Pioneer VSX 520 K Audio/Video Receiver Setup

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AveragePunt

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#77804 22-Feb-2011 23:14

Gidday.

I am an audio novice , and am struggling to understand what I need to do to properly setup and use my new Pioneer VSX 520 Audio/Video Receiver

I have the following:

Pioneer Receiver (VSX 520) plus;

1. Panasonic TV Full HD Plasma TH-P50V20Z 50"
2. Panasonic Blu-ray player DMP-BD45
3. MySky HDI decoder
4. Wharfdale 5 speakers
5. Wharfdale Subwoofer

I have connected the components as per the Pioneer instruction book as follows:

1. Panasonic TV:   HDMI (connection 1) --> MySky decoder

                            HDMI (connection 3) --> Receiver "HDMI Out"

2. Blu-ray player: HDMI (1.4) to Receiver "BD"

3. MySky: HDMI --> Panasonic TV HDMI (1)

Speakers are connected to appropiate connections.

Questions I have:

1.   I know I can play CDs from the Blu-ray (via BD on the receiver), but they sound terrible:  like a big hall! How do I set this up correctly, without affecting anything else?
2. How do I get stereo sound while watching Sky? Do I need to buy/run a Digital Optical cable from the Sky decoder OUT to the receiver IN, plus Audio In (x2) from the Sky decoder to the receiver IN?

DVDs work fine!


Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks and regards

Geoff

clevedon

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#442631 23-Feb-2011 07:47

For a start, basically everything should be run into the receiver via HDMI and just one HDMI cable from the output on the receiver to the TV HDMI 1 input. You will have to go and setup the audio settings on each piece of equipment.

Jaxson

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Trusted

#442654 23-Feb-2011 09:50

The cd's sounding bad suggests that the receiver is in a 'make it up' mode to simulate surround sound when fed a 2 channel stereo source. This should be as easy as selecting a different sound mode but you might have to read the manual to get an idea of what exactly each option does.

Re the mysky thing well that's up to you how you want to run it. A lot of people like watching TV through just the TV speaker and connect direct will allow this. Really though it's probably better to connect it to the receiver first via hdmi but then you have to have the receiver on to use mysky.

Another option is to connect an optical cable from the TV back to the receiver, so you can mute the TV and run the receiver at any stage if you want to.

Lots of options, no total wrong and right. It's very flexible and up to you.

Dunnersfella

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#442656 23-Feb-2011 09:51

As above...
Plug the BluRay into HDMI 1 (BD).
Plug the MySky HDMI into HDMI 2.
Plug an HDMI from the amplifier (HDMI Out) into the TV.

Think of your receiver as the 'brain' that does the work for all your devices, everything plugs in - one HDMI comes out.

What sound configuration are you currently running? Sounds like you have it set to something like 'Chamber' or similar. My advice is to turn this off.
Also, do run the MCACC setup (microphone calibration) as this will help calibrate the speakers to your room. It's not the be-all-end-all in setup, but boy oh boy does it help. In fact, Pioneer are renowned for having very accurate auto calibration.

dan

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Lifetime subscriber

#442715 23-Feb-2011 12:23

did you do the auto setup with the microphone?

as above all devices should plug into the amp, and then just AMP to TV

AveragePunt

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#445306 3-Mar-2011 21:24

Hi. Thanks for your informative replies! I have got the Receiver working, and it is great

Some more questions:

I now want to connect MySky HDI decoder to the TV so I do not to have to use the Receiver when watching Sky on the TV. There is an HDMI cable running from the decoder to the Receiver, which I have been told to leave in place. I still want to get the best picture possible on the TV from the deocder, so should I use a TosLink cable from the decoder to the TV, and RCAs (2-2 males) as well? How does this work, and what inputs do they go to on the TV, i.e. AV1?

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Cheers Geoff

Dunnersfella

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#445335 3-Mar-2011 22:50

Try a component (red,green and blue) to the TV, with a pair of red and white RCA's into the TV.
It'll be analogue, but still, fine.
The MySky box can run both HDMI and analogue inputs at the same time...

In-case you're wondering.

Red / white / yellow = composite.
Red / green / blue + red & white = component
HDMI = Digital

Composite = average.
Component = good.
HDMI = best.

One other option is an HDMI switch box (one in, two out) running out of the MySky box, with one HDMI going into the amp, one into the TV) is another option... BUT, it'll cost more than the cheaper component cable option. Also, it'll probably throw up less issues (cheap switch boxes are a source of frustration).