Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater › Beginners, General Questions & HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) › Receiver with HTIB package has no HDMI inputs. Is digi optical audio effective?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Receiver with HTIB package has no HDMI inputs. Is digi optical audio effective?

post #1 of 4
8/4/09 at 10:03pm
Thread Starter 

I want to run my Xbox 360, PS3 and DVR box's audio/video through my TV (Sony KDL-52V4100) using HDMI cables. Then, back out through the TV's digital optical audio output and into one of two HTIB system's digi optical inputs (BDV-E300/E500W). My quesiton is: Will this rerouting of audio compromise the quality of each component's audio?
 

I have to do this as neither HTIB receiver has HDMI inputs (I've weighed my options and need one of these two systems for their perks). The speaker systems that come with each HTIB package outweigh/are cheaper than buying seperately with a different receiver.
 

If audio does degrade, I'll just switch to LHB977 or another receiver/speaker setup that simplifies this with HDMI inputs. Thanks!

Reply
post #2 of 4
8/4/09 at 10:38pm
That's probably not going to work. About 99% of tvs won't allow it. If it passes the audio at all, it will downmix it to 2.0, and send it to the receiver. So, the best you can hope for is Dolby Pro Logic (simulated surround). The tvs optical output is for getting 5.1 surround, from the built-in tuner, on the local HD channels, when hooked up to an antenna. It's not to daisy chain other pieces.

You need to run the optical or digital coax cables, from the Xbox 360, PS3 and DVR box, to the receiver, for the audio, and their HDMI to the tv, for the video. If your receiver doesn't have enough inputs, you'll probably need another receiver, or an optical switch box may work for you. Using optical or digital coax, you'll get regular Dolby Digital and DTS. Not possible to get the HD audio tracks from the blu ray movies, off the ps3. Nothing wrong with DD and DTS, but the HD audio is better.
Reply
post #3 of 4
8/4/09 at 11:36pm
As Ed said you have to run the optical directly from sources to receiver.  Very few HTiB will have enough to do this for 2 game console + DVR without additional cumbersome switch.  Furthermore the speakers in those systems are usually fairly mediocre.  You'll be much better off for both inputs & speaker quality getting separate receiver + speaker set, downside is cost, more like $650-700 while HTiB is in $550 range.  Though why would you go for Blu-ray HTiB when already have PS3?
Reply
post #4 of 4
8/5/09 at 7:05am
John,

Do I understand you correctly that you haven't yet purchased the HTiB?  If so, why is it that you limited your choices to just the ones you mentioned?  There are a few around that have real receivers with HDMI inputs.  The speakers still stink, but at least you will get a decent receiver.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater › Beginners, General Questions & HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) › Receiver with HTIB package has no HDMI inputs. Is digi optical audio effective?