may vary; most have up to 6 stereo inputs, and video inputs, and also have 1 or 2 6-channel inputs. Some also include pre outs for centre and subwoofer channels for separate amps. You will need some digital sockets, go for optical, as it is a single cable for all encoded channels to the amp. The speaker outputs should be binding posts, and if possible get one with two front channel outs.
The more expensive receivers may have a large control panel with a LCD display, and some will have silver finishes. The best receivers I have seen are Yamaha DSP-AX1 (£2000/$2800, Denon AVC-A10 + POA-T10 (£1300/$1820) power amp, and Sony TA-VA777ES (£1500/$2100).
Connections:
S-Video/S-VHS ??
This is the best video transfer option available except component, it separates brightness and contrast in two and is as small as a penny socket size. Can be used through SCART.
RGB SCART ??
Red Green Blue, separates RGB so pictures are better than standard SCART.
SCART ??
Simple and effective way to transfer numerous signals, including video and sound. DVD players use them and also VCRs. Bypasses the tuner in TVs and goes straight to the tube.
Component ??
Separates RGB into separate cables like composite (three cables), similar to RGB Scart, used on projectors and high end DVD player.
Composite Video ??
Yellow circular plug transfers picture through a phono type of connection, lacks sharpness.
Phono/RCA ??
Used for audio connections, mainly for separate hi fi, now used with DVD to amplifiers, using three pairs of cable for the six channel amp. Highly used almost everywhere. Red for right White/Black for left channel.
Digital – Optical ??
One of the best ways to transfer multi channel audio to a receiver or amp. Single cable uses optical fibre to transfer data.
Digital – Coax ??
An electrical type of connection for digital connections, transfers audio, and can be used for cable modems TVs, and multi channel audio.
DIN ??
A simple stereo connection, using one plug with six pins. Naim uses these on most of there hi fi separates. Rarely used.
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