HT-AS5 Connections and Sound Field Settings

[john470]

I have recently purchased a Sony HT-AS5 Home Cinema system and I have some questions about setting it up:

1. Should I have both an optical and HDMI connection between the TV and the Home Cinema system? At the moment, I only have an optical connection.  What are the benefits of each of these types of connection? What does one provide that the other doesn’t? If both are required, why?
   
2. When watching a Blu-ray movie, is it OK to just use the connection from the TV to the home cinema system or is it better to connect the Blu-ray player as well? I only need the surround sound so this should be fed through from the TV, or have I misunderstood something?
   
3. What is the best sound field setting to use? It seems, from reading the manual, that only Pro Logic II Movie and Movie-DCS provide surround sound effects, but which should I use? Does it depend on the movie being watched and, if so, how can you tell which setting is best? I have seen other responses about this subject, but I am still confused.
   

Thank you to anyone who can provide some answers and guidance.

[Bravia55HX]

Hi,

if your tv supports the Audio Return Channel (ARC) then connect the tv to this that way, your blu ray player, well i do this, connect using an HDMI cable and feed the sound with a digital coaxial cable, for short runs you can use either coax or optical it does not really matter, sound field, well it does Dolby Digital and DTS, so you should be able to set it in the menu, dolby digital to dolby digital and dts to dts and just set downmix to stereo and that should just about cover it.

[john470]

Thank you for this, but I didn't really understand any of it and it doesn't seem to address my questions specifically.

[gofrost]

it seems your best bet is to connect from blu ray player via a hdmi lead to the blu ray connection at the rear of the ht-as5 this will provide audio and video also before using ht-as5 calibrate speakers using supplied mic take care when using mic insert into correct jack audio field can be altered using remote hdmi lead from ht-as5 should be connected to arc on tv