Soundbars planning question!
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm just in the process of refurbishing an old georgian house which has needed completely rewiring, and I'm trying to ensure I've covered all the AV bases before I final fix all the flooring access points down. The question I have revolves around the system I'm putting in my kitchen.
To explain what the plan is, I've got a large kitchen (9.5m x 5.5m) with a table and chairs at one end, and the kitchen the other. I'm going to put a sky box and TV in / on a sideboard unit by the table which will feed a wall mounted led TV by HDMI cable from the SKY HD box. I'm also planning a second TV in the kitchen area on the wall, which will be run off the same sky box by use of the RF2 output through a coax cable to a magic eye on the TV, for control of the sky box. Picture wise I'm planning to put a splitter into the hdmi output of the sky HD box, to feed both TVs for an HD picture, easy enough so far (I think!) the question is, I would like to also add a soundbar the wall mounted TV in the kitchen, can if connect this to the kitchen TV? If so, will I get the correct output from the sky box HDMI to the second TV for a digital signal for the soundbar? On other sky installs I've always run a seperate toslink digital cable from the sky box to the amp, but obviously I can't do that here. I haven't bought the kitchen TV yet, but what output options would it need to connect to the soundbar? I have also run 2 cat 6 cables to both TVs so that I can stream directly, so I would want to use the soundbar for that as well.
Basically, Will this work? And will the TV have an output to connect to the soundbar?
Cheers
GB
I'm just in the process of refurbishing an old georgian house which has needed completely rewiring, and I'm trying to ensure I've covered all the AV bases before I final fix all the flooring access points down. The question I have revolves around the system I'm putting in my kitchen.
To explain what the plan is, I've got a large kitchen (9.5m x 5.5m) with a table and chairs at one end, and the kitchen the other. I'm going to put a sky box and TV in / on a sideboard unit by the table which will feed a wall mounted led TV by HDMI cable from the SKY HD box. I'm also planning a second TV in the kitchen area on the wall, which will be run off the same sky box by use of the RF2 output through a coax cable to a magic eye on the TV, for control of the sky box. Picture wise I'm planning to put a splitter into the hdmi output of the sky HD box, to feed both TVs for an HD picture, easy enough so far (I think!) the question is, I would like to also add a soundbar the wall mounted TV in the kitchen, can if connect this to the kitchen TV? If so, will I get the correct output from the sky box HDMI to the second TV for a digital signal for the soundbar? On other sky installs I've always run a seperate toslink digital cable from the sky box to the amp, but obviously I can't do that here. I haven't bought the kitchen TV yet, but what output options would it need to connect to the soundbar? I have also run 2 cat 6 cables to both TVs so that I can stream directly, so I would want to use the soundbar for that as well.
Basically, Will this work? And will the TV have an output to connect to the soundbar?
Cheers
GB
TV gets sound via HDMI. Soundbar connects to TV usually by TOS Link, turn the TV speaker off in the menu. If in doubt run another cat 5/6 which could be used to send audio over directly from the Sky box if required.
What are you planning to stream music from? You won't be able to connect cat 5 to the sound bar so will need a convertor of some description, depending on what inputs the soundbar has. I'd reccomend an apple tv installed behind the TV... that way you get movies etc on the TV and a 3.5mm output to the soundbar to stream music. Personally I'd use one of the cat cables to provide a wired network link to the apple tv for optimum reliability. That's assuming you have an iPhone/iPod/iPad.
If not you could connect a bluetooth audio receiver to the soundbar and stream from anything.
What are you planning to stream music from? You won't be able to connect cat 5 to the sound bar so will need a convertor of some description, depending on what inputs the soundbar has. I'd reccomend an apple tv installed behind the TV... that way you get movies etc on the TV and a 3.5mm output to the soundbar to stream music. Personally I'd use one of the cat cables to provide a wired network link to the apple tv for optimum reliability. That's assuming you have an iPhone/iPod/iPad.
If not you could connect a bluetooth audio receiver to the soundbar and stream from anything.
Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 22 April 10:26
I hate cheap soundbars.
The cheap ones are just that, cheap at that end of the market they never sound much better than the TV speakers. Ideally you will need to add a sub somewhere to get the best performance out of it.
As an alternative, what is wrong with good quality In-Ceiling speakers? Maybe two areas, Main TV and Kitchen with a couple of little rotary volume controls to adjust the volume from the Sky box Audio in each zone?
If you have two tv's in the same area, it is unlikely that you will be watching two different things at the same time, the sound clash would be horrid.
V.
The cheap ones are just that, cheap at that end of the market they never sound much better than the TV speakers. Ideally you will need to add a sub somewhere to get the best performance out of it.
As an alternative, what is wrong with good quality In-Ceiling speakers? Maybe two areas, Main TV and Kitchen with a couple of little rotary volume controls to adjust the volume from the Sky box Audio in each zone?
If you have two tv's in the same area, it is unlikely that you will be watching two different things at the same time, the sound clash would be horrid.
V.
VEX said:
I hate cheap soundbars.
The cheap ones are just that, cheap at that end of the market they never sound much better than the TV speakers. Ideally you will need to add a sub somewhere to get the best performance out of it.
As an alternative, what is wrong with good quality In-Ceiling speakers? Maybe two areas, Main TV and Kitchen with a couple of little rotary volume controls to adjust the volume from the Sky box Audio in each zone?
If you have two tv's in the same area, it is unlikely that you will be watching two different things at the same time, the sound clash would be horrid.
V.
Hi Vex, The cheap ones are just that, cheap at that end of the market they never sound much better than the TV speakers. Ideally you will need to add a sub somewhere to get the best performance out of it.
As an alternative, what is wrong with good quality In-Ceiling speakers? Maybe two areas, Main TV and Kitchen with a couple of little rotary volume controls to adjust the volume from the Sky box Audio in each zone?
If you have two tv's in the same area, it is unlikely that you will be watching two different things at the same time, the sound clash would be horrid.
V.
I wasnt planning on a cheap soundbar, just a way of getting a slightly better sound for the kitchen TV, its not going to be my main TV, just a day to day kitchen TV (will be approx 32"-40")
I have already wired the ceiling for 2 speakers for the SONOS system I am installing, which will cover the whole room, so im not loking for a full surround system for the TV just a better depth of sound and improved dialogue. Both TVs are unlikely to be used at the same time, and definetely not on different channels!Im not sure about using the ceiling speakers for the TV system as the ceilings are 3.5m high, and ive already set and wired for 2 speakers for a simple music system.
I know the SKY box doesnt have a digital output for surround systems via the HDMI output, hence my concern that the HDMI signal going to the second TV wouldnt be suitable to run a sound bar?
Thanks for the help!
If it is an up to date Sky HD box and has had all the updates run on it then they do now output the surround sound signals over the HDMI, it was something they finally turned on last year.
If you are already planning a Sonos system, then why not just feed the stereo left and right from the Sky Box into the line inputs on the Sonos Connect box. Then you will have the option of Sky audio from either the tv or the in-ceiling speakers.
That or plan to use the Sonos PlayBar in the kitchen for both audio and tv audio duties. (and even that isnt a brilliant sound bar)
If you can post a floor layout then we might be able to help out more.
V.
If you are already planning a Sonos system, then why not just feed the stereo left and right from the Sky Box into the line inputs on the Sonos Connect box. Then you will have the option of Sky audio from either the tv or the in-ceiling speakers.
That or plan to use the Sonos PlayBar in the kitchen for both audio and tv audio duties. (and even that isnt a brilliant sound bar)
If you can post a floor layout then we might be able to help out more.
V.
VEX said:
If it is an up to date Sky HD box and has had all the updates run on it then they do now output the surround sound signals over the HDMI, it was something they finally turned on last year.
If you are already planning a Sonos system, then why not just feed the stereo left and right from the Sky Box into the line inputs on the Sonos Connect box. Then you will have the option of Sky audio from either the tv or the in-ceiling speakers.
That or plan to use the Sonos PlayBar in the kitchen for both audio and tv audio duties. (and even that isnt a brilliant sound bar)
If you can post a floor layout then we might be able to help out more.
V.
Hi Vex,If you are already planning a Sonos system, then why not just feed the stereo left and right from the Sky Box into the line inputs on the Sonos Connect box. Then you will have the option of Sky audio from either the tv or the in-ceiling speakers.
That or plan to use the Sonos PlayBar in the kitchen for both audio and tv audio duties. (and even that isnt a brilliant sound bar)
If you can post a floor layout then we might be able to help out more.
V.
The SKY box is only about 8 months old, so that should be ok then.
I have planned for 2 x ceiling speakers in the room purely for Sonos, and im not sure I would get the right effect having SKY through them as well, as the room is quite long at 9.5m with very high ceilings (3.5m) so Im not looking to 'fill' the room with sound, I just want to have a decent sound from the TV in the kitchen area which i watch whilst cooking. Itll be approx 7m away from the other TV, and as people may be at the table whilst im watching TV, im not keen on filling the whole room with sound. As mentioned before, my main lounge will get my current full Onkyo amp based system transfered into it, and I am creating a full home cinema room in another part of the house so this is really just a smart kitchen TV. My main concern was that the HDMI feed from the box wouldnt give me enough of a digital audio signal to connect a nice sound bar to the TV.
ive put a quick CAD image of the rough layout. The kitchen TV will be wall mounted to the LHS of the main sink, and the dining table TV will be on the other side of the room behind the entrance door. Ceiling speakers are approx 2.5m in from either end and are in a line down the centre of the room. Hope this makes sense!
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