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Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

post #1 of 17
1/25/09 at 2:53pm
Thread Starter 
My first question for the Basics area So what's the typical connection approach now A/V equipment, now with HDMI?

I'm emerging from the component video and digital audio era into the HDMI era. Currently, Xbox and DVD and Tivo send audio (stereo or digital) to the receiver and video (component or S-Video) to the TV. And my old TV had a bunch of component inputs and life was good. But I have a new TV with a gob of HDMI inputs and only one component input. Time to rewire

Can I send HDMI for video to the TV and digital audio to the receiver from e.g. the Xbox?

In a wholly HDMI setup, do you route device->TV->receiver or device->receiver->TV? Does it matter? My receiver has no HDMI inputs; is it time to upgrade?

Boy, it's back to basics for me. I feel like it's 1999 and I'm trying to understand 5.1 and component video all over again
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post #2 of 17
1/25/09 at 3:10pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Can I send HDMI for video to the TV and digital audio to the receiver from e.g. the Xbox?

Yes.

In a wholly HDMI setup, do you route device->TV->receiver or device->receiver->TV? Does it matter? My receiver has no HDMI inputs; is it time to upgrade?

Device to Receiver to TV. With the possible exception of one model from one manufacturer, and I'm not 100% sure about that one, I'm not aware of any TV that will pass digital audio from connected sources to a receiver. The HDMI out and digital audio outputs on of TVs can only output digital audio from their own internal tuners to the receiver.

So, yeah. Time to upgrade.

Regards,

Joe
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post #3 of 17
1/25/09 at 3:13pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
Can I send HDMI for video to the TV and digital audio to the receiver from e.g. the Xbox?
Yes, that's the best way, if your receiver doesn't have HDMI inputs.
Even with receivers with HDMI "pass through", you have to use a separate audio connection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
In a wholly HDMI setup, do you route device->TV->receiver or device->receiver->TV? Does it matter? My receiver has no HDMI inputs; is it time to upgrade?
device->receiver->TV
There's only a couple models of tvs, that allows the other way. The optical output on the tvs is for getting 5.1 surround, from local HD channels, when using the built-in tuner, and hooked up to an antenna. It's not for a daisy chain or piggy back connection. Some tvs will pass a signal to the receiver, but they'll down convert the 5.1 signal to 2.0, so the best your receiver will do is simulated surround with Pro Logic (II).
I hope this helped............

EDIT:
Ha. Joseph is a faster typist than me, and beat me to it!
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post #4 of 17
1/25/09 at 7:16pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Thanks! For the interim, I think I can go device->TV via HDMI, and then TV->Receiver via TOSlink (digital audio). Receiver upgrade is probably next year; then I'll be all-HDMI. So now I'm shopping Blues & Monoprice & Ram for some cables.
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post #5 of 17
1/25/09 at 7:24pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
Thanks! For the interim, I think I can go device->TV via HDMI, and then TV->Receiver via TOSlink (digital audio). Receiver upgrade is probably next year; then I'll be all-HDMI. So now I'm shopping Blues & Monoprice & Ram for some cables.

Just remember, with this arrangement you won't be getting true multichannel digital audio:

Quote:
Some tvs will pass a signal to the receiver, but they'll down convert the 5.1 signal to 2.0, so the best your receiver will do is simulated surround with Pro Logic (II).

Regards,

Joe
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post #6 of 17
1/25/09 at 7:44pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
So now I'm shopping Blues & Monoprice & Ram for some cables.
I've bought quite a few cables/wires from Monoprice. If you chose to buy any analog cables from them, I suggest you get the Premium ones over the standard ones. The price difference is very small but the quality is noticably better. Same with the digital coaxial/toslink cable.

As for hdmi cables, they offer three varieties. 28g, 24g and 22g. Get the 24g. IMO, there's no reason to consider the 28g unless you are really, really cheap! The 22g is only offered in lengths of 20' or longer and are fairly expensive compared to the 24g but might be worth it if you need cables longer than 25'. Hope this helps.
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post #7 of 17
1/26/09 at 12:24am

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
Thanks! For the interim, I think I can go device->TV via HDMI, and then TV->Receiver via TOSlink (digital audio).

Don't do that, for the reasons mentioned previously.
Do, until receiver upgrade:
device -> TV (HDMI or component as available)
device -> receiver (optical Toslink or coax SPDIF RCA)
TV->receiver (Toslink, for watching HDTV live, but get TivoHD ASAP).
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post #8 of 17
1/27/09 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Thanks for the extra tips! I'll see if my TV passes 5.1 or 2.0. But otherwise, I'm sunk. The Xbox 360 doesn't allow HDMI and TOSLINK digital audio simultaneously; it's one or the other.

I have a TivoHD sealed in the box I'm still figuring out if I can get OTA HD.
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post #9 of 17
1/27/09 at 2:41pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Just use component + optical for the Xbox.
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post #10 of 17
1/27/09 at 8:26pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Tu
Just use component + optical for the Xbox.
I can't. My new TV only has one component input and I need to connect my DVD player as well. And no, the Xbox is not an adequate DVD player . I've already found a disk that it won't play that works on my 10-year old DVD player.

So I'm in connection purgatory, as I sort out how to connect new and old components.
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post #11 of 17
1/27/09 at 9:07pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

What disk won't it play? Most consider the Xbox to be a decent DVD player, just kind of noisy.

If you don't have a component video switching receiver, you should either upgrade now or buy a $20 manual switch box. I personally would just live with the Xbox as my DVD player until I got a new receiver.
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post #12 of 17
1/28/09 at 9:35am
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

One of my Veronica Mars S3 discs. The disc is scratched and freezes in two places while watching it. Overall though my DVD player handles the disc adequately. In contrast, the Xbox locks up and must be power-cycled when the disc is inserted; it can't even get to the DVD menu.

So for me, the Xbox is the worst DVD player I've seen and I won't use it as such unless I have to.
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post #13 of 17
1/28/09 at 6:31pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
The optical output on the tvs is for getting 5.1 surround, from local HD channels, when using the built-in tuner, and hooked up to an antenna. It's not for a daisy chain or piggy back connection. Some tvs will pass a signal to the receiver, but they'll down convert the 5.1 signal to 2.0,
This is the case for my Kuro I got my HDMI cables today and tried it out: stereo for my 360 via the TV's optical out.

I either need a new receiver or to try the 360 as a DVD player again.
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post #14 of 17
1/28/09 at 7:21pm

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
stereo for my 360 via the TV's optical out.

I either need a new receiver or to try the 360 as a DVD player again.
Why do you feel that you need to go through the tv first, with other stuff?
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post #15 of 17
1/29/09 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
Why do you feel that you need to go through the tv first, with other stuff?
There's no other way to get video into the TV and audio to the receiver. I don't have the right set of input / outputs to make it all work cleanly in optimal configurations.

To be more explicit, I have:
Xbox 360: Component Video and TOSLINK or HDMI
DVD: Component Video & Coax audio
Tivo HD: HDMI (or other)
Onkyo Receiver: no HDMI; no component either (I think); 5.1 analog input
Kuro TV: 1 Component input & multiple HDMI

I can't use Xbox HDMI and also separate digital audio to the receiver. To have digital audio to the rcvr, I have to use component, but then I can't connect the DVD player to the TV. And there's TivoHD in the mix, requiring component or HDMI, and presumably with the same digital audio output restrictions.

There might be a way to make it all work. I could replace the DVD with a Blu Ray and use HDMI to TV and analog out to receiver, maybe. Then Xbox goes to TV via component and digital to rcvr. And the Tivo HD???

A new HDMI receiver seems to make it all work simply the way it's supposed to But I'm open to further creative solutions.
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post #16 of 17
1/29/09 at 9:01am

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

What model of Onkyo receiver do you have?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveF
My new TV only has one component input and I need to connect my DVD player as well.
Try s-video for the dvd player's video output. It may work just fine, until you can get a new receiver. You can also do as Stephen suggested, and get a switch box. See here: Parts-Express.com - Search Results
On that page is HDMI switch boxes and a component switch box. One of those should definitely work until you can get a new receiver.
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post #17 of 17
1/29/09 at 7:20pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Simple question on A/V connections in era of HDMI

I got lucky. Turns out my receiver was among the first to have component video in/out that pass HD signals. And the Tivo HD will output video by HDMI and digital surround by TOSLINK simultaneously. So with one more TOSLINK cable, I can connect everything with a mixture of component and HDMI and get HD and surround.

It's a bit cobbled together and I have brand new HDMI cables I don't need, but I think it's all going to work right.
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