Hooking it all up...need some help. (1 Viewer)

[Number1AVdork]

I have not really been AV guy much. I was an obsessed audiophile. Now all this digital stuff...it's all so overwhelming. I think I'd rather setup a phono cartridge than all this digital garbage...
I'll be setting up the tv mounted to the wall...My confusion lies in how to set up the cables. Does the HDMI cable send sound and video? Is that what all this HDMI hoopla is about?
I connect the HDM cable from the TV to the NAD 748 amp...does that send the audio signal directly to the amp without the need for an additional RCA cable? I know this question sounds stupid but I want to know before I tear my dry wall apart routing the wiring.
The featured components will be a blue ray player, amplifier and direct tv box. I'd like to have the least amount of crap going into the walls if I can help it.
Also I decided to use the HSU subwoofer since it has the wireless feature. The subwoofer output on the NAD is in the pre amp output section. It is my understanding that I'll need a y splitter. It will then run a mono bass signal to the wireless subwoofer. What cables do I need to make this work. The subwoofer output has only one hook up not a two RCA stereo pair.
Do I have to run a splitter plus a mono RCA cable into the jack? I wish I didn't volunteer to set this system up for the folks...but I was really appalled by the 1500$ labor charge to install the system and that wouldn't include the dry wall work.
Luckily I wont be doing the dry wall work. Just the wiring and consulting

 

[schan1269]

Well...
More specifics please.
I can "guess" how the wireless transmitter works(and maybe HSU only makes one???)...
The receiver should be the focus of the AV system. If the TV has APPS that the audio needs to make it back to the TV....are the TV and receiver ARC? (I don't think the NAD has ARC)
The TV is NOT the hub here. The 748 is.
So, if the TV has audio that needs to make it back to the receiver(OTA and APPS are it for anything to make it back)...then you'll need a HDMI and toslink.
Otherwise, "everything else" can sit right next to the 748.
Is "everything" going to be hidden?
If so...Xantech, Cables-to-Go or universal remote w/blaster?

 

[Al.Anderson]

I was a little confused by Sam's response, and I knew what he was talking about, so let me try to re-phrase.
The TV should not be the hub of the system, the receiver should be. So all audio/video connections should go to the receiver first, and then one connection from the receiver to the TV through HDMI.
The only connections this configuration doesn't work for is (1) there's an OTA antennna connected directly to the TV, or (2) the TV has it's own applications that the receiver or DVD/BR does not (like Pandora). Then you have to get those signals from the TV to the receiver.
If you need to get from the TV to the receiver (direction counts) and the TV *and* the recevier are ARC capable, then the receiver-TV HDMI cable becomes a 2-way cable, and the TV audio is sent to the receiver than way. (You usually have t ogo into the setup menu of both devices to turn ARC on.) If either one of them is not ARC capable, then you will need a toslink cable from the TV to the receiver.
The wireless adaptor probably allows a mono signal to be connected to either the left or right (check the manual for which one). If the converter really wants both, then give us more info on the converter.
Regarding HDMI hoopla (rant) - the hoopla is all on the studio's side. The primary purpose of HDMI is to allow for anti-piracy encryption. Reducing cable connections is small consumer benefit, and a large price to pay for losing all control over the signal. There aren't too many consumers who are excited by HDMI.

 

[schan1269]

Yeah, I haven't had my morning Turkish yet...

 

[Al.Anderson]

Yeah, I haven't had my morning Turkish yet...

Well there we go. That's a 100% valid explanation on all HTF forums.
(... We are talking coffee here, right?)

 

[Number1AVdork]

Okay you folks leave me confused...Yes I know the NAD is the heart of the audio system. I guess my question is what purpose does running the HDMI from the TV into the Audio receiver do? I'm not interested in fancy schmancy menus or DSP modes.
So if the tv I have is ARC compatible...I can use the TV directly connected the reciever VIA HDMI...
Does that mean I only need an HDMI cable into the receiver? Then the rest of the cables would get routed directly to the NAD is that correct?

 

[Al.Anderson]

I guess my question is what purpose does running the HDMI from the TV into the Audio receiver do?

As far as video goes there is no difference in the video capability between a component and HDMI video connection. However, "capability" is the operative work, since some players will downgrade an HD signal over a component connection. So since you have to have a video connection, HDMI is the best choice (a choice that happens to be forced on us).

So if the tv I have is ARC compatible...I can use the TV directly connected the reciever VIA HDMI...

*If* you have a need to get a TV audio signal to the receiver (and you haven't given us any clue yet what that reason would be, as the BR player & direct tv box will be only connected to the receiver), then you can do that if both the TV and the receiver are ARC capable. If not, use an optical toslink.

Does that mean I only need an HDMI cable into the receiver? Then the rest of the cables would get routed directly to the NAD is that correct?

Most likely, yes.

 

[schan1269]

I think you are confusing yourself saying...
"HDMI from the TV to the NAD."
If you think of it the other way(and they way everyone else is thinking it)
"HDMI from the NAD to the TV"
I think you'll be much less confused.
EVERYTHING ELSE is going to be connected to the NAD...
HDMI from the BD player to the NAD, HDMI from the NAD to the TV.