surround sound signal?

Question

how does the information for several speakers in 5.1,6.1or7.1 get from the DVD player or sattelite box to the amplifier?

which type of cable is best?
is the audio encoded on a single pair of wires?

thanks

Answer 1

In order to decode 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS, you need to either have a coaxial or fiber optic cable (whichever your system facilitates) connecting your DVD player to your surround receiver.

DO NOT BUY MONSTER CABLE!! It's hella expensive and you won't hear a difference. Digital audio is not like analog; you either have a signal or you don't. If you have a signal it's as good as it can be. Find the cheapest cable that works.

Answer 2

Your satellite box or DVD player should have a "digital audio" output which is either coaxial cable or optical cable or both. It does not matter which one you use, and the entire 6, 7 or 8 channel audio is encoded digitally into a single wire. Coax cable is usually cheaper than optical, so use that if you can. Get the lowest price cable; the sound quality will not be affected. However, the problem with the cheapest cables is that sometimes the connectors are not well mounted and they can become defective. I have had that happen to expensive optical cables, however. It is a rare occurrance, however.

Answer 3

The audio is always transmitted on dual-wires wrapped in a single sheath, or by fiber-optic. You need the dual wires, because you need to have a complete circuit for the information to travel.

The signals themselves are transmitted on different wavelengths (frequencies) on the cable. Much like a television signal over ONE cable can have both audio and video information coming over it, or the way old Records used to be able to play Stereo through a single needle.

And, Monster Cable is some of the best cable out there. Make sure you get Gold Heads... less tarnishing and cleaner information transfer.

Answer 4

The surround gets from your DVD player to your receiver via an audio connection, The best connection between the the two would be a digital cable, usually optical/coaxial depending on your DVD player and your receiver.
Whether it is 5.1or 6.1 or 7.1, depends on your receiver and what it can process.
Optical/coaxial is the best audio cable connection.
And yes all the audio connection is in the single wire connection.

Answer 5

I hate optical...very fragile unless you spend big bucks and its no different in sound quality compared to coaxial..cheaper units just have optical and no coaxial..Pass on the glass.

Answer 6

same here