HDMI vs. Optical Out

[Herby Versmels]

All,

I am working on setting up an Onkyo HTiB 7.1 system. I have talked to a few other amateur HT people, but wanted some expert opinions.

Here are the components im working with:
- Xbox 360
- HD Satellite Receiver
- Onkyo Receiver w/3 X HDMI inputs 1 X output 1 X optical out

I see two options for setup:
1. All components connected to TV via HDMI cables, and TV optical out to receiver.

2. All components first connected to receiver via HDMI and then HDMI out from receiver to TV.


Which method is better and why?


Thank you in advance,

 

[itschris]

Welcome to the forum!

First, I'm not sure which Onkyo setup you have, but I just went through this helping my boss with his setup. It was pure frustration until I realized that his Onkyo was doing pass through only, no switching, and we had no audio via HDMI.

We hooked up videio to the TV via HDMI, and audio to the receiver, both toslink and coax digital, and we were in business.

 

[bandphan]

Well what display do you have? More than likely the display will do a better job at video than HTiB(unless its pass thru with an unaltered signal) but send the audio from the sources to the HTiB, not from the TV.

 

[Midcow2]

All,

I am working on setting up an Onkyo HTiB 7.1 system. I have talked to a few other amateur HT people, but wanted some expert opinions.

Here are the components im working with:
- Xbox 360
- HD Satellite Receiver
- Onkyo Receiver w/3 X HDMI inputs 1 X output 1 X optical out

I see two options for setup:
1. All components connected to TV via HDMI cables, and TV optical out to receiver.

2. All components first connected to receiver via HDMI and then HDMI out from receiver to TV.


Which method is better and why?


Thank you in advance,

You want to do option 2. or a variation thereof. Option 1 won't get sound to receiver unless you run separate audio cables.

With HDMI 1.3 you can pass audio and video for source to AVR and then video to TV. HDMI 1.1. and HDMI 1.2 don't always seem to pass audio.

Another option is to connect to the Onkyo receiver via components video and separate audio and to connect the video to the TV via components.

Depending on the Onkyo receiver in your system most Onkyos will convert video format from component to HMDI or optical. If you use HDMI in you should use HDMI out.

 

[Herby Versmels]

I plan on using HDMI 1.3a only. Not sure if the receiver does switching or pass through but I will check when i get home.

I guess I don't want to run separate audio cables if I'm using HDMI. Isn't the idea to have all data sent over one cable?

The display is a 52" Samsung LN52A650. One of my concerns going through the receiver would be a loss of video quality.

 

[bandphan]

I guess I don't want to run separate audio cables if I'm using HDMI. Isn't the idea to have all data sent over one cable?

The display is a 52" Samsung LN52A650. One of my concerns going through the receiver would be a loss of video quality.

1. Dont get caught up in the hype of HDMI being the end all, there are limitations with hardware and software that make running seperate audio cables necessary, ie multi zone.

2. Let the display handle the video

 

[Herby Versmels]

1. Dont get caught up in the hype of HDMI being the end all, there are limitations with hardware and software that make running seperate audio cables necessary, ie multi zone.

2. Let the display handle the video

I think I might prefer this route as well. HDMI into TV, then Optical sound out to receiver then? I figure the TV should be smart enought to do this?

 

[bandphan]

I think I might prefer this route as well. HDMI into TV, then Optical sound out to receiver then? I figure the TV should be smart enought to do this?

unless you need audio to the tv speakers run all audio from source to the avr.

 

[Herby Versmels]

unless you need audio to the tv speakers run all audio from source to the avr.

Thank you. I will look into running HDMI to the TV from the components, and then audio separately to the receiver. However, I don't know if these devices such as the xbox have multiple connections. Even if they do, I assume I would need to some how configure them to send audio one way, and video the other through HDMI.

 

[Soundman]

Simple

I know this isn't always the best solution b/c different receivers handle the information differently, but if your receiver can do HDMI switching and passthrough, I would think the simplest solution would be to go HDMI from the 360 to the HDMI in on the reciever and then go HDMI out from the reciver to the TV- Done!

 

[Herby Versmels]

I know this isn't always the best solution b/c different receivers handle the information differently, but if your receiver can do HDMI switching and passthrough, I would think the simplest solution would be to go HDMI from the 360 to the HDMI in on the reciever and then go HDMI out from the reciver to the TV- Done!

Soundman,

Upon further reading about my receiver/Samsung TOC TV:
- The TV will only pass 5.1 channel for television via optical out. If I have multiple components HDMI into the TV it will only do 2 channel out for those components.

- The receiver is pass thru only. Not sure what this really means yet.

The simplest solution might be the best here and I was thinking last night that I will be running components to receiver via HDMI, and then HDMI to the TV. Then I won't have to mess around with inputs being changed on the TV and the receiver and hookup should be swift and easy. I just hope the TV display is not greatly altered by running it through the receiver first.

 

[skers_54]

If the receiver is pass-through only, then you will need seperate audio connections. It won't process the video or audio from the sources so it basically acts like a switch. Basically you will need to run digital audio cables from the sources to the receiver in order to get sound.

 

[bandphan]

dont fool with reverse feeding the avr thru the tv

 

[Herby Versmels]

Its never easy, is it? looks like im going to have a rats nest of cable just like I did with RCA connections.

So, the consensus is that I run separate audio cables from components to receiver. Then run video from components to TV. Then play magical switching of inputs game everytime on my receiver and TV?

Bandphan - are you saying you don't like Soundman's "simple" method going from components HDMI > Receiver HDMI > TV HDMI? If it is pass through, does that mean that the receiver won't pick up on sound and will instead pass the whole signal to TV?

If this is the case can anyone recommend a KVM switch for HDMI that I can use as the middle man and only switch inputs on one device?

 

[Midcow2]

Thank you. I will look into running HDMI to the TV from the components, and then audio separately to the receiver. However, I don't know if these devices such as the xbox have multiple connections. Even if they do, I assume I would need to some how configure them to send audio one way, and video the other through HDMI.

That is why someone said earlier don't always think HDMI is best.

You can havve the same PQ using componet video ( Y, Pr, Pb) and audio (red/white or optical audio) and you can very decisively decide where the audio goes and where the video goes. X-box with compnent supports this as well as most other devices.

Sometimes you can hook up HDMI like you want (HDMI video only and audio separate) and other times your can'T ( everything through HDMI, other outputs including audio disabled).

 

[AVRat]

We could probably help better if we knew which receiver you have.

“Pass-through” only pertains to the video signal which means there is no video processing done what-so-ever. To ascertain whether or not the receiver affects the video signal in your setup will require some testing on your part.

The audio signal is available for whatever processing the receiver is capable of.