Noobie Qs: SR605 Optical Setup + 408I to 480P over component ?

[PannyMan]

Hi all !

This is my 1st post but I've lurked here for a couple of months and have learned a great deal, certainly more than expected. Obviously there is a lot of expertise here (and a lot of opinions as well), so I thought I'd get my feet wet by asking two questions that would clear some things up for me:

1. Other than 'mapping' a digital input to the desired input, is there anything else that needs to be set up to enable digital optical audio ? I have the optical out of my cable box plugged into optical 1 and optical mapped to cable/sat. I select cable sat as the input and I get silence. Are there any tips or anything that I'm missing ?

2. I have the cable box run directly to my TV via component. I did this to avoid (what I learned here) the 605's downscaling of 1080I to 720P. I'm wondering though if I fed the component signal to the 605 and output component to the tv from the 605 would I get the following results:
A. 480I converted to 480P

B. 1080I passed through to the component output to the TV.

 

[TLS Guy]

Page 50

I have had a little time on my hands while the cooking goes on, and looked at you manual. If you go to page 50, you will see that the default digital input settings are coaxial. So you will need to change the input one to optical with the right and left toggle.

The other questions are difficult, because you don't say what your peripherals and TV have for inputs and outputs.

I would make these generalizations. Your manual says your receiver has full repeater architecture on the HDMI inputs and it is version 1.3. It also says the tuner up converts to the HDMI output only. By the way, only digital inputs of TVs up convert as a rule. So I doubt either A or B in your second question is true. If your peripherals have HDMI inputs I would use them, and certainly use the HDMI output from your receiver to TV if your TV has an HDMI input. If you can do this it will be the simplest hook up, do what you want and work the best.

I hope this has helped and not confused you more.

 

[PannyMan]

Noobie Qs

I'll check out the set up for coaxial. Good catch.

On the 2nd question, my TV has both component and HDMI inputs. My cable box has component and DVI outputs but I am using component.
I'm not using HDMI or DVI to avoid the 605s downconversion of 1080I
to 720P.

My thinking is that if I run the video from the cable box to the 605 and then to the TV via component, perhaps it will upconvert 480I programming to 480P and pass through 1080i programming withouth downconverting to 720P which it WOULD do if I were going HDMI to the TV.

Trying to determine if the downconversion avoidance is a good assumption.

Thanks for responding

 

[TLS Guy]

Hdmi

I would connect your DVD player and cable box using HDMI, and receiver to TV HDMI.

You could ask your cable company for a box with HDMI output, (best) or use a DVI to HDMI converter.

 

[MDS]

1. Other than 'mapping' a digital input to the desired input, is there anything else that needs to be set up to enable digital optical audio ? I have the optical out of my cable box plugged into optical 1 and optical mapped to cable/sat. I select cable sat as the input and I get silence. Are there any tips or anything that I'm missing ?

The assignment you did is step 1 and it sounds like you did it right. Step 2 would be to ensure that the digital input format is set to 'auto' (which it is by default so you shouldn't have to change it). Step 3 is to configure the device sending the audio itself.

- My cable box has a menu setting Audio: Digital Out. It must be set to Dolby Digital. Your cable box is likely to have a similar setup option.

- Depending on your cable system, some (like mine) have channels that broadcast analog audio only, some are digital audio only, and some broadcast both at the same time. If you happened to tune the cable box to a channel that is analog audio only, then you'd hear silence even if the digital input assignment on the receiver is correct.

Long story short is you need both analog and digital audio connections from the cable box to the receiver and the receiver's 'auto' setting will automatically switch between them.

2. I have the cable box run directly to my TV via component. I did this to avoid (what I learned here) the 605's downscaling of 1080I to 720P. I'm wondering though if I fed the component signal to the 605 and output component to the tv from the 605 would I get the following results:
A. 480I converted to 480P

B. 1080I passed through to the component output to the TV.

It depends on your cable box. Mine converts everything to 1080i and you cannot change it. Other boxes have options to allow you to send a fixed resolution (you choose it) OR pass the signal through as-is.

 

[PannyMan]

Making Progress

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was in a turkey, dressing and gravy induced coma. Regained my senses this morning. I hope all had a great holiday with family and friends.

Ok, I abandoned the optical cable and switched to digital coax and it works like a charm. No need for an analog connection as all audio is routed through the coax. The improvement in sound quality is impressive. I often see the Dolby D signal indicator on the 605 display and for movies I'm getting near DVD quality. Analog is a bit better too.

I think it's worth pointing out the fact that the optical coneection just never seemed to very solid. The connetor on both ends just seem to kind of sit there, no click no nothing indicating a good connection. It also fell out a couple of times with minial pressure as my hand accidentally brushed it. Don't know if this is normal but I have no use for what seems to be a poorly engineered sonnector solution.

I'm still working on the 480I conversion to 480P over component issue. I've tried some of what been suggested but no success yet. I am out of HDMI ports on the 605 by the way so unless I buy a switch, I think I'm out of luck from that standpoint.

If I find a confguration that gets me what I need, I'll report back here.

Thanks again guys for your responses.

 

[cruzmsle]

Hello everyone New to Forum

Wanted to say hello, also just purchased the TX-SR605 and a Panasonic 50" Plasma TH50PZ77U. WOW!!! Have my Bose 5.1 set to the 605. Will be purchasing the PS3 for blue ray...... Question which is the best audio connection optical or coaxel?

 

[TLS Guy]

Same

Wanted to say hello, also just purchased the TX-SR605 and a Panasonic 50" Plasma TH50PZ77U. WOW!!! Have my Bose 5.1 set to the 605. Will be purchasing the PS3 for blue ray...... Question which is the best audio connection optical or coaxel?

They are both the same in quality. a digital connection is all or nothing pretty much. Optical cables are a lot more fragile.

 

[cruzmsle]

Thanks

Thanks TLS Guy, another question.

I saw a thread out here where people were having poping sounds from the reciever over the speakers. I was having that problem but when I went to the optical cable it was gone. So maybe the composite connections create that problem have you heard anything about that problem?

 

[TLS Guy]

SDIF coax

Thanks TLS Guy, another question.

I saw a thread out here where people were having poping sounds from the reciever over the speakers. I was having that problem but when I went to the optical cable it was gone. So maybe the composite connections create that problem have you heard anything about that problem?

Your Coax SDIF cable does not have enough bandwidth. You can not use any old RCA cable to make this connection. You need an RCA coaxial digital SDIF cable. Avoid Chinese junk and get cables from Blue Jeans. They are the best cables, and fantastic value for money.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/

 

[cruzmsle]

TLS Guy

Thanks again. Will have many more questions in the future!

 

[PannyMan]

DVI REALLY made a difference !!!

Just received my DVI to HDMI cable from Monoprice today. I hooked it p and I am dutifully IMPRESSED, especially with the SD PQ improvement. Colors are way more rich and saturated and the pic is just sharper overall. I kept my component cables hooked up just so I could switch back and forth for comparision and ve impressed all over again.

I suspect that my cable provider is all digital and something gets lost in the D to A conversion inside the cable box. DVI connectivity allows the signal to remain digital all the way to the set without any conversion. I'm loving it.

All right I'm good to go. My sound is up to snuff with the coax and with the DVI connected directly to the TV, I'm not going to bother running it through the 605, just let the set's vid processining do what it does to make it come out looking really nice.

Thanks guys for your suggestions, it helped me think through the solution.

GREAT place this is.

 

[TLS Guy]

Just received my DVI to HDMI cable from Monoprice today. I hooked it p and I am dutifully IMPRESSED, especially with the SD PQ improvement. Colors are way more rich and saturated and the pic is just sharper overall. I kept my component cables hooked up just so I could switch back and forth for comparision and ve impressed all over again.

I suspect that my cable provider is all digital and something gets lost in the D to A conversion inside the cable box. DVI connectivity allows the signal to remain digital all the way to the set without any conversion. I'm loving it.

All right I'm good to go. My sound is up to snuff with the coax and with the DVI connected directly to the TV, I'm not going to bother running it through the 605, just let the set's vid processining do what it does to make it come out looking really nice.

Thanks guys for your suggestions, it helped me think through the solution.

GREAT place this is.

Glad to help. Happy Christmas to you and your family.

 

[cruzmsle]

Pannyman

I just received my three HDMI cables from monoprice yesterday and hooked them up to my Panasonic 50" THPZ77U wiht my SR205 and digital DirectTV. Wow the sound and picture are Vivid. I am very impressed with monoprice cables. I got all three 6ft cables with shipping for 50.00. Monster wanted that for one. I will not leave my bonus room, EVER!! LOL my wife might have something to do with that. Can't wait until I get my PS3 to run Blue Ray!!!