Using a samsung home theater as bluray audio playback?

[mordeckai]

I'm pretty sure it is doable, but I'd rather verify with the ppl who know best
I have a Samsung Home Theater HT-TZ312 and it stopped reading discs, pretty sure it's either the lens malfunctioning or it's out of level (think that's how it's called).
Now I saw behind the player a DIGITAL AUDIO IN Optical connection and I saw on a blu-ray player the same AUDIO OUT connection specifically on the Sony BDP-S360 and I was wondering if I could get the bluray player and use the samsung as just the 5.1 audio playback?
and also if not, is it true that the samsung home theater is upscaleable? can I convert it to bluray like I heard?
Thank you

[redwudz]

If it has a optical in port and your other player has a optical out port, then it should work. You would need a optical cable, probably a TOSLINK cable, between the two units.

I doubt that the Samsung unit can be upgraded to Blu-ray playback. Blu-ray requires more than just the BD drive, so all the extra hardware and firmware required would be very expensive just for a upgrade. You might be able to replace the DVD drive in the unit with a new DVD drive, but not with a Blu-ray drive.

And welcome to our forums.

[mordeckai]

Yes, thank you for confirming it, I already bought the blu-ray player, now I am waiting till the Samsung Unit is back from the tech support.
I forgot to say, I know that I won't be able to listen in Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD or any other type, I just wanted as close as I can get to 5.1 (you and several other ppl have confirmed it's doable) before I can afford a proper A/V receiver and good speakers.
Again, Thank you for the help