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HD Audio ?

post #1 of 12
1/6/09 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 
I am an inexperienced HT buyer and I am looking to replace my Pioneer receiver w/ something that has HDMI inputs and outputs.

From the receiver's I have been looking and the reviews given by the people who have bought them, mention that it didn't "decode HD audio" or didn't have a way to carry the audio from the HDMI input or something like that.

What good is getting a receiver that has HDMI inputs if the audio coming from it is analog ?

I'm sure there are receivers that are able to decode the HD audio but what kind of price range are we looking at.

The rest of the equipment I have is an 42LG50 LCD TV and a Playstation 3. My speakers are the Energy Take 5's.
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post #2 of 12
1/6/09 at 11:17am

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zing
What good is getting a receiver that has HDMI inputs if the audio coming from it is analog ?
With receivers that are HDMI "pass through", you use digital coax or optical connection for audio. So, the audio isn't analog, it's digital, so you can still get DD and DTS.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zing
I'm sure there are receivers that are able to decode the HD audio but what kind of price range are we looking at.
Cheapest one I know of is the Onkyo TX-SR606. Amazon.com sells it for less than $400, and the prices go on up to $5000 or more. Yamaha has one (RX-V663) for a little over $400. Top of the line Denon receiver is around $5000, I think. You can get into pre-pro systems, and pay even more.

Almost forgot......... If your receiver has the 5.1/7.1 analog Multi-Channel inputs, you can get a blu ray player that decodes internally, and sends the signal out 5.1/7.1 analog Multi-Channel outputs (like Sony's BDP-S550), and hear the HD audio that way.
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post #3 of 12
1/6/09 at 12:09pm
Thread Starter 

Re: HD Audio ?

Thanks.

When I look at the features and spec's, what terminology should I look for that would show that the receiver has this "pass through" ?
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post #4 of 12
1/6/09 at 6:42pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
Almost forgot......... If your receiver has the 5.1/7.1 analog Multi-Channel inputs, you can get a blu ray player that decodes internally, and sends the signal out 5.1/7.1 analog Multi-Channel outputs (like Sony's BDP-S550), and hear the HD audio that way.


Sorry to Hijack this thread a little. But that is something i've been confused with... I keep hearing that you can have a media player decode, and then I read in other places that it doesn't matter if the receiver can't decode the signal... This question is actually one of the reasons I joined this forum.

I have a PS3 I use for gaming / BD, it's hooked up to my receiver with a Digital Optical cable. Would that allow the PS3 to decode the audio signal ?
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post #5 of 12
1/6/09 at 6:56pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakie
Sorry to Hijack this thread a little. But that is something i've been confused with... I keep hearing that you can have a media player decode, and then I read in other places that it doesn't matter if the receiver can't decode the signal... This question is actually one of the reasons I joined this forum.

I have a PS3 I use for gaming / BD, it's hooked up to my receiver with a Digital Optical cable. Would that allow the PS3 to decode the audio signal ?
You cannot get the HD audio over optical cable. You can get regular DD and DTS.

With a PS3, you need something better than a receiver with HDMI pass through. The HDMI and 5.1/7.1 analog outputs, are the only way to get the HD audio. Since the HDMI on a receiver with HDMI pass through, doesn't do audio, and is video only, not possible to get HD audio, unless it has the analog inputs.
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post #6 of 12
1/6/09 at 7:01pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zing
Thanks.
When I look at the features and spec's, what terminology should I look for that would show that the receiver has this "pass through" ?
It will say it has HDMI pass through. Here is an example. Read the stuff under the picture.
Onkyo TX-SR506 - 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver | Model Information | Onkyo USA Home Theater Products
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post #7 of 12
1/6/09 at 7:05pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
You cannot get the HD audio over optical cable. You can get regular DD and DTS.

With a PS3, you need something better than a receiver with HDMI pass through. The HDMI and 5.1/7.1 analog outputs, are the only way to get the HD audio. Since the HDMI on a receiver with HDMI pass through, doesn't do audio, and is video only, not possible to get HD audio, unless it has the analog inputs.

By analog inputs you're referring to the good old Red / white ?

Sorry, I'm really out of the loop as far as Home Theaters go
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post #8 of 12
1/6/09 at 7:48pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakie
By analog inputs you're referring to the good old Red / white ?

Sorry, I'm really out of the loop as far as Home Theaters go
No.......I'm referring to the 5.1/7.1 analog "Multi-Channel" inputs. On Denon receivers, they're called "EXT. IN", on back of receiver. They are usually labelled as:
FL.......Front Left
FR.......Front Right
CTR.....Center
Sub.....Subwoofer
LR.......Left Rear
RR.......Right Rear
S.B.L...........Surround Back Left
S.B.R...........Surround Back Right

They are RCA type plugs.
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post #9 of 12
1/6/09 at 8:04pm

Re: HD Audio ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
No.......I'm referring to the 5.1/7.1 analog "Multi-Channel" inputs. On Denon receivers, they're called "EXT. IN", on back of receiver.

Ah, I see. Thanks a lot for the information, sorry for derailing this thread so hard !
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post #10 of 12
1/7/09 at 5:38am
Thread Starter 

Re: HD Audio ?

So if I want to do what Rakie is doing, I also have a Playstation 3 and use the BD player, would one of these receivers do what I need it to do ?

Denon AVR-1609 or the AVR-2308CI.
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post #11 of 12
1/7/09 at 7:58am

Re: HD Audio ?

If the PS3 decodes internally, and sends the signal over HDMI, the 2308ci should be able to play it. The 1609 might too. I'm not familiar enough with the PS3, and how it handles things. The AVR-2309ci decodes and will play from the PS3 and any other blu ray player. That would definitely be the better choice, if it's not much more than the 2308ci.
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post #12 of 12
1/9/09 at 4:45am

Re: HD Audio ?

I'm very fortunate in that my older , but faithful, Yamaha DSP-A1 does indeed have the 5.1 ch. analog inputs, otherwise I'd have to go out and get a new receiver if I wanted to listen to the higher codec soundtracks found on the BR discs.
I'm hoping here in the next month or so, to buy the Sony BDP-S550 BR player. I'm looking forward to the improved picture and sound quality that the Blu-ray provides.

Troy
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