HDMI Cable Vs Coaxial Digital for sound

[JorgeA]

Guys.

I have a question, which one in order of signal quality is better to tranfer signal sound from de DVD to a Denon 3808 Amplifier. Here is the basis of the question:

I have a HDMI Toshiba DVD which has a HDMI Output port and has one Digital Coaxial (orange) output.

I connected the DVD to a Denon 3808 AVR amplifier through HDMI wire into the HDMI DVD Input on the AVR 3808. But the AVR amplifier also has a Coaxial Digital (orange) Input available

Some people said to me that in order to receive better audio signal from the DVD when it plays music or DVD Concerts, I should use the Coaxial Digital output from the DVD and connect it tho the Coaxial Digital Input in the AVR 3808.

I have the impression that the HDMI wire connecting DVD and AVR 3808 transfer good signal in video and sound, but I rather preffer your expert opinions.

Thanks for your time and willingness to put your answers.

JorgeA

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

Provided that your HDMI cable and digital coaxial cable are both of equal decent quality, both should deliver equal quality sound signal to your AVR for what you are saying you wish to listen to.

The only difference between connecting your DVD player to your receiver with either a HDMI cable or the digital optical is that the HDMI can carry the new DD and DTS 7.1 audio formats and the digital coaxial does not have the bandwidth for that. That being said, your DVD player will not be able to output those new 7.1 formats as I think those are only native to blu ray / HD DVD players, so using a HDMI cable on a DVD player is kind of pointless...

To add to that, a bonus to using an HDMI cable is that you only have to use one cable to transfer both the sound and video signal, saving you money and wiring headaches.

Good luck.

 

[Exit]

I have got about a three year old Yamaha that has no HDMI connections but is set up for 7.1. That indicates you do not have to have HDMI to get 7.1 inputs. I think you can get them over optical link to a DVD player, but I don’t think 7.1 is used on many DVDs. At least not the ones I remember looking at the sound setup menus.

 

[PENG]

I have got about a three year old Yamaha that has no HDMI connections but is set up for 7.1. That indicates you do not have to have HDMI to get 7.1 inputs. I think you can get them over optical link to a DVD player, but I don’t think 7.1 is used on many DVDs. At least not the ones I remember looking at the sound setup menus.

You are right, but as ThA pointed out, new formats (e.g. Dolby True HD) do need HDMI because the coax/or optical do not have the necessary bandwidth capability for even Dolby True HD 5.1. So if he start using BD, he would want to use HDMI but for now he is fine.