need help with HDMI and my cable box (1 Viewer)

[JJRRACING]

First off greetings and salutations, I found this site VIA Google and wish I had found it sooner. Anyway I was a audio/ video salesman in Circuit City from 99-03 and used to be "with it". In late 03 I built my "dream" system. It consisted of POLK RM 6200 5 speaker surround, DMC 10' sub, and a Harmon Kardon AVR 120 receiver, and a Panasonic 5 DVD changer. Along with all monster cable hookups. Over the past two years I have changed out my DVD player to a Sony Up converter HDMI, and a Sony STR-DG600 5.1 digital receiver. the speakers and cables are all still TOP NOTCH.
anyway here is my problem...

I have a HDMI cable box. Scientific Atlanta explorer 8300HD I have the HDMI cable and a S-video cable running to my TV and a optical cable running to my Sony receiver. here is my problem. If I leave my TV on Video 1 the little blue "multi channel decoding" light on the front of the receiver comes on and DOLBY DIGITAL 2/0 shows on the screen. But as soon as I change my input on the TV to Video 6 (HDMI) input the light on the receiver goes out and it says PCM. Am I doing something wrong? I cant see how it would change since the Receiver and TV are not connected at all... Please help/ advise

Thanks
John

 

[Ed Moxley]

First off, the optical output on the tv is only for getting 5.1 surround from your local HD channels via the internal tuner, when using an antenna. It's not for a daisy chain connection like you're using. The tvs that pass audio at all that way, will downmix the 5.1 signal to 2.0 and send to receiver that way. So, the best you can hope for is Dolby Pro Logic II (simulated surround).

You need to run your cables from the cable box to the A/V receiver, then out from the receiver to the tv. Also, go into the cable box's settings, and set the audio output to Dolby Digital. You may also need to tell it to use the HDMI output, if your receiver is an HDMI receiver. Sometimes, HDMI will disable other outputs. If your receiver isn't HDMI, you can use component cables to receiver for video. Then component out from receiver to tv. Then use optical or digital coax from cable box to receiver for audio.
Good luck!

 

[JJRRACING]

ok, sent my optical from the Cable box to my reciever and changed the output on the cable box to Dolby Digital... and guess what? IT WORKS NOW...

Plroblem is now I dont want to watch regular TV.. Ha...

Check my thread on going to Best Buy... Getting a new receiver and Blueray Player...

 

[Ed Moxley]

Good! It's nice when things finally come together and work right, isn't it?

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I'll only add to Ed's comments the following (although if you were in the industry until '03 you probably already know this):

[SIZE= larger][COLOR= #ff0000]DON"T BUY MONSTER HDMI CABLES!!!!!![/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[JJRRACING]

Why not. As far as Im concerned Moster makes some good shit, some of my stuff is over 15 years old and still works wonderful.

But i will take a good reason why if you are so inclined to provide it.

 

[Ed Moxley]

Monster stuff is ok. They are just WAY over priced, and no better than cables you get from Monoprice.com for a lot less. A $6 HDMI cable from monoprice.com works just as well as Monster's $100 HDMI cable. Honest.

Monster is the Bose of A/V cables!