Can HDMI and optical out on a DVD player be used at the same time? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Pick]

I'm thinking of buying and connecting a Panasonic DVD-S77S to my new 37" Panasonic plasma to take advantage of upconversion. My Onkyo A/V receiver (TX-SR703) doesn't have HDMI inputs. If I connect an HDMI cable from my DVD player straight to the TV just for video, can I also connect a digital optical cable to the reciever at the same time for audio? I'm using component cables for video on an older Sony DVD player now, along with the optical audion cable, which sounds great.

By the way, will I see a big improvement in DVD PQ by using a DVD player with upconversion?

Thanks!

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Hi Joe - that is correct, connect HDMI from the DVD to the TV for video, and connect digital coax or optical audio to the receiver for sound. Enjoy your new upconverting DVD player!

 

[dany]

I didnt think that was possible with HDMI?

 

[Steve_Pannell]

I have a Sony DVP-NC85H upconverting player connected the way you are asking about. The only difference is that I have coaxial digital audio instead of optical but it amounts to the same thing.

Remember that HDMI carries audio too so you will get sound from your receiver and television at the same time. Just turn down or mute the sound on your TV and everything will be fine.

As far as how upconverted SD-DVD looks - I am very impressed with the PQ I'm getting from my system. My only problem is that now I'll have to go back and re-watch all of my DVDs to see what I've been missing.

 

[JohnMW]

I recently set up a Sony DVP-NS75H and had to use coax/optical to get DD/DTS since it did not pass them over HDMI.

 

[dany]

So with my new player i can use the HDMI from player to TV. Then use the the dig and analogs and the rest through my receiver?

 

[Steve_Pannell]

Yes.

 

[dany]

Thanks,thats good to know.

 

[steveGamble]

I recently bought the panasonic s77s and used the hdmi for the video connection and optical cable for my audio connection.
I am still blown away after 4 months at the HD Quality image and sound from the player.
you can boost the sound db's in the s77s menu for each speaker, as well as many tweeks for best image.
This is the best player I have seen, looking at under $500 dollar units.
You WILL LOVE it.

 

[erew99]

I have a similar situation. But not with DVD. The HDMI to my Sony Dream system works very well for audio and video.
I just have one question. If my Cable box is passing audio and video directly to my TV, am I losing out on quality? SHould my cable box be set to use Dolby Digital instead of HDMI? Should my cable box use a Optical digital cable to my Dream receiver?

Help is appreciated

 

[Stephen Tu]

Dolby Digital & HDMI aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. Dolby digital is a sound format, HDMI is a connector type. HDMI can carry Dolby Digital if your source equipment will output DD on it & the receiver has HDMI input. If the receiver does not have HDMI input (don't think Sony dream systems have this, just HDMI output for the DVD section), you'd want to use optical or coax SPDIF connection from the cable to get the DD5.1 from the channels that support it. If you are connecting to the TV, there's a high likelihood that you are only getting stereo.

 

[Steve>JF]

I have a Panny DVD-S52S player and I am running HDMI to my Panny plasma and the optical out to my reciever. In my Panny plasma, I have the HDMI audio "OFF" and the video on. This way the TV sound doesn't accidentally come on. Also, I think you can turn your TV speakers off as well or instead of. BTW, love my Panny plasma!