New tv incoming and confused about HDMI with rest of setup (1 Viewer)

[S0lidFIsher]

Hi guys, New here and hoping to get some help before I make my new tv purchase this coming Saturday. I have never used an HDMI cable before because my tv would only support component or DVI. I know tv's today have about 3-4 HDMI ports but I don't know how many I need to run everything with digital sound and image. My current setup consists of:

• CRT Sony Vega

• Digital tv terminal (telus Optik)

• Sony str-k900 receiver

• Xbox 360

• PS3

The tv is not connected to receiver in any way currently. I would like this to change. The current tv is connected to the Digital tv terminal via Component cables and RCA audio cables. The tv is also connected to either Xbox 360 or PS3 at any one time via Component cables and an Optical audio cable that is also shared between the consoles. The receiver seems to only have 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMi output I'm hoping that these are enough ports and that there aren't HDMI version/compatibility issues I need to worry about. My goal is to somehow have all my devices plugged in simultaneously using only HDMI cables (Optical /HDMI cable combo if necessary) when I purchase my new tv this weekend and have everything able to play digital video and audio through both the tv and receiver. I basically want to be able to watch tv with audio coming through my receiver or just through the tv speakers if I so chose. I want to be able to play my console games in the same way without all this constant plugging and unplugging. The trouble is I simply don't understand what I need or if this is even possible. I hope this doesn't sound too confusing but I hope some one can help. I really appreciate any serious help with this. regards,

 

[CB750]

Welcome Al I can't find any manuals for your receiver, but if I take you as your word that it has one HDMI out and two HDMI in connections then you are one HDMI connection from being able to connect your system in the preferred method as your receiver becomes the hub of your system. Here is what I would suggest HDMI cable from Digital TV terminal (I assume this is your cable box) to receiver HDMI input. Receiver HDMI out put to New TV HDMI input. This will pass both video and audio to the receiver and video to your TV. You will have to decide if you want to connect either the X box 360 or the PS3 to the second HDMI input. If you have other connections on the receiver you can use them. The other alternative would be to purchase a HDMI splitter. However, when connected in this way your TV becomes nothing more than a monitor as the receiver will only send a video signal and no audio. This will not allow you to use the built in speakers on your new TV. But that is no loss because the quality of most of them is so bad that you will want to use your receiver 100% of the time as most of us do.

 

[S0lidFIsher]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to help me out with this CB750 Yup the receiver does indeed have the two HDMI ins and one out. There is even a little advertisement sticker on the face of the unit confirming it. I never really noticed what the small print said until now... heh. I failed to mention earlier that I have two optical cable ports on the back of the receiver (though currently only one cable). Would using the second optical port allow for my new tv being more than just a monitor? I would like to still retain the option of having audio come from the tv speakers late at night, even if it isn't of the highest quality. I'm thinking I might have been naive in thinking that if I bought a tv with at least 4 HDMI ports I could connect it all together and use it in any configuration.

 

[Citizen87645]

Here's a link to the manual: http://www.docs.sony.com/reflib/docget.asp?manualid=60904&template_id=1&region_id=3&DL=


Both optical ports on the receiver are input only.


If you want to have audio running to your TV, it is possible, but more trouble than it is worth as it would put you back into the mode of swapping cables and/or output settings on your video sources.


If you are interested in keeping the volume low late at night, my suggestion would be to get a nice pair of headphones and plug in to the receiver on those occasions.

 

[S0lidFIsher]

Thanks for the added information and suggestions Cameron. I'm starting to accept the fact that my reciever isn't going to allow me to use all my devices with the ability of easily using audio from the tv speakers or receiver. I suppose Im going to have to go the route of alternating between having my Xbox 360 or PS3 pluged in at any given time (just as it is now). To confirm, doing this will now allow me to watch tv hearing audio from the receiver speakers and tv speakers and also play which ever one console that happens to be pluged in the same way? I would also prefer not to use headphones, though thanks for the suggestion. Cheers,

 

[Citizen87645]

One possibility, if you REALLY need the TV speakers to be in the mix, is to make the TV your hub for the devices - which would give you up to four HDMI inputs without having to do any cable swapping - and then output the audio from the TV to the receiver. However, that output will likely be dumbed down in some way. It would likely be just stereo (as on my plasma) or some kind of converted Dolby Digital 5.1...or maybe nothing at all. What I'm pretty sure about is the TV will not simply act as a pass through for high resolution audio signals like those on Blu-ray. What it does for games and the like, you'll just have to try it and see.