A 5.1 speaker system consists of a center, two front and two rear speakers plus a subwoofer. The system must be connected to a power source, such as an amplifier or receiver, to drive the speakers. To connect a DVD directly to a 5.1 system, you'll need a pre-wired speaker package typically for computer use, with a powered subwoofer equipped with jacks for connecting all the speakers and inputs for the DVD player's audio cables. A separate video cable from the DVD player is necessary for the TV connection.
Step 1
Unplug the DVD player and subwoofer from the electrical outlet.
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Step 2
Connect the white and red plugs on each end of the audio cable from the left and right audio outputs on the DVD player to the matching inputs on the back of the sub.
Step 3
Connect the plug on the end of each speaker cable to the jack labeled for that speaker on the subwoofer, for example, left front, center, right front, and left and right rear surrounds.
Step 4
Insert the yellow plug on the video cable into the video out jack on the DVD player and connect the other end to the video input jack on a TV.