How do i set up my surround sound to my tv without cable box?

Question

I have a tv (with the rca input/outputs on it), dvd player and a home theater system. My cable doesnt go thru a box it goes straight from the wall to the tv. I know how to hook up the dvd player so video goes thru tv and sound thru dvd player. When i try to watch basic cable no channels play surround sound. What am i doing wrong???

yes micheal i have the rca cords from the back of the tv to the back of the surround sound box aux input. the options were dvd, aux or game/camera. i also have the source on the front set to the aux. I called the cable company. they said it is possible for me to have surround sound with my basic cable but the technician didnt know how the cords were to run.

Answer 1

I don't belive any basic cable channels are able to broadcast in surround sound (5.1) as it is done digitally - you aren't getting a digital signal but an anlog one. The best you could probably hope for is Dolby Pro Logic.

Answer 2

are you running your dvd thru the surround sound system/ what input did you use, the dvdinput? then you need to run a rca cable from the audio output on the back of the tv to the vhs input or an aux. input and if you don't have these inputs then run it into tape playback and that should work for you.

Answer 3

TV RCA (red and white) output to input on receiver. Video 1
DVD RCA (or whatever you are using) to input of receiver. DVD or Video 2
Cable from wall to DVD input, DVD cable output to TV. (optional)
Are the TV sounds coming thru ANY speakers of the receiver. If this is the way you have it hooked up, try using a different input to the receiver and/or turning the TV speakers off.

Just some ideas, without knowing what equipment you have its kinda hard

Answer 4

Probably nothing, more than likely you are getting 2.0 sound not 5.1, most cable company's are lucky to be broadcasting in stereo let alone surround sound..
See if you can switch modes from Dolby Digital to Dolby Pro logic 1 or 2, that should help with the surround sound.

Answer 5

That Sony unit does not show as having any HDMI inputs on the Sony website, only an HDMI output. In that case, wire the cable box to your TV via HDMI, then connect the optical audio output of the TV to the optical audio input on the Sony unit to get the sound to the Sony. If the TV has digital coax audio output instead of optical, then connect the digital audio coax output of the TV to the digital audio coax input on the Sony unit. Both of those methods will produce the same audio quality. The other connection to the TV will be the HDMI output from the Sony unit to. Switching inputs on the TV from cable box to the Sony DVD will get the correct video to the TV.