Home Theater help

[Adam]

The first thing that came to my mind is that you were trying to get audio from the HDMI inputs on the Onkyo, and Phil has that covered perfectly.

So, why doesn't it use the audio from the HDMI inputs when those are supposed to be both audio and video? Cost, I'm assuming. Don't be too upset about that unit, though. If memory serves, you'd have to spend in the $350 to $400 range on a receiver alone to get audio processing from HDMI. Right now, that's what it costs to get that capability. Next year, it'll be cheaper, but not yet.

 

[lordofdavipers]

Thanks, Mr. Taylor, I already watched the last 15 minutes of pirates 3 and it was SWEET. having more speakers gives a better experience, overall.


So far I've got:
++the dvd rcvr video and audio to work
++the tv video and audio to work

I cannot get the PS3 nor the 360 to work visually or audio wise.

I have two optical ports on the av rcvr and one on the tv and dvd rcvr.
The opticals rae connected as follows:
the single tv optical goes to the optical 1 on the av rcvr
athe optical 2 on the av rcvr goes to the single optical on the dvd rcvr

now seeing as i have only two optical ports on the av rcvr, how would i plugin the tv, dvd rcvr, and the 2 game consoles?

 

[Phil Taylor]

You may want to use your optical inputs on your receiver for your consoles and use a coaxial (RCA cable) for your DVD player - if the consoles don't have coaxial outputs - I'm not a gamer so I don't know if they indeed do or don't. Not sure why you aren't getting video from your consoles to your TV through the receiver... bad HDMI cable from receiver to TV maybe? Try running them straight to your TV and see if they work - then swap cables around and see if you find that cable is bad...

Won't be able to help any more tonight - going to bed - have an early install job tomorrow but will check back later in the day. Hope you get everything straightened out - sometimes electronics are a PITA but the trouble will all be worth it once you get it all lined out.

 

[Adam]

Andrew,

Alright. The Onkyo has four digital audio inputs - two are coax inputs and two are optical inputs.

Your new DVD player can output both coax and optical, your PS3 can (from what I can find) only output optical, your Xbox can (from what I can find) only output optical, and your TV can only output optical.

So...here's what I would do for audio:
1. Connect the coax digital output from the DVD player to one of the coax digital inputs on the Onkyo receiver (the coax jacks use RCA-type connectors, and you could use any cable with an RCA connector on both ends)
2. Connect the TV optical digital output to one of the optical digital inputs on the Onkyo receiver
3. Connect either the PS3 or the Xbox 360 to the second optical digital input on the Onkyo receiver

For now, you should be able to listen to whichever game console you didn't connect with an optical cable to the Onkyo by listening to it through the TV's connection. Audio from that console should get passed by HDMI to the TV, and then the TV should output the audio through it's optical output back to the Onkyo.

If you want, you could get an adapter that converts a digital optical cable to a digital coax cable (like this one at monoprice) so that you could connect your second game console to the Onkyo directly using the Onkyo's second coax input.

Does that make sense, or is it more confusing?

EDIT: Wasn't trying to override Phil - he and I were just typing at the same time.

 

[lordofdavipers]

I had to re-read this a few times. haha. Mr. Taylor, thanks for your input I will consider it.
Adam, I think i see what you're getting at and 'prefer' to not connect/disconnect systems. I'd like all devices active -so to speak - and be ready to work whenever i swap to them.

I take it my HDMI setup is alright.???

I think I could work out getting a opt to coax box and use it. Also, it's obvious I'll have to connect the 360's component cables back in and I found this hack (http://www.chadledford.com/?p=50)

All my HDMI and optical cables are new and I'm thinking the reason I cant get video or audio is because the av rcvr doesn't have a function for it. It has DVD, TV, Radio, and some propritary functions. I tried to assign the functions I wouldn't use but IDK what to do on that step.

 

[Adam]

We'll be happy to help you through the step of assigning the HDMI and digital audio inputs, and I think that might be the next important step here. I think that Phil has already left for tonight, and I've got to get going now, too. I'll be back tomorrow night, but someone (such as Phil) might step in and get you all set up before then.

I'd hold off on hacking into your HDMI and component cables until we step through the assignments. I don't think that you need to convert your cables like that.

Have a good night.

 

[lordofdavipers]

Likewise. We'll start fresh tomorrow. I'll await responses from you two and see what comes out of it unless I reply with some info.


Good night all...for now

 

[lordofdavipers]

Ok. RIGHT before I went to bed it dawned on me how to do this setup. I was mentally limited to connections because I was going by the quote from my sales rep about the AV rcvr doing the connections for you or what not.

Well I plugged my ps3 and 360 back into the hdmi ports 1 and 2 on the back of the tv and leave the optical connected to the optical 1 in the av rcvr. They work perfect and i even tested removing the optical and got no sound so i know teh audio is feeding thru the tv optical and video thru the tv hdmi and stuff.
And i plugged the AV rcvr into the hdmi port 3 on the side of the tv. (So im guessing my tv does all the syncing or channeling or whatnot to do video and /or audio.)

Anyway, the only thing that I need [i think] is one more hdmi cable to plug the dvd rcvr hdmi out to one of the two av rcvr hdmi In ports.
I don't mind using the source button on my remote [after all im use to it] so i'm getting surround sound (maybe not 7.1) but it's SURROUND SOUND! HAHA. Great video and great audio is what I can say now.
i can now listen to the tv alone or turn on the av rcvr and it auto does the SS. So everything I wanted is now setup, just a lil getting use to.

However, I'm still gonna get the other hdmi cable but let me konw what you think about this new setup if it is sufficient. Also I have the av rcvr sitting under my glass shelf on my hdtv and it's quite hot. common sense suggests i move it to the top (which is more fragile than the bottom shelf). Suggestion?

Thanks again for ALL of y'alls help - Haoleb, Adam, & Mr. Taylor. I will await your response.

 

[Phil Taylor]

Seems like you things under control now - and are enjoying the better video and audio. As for the heat issue it's best to make sure you have adequate ventilation and clearance for your ventilation "vents" on the receiver. If necessary (rack space is tight) get you a small fan to augment the circulation around your components.

 

[lordofdavipers]

Seems like you things under control now - and are enjoying the better video and audio. As for the heat issue it's best to make sure you have adequate ventilation and clearance for your ventilation "vents" on the receiver. If necessary (rack space is tight) get you a small fan to augment the circulation around your components.

Actually I'm quite the bit irate right now. The system is not working at all how I was quoted.

I dont know, I must be clueless as to there being a difference in HDMI in and HDMI out. I was told I could plug in the game systems into the 2 HDMI 'in' ports on the av rcvr and it work...it doesnt so I reverted back to them in the tv. That's fine, I dont mind, it's just a matter of being told bad information.

The problem now is getting the DVD rcvr to work. Audio wise, it is working from out of the rcvr to the in port on the av rcvr. I bought the needed hdmi cable today and plugged it from the dvd rcvr out port to one of the two in ports on the av rcvr and get nothing.

It seems to me that hdmi out is all that is working. HDMI in doesnt work or I'm not understanding what to do.

 

[Adam]

We briefly discussed it last night, but I think that assigning the HDMI inputs to the correct sources (e.g. your DVD player) is the key. Have you done that, or would you still like some help with setting that up.

As for what you were told, they certainly shouldn't have told you that the Onkyo could process audio over the HDMI connections. It can, however, pass the audio and video through the HDMI connections.

 

[Phil Taylor]

Be sure you are selecting the HDMI input as your video source - there should be a way to "map" it (tell it where to look for the signal) on the receiver.

edit - there we go typing at the same time again "pinch - poke"

 

[lordofdavipers]

Yeah I know how to map the audio source but the av rcvr doesn't show a way to map the hdmi sources (at least from what i've seen/read).

Why wouldn't the system process audio thru HDMI? HDMI does audio and video. I must be missing this concept.

I have nothing more than HDMI and optical in my room (aside from power cables). I made that clear at the store and they said this system (onkyo) would do just what i wanted.

How would you gentlemen suggest I remedy this sutation? I'm short on cash now and cannot afford many more hdmi or optical cables or anything of the fashion.

 

[Adam]

Yeah I know how to map the audio source but the av rcvr doesn't show a way to map the hdmi sources (at least from what i've seen/read).

Andrew, check out page 40 of your Onkyo owners manual, "HDMI Video Setup". It describes how to assign the HDMI inputs to the different sources.

Why wouldn't the system process audio thru HDMI? HDMI does audio and video. I must be missing this concept.

Check out my answer in Post #41.

I have nothing more than HDMI and optical in my room (aside from power cables). I made that clear at the store and they said this system (onkyo) would do just what i wanted.

How would you gentlemen suggest I remedy this sutation? I'm short on cash now and cannot afford many more hdmi or optical cables or anything of the fashion.

I described some choices in Post #44, and Phil had similar thoughts in Post #43. Check those out again now that you have your system set up.

I know that this can get confusing, but we'll help you through it until you get it working the way that you want. Well, at least we'll try!

 

[lordofdavipers]

Ok I re-read your 41 post. I forgot that, sorry. They should openly state that in the book or box.
I've considered your coax options but I have another suggestion. Would getting an HDMI splitter and plugging the game consoles into that and freeing up a hdmi port for the dvd rcvr work? Then nothing except the hdmi out to the tv would be in the av rcvr.

 

[Adam]

I've considered your coax options but I have another suggestion. Would getting an HDMI splitter and plugging the game consoles into that and freeing up a hdmi port for the dvd rcvr work? Then nothing except the hdmi out to the tv would be in the av rcvr.

Hmmm. I think that you would need an HDMI switcher, not a splitter. Someone else would need to chime in on that, though, because I'm not certain. Because of your last line, I'm not sure where you are wanting to connect the HDMI inputs. Are you talking about connecting the HMDI outputs from the consoles and the DVD player to the Onkyo receiver, and then connecting the HDMI out on the receiver to the input on the TV?

 

[lordofdavipers]

I overly confused now.

Adam, my terminology may be off on the splitter/switcher scenario.

HDMI wise: the tv would be doing all the switching (by using the remote's source button). I'd plug the consoles into a switcher and the switcher to a port on the tv. Next would be the av rcvr hdmi out port going to the tv. Lastly, the dvd rcvr would plug into the last open port on the tv.

Optical wise: the tv's only optical to the av rcvr and then the av rcvr to the dvd rcvr.

I hope that made sense.

 

[Adam]

Okay, got it! I forgot that your TV had 3 HDMI inputs.

You don't need a switcher. If you want to use the TV to switch the video, then you would connect both consoles and the DVD player directly to the TV. There would be no need (or reason) to connect the Onkyo A/V receiver to the TV using the HDMI out on the receiver because you wouldn't have any video going into the receiver. It would serve no purpose at that point.

So, for video, you would use the TV to switch between sources. For audio, you would connect the optical output on the TV to one of the optical inputs on the A/V receiver.

Cool?

 

[lordofdavipers]

I've drawn a layout of my tv and stuff (from the back) and i have a transparency to do wiring. Give me a minute to see if I can figure this out. I'll also give it a try if it works.

 

[Phil Taylor]

Yeah ... what he said... Seriously - I know it sucks to read the manual... it's a "guy thing" to be able to do it without reading the damn manual... and then even when we swallow our man-pride and read the manual it is often written by someone who's native language is not our own... And then there's the type of manual that pays great detail to those functions we already know but skimps-over the important stuff.

The HDMI lack of "stripping" audio from the HDMI cable was the great paradoxicaloxymoron of the format with older, lower model-line receivers. Nowadays the latest HDMI 1.3a format designation on receivers usually mean they handle the audio - but as Adam said - they are more expensive.