Why redundant DVD-AVR connection? (1 Viewer)

[Evelio Lucero]

The manual for my Onkyo 696 AVR recommends that one connects the DVD's digital audio output (toslink or coaxial) to the AVR and TOGETHER with this also connect the RCA analog audio out of the DVD to the AVR.

Why the redundant audio connections?

Wouldn't a digital connection alone be enough to handle all audio data from the DVD player?

I would appreciate any clarification of this. My basic concern is if I connect both the AVR may not work properly.

Thanks.

 

[Jed M]

I am not an expert and I do not own a Onkyo, but yes, that does seem redundant. I don't need to do this on any of the many receivers and dvd combos I have had. But to just get sound out of your dvds, I would think a coax or optical would be fine. Maybe somebody knows something I don't though, but mine seems to work.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Some receivers are set up to recognige the A/V inputs. Don't ask me how, but if the A/V is not connected, it will see it as blank and not produce anything.

Glenn

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Also, 90% of receivers will not supply any audio to the VCR output from a source that is digital. In other words, the DVD player produces a digital signal and that signal is decoded and sent to the speakers by the receiver. HOWEVER, that decoded signal will not be sent anywhere other than the speakers (some receivers don't even route digital decoded info to the headphone output).

If you wanted to record a piece of material from your DVD player- or maybe from a DSS box with digital connection-- then you would have to have the analog connection routed as well in order to get anything to the VCR output (or cassette output if your receiver has this).

They probably include that redundant connection in the manual so that they don't have to answer tech support calls as to why people can't get audio when copying DVD to VHS (or CD to Cassette if you're using your DVD player as a cd player).

But for normal playback- It's redundant and I'd guess it's not necessary.

-V

 

[Bob McElfresh]

It's because many DVD players can also play CD's and the new super cd formats:

A) There are some "High Bit Rate" or "high sample rate" music cd's and some DVD players can decode these. But the digital connection cannot handle the signal. So the DVD player has to do the conversion to analog and send the music via analog cables.

B) The new Super-Audio CD also does not have a standard digital connection. It must also be converted to analog in the player and send the signal via analog cables.