Juan.F

HDMI & 5.1

I hope this is in the correct forum.

I am looking to shorlty purchase a PS3. I have a pretty old receiver, so it does not have any HDMI ports. My TV does however. My TV also has an optical out. My question is, would I be able to hook up the PS3 through HDMI directly to my t.v and then run an optical cable from my tv to the receiver and receive a dolby 5.1 signal?

Any help is appreciated and excuse my ignorance. Thanks.

ChrisClearman

Re: HDMI & 5.1

probably not. most of the TV optical out only work for the digital over the air signals from the built in HD tuner.

just run the optical straight to the receiver.

and program your main remote to work the volume on the receiver.

Juan.F

Re: HDMI & 5.1

Thanks Chris. I was hoping to kill two birds with one stone (PS3 and HD OTA content), since my receiver only has two optical ins, and one of thos is already being used by my 360.

Maybe it is time I look into purchasing a new receiver.

Paul_Dunlop

Re: HDMI & 5.1

Do you have a digital coax in?

If so, you can buy an optical to digi coax converter

Probably $30 or $40 - cheaper than a new receiver

I bought mine at Radio Shack, but check online

Juan.F

Re: HDMI & 5.1

Paul, yes the receiver also has a digital coax in. I actually already have my dvd player hooked up to it through a digital coax cable though (I have a 360 and a separate dvd player hooked up to the receiver currently). The "DVD" audio-in for the receiver has both a digital coax and an optical, but I think I remember reading in the manual that only one of those can be used for that particular input, so I would not be able to take advantage of it and utilize it as if I have three inputs for 5.1 sound (two optical and one digital coax).

Paul_Dunlop

Re: HDMI & 5.1

Ok - you can buy an optical splitter - I have used one of those with success

1 cable to the receiver, 2 cables out of the splitter
Whichever device is on will use the signal

Juan.F

Re: HDMI & 5.1

Thanks, I'll look into one of those.