"Eiron" wrote in message
...
Steve W wrote:

Thanks - that eases my mind considerably! I was starting to do a bit of
post-rationalisation myself and coming to the view that I could hardly
grumble for £50. It just means I will need to keep my existing audio
system
"in parallel" for playing music CDs using the digital out on the DVD
Player,
and switching to 5.1 only when I play DVD films.

But I did rather hint to my wife that the new set up would allow me to
shift
the old Wharfedale speakers out of the living room, and so now I'm going
to
have to break the bad news to her....

But did you try the digital input to the amp?
I don't recall you saying that it didn't have one.

Sorry I didn't mention that. No, the amp only has six phono inputs. I
admit that I still don't understand how I would connect the digital out from
the DVD Player to the analogue stereo inputs of my existing hifi amplifier.
Can that be done, or do I need to simply connect the FL and FR channels from
the DVD Player to the L and R inputs of my old amp?

I still need to be able to play my NTL Cable box, my portable minidisc
player and my Nicam Video Recorder out through my hifi. So I think I now
have two options:

1. Connect my existing two full range speakers to the 5.1 amp as FL and FR
and use the new 5.1 amp as the only "hifi" system. In which case I need
some kind of switching system for my inputs (DVD, MD, Cable Box, VCR).
Maplins, here I come.

Or...

2. Keep the existing hifi in parallel, and set up all six new speakers in
addition to my present ones. Use the 5.1 amp and new speakers only for DVDs;
and use my existing amp and old speakers for everything else.

Steve