Separating audio from HDMI to go from Roku to processor with DVI and optical inputs? (1 Viewer)

[Phaelon]

Hello to all. I have not been active in this forum since I put together the pieces for a better home theater about three years ago but some family situations and schedule issues put the project on hold until now. I have put together a system comprised of NHT ST4 towers, SDP-2 surrounds, SC-2 center channel, SuperZero Xu's for rear center and a pair of NHT monoblock A-1 amps with active crossover to handle the 8" passive subs in the towers. My primary power source is the Outlaw 7125 and I'm *hoping" to use the used Outlaw 970 that I acquired as the processor (although I'm now reading lots of troubling reports about firmware issues that plagued the 970.) The 970 has DVI inputs but no HDMI. My two sources are a Panasonic Blu-Ray and a Roku XD. The Panasonic has optical output that can take audio direct to the 970 but the Roku has only HDMI and analog RCA out. I found a switch/demux device for $169 that takes HDMI in and provides HDMI out as well as a Toslink optical output. Can I just pass the Roku output through the switch and then on to the 970 with an HDMI to DVI cable with Toslink for the audio and use another HDMI to DVI cable for the Blu-Ray video output? Part 2 of this question... am I throwing good money after bad trying to do this with the 970? I don't know what the new Outlaw 978 will sell for. I can buy a new Marantz AV7005 processor with all the bells and whistles for $1300 to 41400 if i shop around but it's money I just can't spend right now.

 

[John Brill]

1) Why not upgrade your Roku XD to the XDS model and get the built in toslink and component video?

 

[Phaelon]

I don't anticipate ever wanting 3D TV in the foreseeable future. I'm sort of wondering if I should just sell the 7125 (and could throw the 970 in at no extra cost as a package deal.) If I do that and just use the internal amps of the SR6005 receiver I think that resolves my issues - right? But I do wonder if the true 125x7 output of the Outlaw will be more satisfying for me in the long run. It's a small room but I expect to move the HT setup to a significantly larger room a few years from now. As the Roku goes... that's pretty casual viewing and the 5.1 that is already mixed into the HDMI output of the Roku is good enough for me. I don't know if I'm really buying better performance by upgrading to one with optical out.

 

[Phil A]

There are HDMI audio de-embedders that may or may not work in your situation. A bunch of companies make them. Two of the more popular brands are Atlona (markertek.com a broadcast supply house sells them) and Port-ta. Port-ta is a company based out of Hong Kong and in this country their de-embedder is under $44 and sold by monoprice.com (Product ID 5557). The Monoprice unit is an HDMI switch too. I've not used it for things like Dolby Digital (I take SACD from a player via HDMI converted to hi-rez PCM and output the digital coax of the unit to a DAC).

 

[Phil A]

PS - here is a link to one such device from another manuf. that has manuals about the product - http://www.kramerelectronics.com/products/model.asp?pid=2093&sf=80

 

[Phaelon]

Thanks to all. After more reading and research - and these helpful replies - I think I'll start by using an AV receiver that has pre-amp outs as my processor and just dump the 970 (for which I'll get very little but that's okay.) My colleague has a Denon 2008 vintage AVR987 (one of the units made in Japan) that he was going to put on ebay as he has upgraded to a new kit with 3D and higher bit rate audio capability. It has two HDMI inputs (all I need) and does 6.1 in a variety of formats. I think I can snag it for a couple hundred $ and it eliminates all my current issues. I'll keep using the 7125 as my gut instinct says the 125 per channel of that is cleaner and far stronger than the 125 vs. 110 of the Denon vs. Outlaw might indicate.