I don't like to pass my video signal thru my AV receiver (1 Viewer)

[Keith G]

Am I the only one? I prefer to send my video signal directly from the DirectTV box and the blue ray player directly into the TV. I also use digital optical cable to send audio to my receiver. That way I don't have to turn the receiver on just to watch the news and I don't have to worry about any video signal loss caused by my receiver.

Other than simplifying the install and only having one HDMI into the TV is there any other good reason to pass all video signals thru the AV receiver? Please discuss

 

[Stephen_J_H]

My receiver has audio pass-thru, meaning that the last selected output's audio, if through HDMI, will pass through the receiver to the TV's speakers. This does use a little extra power, but when your TV has only two inputs and you're running multiple sources via HDMI.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

In short, there are numerous reasons to send everything through the receiver.

I also use digital optical cable to send audio to my receiver.

This means that you are sending lossy audio to you receiver, even when the disc content contains lossless audio. An optical cable cannot send the full Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA signal to your receiver. Instead, it sends only a lossy portion of that audio equivalent to a DVD. You are losing out entirely on the benefit of advanced audio that Blu-ray provides by doing this.

That way I don't have to turn the receiver on just to watch the news

I have everything run through my receiver, and my receiver doesn't need to be on to watch TV. If the receiver is off, audio plays normally through the television's speakers. If the receiver is on, audio plays through the receiver. I only use surround sound for films; when I watch broadcast television, I use the TV's speakers.

I don't have to worry about any video signal loss caused by my receiver

I don't understand why this would be a concern. My receiver passes the video signal from my Blu-ray player to the display device; it does not alter or change the video signal in any way. Simply select whatever the "passthrough" option is on your receiver, and you receiver will not alter the picture in any way.

 

[JohnRice]

Well, how about the fact that connecting that way eliminates the ability to have HD audio? In fact, if you are running hdmi directly to the TV, then using optical back to the receiver, you are probably only getting standard res audio in two channels. The actual surround has been mixed down and downsampled. Basically, there are almost no valid reasons to use the TV for video switching, except to watch TV from the tuner without turning on the receiver. Personally, I just turn on the receiver, but you have other options to achieve that.

 

[Alf S]

I use my A/V receiver as the hub of my whole main living room entertainment center, have been for 20 years now. We watch and listen to TV, DVD/Blu, streaming all via the receiver, I never run my TV speakers.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Adding to what John said, you not only do you not get HD audio, you don’t even get Dolby Digital or DTS for your video / TV programming. All you can get is matrixed Dolby Pro-Logic, which dates back to the days of VCRs.

Any decent AVR will not degrade the video signal. If you can visually tell that it does, then ditch it and get something better. In short, as others have noted, there is no good reason to send video directly to the TV. If you want to watch the news without turning on the entire system, then send the DirecTV’s antenna output to the TV. It carries both video and audio.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[DaveF]

That way I don't have to turn the receiver on just to watch the news and I don't have to worry about any video signal loss caused by my receiver.

TVs have speakers??? Weird.

I don't understand the "power on" issue. I push the on button on my universal remote and everything comes on. It's harder to *not* use the receiver.

Why would the receiver cause video signal loss in an all-digital chain? This isn't 1996 where we're worrying about a chain of analog video cables.

 

[Keith G]

As always, you guys have provided some really good information. Based on some of your comments I have been doing some research and I should probably qualify some of my earlier statements. Apparently my receiver is so old that it doesn't support full Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD. Dolby Digital is the best that I can do with my current setup.

According to my AV receiver manual:

"... audio signals received by the HDMI IN jacks are output only by the HDMI OUT (pass thru). HDMI sources are not output by the speakers connected to the AV receiver.
To watch an HDMI source that’s connected via the AV receiver’s HDMI jacks, the AV receiver must be turned on, otherwise no HDMI signal will be output. If you want to listen through the speakers connected to the AV receiver, in addition to an HDMI connection, you’ll also need to make a separate analog or digital audio connection."

Correct me if I'm wrong but I took that to mean that in order to hear the BlueRay or DirectTV box thru my speakers I would still have to use the Optical cable to get the sound to play. If this is all true I think that using my current receiver and the fact that I only have 2 input sources there is no real advantage for me to pass my video thru my receiver. Agree?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Adding to what John said, you not only do you not get HD audio, you don’t even get Dolby Digital or DTS for your video / TV programming. All you can get is matrixed Dolby Pro-Logic, which dates back to the days of VCRs.

This is not true. A digital optical or coaxial connection can pass lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS audio -- that is how all the original SD-DVD players passed that audio format to a receiver for proper processing. I even used a digital coax connection as a temporary solution for passing lossy DD and DTS from my new Sony 4K UHD player due to HDMI compatibility issues I was having with my old Pioneer Elite receiver. I permanently solved that problem by upgrading to a new Denon Atmos 4K-capable AVR.

That being said, others have already stated why it is beneficial to route everything through an AVR. I never understood why anyone would spend money on a nice sound system and then want to use the crappy built-in TV speakers at any time. I haven't used my TV speakers in our main room in over 30 years. The argument of having to turn on too many components with different remote controls is weak, as a low cost universal remote makes this issue go away, and today's universal remotes are very easy to program and operate.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

This is not true. A digital optical or coaxial connection can pass lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS audio --

I got the impression that the OP was sending the coax signal from the TV back to the AVR. If he’s sending coax from his components to the AVR, then you are correct.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Keith G]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I use a separate Digital Optical cable for DirecTV and BlueRay to feed audio into the receiver. Based on my research last night I think my 9 year old receiver is the limiting factor in this equation.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I use a separate Digital Optical cable for DirecTV and BlueRay to feed audio into the receiver. Based on my research last night I think my 9 year old receiver is the limiting factor in this equation.

That is definitely the case. Receivers that old are severely limited in how they can work with today's technology. The good news is that AVR's are less expensive now than comparable receivers from 8-9 years ago. I was reluctant to give up my 8+ year old Pioneer Elite receiver when I moved into the 4K world, but the new Denon I purchased is a better receiver, with more features, better auto calibration (so it sounds better), and it was less expensive than my Elite -- and that's not even taking inflation into consideration.

 

[Dave Moritz]

As always, you guys have provided some really good information. Based on some of your comments I have been doing some research and I should probably qualify some of my earlier statements. Apparently my receiver is so old that it doesn't support full Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD. Dolby Digital is the best that I can do with my current setup.

You are a great candidate to upgrade your receiver at this time! The only reason you should possibly wait is because Dolby Vision is coming which is Dolby's version of HDR video! So if you are thinking of upgrading to 4K UHD then you should wait. If not I would pull the trigger on a new reciever just because the one you have doesn't allow you to hook everything to your receiver and pass it through if you just want the tv on. Granted most of us here use our receiver even for tv and do not use the tv speakers. But having a receiver with a/v pass through is the way to go and because your system only uses the old Dolby Digital. And even if your not planning 4K right now you will be future proofing yourself and make it easier to take the plunge later. If you decide you will want Dolby Vision capability then you should wait a little longer. But I would strongly urge you to upgrade your receiver as you will not regret it. My center peice for 12 -14 years was a Yamaha RX-V995 with Dolby Digital & DTS that was upgraded to a 7.1 Pioneer Elite SC-05 with Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio but doesn't pass 1080p 3D! So my goal is to upgrade to most likely a 7.1 Marantz receiver with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X with 4K switching and Dolby Vision compatibility.

That is another reason to upgrade is for the overhead channels but if your not interested in Amos or X then just having Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio with 1080p /audio pass through is more than worth it moving up from old Dolby Digital. And even if you are against 7.1 you can still run the receiver as a 5.1 system and still enjoy lossless audio! This has been done on a budget where I had to save up and you can do it as well.

 

[JohnRice]

Dig the Altecs. What's the sensitivity on those? Over 100dB?

And I agree, shop for a new receiver. Look at refurbs if you want. Accessories4less is a good place to look.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

That is definitely the case. Receivers that old are severely limited in how they can work with today's technology. The good news is that AVR's are less expensive now than comparable receivers from 8-9 years ago. I was reluctant to give up my 8+ year old Pioneer Elite receiver when I moved into the 4K world, but the new Denon I purchased is a better receiver, with more features, better auto calibration (so it sounds better), and it was less expensive than my Elite -- and that's not even taking inflation into consideration.

I concur. I just upgraded to an Onkyo TX-NR555 from my previous HT-RC460 and it was a huge upgrade. I always had problems with the Audyssey EQ on the 460, while Onkyo's proprietary room EQ on the 555 works a treat, and it's UHD 4K compatible. It also cost me about the same as my 460 did 4 years ago, so Scott's absolutely right when he says the prices have come down.

 

[Dave Moritz]

Dig the Altecs. What's the sensitivity on those? Over 100dB?

And I agree, shop for a new receiver. Look at refurbs if you want. Accessories4less is a good place to look.

Thanks John I am not absolutely sure I could swear I have hear 104db but I have always thought that was high. Maybe someone that knows for sure could chime in?

Hey Keith let us know if you get a new receiver and which one you get?

 

[Keith G]

Based on the fact that I'm only running 5.1 with no plans to go to Atmos anytime soon I don't think I really need to upgrade at this time.

 

[Dave Moritz]

IMHO the upgrade to HDMI pass through switching would be reason enough even though you want to stick with 5.1 which there is nothing wrong with sticking with. A properly calibrated 5.1 system can still provide a very good audio playback experience but I feel your really missing out not being able to utilize Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio even in a 5.1 configuration. Also having a new receiver with HDCP 2.2 would mean future proofing and being able to pass 4K at a later date and being able to do Atmos if you also chose to do so at a later date. But just for the 1080p pass through so you can pass audio straight to the tv without running an out dated digital audio only cable to the tv and being able to decode modern audio codex IMHO is a very compelling reason to upgrade and I would hope you would reconsider.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Besides, getting an Atmos/DTS:X receiver, even if you have no plans to upgrade to those systems right away, is not a terrible idea, as those receivers start sub-$500 Cdn [My current receiver would be about $330 US]. HDMI pass-through is very much worth it.