View Full Version : Hitachi w/s TV and Sony DVD questions
hockeyshooter
03-01-2002, 12:45
I've just rented an Hitachi C28WF523N 28" widescreen from BoxClever (http://www.boxclever.co.uk) and am looking to buy a fairly low-end DVD player to go with it. I already have front and rear speakers hooked up to the phonos on the back of the TV. Questions:
:confused: I will use an all-pins-wired SCART but do I also need a digital connection to get 5.1 ?
:confused: I have quite a lot of movies on VHS tape, many of which are marked 'Dolby' or 'Dolby Surround'. Does anyone know if the Hitachi produces surround audio from an analog source or can it only do so from a digital source.
:confused: Is there any way to use the TV's speakers as the centre speaker in a 5.1 setup?
:confused: I'm considering either Sony DVP-NS300SB or 400SB players - the latter has more outputs and can handle CD-Rs too (should I ever make any). Comments? 'DVD Buyer' gives the 300 a very good review. I'll likely buy from Dabs (http://www.dabs.com) since the price is very reasonable and I don't want a region-hacked machine.
TIA,
Chris.
:confused: I will use an all-pins-wired SCART but do I also need a digital connection to get 5.1 ?
I think the hitachi is prologic only (i may be wrong) so you will need more equipement to get full digital 5.1 surround (dolby digital and dts). Eg. Amp/decoder and speakers - hook the dvd player up to the amp using a digital cable (coaxial or optical)
:confused: I have quite a lot of movies on VHS tape, many of which are marked 'Dolby' or 'Dolby Surround'. Does anyone know if the Hitachi produces surround audio from an analog source or can it only do so from a digital source.
If you have a stereo video and a scart/stereo phono (analogue)connection you'll be able to get Dolby Prologic from the vhs tapes.
:confused: Is there any way to use the TV's speakers as the centre speaker in a 5.1 setup?
Pass
:confused: I'm considering either Sony DVP-NS300SB or 400SB players - the latter has more outputs and can handle CD-Rs too (should I ever make any). Comments? 'DVD Buyer' gives the 300 a very good review. I'll likely buy from Dabs (http://www.dabs.com) since the price is very reasonable and I don't want a region-hacked machine.
have you thought about http://www.homecinemaheaven.com/ they have it for £199 region hacked which is only about £20 more, prob less if you inc delivery. The benefits in the future will be massive, trust me, if you get into the whole dvd thing, you will want region 1, 3, and 4 :D
oh, and welcome to da forums :D
hockeyshooter
03-01-2002, 13:43
Originally posted by kcxdev:
I think the hitachi is prologic only (i may be wrong) so you will need more equipement to get full digital 5.1 surround (dolby digital and dts).
No, I'm pretty certain (from the manual) that it can do 5.1 - there's a Dolby Digital logo on the front. Might be that it can't do DTS though. It has phono sockets for front and rear pairs plus centre and subchuffer. With tapes and broadcast, I can hear something coming from the rear channels already that doesn't contain speech, so some kind of decoding must be going on. I am a bit annoyed, however, that the levels coming out of the phonos seem extremely low - I have to crank my amp way up to get even an audible level from my from speakers.
I am leaning towards the Sony 400 rather than the 300 as if I should have to change the telly, the replacement might not have a decoder and I don't have an a/v amp or receiver.
have you thought about http://www.homecinemaheaven.com/ they have it for £199 region hacked which is only about £20 more, prob less if you inc delivery.
Having read this (http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html) very long and very informative FAQ on DVD I've been put off any multi-region mods. They are of the opinion that it causes problems, especially with two layer DVDs and with other kinds of discs. Bear in mind that I will be replacing my ancient Marantz CD-63 CD player with the same machine and I do not want any problems playing music CDs.
Thanks for the response - feel free to shoot me down in flames as I am a complete newby to DVD :D
Chris.
http://www.hitachi-consumer-eu.com/c28wf523n.htm seems to say the telly is Pro logic??? you sure BoxClever haven't given you a better spec machine without you knowing? :D Does it have digital connections on it? a coaxial (digital phono) or optical?
I am a bit annoyed, however, that the levels coming out of the phonos seem extremely low - I have to crank my amp way up to get even an audible level from my from speakers.
Rear channels shouldn't really be too overpowering, just enough to create some sort of atmosphere in most cases. do you mean the tv internal amp? and are the phonos the connections to the speakers or are you using the pre-outs?
Having read this very long and very informative FAQ on DVD I've been put off any multi-region mods. They are of the opinion that it causes problems, especially with two layer DVDs and with other kinds of discs.
I've never ever heard that playback of dvd/cd/vcd is affected by a chipped machine, and I can't really see how it can cos only the region settings/chip is modified, nothing else. Maybe someone can confirm this (or flame me :rolleyes: :D)
hockeyshooter
03-01-2002, 14:33
Originally posted by kcxdev
http://www.hitachi-consumer-eu.com/c28wf523n.htm seems to say the telly is Pro logic??? you sure BoxClever haven't given you a better spec machine without you knowing? :D Does it have digital connections on it? a coaxial (digital phono) or optical?
Well, you know you could be right because a) the folks in the shops know nothing and b) my TV is silver whereas the ones on the website are gunmetal grey. The model number I quoted is from the BoxClever site because I can't remember what it really is - I'll look it up tonight. My exact model does not appear to be on the Hitachi website...
It has a phono input for digital coax but no optical.
do you mean the tv internal amp? and are the phonos the connections to the speakers or are you using the pre-outs?
All the levels from the phonos on the rear of the TV seem very low. They are currently wired to line-ins ("Tape 2") on the amp and the only input on the Wharfdales (active). I either can mute the speakers in the TV and then turn the TV's volume up, or turn my amp up way high to try to match the TV's level. I was kinda hoping that the TV would be sensible enough to use its own speakers for centre when it knows you have front and rear externals attached. There's an on/off setting for 'Center Speaker' in the OSM but when you switch it on, it simply removes the speech from both the internal speakers and from my front speakers.
Chris.
hockeyshooter
03-01-2002, 17:49
The model number I supplied was wrong - it is actually a C28WF535N, not therefore the one listed on either Boxclever or Hitachi websites!
Chris.
bit confused about the connection to the amp. Are you just connecting the rears to your amp?
how do prologic tapes sound with just the TV powering all the speakers?
hockeyshooter
04-01-2002, 08:05
Originally posted by kcxdev
bit confused about the connection to the amp. Are you just connecting the rears to your amp?
The front sockets go via a normal stereo amp to a pair of Tannoy Stratfords (old studio monitors) and the rear sockets go direct to a pair of active (built-in amps) Wharfdale Diamonds.
how do prologic tapes sound with just the TV powering all the speakers?
Without any external speakers on, it sounds the same as a Nicam broadcast unless I turn on the TV's 3DS which is a psudo surround effect using just the internal speakers. If I turn on the external speakers, it does sound a lot better (loads more bottom end, as you'd expect) but I don't seem to get much if anything in the way of a surround effect. I sincerely hope its better with DVD and Dolby Digital.
Before the arrival of this TV I had a 4:3 and derrived the mono rear signal via a home-made surround processor. The effect was quite good with movies like Predator (jungle sounds).
Chris.
I would just test it out using the TV's own speakers/amps (it did come with them right?). The rear speakers aren't suppose to be the same volume as the fronts. Does the TV have some sort of setup menu, like a test tone to adjust the levels of the speakers?
hockeyshooter
04-01-2002, 13:10
Originally posted by kcxdev
I would just test it out using the TV's own speakers/amps (it did come with them right?).
Built-in speakers, yes - no external ones. Just as well because I don't want any more speakers!
The rear speakers aren't suppose to be the same volume as the fronts. Does the TV have some sort of setup menu, like a test tone to adjust the levels of the speakers?
Yes, there's such a system in the menu. But the levels are so low, I have left everything on flat out!
Chris.
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