HELP! Connecting a PVR/DVR to an external amp

[soozieq]

I just got a Freeview digital video recorder which works fine. . . except that all recorded programs sound much quieter than when watching them straight from the TV. So I did a bit of research and came up with this titbit from cnet.

"Great increases in sound quality can be had by using the digital audio outputs and hooking the PVR up to an external amplifier"

Sorry for sounding stupid, but they don't elaborate on what sort of an amp might be suitable. Are they talking about the type of amp used in a music system? Or is there some kind of special mini amp that's mainly for using with Freeview/Sky boxes?

Also, would the amp come into play if I was watching the TV through the Freeview box (instead of the TV's built-in Freeview?) Or would it only affect recorded programs?

Any help would be welcome, because I want to get the amp asap. Thank you

[Aevum]

ok,

heres the thing, your DVR/PVR, does it also havea built in tuner or it doubles as your satelite/cable box ?

if it does, it will probobly affect all content viewed from it,
you can probobly set it to output trough other exists at the back of the device, now you have to check the back to see what outputs it has and check the configuration menu on the DVR/PVR to see what options you have for audio output,

now, usualy they have scart, normal RCA composit, and if we go somewhat upscale, optical or coaxial SPDIF, Component and in VERY rare occasions HDMI, now,

Scart) you can have a scart to composite divisor, a cheap one usualy comes with consoles and you can get it at any electronics shop, better quality ones require some searching, so you just take the audio RCA links, usualy theres 3, red, white and yellow, the yellow is video, the red and white are audio, insted of hooking them up to the TV, you connect them to the auxilary RCA connectors on your Amplifier,

RCA Composit), fallow earlier instructions with the exception of the scart to RCA convertor

RCA Component) same deal, take the red and white (make sure its the audio red, theres also a video Red in component) and hook them up to the amp,

now, if your freeview box has a optical or coaxial SPDIF connector (usualy a small black connecor with a cover you have to pull out or a orange RCA connecor), then your in luck, just make sure your amplifier has a corresponding input port,

as for HDMI, well, HDMI is a 2 way secure connector, theres no way to split it, and if there is, its out side my tech know how,

just remember, i know were geneticly dispositioned to avoid reading the manual, but sometimes it is your friend,

[soozieq]

Originally Posted by Aevum

now, if your freeview box has a optical or coaxial SPDIF connector (usualy a small black connecor with a cover you have to pull out or a orange RCA connecor), then your in luck, just make sure your amplifier has a corresponding input port,

The freeview box has a twin tuner and a digital audio output. I just wanted to know what kind of amp would be suitable for connecting to it.

As for user manuals, I do read them first! It doesn't say anything about connecting external amps, I got that info from cnet. I just didn't know what sort of amp to get for it, given that it's only going to connect to the Freeview box, nothing else. Do you have any ideas about it? Thanks

[Aevum]

maybe you should check in dedicated source components section, i dont know alot about amps, i would probobly go for a luxman or a Herman Kardon, but then again, i dont know much about speaker amps.

[robert1325]

Any normal amp with RCA inputs will do ...

If your television has RED/White rca output you could hook your television to the amp and get the sound of everything that comes trough your TV to the amp. If it does not have RCA outputs you could use a Scart adapter with a input/output switch :

[Jimbo3b]

I think you're looking for a 'home cinema receiver' or 'amplifier/receiver.'

We have two systems:

1. Cable box>coaxial cable>first TV
2. Cable Box>RCA red/white/yellow interconnect>DVR/DVD player>optical cable>Yamaha amplifier/receiver/surround system>RCA red/white/yellow interconnect>TV2