HDMI Home Theater Connections

[osceolamo]

Where can I find detailed instructions (up-to-date/accurate HDMI connections diagrams) for connecting a Home Theater System that includes a Motorola DCT3412 Series All-Digital Dual-Tuner DVR High-Definition Set-top cable box that has 1 HDMI output and the following system components:

1. Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 Channel Home Theater AV Receiver that has 2 HDMI Inputs and 1 HDMI output
2. Oppo DV-981HD Universal HD DVD Player that has 1 HDMI output
3. Samsung LN-T4665F HDTV that has 3 HDMI inputs (2 rear, 1 side)
4. Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Channel Surround Sound Speakers with a
separately powered subwoofer
5. Desktop Computer with DVI output

I’m trying to learn if I can make only (except computer) HDMI connections between these components without using any of the other connections and achieve optimum audio and video functionality, quality and versatility. I’ve found diagrams that illustrate HDMI connections from one component to another, but nothing that shows me ALL the HDMI connections between ALL the HDMI capable components.

It’s my current understanding that I can/should connect the Set-top cable box HDMI output and the DVD player HDMI output to HDMI inputs #1 and #2 on the receiver, and then the receiver HDMI output to HDMI input #2 on the TV, which would leave me the option of connecting the computer via a DVI/HDMI cable to HDMI input #1 on the TV and the computer’s sound card via a 1 Stereo/2 RCA cable to the TV DVI input (HDMI 1) on the TV. Is my understanding correct?

Thank you very much.

 

[MDS]

It’s my current understanding that I can/should connect the Set-top cable box HDMI output and the DVD player HDMI output to HDMI inputs #1 and #2 on the receiver, and then the receiver HDMI output to HDMI input #2 on the TV, which would leave me the option of connecting the computer via a DVI/HDMI cable to HDMI input #1 on the TV and the computer’s sound card via a 1 Stereo/2 RCA cable to the TV DVI input (HDMI 1) on the TV. Is my understanding correct?

You are correct for the components but the audio from the computer won't use HDMI.

You can buy either a DVI->HDMI adapter to use with an HDMI cable or a single cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other to connect the computer's video card to the TV. If one of the TV inputs is specifically labeled for PC input, use that one.

The audio from the sound card should go to the receiver and you can use any of the inputs (except Phono). Just get a stereo mini plug to 2 RCA plug
cable.

Remember that you will have to 'assign' the HDMI inputs on the receiver; ie tell it which HDMI input goes with which input selector. So if for example you use Video1 for the DVR and connect it to HDMI input 1, you tell the receiver that HDMI1 should be assigned to Video1. Then when you select Video1, the receiver will look for the audio/video at the HDMI1 input. The manual does a good job of explaining the process.

You may also have to configure the DVR and DVD player to output over HDMI.

 

[osceolamo]

Thanks very much for your instructions. This all being new to me, I first wanted to make certain that the physical connections were correct before studying the configuration in depth. Again, thanks very much.

 

[osceolamo]

Another Question

You are correct for the components but the audio from the computer won't use HDMI.

I've learned that while the Samsung 2005 & 2006 models do not support DVI to HDMI computer video connections, you can, on the 2007 models, use the HDMI IN 1 terminal to connect a TV to your PC's DVI video output with an HDMI/DVI cable. The instructions are:

2. Connect a DVI-D Out jack on your computer's video card to the HDMI IN 1 jack on the TV using an HDMI/DVI-D cable.

*3. Using an audio cable with a mini-stereo plug on one end and two RCA jacks on the other, connect the audio cable from your computer to the left and right AUDIO IN jacks assoicated with the HDMI IN 1 video jack.

*Note: If you have your computer connected to separate speakers, you can skip this step.

Currently, I have my Hauppague WinTV HVR-1600 NTSC/ATSC/QAM COMBO connected to Creative Inspire 5.1 5200 computer speakers. How can I achieve the flexibility of having my computer connected to BOTH the speakers they're connected to now AND to the Samsung LNT4665F HDTV and or Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver? Is there any benefit to doing so?

 

[MDS]

Currently, I have my Hauppague WinTV HVR-1600 NTSC/ATSC/QAM COMBO connected to Creative Inspire 5.1 5200 computer speakers.
How can I achieve the flexibility of having my computer connected to BOTH the speakers they're connected to now AND to the Samsung LNT4665F HDTV and or Onkyo TX-SR605 AV Receiver?
Is there any benefit to doing so?

The speakers are normal speakers that must be connected to the receiver so there is no way to use the TV to drive the speakers.

If you follow the Samsung instructions you can use the TV to view video and hear audio from the computer using the TV speakers.

If you follow my instructions you can use the receiver to view video on the TV and hear audio on the Onkyo speakers from either the dvd player or the computer but the receiver has to be on.

If you connect the dvd player to the receiver using HDMI, the receiver to the TV using HDMI2, and the computer directly to the TV using the Samsung instructions (HDMI1) then you can hear the dvd player over the Onkyo speakers but the computer only over the TV speakers.

If you want the option of both the Onkyo speakers and the TV speakers the only way to do it is to send the audio from the sound card to a 1 to 2 audio switch with one output of the switch to the receiver and one to the TV as described in the Samsung instructions.

I don't think there is any advantage to being able to use the TV speakers but it seems that many people do want that option.

 

[osceolamo]

Thanks very, very much for so patiently and thoroughly explaining my options to me. I'm going to follow your instructions to the letter.