Can H/K AVR-525 auto-detect between digital and analog audio inputs?

Jeff Meininger · 04-02-2003, 10:56 PM

Just got the HD digital cable box hooked up today. Digital audio for HD content comes in over a digital coax connection, and analog audio for the other channels comes in over the standard red/white RCA connectors. I find that the only way I can get audio in standard TV is to go into the OSD and manually set the input to "analog". Then if I want digital audio on HD channels, I have to go back into the OSD and set to coaxial. This is a pretty big pain since I have to switch the display device back to S-video every time I want to do something in the OSD. It'd be a pain even if I didn't.

My entry-level Onkyo SR500 auto-detected a signal on the digital audio connection, and would switch to that automatically, and fall back to the analog audio when I changed channels. I'm sure the H/K can do this, but I can't figure out how to set it up that way. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

THANKS!!

MikeMcGrew · 04-03-2003, 01:31 AM

Jeff, I am very interested in how to do this also. If there is anyone who knows if this is possible on the H/K 525, please chime in. I am days away from getting one but this may be a deal-breaker for me. I don't want to have to switch my signals when I switch from digital channels to analog channels. Now, all I have to do is hit the signal select button on my remote but I'm trying to make things a little less confusing for my girlfriend. I definitely need a new receiver anyway and auto-detect is a feature I really want. If not the 525, can anyone reccomend a similarly priced receiver that has this feature as well as the 525's features (or at least comprable)??? Perhaps the Denon 2803? What about the Sony DA4ES? Anything else? Really like the H/K's though, sound, power accuracy etc. Thanks.

Adrian_S · 04-03-2003, 02:12 AM

Me too.... I need to know if this is possible, so far I have not found a way to do this.

Jeff Meininger · 04-03-2003, 07:50 AM

Yeah, it pretty much disallows "channel surfing".

Change channels on cable converter: 1 button, 0.10 seconds.
Change audio inputs on H/K: 10+ button presses, 10+ seconds.

Seriously. This is a high-end receiver. I took this feature for granted on my cheapo Onkyo... the H/K just _HAS_ to be able to do this.

04-03-2003, 10:00 AM

According to a post on another forum, auto-detect is only done using Video two analog connections and coax digital input two. Set input type to analog in setup menu, but receiver checks coax input two for digital first. Try it and report back. Hope this helps. This was reported for a 525, don't know if it's true for previous models, fwiw.

**HTF Ads**

Jeff Meininger · 04-03-2003, 10:27 AM

Baldemar: YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're my hero. That did the trick! Channel surfing will be much less painful now, and I won't have to explain ultra-complex remote control maneuvering to houseguests who want to watch TV.

Thank you very much for the info.

Geoff L · 04-03-2003, 11:25 AM

Can anyone report if ths works for the 520 also???

Please..........

Dale Ridgeway · 04-03-2003, 01:03 PM

how about the 8000?????

Greg Thomas · 04-03-2003, 02:24 PM

According to a post on another forum, auto-detect is only done using Video two analog connections and coax digital input two. Set input type to analog in setup menu, but receiver checks coax input two for digital first. Try it and report back. Hope this helps. This was reported for a 525, don't know if it's true for previous models, fwiw.
-----------------------------------------

I tried this on my AVR 320 and it didn't work. I don't have digital cable so I used my TV and DVD player as a test. TV analog outs are plugged in Video 2 analog inputs on the HK. Sounds fine. Then plugged DVD player into Coax 2 input on HK. Put in a music CD with inputs still set to analog. TV was still playing, digital source did not take over. Manually switched video 2 input to coax 2 and CD played fine.

Switched back to analog input and TV sound came back. Turned off TV so that no analog source was detected. Heard nothing. Unit doesn't automatically check coax 2. Turned everything off, turned AVR back on with video 2 input set to analog. Turned DVD player back on with CD playing. No sound. Switched video 2 input to coax 2 again and sound came through.

Oh well, this may be an newly added feature for the x25 units.

I don't have digital cable right now anyways so it doesn't matter. I did when Sopranos was in Season 4 but my box didn't have a coax or optical out.

I have a 4 year old Yammy 595a and it has auto detection of the TV/DBS and DVD/LD inputs. Just set it to MODE/AUTO. Manual states that it checks digital coax, digital optical and then analog in that order for the DVD input and digital optical and then analog for the TV/DBS input. Those inputs aren't reassignable like my HK though. Funny how an old unit like that has this feature but my 9 month old HK doesn't.

HK is a better much unit overall.

Frank Carter · 04-04-2003, 01:19 AM

That was the main reason I got rid of my AVR520. Anybody happen to know if Sony ES products auto detect the analog/digital signal?

JohnnyG · 04-07-2003, 02:42 PM

Baldemar, thanks for the info! I sell the stuff and I didn't even know that!