Question: I have just bought a DURABRAND SA51AR home theatre system to go with my DURABRAND 2127N TV and DURABRAND CG5660-M Freeview set-top box. I have connected all my output leads (the speaker ones). I have only one red, yellow, and white jack on my TV and three sets of red and white jack leads with home theatre system. I can't get sound no matter how many times I've swapped the input leads... any ideas whats going wrong :(

-  submitted by CKENWORTHY1986

Answer:

If I get you right, you have a home theater system, a TV, and a freeview set-top, but can't get any sound from the TV through your external audio system.

If that's the gist, let's look at a few things.

Based on your description, it doesn't sound like your TV has an OUTPUT... only an input (since there's only 1 set of jacks). If this is the case, you won't be able to connect the TV to the receiver directly. That's no big deal really; all you need to do connect the audio output from the set-top box to the home theater system directly (run the video cable to the TV) and simply bypass the TV for sound. You'll be forced to use the receiver to hear any audio, but who needs TV speakers when you've got external audio. :)

Question: I would now like to know what video card would be compatible with my computer. I have a DELL XPS 400 that runs Windows XP. I saw mention of the "9600GT" in the forums, but have never heard of that card before. Can you go into specifics about what brand of card it is? Also, things like "the XPS 400 should have 1 PCI Express x16 slot" sounds like a lot of big words to me, can you describe it better?

If there is any other information that is needed, please tell. Thanks.

-submitted by codify

Answer:

Upgrading something like a graphics card, for the most part, is pretty straightforward. The installation isn't terribly difficult and you typically have a wide variety of cards to choose from (which is both good and bad). If you're unfamiliar with the terminology or are new to the aftermarket PC parts scene, it can be a little difficult figuring out where to start.

Question:

I have an XBOX 360, and would only like to use it to play HD-DVD on my TV. I would like to diable the game controllers completely and not be able to play any games. Any ideas?

-submitted by Martyb

Answer:

To answer your question in one sentence, shy of hiding the XBOX 360 controllers entirely, there is no way to render the 360 incapable of playing games. That really is what the 360 was designed to do, afterall.

I thought about opening up the XBOX 360 and disconnecting the internal DVD drive from the main board. However, getting the 360 open is not an easy task, but it could be done. The problem though, is that this will void your warranty, and there's a chance the 360 will not boot if the drive is disconnected.

That doesn't mean there isn't hope though. You can severely cripple the XBOX 360's ability to play games by taking advantage of the family settings in the main menu.

Question:

I would like to get my home theater system (Samsung HT-Q45) hooked up so I can watch DVDs with the TV speakers at times... without using the surround sound speakers themselves. There will be other times I would like to use the surround, just not always. I would also like to be able to use the same components. Is this possible?

-submitted by ezylman

Answer:

All-in-one systems like the Samsung HT-Q45 don't typically have audio outputs since the audio capabilities are built in. Manufacturers that make these kinds of all-in-one systems commonly think, "Why would anyone want to use the TV speakers if they have an audio system." I agree with them for the most part, but everyone has their reasons. Who are they to stand in the way?

Fortunately, there's two options on how to proceed... and the second option will do what you want, though it may not work as easily as you may hope.

Question:

I have a RCA TV and the menu says "Language --> English". However, when watching TV, the commercials are in English and the program is in Spanish. How do I fix this?

-submitted by lump5628246

Answer:

First, if the language option in your TVs menu says English, that doesn't mean the programming you watch will be in English. This option simply dictates what language the TV's menu and on screen displays themselves will appear in. Depending on the model of the TV, you could have a variety of options here.

Now that we understand what that does, it's time to get your shows back in the right language.

Introducing SAP

Have you ever been watching a show on TV that flashes something like "SAP Transmitido en Espanol" at the bottom of the screen when the show starts? You may not have ever noticed, but this is exactly what's affecting you.

Question:

Why is it that when I play DVDs in auto mode on a Denon AVR-1907 I get sound from the speakers, but when I try and play a DVD which has DTS I get no sound from the speakers when I select the DTS mode on the reciever?

-submitted by johnt

Answer:

Popcorn...check. Remote control... check. DTS surround sound...check. Wait? Where the heck is the sound?!

There's no doubt DTS offers up some rather tasty audio, but getting it to work isn't quite as simple as popping in the disc and hitting play. In fact, there's three big things you need to do before DTS will work, and one important step every time you play a DTS DVD.

Now, here's a little background on why selecting DTS on your receiver doesn't work. DVD players don't send out more than one audio track at a time, so it's not like a radio which has to

Greetings TechLore Members and Visitors! Welcome to the new home of TechLore's "Ask The Experts", where real technology experts will share their knowledge of gadgets and gizmos by answering real-life technology questions sent in by TechLore members.

Ask your questions directly to our Community Experts! Check back each week for a new question and answer, or subscribe today via RSS.

In order to help familiarize yourself with the program, please read our frequently asked questions below:

FAQ

How long has Ask The Experts been around?

It first started when TechLore launched in December of 2004, and has become one of our most popular features. To date, our experts have answered more than 150 user submitted questions ranging from MP3 players to surge protectors... and everything in-between.

How does Ask The Experts work?

Do you have a question that you just can't seem to get answered? Does every explanation you get involve acronyms and terms that you just don't understand? TechLore Experts are here to help. Submit your technology question to the experts. Each week, one of our experts will answer a submitted question right here in the