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Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

#1
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1/11/08 at 6:13am
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What is the best way to connect an HDTV (with HDMI, Component Video connections) to a HD Cable box and A/V Receiver?
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#2
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1/11/08 at 6:38am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

HDMI from cable box to reciever
HDMI from reciever to HDTV


enjoy!
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#3
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1/11/08 at 8:25am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

I understand that connection. I'll be setting this up for a neighbor. Suppose my neighbor decides that on occasion they want to watch TV WITHOUT the A/V Receiver on, with the connection mentioned they would not be able to watch HD programming?

How about doing HDMI from cable box to TV, and running Component Video from the A/V Receiver and HD DVD player to the TV (I realize I will need either Optical or Coaxial Sound connections for this hookup)? I think with this option they can watch HD programming at all times (with and without A/V Receiver on)?
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#4
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1/11/08 at 9:30am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Walt:

What you're suggesting is certainly workable. For that matter you could do component from the cable box to the TV along with analog stereo and keep the cable to receiver to TV all HDMI. Either arrangement will work, and neither is necessarily better than the other. It could come down to input and ouput placement on the components, the layout of the HT entertainment unit or shelving and the lengths of the various cables.

Regards,

Joe
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#5
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1/11/08 at 9:53am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

I've always been set up "directly" video-wise...box (cable then, HDTV now), VCR, DVD wired to the TV...A/V receiver only used for sound.
The wife hates using the receiver.
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#6
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1/11/08 at 11:33am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Thanks for all the input. For the record, here's a link to the cable box supplied by the cable company.

Motorola - Connected Home Solutions - Digital Video Solutions - DCH3200 Host Set-top
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#7
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1/11/08 at 12:37pm
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark:F
I've always been set up "directly" video-wise...box (cable then, HDTV now), VCR, DVD wired to the TV...A/V receiver only used for sound.

The wife hates using the receiver.

I've always run everything through the receiver and almost never use the TV speakers. (Unless I'm recording two things and watching a third.)

Don't have a wife.

(These two things may be related. )

Regards,

Joe
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#8
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1/12/08 at 8:27pm
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Digital Cable box and TV both have Digital Audio (Optical Out). Is it best to connect the Optical Audio Out FROM the Cable box TO the A/V Receiver or FROM the TV TO the A/V Receiver? I was going to connect FROM the Cable Box TO the A/V Receiver.
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#9
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1/13/08 at 5:00am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

The wife hates using the receiver.


I used to have the same problem. Then I bought a Harmony activity-based remote and my wife loves it. I run everything through the receiver and my wife just has to push the "Watch TV" button on the remote and everything turns on and gets set to the correct setting.
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#10
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1/13/08 at 6:19am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt H
Digital Cable box and TV both have Digital Audio (Optical Out). Is it best to connect the Optical Audio Out FROM the Cable box TO the A/V Receiver or FROM the TV TO the A/V Receiver? I was going to connect FROM the Cable Box TO the A/V Receiver.

Either should work and I don't think one is necessarily superior to the other.

Regards,

Joe
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#11
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1/13/08 at 7:15am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino
Either should work and I don't think one is necessarily superior to the other.

Regards,

Joe

Actually, running the optical from the TV to the receiver will result in 2.0 PCM in 99% of the TV's out there. The digital audio out on most TV's only outputs 5.1 DD from the internal ATSC tuner. All other sources are downmixed to 2.0 PCM. He should connect the optical from the cable box and not from the TV in order to get DD 5.1 from cable.
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#12
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1/13/08 at 7:17am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Actually, running the optical from the TV to the receiver will result in 2.0 PCM in 99% of the TV's out there. The digital audio out on most TV's only outputs 5.1 DD from the internal ATSC tuner. All other sources are downmixed to 2.0 PCM. He should connect the optical from the cable box and not from the TV in order to get DD 5.1 from cable.

I did not know that. Thanks for the heads-up. Walt, ignore what I said, listen to Jeff.

Joe
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#13
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1/13/08 at 11:35am
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Re: Connecting HDTV to Digital Cable and A/V Receiver

Thanks again guys for the help.

Is there something like a Y adapter for Optical Audio and HDMI cables (similar to the old Y adapters used with the analog cables)?
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