Need help with 7.1 surround

[Danimal1q2w3]

Hello everyone!! How are you?! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'm looking to purchase a 7.1 surround sound system, to which I will hook up my Xbox 360, ps3 and my pc. I don't know much about wattages and anything like that, but my living room is 15x20 feet. I don't need to go deaf here, but I'd like to be able to crank up the music especially during a party.

I do not have any speakers so I need those too.

As far as hdmi goes, do you plug the hdmi directly from a device into the receiver, and then from the receiver to the tv?

What I mean is

Hdmi cable connected to ps3 carrying 7.1 audio> receiver receives audio>connect another hdmi to tv and it just passes along the video to your tv? Forgive me for being so ignorant.

From my pc I am looking to get the best audio quality possible, and I have lots of ways to connect the Audio so please tell me which will produce the best

through my motherboard


http://imgur.com/r6BqPmu


Which of these would produce the best sound quality and I'm
Not even sure if the optical supports 7.1. Thanks for everything guys and again I apologize for being so naive

 

[boju]

Hi Danimal,

Easiest and most logical way to connect multiple devices is a receiver and if it has HDMI out which they all have these days you can get picture to the TV, that's what it's for.

I have a similar setup with PS3, WIIU and computer are all connected to receiver and all i need to do is switch which HDMI input i want to use.

As for 7.1, optical being digital like HDMI, they will do whatever the receiver can do. Though if you have a graphics card in your computer with hdmi, it too can carry sound and worth checking mainly for convenience with video and sound all in one cable.

You'll find it difficult to find pc speakers from makers like Logitech that has what you need, best way is to get an AV receiver for what you want like Yamaha/Sony/Panasonic/Onkyo.

So to conclude, all you want to do is pretty easy with an AV receiver.

 

[Danimal1q2w3]

How many watts would you say is sufficient? My budget is 400 dollars and that includes speakers, I would be willing to go to 5.1 sound if necessary.

 

[boju]

You can get pretty good average packages and for $400 you'd be quite happy with comparing below at $279.

For example http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S3500-5-1-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B0077V88V8/ref=zg_bs_281056_2

Bit of shopping around, online or retail should get you a fair bit for $400.

As for power, im not a guru in acoustics and decibels per meter but guessing for an average living room, around 75 to 100w rms each channel should do it. Will be more power in those speakers than your best PC speakers and they do a good job in a large room too, so it can only get better with a unit like in the link.