soundproof gave a great explanation of how to connect the beolab 5 to beocenter 2 for a digital connection in order to make use of the excellent digital converters onboard the beolab 5s:----"Make sure you set up the Daisy-Chain properly. Digital OUT from BC2 - to Digital IN on one speaker - Digital OUT from that speaker - to Digital IN on the next."---

but...what if you have a BC2, BL5s and BV5 in same setup?

the socket output on the beocenter 2 only has one digital audio output so you can either daisy chain it to lab5s OR connect it to a beovision 5 but not both...

i want a digital feed to my beolab5s from the Bc2 when i listen to CDs but also want a digital connection from the bc2 to the beovision 5 for surround processing....

any ideas????

Good question, but there are a couple of things to consider IMHO - the DD output from the BV5 is analogue only (I am waiting to be corrected here!) so no matter what you do - by using a splitter or by some means of daisy chaining), any output from a BV5 DD board will be via the Powerlink sockets only.

Am waiting to be corrected.  

Pretty certain you're right, KingOfSnake.

The Dolby Digital surround processing takes place independent of the digital OUT chain, and the analog processed signal to speakers is sent over PL. It's very rare to have processors where part of the signal is handled through s/pdif and the rest through analog. When I watch movies, I switch off the digital link to the BL5s, and let an analog signal go to all speakers.

errrr, getting more confused....

when i pass a didgtial signal throught the SDIF cable from a BC2 to the BV5 digital input on the BV5 the digital signal gets processed into 5 analogue streams which are then sent down the powerlink cables for 5.1 sound (straightforward)...but if am already using the only digital output available for this how can i send a digital signal from the BC2 through SPDIF to the digital input of the Beolab 5s as there's only one digital out on the BC2???

hope this explains my query better?

This question has been answere here before; but it is confusing...so here we go....

Complete the analog connections between the BV-5 and the BL-5's as normal.  Complete the S/PDIF daisychain from the BR-2 socket box to the BL-5's as described earlier here.  As you point out, there is only one digital output...did you note that there is only one PL output as well?  Therein lies the only clue.  Run the co-ax from the Socket box to the closest BL-5's S/PDIF input, then note the S/PDIF output on the BL-5; there in lies the 2nd and only other clue.  Run coax from that S/PDIF output to the other BL-5.  Now, as to the 5.1 signal for DVD's...well...what to do with the S/PDIF output on the 2nd BL-5?  Hmmm.

Run a 3rd coax from the un-used S/PDIF output on the 2nd BL-5 to the DVD S/PDIF on the BV-5.  IF all of your software is up-to-date, and IF you are using the fully wired PowerLink cables which came with the BL-5's, and IF the L/R switches on the BL-5's are set properly, and IF they're connected to the BV-5 correctly...then when listening to CD's the BL-5's will look for the digital signal on the S/PDIF cables, and when listening to any other source, they will look for the analog signal on the PowerLink cables and ignore the digital stream.

This is accomplished, in part, by using the 'display/data' info on those PowerLink cables which formerly drove the displays on BeoLab Pentas and 4500/5000's to 'tell' the BL-5's what the source is.

russ, thanks for the indepth explanation. a dealer just rang me suggesting a S/PDIF splitter but your conection method looks and sounds more slick...!

thank you kindly!

Just as a quick overview for anybody possibly fleeting through the thread, you essentially go:

BeoCenter 2 S/PDIF > in BeoLab 5 out > in BeoLab 5 out > BeoVision/BeoSystem/BeoCenter S/PDIF input.

Even if the BeoLab 5 is unable to decode a digital signal (such as a Dolby Digital or DTS signal) it will still pass it through...

That seems like a very good solution. I however, have a DVD1 and a Beosound 9000. Could I set it up the same way except for a splitter in one end?

Beosound 9000 S/PDIF

                                   > Splitter > in Beolab 5 out > in Beolab 5 out > Beovision 5 S/PDIF input?

DVD1 S/PDIF