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Adding a Sony HT-CT370 Sound Bar to my existing configuration
I have a new Sony HT-CT370 sound bar and want to add it to my existing configuration. I already had a Sony HD TV, a Tivo, a Cox Channel Adaptor, a blue ray DVD and a Yamaha Receiver, the last of which I may no longer want as the central hub. I also do not want the TV to be the center hub of the configuration.
Currently cable comes into the Cox channel adaptor, then to Tivo which goes to the receiver which goes to the TV. Blue Ray is connected directly to the Receiver. Got rid of my old speakers so I am currently using my TV speakers.
It's fine with me to just use the receiver as input to the speaker since the soundbar has everything I need for sound. And my TV does have an optical out along with HDMI which is not labeled "ARC".
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Tecknowhelp
Valued Contributor II
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2.8K Messages
9 years ago
Do you want the soundbar as the hub? If so, then disconnect any HDMI going into a Input of the Yamaha receiver and instead plug them into the inputs of the soundbar. Then connect a HDMI 1.4 and plug one end into HDMI out of sound bar and the other end into the HDMI(ARC) of your TV. Turn off the sound bar and power on the Tivo, BR DVD, and TV. Set your TV input to HDMI(ARC) then turn on the sound bar and change it's input to TV.
This is as per setup A on page 7 of these instructions. Then go into TV settings and disable TV speakers if possible and make sure ARC is enabled. For specifics, what model TV do you have? Finally set the audio lock on the remote to TV. For those instructions, what remote do you have?
BTW. The HDMI that comes with the sound bar is not compatible with ARC as per the manual.
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Gbeers
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3 Messages
9 years ago
Thank you for your response. My TV is a Sony Bravia that is nearly 10 years old. I'm waiting for it to die so I can get a new one. I does not have a ARC HDMI, at least I don't see it identified as such. So I was thinking I'd have to use the HDMI and optical to connect the sound bar to it. But it appears the configuration you show is certainly doable.
What if I do use the receiver as the hub? Would this defeat the purpose of having a good sound bar?
Thank you again.
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Tecknowhelp
Valued Contributor II
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2.8K Messages
9 years ago
I agree. I found this page which breaks it down. The only reason this way isn't optimal is because it can be tricky to get it to work dependably. In my old system changes in the audio standards used by some broadcasters would cause HDCP handshake issues between the sound bar and TV. If I went from a commercial on one channel to a channel playing a movie in HD, the audio would cut out. If you were just using the sound bar I would suggest setting everything to PCM to avoid compatibility issues.
Kind off? The point of a sound bar is to have "decent" sound with out the hassle of extra speakers. If you use the Yamaha receiver and it's speakers it defeats the purpose of that convenience. Surround sound works by increasing/decreasing sound to certain speakers in a array to create the perception of depth. If you add speakers which are not part of that array, it can break that illusion. Or it can amplify it. It all depends on where the speakers are in relation to each other, the acoustics of the room and where the listener will be seated. The only way to know what will work best for you is to try different setups and see what sounds best. If you could set the sound bar to mono if might be able to replace a center speaker in a 3 to 5.1 speaker array. See here for a discussion on above.
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Gbeers
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3 Messages
9 years ago
I currently have no other speakers, although the house is wired for and has speakers in 3 rooms. I am not planning on connecting them to my system in the near future. I will proceed to use the sound bar as the hub and will read all of the information for which you included links. If I have any questions I will be sure to put them on this post. Thank you again.
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