Receiver with no HDMI - Page 2

Re: Receiver with no HDMI

Ed, I know heavier wire for longer runs. I’m only using 12AWG since I can do it --Don’t need to. The 16 is already in the wall for 80% of the run of the LR surround. I could butt splice 12 to the 16 & use 12 for the RR but decided to keep both surrounds 16AWG in case thee is a difference they will match. It probably doesn’t matter at all.

Stephen, Thanks for the explanation about the 55 vs. 35 BR.
I just looked & my AVR does have inputs for multichannel audio but it says I must select 7.1 channel & diagram shows 7.1 & I will have 5.1
I realize, it may be fine to select 7.1 & only connect 5.1 but Pioneer manual, as usual, is unclear on that.

I hooked up my existing equipment in the new location; Pioneer VSX-D912 (non-HDMI) With my Progressive scan Toshiba DVD player & VCR & CD changer.

I used a heavy duty Radio Shack RCA Audio cable as a digital Audio coax from DVD to AVR. I am sure it is 75 Ohm as per the Radio Shack web site. It worked perfectly! I finally got 5.1 sound after over an hour playing with the AVR settings. The manual was not at all clear. I have my Mirage surrounds mounted & my Mirage sub-W & will get my Mirage L,R,CC Thursday. Till Then I am using my Polk Monitor 10Bs which have dual 6.5 inch woofers & a 10 inch fluid coupled woofer (passive radiator) & sound quite excellent. I took an Advent from the bedroom to use as a (too large) CC till Th.

I found the CD volume had to be drastically lower than the TV or DVD. Hopefully, later a Harmony remote can memorize volume as well as turn several things on or off with one touch. If not I’ll not spend $100-200. I will want to press one button to turn on my CD player or TV or Blu-Ray. If I need to press one for Receiver, another for BR, Then adj volume Then select 5.1 & for CD press one for CD, one for Receiver & adj volume & the same for TV Then Other than clutter, the Universal remote is not for me. (I happily use 5-6 remotes now.)

I can use the other ½ of the Radio Shack RCA for another Digital Coax if need to.

I will be using my current AVR at least until I get everything else; BR, 1080p TV, Cox HD cable, HD-DVR, I will live with it for a while & decide about upgrading receiver. At worst, I’ll have 1080p video & DTS audio via optical cable. Not too bad.
Today I researched DVR & found that the few brands I saw a year or more ago were actually licensed from one or more of the three makers of DVR; TiVo, Replay TV & Ultimate TV. Most are no longer available. I like the two HD DVRs on the TiVo web site. I believe TiVo only has Toslink optical & not digital coax cable for audio out (in addition to the HMI) But, my AVR has an optical input for TV. I like that with TiVo you can add via eSata an external HD. I actually use LaCie d2 quadro for my Mac as a Time Machine hourly automatic back up & I can buy a 1 or 1.5 TB size($175-270) that should work with the $300 Tivo DVR & I’ll spend considerably LESS than the more expensive Tivo yet, actually get Much more storage capacity! With a 1.5 TB & the Tivo I should get 215 hours of highest quality HD storage for $570. Also, I can connect to a home network & my Mac & with Toast Titanium software I can burn DVDs, Yes, they would be SD quality but better than nothing. Mostly, I’d archive favorite shows I may wish to watch again or lend. What is interesting is that I can archive a season of “24” & it will be HD quality yet, if I buy the DVD set it is only SD quality (I have bought a couple in the past). I’d probably get the 3 year pre-paid deal or possibly the lifetime after reading the fine print. If your DVR breaks, your subscription ends? I would want to transfer to what ever new TiVo DVR was offered, If they change the standard & everyone needs a new type…. This has happened with Cable modems. But, of course it has nothing to do with the service, it breaks or is no longer compatible & you buy new hardware. Oh, and TiVO apparently supplies an HDMI cable When you buy one. I almost wasted $$ buying two HDMI for BR & DVR & turns out I’ll only need 1 for now.

Finally got the reply from Pioneer & it was as Gene said: 110 wpc 20-20k @ 8 ohms with .o9% thd.

So, I am still impressed. It is not 130 Watts but, 110 is plenty.
My current model is a full 1% THD at 110 Watts @ 8 ohm, 1 KHz, So the THD at 20-20KHz has to be MORE THAN 1% & lower watts as well!

I recall in 2003 seeing all AVRs in that price range with the high THD compared to my Pioneer from the 1970s. So, this will factor in my decision to perhaps replace it a few weeks after the new HT is in place.

Steve