When using Dish Network satellite TV service, connecting a surround sound system to the TV set can enhance the home theater experience. Surround sound provides sounds from various directions and places the listener at the center of the event such as in movies, sporting events, etc. The good news is that installing surround sound with Dish Network does not have to be a tricky affair so long as certain procedures are observed.
What You Need
- Dish Network satellite receiver with audio/video outputs – Most current Dish Network receivers have HDMI ports for audio and video, which makes connecting to a surround sound system easier, though receivers with RCA jacks for audio and video should also work well.
- Home theatre surround sound system – You will require a tangible home theatre surround sound system with numerous speakers and signal input ports. Although some soundbars and 2-speaker systems might seem to give surround sound, they will not give true surround sound.
- HDMI or RCA audio cables – One will require cables for connecting the Dish receiver to the inputs identified on the surround receiver. HDMI is used to handle both the video and audio signal across a single cable.
Possible Output Sound Connections for Dish Receiver
In anywhere your equipment allows, HDMI is the best option for connecting the Dish receiver to the surround system. Everything is nice and neat because an HDMI cable contains both the audio and video signal.
However, many surround systems do not come equipped with an HDMI input. In that case, RCA composite or component video cables for the TV video and RCA audio cables between the Dish receiver and surround system.
Yes, if all your TV, Stereo, and Dish receivers have HDMI inputs and outputs, the best and simplest connection will be to use only two HDMI cables – one going from the receiver to the TV and another one from the Dish box to the receiver.
The article sums up information regarding connecting surround sound through HDMI for the readers.
Follow these steps to use HDMI for your surround sound Dish Network integration:
- Plug one end of your HDMI wire into the HDMI output port of your Dish Network receiver which can be situated at the rear part of the unit.
- Take the other end of the same HDMI cable and plug it into an input HDMI port on the rear side of the surround sound receiver unit.
- Take another HDMI cable and plug it from the HDMI monitor/TV output socket at the rear part of your surround receiver unit to one of the HDMI input sockets on your TV.
- First, turn on your surround receiver before turning on the Dish receiver. Make sure that your receiver is switched to the right input channel.
- If prompted, select the default audio options on your Dish receiver to turn on Dolby Digital surround. Check audio settings.
You now will receive surround sound and video from your Dish receiver to your home theater and Dolby Digital surround will give you a great surround experience.
How to connect surround sound using RCA cables
If your sound system does not include HDMI, follow these steps instead of using RCA audio and video cords:
- Run a set of RCA video cables from the composite/component video on the Dish receiver to the corresponding ports on the TV. It deals with the video signal.
- Run a stereo RCA audio cable from the audio OUT sockets of the Dish receiver to the DVD/Satellite/TV/Aux audio IN sockets of the surround sound receiver.
- Switch on your receiver from the equipment you will be using then the Dish receiver. Choose the correct channel expansion mode for surround sound in a receiver like Dolby Pro Logic Ixia.
- On the Dish settings menus, verify if the setting is available on Dolby Digital audio output, in that case, make it ON to pass a surround signal to your system.
If those steps are followed correctly, then it will allow you to use the audio from your Dish receiver throughout your home theater speakers. Alter the volume on the receiver only when all the settings are set. You now can view satellite TV and get surround sound to enhance the programs and make them more appealing.
Tips For Integration
Here are some useful tips when integrating Dish Network with your brand-new surround system:
- If one is in doubt about any cables or settings, they need to consult the equipment manuals.
- Set Dolby sound options on the Dish box and Surround unit for maximum decoding
- Switch the Dish box to Fixed Volume mode to regulate levels only through the surround receiver.
- Try out surround audio with demo scenes from a Blu-ray before watching television programs
- Ensure the placement of speakers to give the best surround sound stage
- Execute calibration setup menus in the home theater receiver to modify the sound modes
- If wires become challenging between units, then wireless HDMI solutions should be considered.
The multi-channel surround system that comes with Dish Network satellite programming delivers better sound quality over standard television audio than TV audio. Never does it take much work to interface Dish with the inputs on your system and the payoff adds excitement and fun to everything you watch. Since so much sports, news, movies, and entertainment is watched every day, incorporating surround sound into Dish Network provides lasting enjoyment.
Ready to upgrade your TV experience? Call us now at (877) 471-4808 to find the perfect Dish Network plan for you! Don’t miss out on great entertainment—our team is here to help you choose the best package and get you started today.