Watch TV with AVR OFF

[syrdave]

Hi,

I'm on the cusp of ordering a Pioneer VSX-01TXH.

I'm looking forward to using this AVR to play music and HT (TV & Blu-Ray) in 5.1.

While doing that, I'd like to offer the less tech savy family members the ability to watch TV and hear the sound through the TV speakers with the AVR off.

Is that possible? Is there something special I need to pay attention to when setting the AVR up?

Thanks,
SyrDave

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

What you want to do is certainly possible. How easy it will be depends on a few things. Here are a few questions to get this started:

1. What are you using for the TV signal - cable box, satellite box, or over-the-air?
2. If it's not over-the-air, what model is your TV and cable/satellite box?
3. Do you want to watch anything but TV, such as a blu-ray?

 

[syrdave]

#1. TV signal = Cable Box

#2. TV = Samsung 630 (purchased in 2009)
Cable Box = Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250HDC

#3. Yes, I'd like to be able to watch blu-Ray without using the AVR

Thanks!

 

[BMXTRIX]

I'm going to say the same thing that I always say, and I'm NOT doing it to be a jerk, but hopefully to let you think about it.

Why bother spending money on nice gear if you don't actually intend to use it for what it was meant for?

That is, good speakers will help intelligibility for basic things such as cartoons and the news. Nobody 'needs' 5.1 for that stuff, but it is the stuff which may be poorly authored which can benefit most from having some decent gear.

This is where having a good universal remote makes it all FAR easier than anything else.

The wife, or kids, pick up the remote, and press 'WATCH TV' and that's it. They are watching TV. There is no need for them to press extra buttons or anything else with a decent remote.

Now, you can wire things to run audio directly to the TV, but at the end of the day, they would still need that universal remote to ensure that the TV comes on and goes to the correct input automatically instead of to the input which the AV receiver is outputting to. Likewise the remote needs to be able to turn on/off the TV, adjust the cable box or other current device's controls, and then the TV's volume properly.

At the end of all of this, a good universal remote can actually do this smoother and more cleanly by just using the A/V receiver which you spent the money on and get solid use out of it without issue.

I speak from years of custom installations in which I have done this and have not ONCE heard a complaint from anyone who has used a decent remote control for their system. I always say "A good remote is not for YOU, it's for your wife, for your parents, and for your kids."

My 5 year old uses $10K worth of gear in my home, and I don't think twice about him doing it. It's why I got it, and why I put in a decent remote.

 

[Adam]

Here are some options that come to mind if you decide that you want to listen through the TV at times:

1. Make two sets of connections from your components (cable box and blu-ray player) - one to the receiver, and one to the TV.
2. Buy a receiver that has HDMI passthrough when it's in standby mode. I skimmed the manual for the VSX-01THX and didn't see that capability. That's a nice receiver (and one that I was eyeing last summer), but I don't think it can do that function.
3. Buy an external switch box or splitter for the connections.

 

[Highbar]

You face the same thing I did just less than a year ago... Twice the wires and connections and setting changes, or use my gear to the best it could be and run less wires. I went with less wires and using the receiver for everything. Let me tell you I'll never think about using TV speakers in a main room again, even if it's just for other people, it's not worth it. I bought my gear to use it and I'm going to. When I can swing a new receiver/integrated and speakers for my bedroom I'll stop using TV speakers in there too.

As has been said, get a good universal remote enjoy your system always.

 

[Exit]

I don't have HDMI connectors on my receiver so I hook all HDMI cables from the source directly to the TV. That way you can easily get TV speaker sound. For audio, I run optical (toslink) cables from each source to the receiver for decoding Dolby 5.1 inputs. If you want 5.1 sound you just power up the system and switch to the input source (i.e. CD, DVD, PS3 etc. As far as I know they still include optical connections and most input sources and receivers.

 

[just-some-guy]

i almost never watch tv on my 65". but when i do, i simply turn the volumn up. otherwise its all the way down, for watching BD's.

 

[Duff man]

I'm going to say the same thing that I always say, and I'm NOT doing it to be a jerk, but hopefully to let you think about it.

Why bother spending money on nice gear if you don't actually intend to use it for what it was meant for?

Maybe they want to use the AVR to run a set of speakers elsewhere in the house while others are watching TV. I use my AVR to power my basement speakers for music when I work out. While I do that, my gf can watch TV upstairs through the TV speakers at the same time.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Maybe they want to use the AVR to run a set of speakers elsewhere in the house while others are watching TV. I use my AVR to power my basement speakers for music when I work out. While I do that, my gf can watch TV upstairs through the TV speakers at the same time.

As I said, it is something to think about, and your situation is more unique than most. Most people just think that avoiding the A/V receiver option is the 'easy' way to keep things simple, when the reality is that a good universal remote is the one true way to keep all things truly simple for everyone.

There are always some exceptions to everything of course, and I will grant them to you.

 

[fast1]

universal remote? whats that?

 

[just-some-guy]

universal remote? whats that?

http://images.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hl=en&q=universal+remote&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=

 

[cerwinmad]

i have my digital tv sound going into the tv then from there out to the reciever. on my "watch TV" activitie on my harmony remote i have the reciever turn on but customise the programable buttons next to the screen to have tv volume and reciever on/off so that late at night or during the day i can have the tv putting out sound and the AVR off, or vice versa and not have to go through devices to do it. easy

 

[syrdave]

Is Yamaha the only receiver line that offers HDMI pass through when the AVR is off?

 

[parva]

1st post... be nice ;-)

Is Yamaha the only receiver line that offers HDMI pass through when the AVR is off?

Or for that matter, is HDMI Pass-through vrs. HDMI Switching vrs. HDMI Repeating
the technology I need to get audio to my TV w/out turning on my AVR?

And, yes, I've been reading lots & lots here on this subject -- the more I read on it, the more confused I get.

I'd like to run HDMI from my ps3 & dishTV tuner to an AVR then out to my TV.
But, there will be plenty of time that the AVR isn't turned on.
My wife really prefers to watch tv w/out the AVR on.

No problem right now with my old Denon AVR-3300 as I run HDMI from the PS3 & the Dish DVR to the TV.
Also, I run optical to the AVR for audio; but this is gonna be replaced as soon as I can decide on a new AVR.

For my viewing, the AVR will be on all the time, I listen to music at least as much as watching movies.

Other parts of the system::
universal remote: Harmony One
sat receiver: Dish Network VIP-722
blu-ray player: PS3
TV: Mitsubishi WD-52631

The clincher is that I'm really limited in cash these days -- lets keep it to ~$325 delivered.
Refurb is OK?
Am looking at Yamaha, Onkyo, Marantz, Denon & Pioneer.

So, here's my 2-part question

1) What HDMI feature do I need to meet both my wife's & my desires?

2) What AVR model(s) are really good choices to deliver that, & clean loud sound?