QuestionQUESTION: Hello. I purchased a Bose 3.2.1 Series 3 system. I also purchased a samsung LCD t.v. which has HDMI 3.1. I have cable into the house but do not use a cable box. Neither instruction manual are of much help in connecting the units. Apparently the Samsung 3.1 t.v. may not be compatible with the Bose?? At any rate, I have run the cable to the t.v.. I ran a non 3.1 HDMI cable from the t.v. to the bose. I also have run audio cables from the t.v. to the Bose. The sound is not "surround" and I also cannot bring up the Bose menu on the t.v. screen. I am at loggerheads as what to do. The Samsung has several outputs however the instructions all apply to cabling between the t.v. and a cable box. Help.
REG
ANSWER: I would first disconnect everything and start from scratch.
Plug the HDMI from the Bose into the Samsung. Be sure that the TV input setting matches what the Bose is plugged into.
Does the DVD player work? Are you getting a picture? Can you access the menus?
If not, contact Bose.
As far as the audio being surround - no matter what Bose touts in their sales pitch, you will never get a true surround experience with speakers in the front. I personally am not a fan of Bose or the pseudo-science they use to peddle their products.
One thing to be aware of, forget what anyone tells you about a "1.3" HDMI cable. The 1.3 HDMI standard actually has very little to do with cabling, as the construction of HDMI cables has essentially stayed unchanged since their inception. Cable manufacturers will use scare tactics surrounding the 1.3 standard to try to dupe customers into buying cheap chinese sourced cables for ridiculous profit margins. (I'm in the cable business, and I see this everyday...)
As far as the audio from the Samsung to the Bose, make sure you are going from the AUDIO OUTPUT on the Samsung to the AUDIO IN TV on the Bose.
I hope this helps you a bit.
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QUESTION: Thank you so very much not only for the reply but for the prompt reply! I have another thought that may well be easier to do and would ask for your input. I have never had the HDMI before and my other sets use simply RCA cables and a S-video cable. I truly am not a video freak and simply want a good picture which my other sets give. Do you believe that if I connect the RCA and S-video cables life would be easier? As to the Bose.........yes, Bose is a rip-off but I simply wanted less on the floor. I was using a Sony surround sound and also a VCR and DVD and never had problems with connections. Bose is very vague on connections...ie: they don't tell you that you need to connect audio to the T.V. as they simply say "connect the HDMI cable and you are set". Also they do not furnish you a telephone number. Very exasperating. One last item, the Samsung is a 120 Hz set and I am receiving a fuzzy picture. I wonder if my cable company (Comcast)is compatible with the T.V.. I do not use a cable box..........simply cable to the T.V., or as before, cable to the VCR and then the T.V..
Once again I thank you in advance for your help. This is a wonderful service that you are volunteering for!
Reg Henshaw
AnswerThe 120hz is merely the refresh rate, and doesn't really have much to do with compatibility. With non digital cable channels going into a digital display, the conversion can be "fuzzy". Think of it as taking a low resolution photoraph and expanding it to the size of a wall poster... It'll be pretty grainy. Same concept applies here. If you had digital cable, I'm sure it would alleviate the fuzziness.
As far as connecting the HDMI - that should be all you need. It's the only way you'll be able to take advantage of the HD properties of your television. If you're not getting a picture or sound, I'd say you have a bad cable (not unheard of with the junk they send with the systems).
Look at BlueJeansCable.com or monoprice.com for replacement HDMI. DO NOT buy HDMI form any retail stores, unless you prefer paying a 400% markup for a cable made in the same factory. Blue Jeans Cable does sell Belden HDMI cabling (USA made), the only U.S. cable on the market that I know of. Everything else is sourced from China.
