Help required connecting PS3 and Sky Box to Naim system

Posted by: Dev B on 12 August 2009

Hi Folks,

I would like some advice on the best way to connect my Sky Box and PS3 to my system (is in my profile) and TV is a Samsung 40inch HD LCD.

Please bear with me as I am not very technical on the home theater side of things, but as a die hard audio-head am concerned about two things:

1. mains pollution from PS3, Sky Box and TV affecting my system (which is on a separate spur)

2. ground loop issues from connecting these objects to the 552.

Was considering the following plan of attack, grateful for your advice:

1. Was going to buy a DAC and optically connect the PS3 and Sky box to the DAC (obviously need a DAC with two optical inputs - any recommendations?). Is this is good idea?

2. Connect this DAC to 552.

3. Was going to install a separate spur for DAC, PS3, Sky and TV

4. Park these items near the hifi, and then get a HDMI input thingy (where you can put 4 inputs and get one output)and plug Sky box, PS3 into this and take a 10m HDMI cable to the TV (which is mounted on the wall, away from the HiFi). In terms of positioning was thining of parking the boxes near the hifi and then long cable to TV, or can I park these items near the TV and get a long RCA to DIN cable from DAC.

Also is it easy to get the PS3 and Sky Box to audio out into the DAC and video only into the HDMI cable (and therefore into TV).

Grateful for your views on this set up as I dip my toes into this area, hopefully in an uncompromised way as overall hifi sound quality comes first.

Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Dev
Posted on: 12 August 2009 by Derek Wright
Before you spend a lot of money have you tried taking the output from the Sky box (if it is a HD one) via HDMI to the TV and then from the line out phono plugs on the TV to one of the inputs on the 552.

If this is acceptable then if the PS3 (I do not know anything about this device) has HDMI output also to the TV and let the TV do the selection of of image and sound.

I have a Sky box connected to a Panasonic TV and on to the 552 (along with input from a DVD player) as detailed above and so far it is an acceptable solution.

TV and Sky box are on the regular house circuit the DVD is on a dedicated spur
Posted on: 12 August 2009 by Dev B
Dear Derek,

Thank you for posting. This was helpful. Was wondering if Phonos to 552 was causing any ground loop issues with a Cd player connected? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

regards

Dev
Posted on: 12 August 2009 by fixedwheel
Dev

Check if your TV has an optical out, an awful lot of them do!

You could then run a longer optical lead right to your hi-fi, isolate the TVs mains, and put the DAC close to the 552.

HTH

John
Posted on: 12 August 2009 by Derek Wright
Dev

I am not aware to any ground loop issues, the only irritant noise I can hear is the cooling fan in the back of the TV. There is no mains hum (that I can hear)
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by Naijeru
quote:
Originally posted by Dev B:
Also is it easy to get the PS3 and Sky Box to audio out into the DAC and video only into the HDMI cable (and therefore into TV).

I don't know about the Sky Box but getting audio via optical and video via HDMI out of the PS3 is no problem.
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by Eloise
quote:
Originally posted by Naijeru:
quote:
Originally posted by Dev B:
Also is it easy to get the PS3 and Sky Box to audio out into the DAC and video only into the HDMI cable (and therefore into TV).

I don't know about the Sky Box but getting audio via optical and video via HDMI out of the PS3 is no problem.

Sky is usually used with HDMI for video and optical for audio as there is no DD audio via HDMI (obviously you'll want stereo I know - just set it in the settings)

Eloise