HDMI v.s. Optical

[miggs29]

OK, Directv came over and hooked my HD DVR. I was palnning on running DVR and DVD with HDMI to HDMI in the receiver then one HDMI cable out to TV. However, they are telling that I get a better picture doing from DVR to TV and DVD to TV. Then DVD and DVR out to receiver with optical for sound. They said better picture better sound...... Not sure what to do!

Any opinions?

 

[jonnythan]

They're full of crap.

Ignore them.

These installers don't know anything.

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

The post above mine assumes that your receiver can either pass HDMI untouched or with no negative drawbacks. If your receiver has a lesser video processor in it than what you would use going straight to your TV than it would be wise to skip the receiver.

I of course say this because I am not familiar with what your specific receiver can do. It may very well have a high quality video processor in it. Look it up on the net.

Easy to find out.

 

[jonnythan]

First of all, that assumes there are receivers in existence that will somehow degrade an incoming HDMI signal before it outputs an HDMI signal.

It further assumes that these installers know enough about particular receiver models to know which is which.

 

[EJ1]

OK, Directv came over and hooked my HD DVR. I was palnning on running DVR and DVD with HDMI to HDMI in the receiver then one HDMI cable out to TV. However, they are telling that I get a better picture doing from DVR to TV and DVD to TV. Then DVD and DVR out to receiver with optical for sound. They said better picture better sound...... Not sure what to do!

Any opinions?

I'd do what you were planning on doing. Connect both the DVR and DVD (via HDMI) to your receiver, and then use the HDMI-out to go to your TV. It's easier and contrary to the cable guys, your PQ and sound will be the same.

 

[TLS Guy]

OK, Directv came over and hooked my HD DVR. I was palnning on running DVR and DVD with HDMI to HDMI in the receiver then one HDMI cable out to TV. However, they are telling that I get a better picture doing from DVR to TV and DVD to TV. Then DVD and DVR out to receiver with optical for sound. They said better picture better sound...... Not sure what to do!

Any opinions?

Those Direct TV techs know practically nothing except terminating cables and where to point the dish, and the latter if you are lucky. Heck they turn up without even a multimeter and I'm leading them by the nose.

The last tech wanted to pull my house apart, to check cables. I had to get my multimeter and show him how to check the phantom powering voltages, to prove he needed to change the LLB unit. I would not have any confidence in what they have to say.

 

[mtrycrafts]

OK, Directv came over and hooked my HD DVR. I was palnning on running DVR and DVD with HDMI to HDMI in the receiver then one HDMI cable out to TV. However, they are telling that I get a better picture doing from DVR to TV and DVD to TV. Then DVD and DVR out to receiver with optical for sound. They said better picture better sound...... Not sure what to do!

Any opinions?

Perhaps the techs were concerned with the digital encryption protocol getting held up at the receiver going through it. There have been posts here about such events happening.
Why not try both at first. Without buying HDMI cables for everything, why not try one component at a time, cable to receiver and then to TV. If there is no handshake issues, try the DVD to receiver and DVR to receiver and see how it works. If your method works, great.
Picture quality difference, most likely not going to happen.

 

[TLS Guy]

Perhaps the techs were concerned with the digital encryption protocol getting held up at the receiver going through it. There have been posts here about such events happening.
Why not try both at first. Without buying HDMI cables for everything, why not try one component at a time, cable to receiver and then to TV. If there is no handshake issues, try the DVD to receiver and DVR to receiver and see how it works. If your method works, great.
Picture quality difference, most likely not going to happen.

That's quite likely, as my original 3 LLB HD DVR would pass HDMI though my switcher. This had to be replaced by a 5LLB unit. The three LLB roof units kept filling up with water and failing, because they were not properly sealed. Yes, another case of Far Eastern Junk manufacture. The New Direct TV, will not connect to the TV via the HDMI switcher. I have it connected though component video, and that's the way it will stay. A pox on the lot of them, and especially this HDCP nonsense.

 

[miggs29]

That's quite likely, as my original 3 LLB HD DVR would pass HDMI though my switcher. This had to be replaced by a 5LLB unit. The three LLB roof units kept filling up with water and failing, because they were not properly sealed. Yes, another case of Far Eastern Junk manufacture. The New Direct TV, will not connect to the TV via the HDMI switcher. I have it connected though component video, and that's the way it will stay. A pox on the lot of them, and especially this HDCP nonsense.

Still not sure what to do. I am confused about internlace and switch and passthrough. Here are my specs to my receiver. http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=451764&CTID=5000300&ATRID=1020&DETYP=ATTRIBUTE

I am still connected HDMI for video for DVR and DVD and optical for sound. Not sure if it is the best set-up.

 

[TLS Guy]

Still not sure what to do. I am confused about internlace and switch and passthrough. Here are my specs to my receiver. http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=451764&CTID=5000300&ATRID=1020&DETYP=ATTRIBUTE

I am still connected HDMI for video for DVR and DVD and optical for sound. Not sure if it is the best set-up.

Your ought to be able to use HDMI for video and audio. It seems ought to be able to and can is so often the question with HDMI and its wobbly handshakes.

 

[Midcow2]

I have a very similar set-up

OK, Directv came over and hooked my HD DVR. I was palnning on running DVR and DVD with HDMI to HDMI in the receiver then one HDMI cable out to TV. However, they are telling that I get a better picture doing from DVR to TV and DVD to TV. Then DVD and DVR out to receiver with optical for sound. They said better picture better sound...... Not sure what to do!

Any opinions?

I have Dish Network HD 722 DVR connectect via HDMI to the AVR. Alos have a Panosonic DMP-BD30K connected via HDMt to AVR. Then one HDMI out to the LCD Vizio TV. Both the sound and PQ are excellent.

This makes the switching and the cable connection very clean and simple.