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Yamaha RX-A3030 with Optical Headphones (1 Viewer)

jer99

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I just finished having my Yamaha RX - A3030 set up to control my Main LIving Room 5.1 system/TV as well as my Bedroom stereo /TV (Zone 2).

I was originally told that I could hook up my Sony Optical wireless headphones to the A3030 and while hearing the sound through the speakers, I would also hear it through the headphones.

I connected the headphones optically to the AV OUT optical jack. However, I do not hear any sound through the headphones. I assume I have to either set something up or connect them to another jack somewhere.

I have looked through the manual, but I cant seem to find the solution.

Would anyone have any ideas that might solve my problem with the headphones?

Thanks...
Jerry
 

JohnRice

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The optical output probably only works when the active input is also optical. Possibly coax, but probably not anything else.I didn't look up your receiver, but this is typically how it works.
 

schan1269

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The 3030 "should" do optical zone 2(the 3000 and 3010 did).The only thing is, the source, if used for both can only be in stereo(all channel counts).
 

jer99

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yes - the problem is that I'm using Zone 2 for the bedroom, not the headphones. I dont think I can use another zone for the bedroom and then have the Main/Zone2 be on at the same time
It looks like I will have to run an optical cable from the TV itself back to the headphones....I was hoping that the 3030 would take care of it.

I dont understand why AVR manufacturers dont have an option on the headphone jack - with turn the speakers off, or , run both speakers & headphones. Seems like a pretty straight forward request.
 

schan1269

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Do a 2nd audio connection from your sources. Then the optical out works.The salesman was correct...or did he say the optical out takes audio off HDMI?(which case, they were misinformed)
 

jer99

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I didnt see the second audio out message and connected an optical cable to my optical out on my Pioneer Elite 150. That didnt work. In reading the manual (good idea), I found the statement: When signals are input from the HDMI terminals, no signals are output from the DIGITAL OUT terminal.Great.So now I'm stumped. By "do a 2nd connection", I'm thinking you mean to connect the sources using optical as well as the existing HDMI connections. If so, the problem is that I have 3 sources: DirecTV, BluRay and AppleTV. I was told that the 3030 only has two inputs for the main zone optical.Any suggestions on how to accomplish this, its a real stumper for me
 

Al.Anderson

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I connected the headphones optically to the AV OUT optical jack.
I'm very confused, but I think there's some serious cros-talk going on here.

First, there is no "AV OUT optical jack" on the 3030; all the optical jacks on the 3030 are input.

Second, doing anoptical zone 2 and such applies to INPUTS being passed to zone-2. The OP want to connect his optical headphones - he needs an output.

In any case, the headphones also accept analog input, have you tried connecting them to the headphone jack?
 

JohnRice

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I tried to explain in the very first response that for optical out to work, there usually has to be a digital audio (not hdmi) input connected. If you want three different inputs to be available to the optical out, you just may not be able to do it without some odd rigging, like an external optical selector of some kind.
 

jer99

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I'll have to check the BluRay Player.The ATV is the "newer" of the models - purchased about a year ago.Seems like the solution to my problem (unfortunately) will be to connect the three devices optical outs to an optical switch and eliminate the receiver from the headphones loop.While the headphones do allow an analog input, I dont wish to use the headphones jack on the 3030 since, as with most AVRs, it then cuts out the speakers. I wish to have both the speakers and the headphones on at the same time.I'm still open to any ideas and/or recommendations for a good optical remote switch.
 

jer99

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I just had another thought that I would like opinions on.Is there a HDMI-HDMI-TOS switch that I could place between the receiver and the TV that would have an optical Audio out?Dont know if such an item exists, and, if so, what the caveats might be.
 

Phil A

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There are switches - http://www.monoprice.com/Search/Index?keyword=hdmi+switch

I actually have product ID 5557 which I was using as an HDMI audio de-embedder to take hi-resolution PCM (from the digital coax output) from an SACD player in an Oppo player into a DAC. I actually have 2 of those as the Monoprice switch is made by Port-ta of Hong Kong and I had the Port-ta version before Monoprice sold it under their label (actually got it on E-Bay Australia). I have not used them in some time as I've gone to a music server playing DSD (and other files).
 

jer99

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Does the de-embedder still work as a full pass through for the HDMI signal?
It doesnt change the HDMI output at all does it?

It just takes audio and duplicates it out the optical, correct?

PS - I was lost with the acronyms... what's DAC? SACD?

It could work as a pass through between my AVR and my Plasma, correct?
 

Phil A

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jer99 said:
Does the de-embedder still work as a full pass through for the HDMI signal?
It doesnt change the HDMI output at all does it?

It just takes audio and duplicates it out the optical, correct?

PS - I was lost with the acronyms... what's DAC? SACD?

It could work as a pass through between my AVR and my Plasma, correct
Yes - most I've seen are HDMI switches and just take the audio out to either coax or optical or both. DAC = Digital to Analog Converter. Think of it as a CD player without a drive that can do (the vast majority of them) higher resolution audio than CD. CD is 16 bit sampled at 44.1kHz. Modern DACs can go beyond that. Some now can decode 384kHz PCM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation) or DSD (Direct Stream Digital, the underlying system of what is SACD (Super Audio CD -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Stream_Digital). In my old place, I tried the Monoprice unit as a HDMI switch and it worked but I just used it to de-embed the audio out of my Oppo BDP-83 and I had separate HDMI cables (which were easy to swap in and out) so that when I watched a movie the Oppo would go into my preamp/processor and when I wanted to listen to music I would use the de-embedder. It was a 7 feet to the preamp processor and then another 50 ft. HDMI cable to the projector. I had good quality HDMI cables (Blue Jeans best) but did not want to go through the switch.
 

jer99

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Thanks for the clarifcation.
I dont really need to go from Digital to Analog, matter of fact, I would rather not :)
I was just looking for an HDMI pass-through device that has an additional HD audio optical out. My 3030 handles everything great except the optical audio for the headphones (considering my equipment)

Is that just a plain HDMI "switch" or do I look for De-embedder?

Still slightly confused, but getting closer....
 

schan1269

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Your best bet is to add in a matrix(4x2) that includes an optical output between the sources and Yamaha/TV.That would solve all the issues and allow you not to include the Yamaha at all...when nothing but headphones are in use.
 

Phil A

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jer99 said:
Thanks for the clarifcation.
I dont really need to go from Digital to Analog, matter of fact, I would rather not :)
I was just looking for an HDMI pass-through device that has an additional HD audio optical out. My 3030 handles everything great except the optical audio for the headphones (considering my equipment)

Is that just a plain HDMI "switch" or do I look for De-embedder?

Still slightly confused, but getting closer....
Did you look at product ID 5557 I referenced from Monoprice with the link to all the switches? - It is here - http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5557&seq=1&format=2

It is an HDMI switch and like the description it has toslink and coax outputs and de-embeds the audio over them. It has HDMI out too
 

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