HDTV or HD Ready? (1 Viewer)

[vitoF]

I have a Yamaha HTR 5830 receiver. I know that you can connect an HD ready TV to it. Which is more cost efficient? An HDTV or HD ready? Also, I need a TV with Optical audio out since my receiver has an Optical in for TV. Any suggestions?

 

[Charlie Campisi]

I think your question is a bit "off."

1. You can run video through your receiver, apparently including an HD signal (taking your word for it). So if you have an HD source, like a satellite/cable box, or even a dvd player that upscales, you can connect the video through the receiver.

2. The difference between HD and HD ready is that the HD tv has the HD tuner (ATSC or QAM) built in and the HD ready tv does not, instead relying on an HD source (see no. 1 above).

If you have an HD tv with built in HD tuner, there is really no need to run the video from the internal tuners through the receiver. That's where your question begins to be a little off.

If you have an HD ready tv and multiple sources, you may want to run your video through the receiver and use it as a switch. This does three things. It consolidates your cables so you only have one video cable to the tv. It makes your switching in between devices easier as you only have to switch the receiver, and not the tv too, when you change between devices. Lastly, it introduces another connection to the system which could cause problems, but usually doesn't. If your tv has enough connections, most here connect the video directly to the tv, without using the receiver as a switch. A good universal remote can handle the switching seamlessly.

Incidently, the digital audio should run directly to the receiver, with a second stereo connection to the tv for the rare times you want to use the tv's internal speakers. So you shouldn't *need* a tv with an optical audio out. Most tv's have them if you want to use it. As for whether HD or HD ready is more cost effective, it depends on what you're watching and where your HD material is coming from.

 

[vitoF]

You say above that I don't need a tv with an optical out. Don't I need a digital connection from my tv to my receiver to capture Dolby Digital Surround? I have 2 digital "ins" on my receiver, both optical. One marked DVD and one marked DTV/Cable.

 

[Robert_J]

If you buy a TV with an HD tuner, then you will need some type of digital audio output to get the sound to your receiver. They all have them in either optical or coaxial connections. If the connection doesn't match what's on your receiver, get a converter from PE for $15.

The big question is what are you going to use for your source of HD programming? I get mine from DirecTV so I went with an HD ready TV. In the future, I may switch to cable and then I will have to rent one of their cable boxes or buy a Series 3 Tivo.

-Robert

 

[vitoF]

I'm looking to the future more than the present. I want a new TV, but I might as well get an HDTV for when stations start to broadcast in HD. Before that happens I want to be able to hear the programs that are broadcast in 5.1 on my home theater system. So I need a an HDTV with a digital out.

 

[Charlie Campisi]

You're missing some of the subtleties in what Robert and I are saying.

The key is what is your source for HD? Or not even HD, as much as digital audio.

The only time you will use the tv's internal HD tuners are if you are getting your HD via antenna, or if you have one with a built in QAM "cable card" tuner. Then, yes, you will need a digital out to your receiver. If you are using an "external" HD cable/sat box, dvr or dvd player then you connect the digital out on those boxes directly to the receiver. Many tvs have digital inputs for audio, but aside from just passing the sound through to your receiver, they don't do much good as the tv likely just has 2 speakers anyway, that you'll only rarely use.

If you don't know what your HD sources will be and want to make sure you'll be ok, yeah, get a tv with a digital out. I'm guessing most have them now anyway.

 

[vitoF]

I have standard cable, no box, cable goes straight into the TV. So I guess my source would be cable. Right?

 

[Mort Corey]

AFAIK, standard cable (at least my cable company) won't produce anything other than stereo. To get the 5.1 signals you probably have to upgrade to at least a digital cable box. If so, you may as well get the HD box and have the best of both worlds.

Mort

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Do you plan to use cable for your HD? You would need to upgrade your basic cable to digital. They can give you a HD cable box, or does your cable company offer a cable card? If the latter, then you would use the internal tuner and could use a digital out from the tv. If you use the cable co HD box, then you run a digital out from the cable box to the receiver.

Basically, there is always a way to get digital sound to/from your receiver whether or not your tv has a digital out. The only situation, as I said above, where you won't is where you have a built in ATSC tuner and get your HD via an antenna. But I can't imagine that there are many, if any, tvs with built in ATSC tuners and no digital out.