Best audio connection option?

[zumbo]

My current TV went out Black Friday eve. Lucky me. I purchased a Toshiba 42HL167 42" 1080p LCD for $999.97. I went by Comcast and switched-out my digital cable box for a HD unit(Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC). I popped in BB just to see how much they wanted for a couple of cables. Needless to say, they wanted more than a couple of bucks. I decided to look around, just goofing off really. An employee asked me if he could help. I said sure. I told him my story about the TV, and the HD cable box I just picked-up. I also mentioned that my DVD-A player doesn't have HDMI-OUT, and I wouldn't mind picking-up an up converting player with HDMI-OUT. He walked me over to an "open-box" Yamaha for $49.99. Could this be my lucky day? Well, no. I picked-up the player, and no HDMI-OUT. But, the tag with the reduced price said it did have HDMI-OUT. So, I peeled the sale sticker back to reveal the model #. It read, DV-S5950. Well, I knew right where that player was. It just happened to be the $119 unit I was looking at when the salesman approached me. So, I did what any red-blooded audioholic would do. I begged. It worked. I walked-out with a Yamaha up converting dvd player for a grand total of $53.49.

So I know you're thinking, what's the question? Well, I have two ways I can hook this equipment up to my Yamaha receiver, which doesn't support HDMI. I could......

A) Connect the HD cable box HDMI>TV, and DIGITAL AUDIO-OUT>Receiver.
---Connect the DVD player HDMI>TV, and OPTICAL-OUT>Receiver.

B) Connect the HD cable box HDMI>TV.
---Connect the DVD player HDMI>TV.
---Connect the TV's OPTICAL-OUT>Receiver.

 

[zumbo]

I just read on the Yamaha site that this player doesn't decode DTS surround, but it does output DTS surround. Looks like I need to send the players DIGITAL AUDIO-OUT to the receiver for sure. Still would like to know about the HD cable box.

 

[MDS]

Option B may not work. On many TVs the optical out will only output digital audio when the TV is the source; ie you are using the RF/Antenna input.

I haven't tried it myself because none of my components have HDMI but I read somewhere that the Tosh LX177 models will output DD thru the optical out if you are using an HDMI connection to the TV (since it's digital). I think you said you got the HL167 model so I don't know if it would work the same way.

 

[zumbo]

Option B may not work. On many TVs the optical out will only output digital audio when the TV is the source; ie you are using the RF/Antenna input.

I haven't tried it myself because none of my components have HDMI but I read somewhere that the Tosh LX177 models will output DD thru the optical out if you are using an HDMI connection to the TV (since it's digital). I think you said you got the HL167 model so I don't know if it would work the same way.

Thanks. Sounds right. I added the model # in my first post. Oh well, more cables. Maybe I'll bump into a blu-ray player deal next time.

 

[moreira85]

i would vote for option A

 

[zumbo]

Just ordered a couple of HDMI cables from BJC. Man, I love that site. Tons of information. This is about my fourth time to use BJC, and I am impressed more, and more, every time. Did you know they have the only American made HDMI cables?(terminated in China)

 

[annunaki]

My current TV went out Black Friday eve. Lucky me. I purchased a Toshiba 42HL167 42" 1080p LCD for $999.97. I went by Comcast and switched-out my digital cable box for a HD unit(Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC). I popped in BB just to see how much they wanted for a couple of cables. Needless to say, they wanted more than a couple of bucks. I decided to look around, just goofing off really. An employee asked me if he could help. I said sure. I told him my story about the TV, and the HD cable box I just picked-up. I also mentioned that my DVD-A player doesn't have HDMI-OUT, and I wouldn't mind picking-up an up converting player with HDMI-OUT. He walked me over to an "open-box" Yamaha for $49.99. Could this be my lucky day? Well, no. I picked-up the player, and no HDMI-OUT. But, the tag with the reduced price said it did have HDMI-OUT. So, I peeled the sale sticker back to reveal the model #. It read, DV-S5950. Well, I knew right where that player was. It just happened to be the $119 unit I was looking at when the salesman approached me. So, I did what any red-blooded audioholic would do. I begged. It worked. I walked-out with a Yamaha up converting dvd player for a grand total of $53.49.

So I know you're thinking, what's the question? Well, I have two ways I can hook this equipment up to my Yamaha receiver, which doesn't support HDMI. I could......

A) Connect the HD cable box HDMI>TV, and DIGITAL AUDIO-OUT>Receiver.
---Connect the DVD player HDMI>TV, and OPTICAL-OUT>Receiver.

B) Connect the HD cable box HDMI>TV.
---Connect the DVD player HDMI>TV.
---Connect the TV's OPTICAL-OUT>Receiver.

You get the award for "Most smiley's used in a post". You used so many I can't even put one in :^)

 

[zumbo]

You get the award for "Most smiley's used in a post". You used so many I can't even put one in :^)

I was extremely happy, and still am, even though Yamaha didn't build this player. Rear panel states it was built by some Chinese company. Oh well, it should perform as a Yamaha. Sometimes you can't get around it.

I was so excited, I claimed OPTICAL-OUT for the player. It is DIGITAL-OUT. Added a Digital audio cable to my BJC order today. Super cool people. They combined shipping for my dumb @$$.