3806 on the way!!!! Have a few questions about HDMI switching and audio (1 Viewer)

Hey all, I've used the search feature but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. I know that HDMI is both uncompressed audio and video, so here is my question.

If I run HDMI out of my DVD player (Oppo 971H) into my Denon, do I need my optical cable for audio? Will the Denon automatically seperate the audio from the video?

Also, will the 3806 allow me to use both HDMI and component monitor outs?

Good point. Also, I wonder how the on-screen display is fed? Is it limited to component only? Or, will HDMI suffice?

the osd will display over hdmi.

kevin t

thanks guys. regarding the component vs hdmi switching i was thinking that both cables would be hooked up simultaneously. but rethinking it, i wouldn't need it right now.

correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the Oppo only has a DVI out and you must have a HDMI/DVI cable. Only video will be output by the Oppo DVI out...no audio. In addition, the Oppo does not upconvert over the component cables...only the digital out. Get a digital coax or optical cable to get sound from the Oppo. Run the DVI/HDMI direct to TV or switch video only via the receiver.

You're correct, it doesn't have an actual HDMI out, just DVI. The reason I was asking is I want to do HDMI out of my cable box (if that is even a choice, I'll find out today at lunch) and DVI to HDMI out of the Oppo. But I have an Xbox that I want to hook up with component video, but I'll just run that right into the TV. So the ability for the 3806 to do both component and HDMI switching at the same time is irrelevant right now, I was more curious about future application.

I hadn't thought about the DVI only being video, thanks for pointing that out.

Would the recommendaion be to bypass the recievers video switching? Does video quality decrease that significantly if I run it from the DVD player to the reciever to the TV? Although this may be mute, if the cable box is only component video out then I won't need the HDMI switching now, but maybe in the future I will. So it's more for knowledge then anything else.

Your 3806 also converts analog video (composite, s-video, and component) to HDMI. You can run Xbox component to the receiver, and still maintain one HDMI connection from the receiver to TV. That way you don't even need to touch the video switching on the TV ever.

Using the receiver to video swith is a convenience issue...like was posted above...just send one cable to the TV. However, you add another cable to the signal path and the switch or whatever the receiver does to it. Does the quality decrease? probably not enough for most people (including myself) to actually notice...but it might. Lots of other factors might influence the quality more than the switch.

thats exactly what i was looking for. thank you. looks like i need another HDMI cable, yikes!! i bought one at BB last night and was shocked by the price. no biggie, it will make things easier in the long run. thanks again for all the information.

Return the HDMI cable to BB. Buy one at blue jeans cable

I can't personally attest to the quality of these cables, but they are the cheapest that I have seen on the internet. Don't buy the crap they try to feed you at BB regarding more expensive cables. HDMI is a digital cable, so there will be no interference with other equipment making extra shielding and thicker cables not necessary.

yc

The cheapest HDMI cable can be found on eBay. The ones on eBay are insanely cheap and will make you wonder if you are getting a pice of junk at that price (~$10). I've tried two different ones from different vendors, and they work just fine for me. YMMV.

Regarding blue jean cables, I actually have a couple of their digital coax. They use Canare cables and connectors and I believe they cut and terminate their own. The quality is very good. I don't know about their HDMI cables. It looks like they are just reselling other brands.

I did take the HDMI cable back to BB. I was wondering about Blue Jeans and their quality. The high end store I visit occasionally has Straight Wire, which are IMO insanely expensive. I did order a custom .5 meter digital coax cable from them. They say I will hear a big difference between the Straight Wire and Monster Toslink I'm running now. Has anyone ever used Straight Wire?

Try http://www.monoprice.com for inexpensive cables.

I'm using component switching on my receiver and have no noticed no difference in picture quality.

check out the cables at www.monoprice.com

HDMI out from the cable box to the 3806 prolly wont work.

HDCP issues are well documented and affect most HDMI devices.

The 3806 is no exception.

I would use whichever HDMI devices work and stick to component with the rest.
The component to HDMI conversion feature in the 3806 means you still only have to use 1 cable to the TV regardless of what comes in.


Apart from the HDCP thing I really like my 3806.

I have purchased many blue jeans cable, and I think they are fantastic. You get great quality cables (Mostly belden, but the HDMI/DVI are from avlink) and great connectors.

As for HDMI/DVI/Toslink and such (digital signal medium) I believe using decent/good quality cables (such as the avlink cables) is fine. It is just 0's and 1's. They either get there or they don't IMHO. Of course if the cable is crap, they might not get there.

Kimo