No Surround sound on V+

peterflewitt · 19-01-2010, 20:34

It wasn't until the installing engineer had gone that I discovered that my surround sound system would not work on my new V+ box. After trying all possible combinations of positions for the unused scart lead provided, I gave up and rang Virgin Customer support, to be told flatly " The V+ box does not support surround sound systems"

WHY NOT, FOR GOD'S SAKE?

What use is HD tV when you can't get hi-fi sound to match?

I am hard of hearing, so rely on the surround sound speaker just behind my chair to clearly hear TV sound without its being turned up to a level unacceptable to anyone else in the room.

Surely, with all the sockets on the V+ box it should be possible to program one of them to provide audio out. If anyone in Virgin bothers to look at the comments on this forum, perhaps they can come up with a solution to my ( and no doubt many others') problem. If not, I can see no alternative than to ditch the Virgin service and go to Sky, which I know can drive a surround sound system.

Brutha Myles · 19-01-2010, 21:11

The V+ definitely supports surround sound systems. Mine is plugged into an amp right now via an optical cable.

If you've got the new Samsung box you can use optical / HDMI into your amp or if it's an older surround sound system you need to get a lead that splits the scart signal into video and audio and plug the left & right audio leads into your amp.

Stephen · 19-01-2010, 22:05

What connections does your surround system have?

The V+ outputs by Optical cable to a surround system.

hedgie · 20-01-2010, 11:38

As other have said you can get a V+ box to work with a surround sound amp.

You have to use an optical (Toslink) cable to link between the V+ and amp, then set the HDMI override to On. However VERY FEW channels actually use the 5.1 feature, mostly it is just stereo. May be more of the HD channels will start to use 5.1

I can confirm it does work. TOSLINK cables can be had from Amazon for a few quid

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...=toslink+cable

DO NOT pay the Â£10+ plus you are charged on the high street in places like Maplins.

SCART DOES NOT support 5.1 as surround sound was never part of the SCART standard, this is not VM's fault.

Hope this helps,

monkey2468 · 20-01-2010, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedgie

snip

SCART DOES NOT support 5.1 as surround sound was never part of the SCART standard, this is not VM's fault.

Hope this helps,

.....but is pro logic surround sound.

SupremeMonarch · 20-01-2010, 12:55

Samsung V+ box to TV via HDMI.
TV to Surround Sound System via Optical.

Surrond sound works a treat.

hedgie · 20-01-2010, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

.....but is pro logic surround sound.

LOL

Brutha Myles · 20-01-2010, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

.....but is pro logic surround sound.

I'm sure I'm missing out on some in-joke here but the answer has to be yes. I'm currently watching The Simpsons with different sounds coming from the rear speakers than the front ones, that makes it surround sound to me.

The fact there the rear left and rear right can't produce different sounds doesn't stop it being surround sound.

hedgie · 21-01-2010, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brutha Myles

I'm sure I'm missing out on some in-joke here but the answer has to be yes. I'm currently watching The Simpsons with different sounds coming from the rear speakers than the front ones, that makes it surround sound to me.

The fact there the rear left and rear right can't produce different sounds doesn't stop it being surround sound.

No I dont think its an in joke, Pro Logic was designed to work with stereo speakers to provide enhanced sound using phase shift techniques to simulate rear speakers. It is a "domestic version" of the four channel systems used in cinemas"

GENERALLY when people on this forum talk about surround sound problems it is to with getting a 5.1 or better, system to work using Dolby Digital as provided on some BBC HD on on demand content.

I can get sound of my rear speakers using a stereo CD input if I select an appropriate sound field.

So apologies if you thought I was being flippant, as technology moves on so does peoples use of terminology. I think "surround sound" is such a loose term, when does expanded stereo become "surround sound"?

Anyway, I hope the OP has been able to connect their system together in a way that they are happy with. The V+ is a clever piece of kit and amongst other things will do Dolby Digital 5.1.

Brutha Myles · 21-01-2010, 12:07

Don't worry, there's no need to apologise.

1701-e · 21-01-2010, 13:29

i have an old 5.1 system for my DVD. Is there any way of connecting the optiical OUT from V+ to the analogue IN?

hedgie · 21-01-2010, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1701-e

i have an old 5.1 system for my DVD. Is there any way of connecting the optiical OUT from V+ to the analogue IN?

Yes ! If you have a SPDiF coaxial in then use one of these.

http://cablemountain.com/epages/esho...s/OPT-COAXCONV

If its just a phono in then you can use the phono outs on the V+.

Cable Mountain do good prices on HDMI and Toslink cables.

Regards,

Phil-ntl · 22-01-2010, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedgie

If its just a phono in then you can use the phono outs on the V+.

Regards,

The one problem with that is if its the newer samsung v+, it doesnt have phono outs as i found out when I had my aging SA box replaced.

The easy way round it for me was to get a scart splitter (ebay) as has already been mentioned so that i could still use my cheapo Asda surround sound setup, connect this to the vcr scart on the v+ and go phono to phono

Hope this helps

Phil

Digital Fanatic · 23-01-2010, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil-ntl

The one problem with that is if its the newer samsung v+, it doesnt have phono outs as i found out when I had my aging SA box replaced.

The easy way round it for me was to get a scart splitter (ebay) as has already been mentioned so that i could still use my cheapo Asda surround sound setup, connect this to the vcr scart on the v+ and go phono to phono

Hope this helps

Phil

Yeah, good advice... I think this is what the OP meant.

peterflewitt · 27-01-2010, 20:48

TO PHIL-NTL, 1701-e, and others who tried.

HI GUYS

Thanks a million. I now have surround sound. For the benefit of any others similarly placed, I bought a RCA(Phono) to SCART (Switchable) adaptor, code no CAB1051-AV15424-(33514) from "memoryforless.co.uk" via Amazon for the princely sum of Â£4.49 inc postage, connected it by a standard phono cable that I already had. Plugged SCART into top socket on V+ box (vCR) and checked setting of "HMDI Override" to "OFF", as left by installing engineer.

It works. Why couldn't Virgin Customer Services have told me this instead of saying that it could't be done?

Well done Cableforum, you are now in my Favourites line in case of future problems.

With thanks, Peter Flewitt