HT-AS5 home theatre system connecting to Sony Bravia TV

[JBR1234]

Hi, a new member, so please bear with me.

I have two Panasonic DVD/BD recorders which I have attached to this sound system and the TV.

I initially followed the instruction manual and connected via HDMI cables as follows:

- DVD 1 to left-hand DVD-in socket on sound system

- DVD 2 to next adjacent DVD-in socket on sound system

- TV input (ARC) to far right TV-out (ARC) socket on sound system

However, this effectively connects only one of the DVD units for both picture and sound.  The TV Input shows only HDMI 1 selection option.

Consequently, I tried different connections and found one which worked - after a fashion:

- DVD 1 to left-hand DVD-in socket on sound system

- DVD 2 to HDMI 4 socket on TV (avoidiing sound system sockets)

- TV HDMI 1 socket (ARC) to far right TV-out (ARC) socket on sound system

The TV input now shows both HDMI 1 and HDMI 4 selection options.

DVD 2 output is fine and provides good sound from all speakers (centre, right and left; and side speakers when appropriate transmission provides this),

DVD 1 output only provides sound from right and left speakers and not the centre speaker, and in addition the sound level is noticeably lower than DVD 2.

I apologise that this query is rather complicated, but I hope it is understood.

I also apologise that this home theatre system is now pretty old and out of production (I think!).

Of course, I would welcome any questions and, hopefully, some suggestions of how I could obtain perfect sound quality through all speakers using both DVD units.

[IamNic · Accepted solution]

Hello @JBR1234,

if you connect the both Players to the DVD and Blu-Ray HDMI inputs on the sound-systems subwoofer (the names of the ports are arbitrary, but from your explanation, it looks to me like you already knew that), you just need to connect your sound-system to the TVs ARC-port (which is usually HDMI 3) and it should all work.

If you don't want to get the TV-audio back into the sound-system, you can just connect the HDMI-cable to any port your TV has.

You can also connect the sound-system to your TVs ARC input and connect the two players to any left over HDMI-port on the TV.

- Nic

[JBR1234]

Hi Nic,

I'm sure I replied to your comment, but I can't see it now.  Perhaps it takes time for it to be added.

[JBR1234]

OK Nic, I'll try again.  I don't know where my previous post went!

You posted: "You can also connect the sound-system to your TVs ARC input and connect the two players to any left over HDMI-port on the TV."

I did try this initially, but could get picture and sound from only one DVD.  There was neither sound nor picture from the other DVD.

I have now connected the sound system (the far right port) to the TV's ARC input, which is HDMI 1.

I have connected one DVD (DVD 1) to the sound system (far left port), and the other DVD (DVD 2) is connected directly to the TV's HDMI 4 port.

In this way, both DVDs can be selected on the TV screen, DVD 1 as HDMI 1 and DVD 2 as HDMI 4.

The strange thing is that only DVD 2 produces full sound from all speakers, despite not being connected directly to the sound system; DVD 1 produces much quieter sound only from left and right speakers.

At least I can now get sound and picture from both DVDs, but I should be able to get full sound from all speakers from both.

[JBR1234]

Sorted!

I did a bit of investigating and found that I should have stuck with the connection method in the handbook after all!

What I'd stupidly misunderstood was that the fact that I could only see HDMI 1 listed on the TV screen didn't mean that I couldn't switch between the two DVD units.

I have been used to doing that using the two DVD remote controls, along with adjusting the channel, sound level, list of recordings, etc.  Two handsets for two recording units and the TV seemed logical to me.

I now realise that I can, of course, switch between the two DVD units using the remote control for the sound system which, previously, I had not needed and put away in a drawer.

OK, I now have to juggle three remote controls rather than two, but I can put up with that so that I have full sound output from both DVD units.  The newer one, for some reason, still produces a lower volume, but the sound still comes from all speakers, including the important centre speaker.  I assume that the reduced volume is something to do with the DVD unit itself.

I apologise for wasting your time, gentlemen, and thanks for your invaluable advice.

[IamNic]

Hello @JBR1234,

no need to apologize, if I would have read your post more carefully, I could have noticed, that you weren't aware of the possibility of switching the inputs on the home theater system. 

Glad to hear it now works as expected.

- Nic