a dumb HDMI question

[olddog]

I am new to HDMI and am looking to buy a reciever. Question is "Do I have to turn the amp on in order to get sound or will the vodio and audio siginal just pass thru to the TV and sound thru the inc. speakers on TV.

 

[markw]

Depends.

Not a dumb question at all. In fact, I think it's a pretty good question.

If you have yoir video source connected to your monitor via HDMI, then you don't need to have the receiver on to get sound in your monitor. You will most likely want a coaxial or optical link from the video source to the receiver for DD/DTS audio. ...or perhaps even a 5.1 analog cables for the new, improved blu-ray audio.

If you have the video source connected to the receiver and then to the monitor, then yes, you need to have the receiver on to get anything to the monitor. Actually, I'm not even sure it'll pass audio to the monitor that way.

 

[Midcow2]

I am new to HDMI and am looking to buy a reciever. Question is "Do I have to turn the amp on in order to get sound or will the vodio and audio siginal just pass thru to the TV and sound thru the inc. speakers on TV.

If you run through the receiver you need to turn the receiver on.

 

[olddog]

Thanks. Now if I run source to TV then audio out of TV to AV do I lose the high end sound processing I would get with HDMI? If so how do I dance around this as many times the kids just want to watch or play games and we do not need to run the Amp for that. I just as soon keep therir little grubs off the unit

 

[markw]

You can't depend on the TV to send high quality audio from external sources to the receiver. For that you must run the audio directly to the receiver.

The best way to keep the receiver out of the picture is to use the TV for video switching and the receiver for audio switching.

You would have your DVD conencted as described in my second paragraph. Your HDMI equiped DVD player will most likely send a stereo feed to the tv over that.

As for other video sources, you would run follow suit, except thay you will need to connect an audio run (red/white RCA interconnects) to the TV.

Concurrently, you would connect the the best available audio to the receiver. Your cable box may (or may not, dunno) allow digital processing and, if do, you would run that to the receiver.

When you want to use the receiver for sound, simply turn the TV volume all the way down.

 

[olddog]

Thank you MARKW I will take a look again at my HD DIR SAT reciever box tonight and see what options I have. I understand the concept but I thought the HDMI cable carried the total vid and audio. --so I need to break them apart and process them seperatly.

 

[markw]

Not quite

I understand the concept but I thought the HDMI cable carried the total vid and audio. --so I need to break them apart and process them seperatly.

HDMI does carrry both audio and video. They will both go to the TV set if you run it directly to the TV.

Along with the HDMI which provides vidao and audio to the TV. most source units allow digital audio to be sent via another digital link to the receiver. Check your manual.

HDMI between components cannot be expected to transfer audio, just video.

 

[Highbar]

The only way you are going to get the True HD audio formats that are on Blu Ray discs is to run either the HDMI to the receiver or get a player that has 7.1 channel analog outputs and decodes internally. Other digital connections will only send up to Dolby Digital or DTS. So you are going to have to make a choice between wanting the latest and "greatest" audio formats and the ability to have audio without the receiver. You might be able to use an HDMI splitter? Do they make them? To send one cable to TV and one to the receiver to get the best of both worlds. You might be able to use multiple outputs on your equipment but that is rare.

 

[markw]

The only way you are going to get the True HD audio formats that are on Blu Ray discs is to run either the HDMI to the receiver or get a player that has 7.1 channel analog outputs and decodes internally. Other digital connections will only send up to Dolby Digital or DTS. So you are going to have to make a choice between wanting the latest and "greatest" audio formats and the ability to have audio without the receiver. You might be able to use an HDMI splitter? Do they make them? To send one cable to TV and one to the receiver to get the best of both worlds. You might be able to use multiple outputs on your equipment but that is rare.

This assumes that the receiver can decode these new formats.

Many can't and DD/DTS is the best they can do, even with an HDMI audio feed, and I'm not 100% sure they can even do that. That's why the analog inputs on the receiver come in handy. A coax or toslink link can at least send DD/DTS, which doesn't suck.

And I doubt the TV is capable if getting anything except two channel stereo from a HDI audio feed.

 

[olddog]

It would seem a splitter would solve this problem as I could switch which HDMI feed to what input device.IE TV only and no surround or to reciever for full surround? DVD and other devices could be put thru the amp on dedicated HDMI inputs as when using those I would want the reciever on. It's just the TV that in many cases I would not want the full surround experiance.

 

[markw]

Does your receiver decode the "new" hi-rez formats that are unique to Blu-Ray?

If not, then there's nothing to be gained by running HDMI to the receiver. A coax/toslink interconnect wil bre just as good, if not better.

Of course, if the Blu-ray player has 5.1 analog outputs and the receiver accepts those inputs, you're all set.

 

[olddog]

Hey thats great info MARKW. Thanks. I am currently shopping and researching a new speaker purchase. (currently leaning toward Mirage FS2) then it's time for a new Amp. to match and max the speakers out. Information like this tells me what to look for in a reciever. Thanks again.