Surround Sound Problem?

Question

We just got a TV on Friday (40'') and it came with 6 free surround sound speakers (subwoofer, 2 standing ones, 2 small ones and a middle one).

Anyways, yesterday we got a HD box and set it up, then 4 speakers stopped working, but when I unplug the red cord from the back of the TV (or the HD box) those 4 speakers work but the 2 other ones stop working (subwoofer and middle), then when I plug both in only the 2 work, and obviously when I unplug both nothing works.

(These are the red cords [audio] from the HD box --> TV)

Answer 1

You need a receiver.

The cable box, DVD player, CD player, etc - all produce signals called "line-level". There is no power to these signals to power a speaker. They are simply the music information in its weakest possible form.

A receiver takes the line-level signals and adds WATTS of power to them, and routes the power to the speakers. You need to 'feed' the HD box signal to one of the inputs on the receiver, then wire up the speakers with speaker wire.

Answer 2

see above.