Need Help going from Coaxial to Optical on DVD Player/recorder,Wiseman Needed!!

[dw17dw17]

I posted in another area but i think i need a wiseman!!

My First post and here is what I have. Man this is Driving me Crazy!! I just bought a Hitachi 51" Projection (51F150) and It is great!! Today I bought a Yamaha Home Theater in a box (YHT-150)(the Receiver is model HTR-5730). The problem i have is that my reveiver has 2 audio optical inputs(1 labeled dvd and 1 labeled cable) and 1 coaxial input(labeled cd). I will use 1 optical for my HD Digital Cable DVR Box (Motorolla DCT6400).

Now here comes the trouble....My DVD Recorder/VCR (Emerson EWR20V4) only has a coaxial output for digital audio!!

(i also need to hook up the vcr part, but that is easy seeing it is just regular red/white's)I Hope!!

Can I plug it into my receiver using the coaxial input even though it is labeled CD? Here is what part of the manual says:
(see page 41 on manual about "input 1 I/O Assign")
http://www.yamaha.com/copyyec/customer/manuals/HTR_5730.PDF

From what i understand i can just reassign the input so it will work with the dvd player and even say "dvd" on the receiver, not that that is important. I just want to make sure the DVD will have 5.1,DTS, Etc. and not be set up for somekind of CD Only Audio.

Also being a dumb new guy i just want to make sure that S/PDIF is the same as Coaxial & Toslink is the same as Optical . I have seen these terms used and guessed they are one in the same for both.

I have also read about S/PDIF Coaxial / Toslink Optical Converters. Would it be easier just to pick up one of these and slap it in the middle of the dvd player and receiver? I have also read that they don't handle DTS? This is where i really start to loose it with this stuff!!

And another one. If i use an optical with my cable box or coaxial with the dvd, do i still need to use the white and red's?

I suppose i could read all night on the net and see what i should do , but i have been doing that for hours already and that is how i came across this site and finally gave in.

Eventually i would like to have my cable box audio hooked into the receiver as well as the dvd. I would guess that i will use the A/V receiver for only audio since is dosn't support Component Video Connections. I would eventually like to hook up my dvd recorder to the tv so that i can tape things i dvr'd with my cablebox, but i need to get my sound going first.Not sure if i can do that either because i am using component out to the tv and will have to use the regular video out and audio from the tv back to the dvd recorder...anyway, later on that one!

here are links to manuals and stuff so you can see connections etc.:
dvd recorder/vcr : http://www.emersonaudiovideo.com/products/dvdvcr/ewr20v4.html

tv: http://www.hitachi.us/tv/browse/projection/16-9digital_mon/51F510.shtml

A/V receiver: http://www.yamaha.com/copyyec/customer/manuals/HTR_5730.PDF

dig. cable box : http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/dct6412_multimedia_demo.asp



If anyone can be any help at all PLEASE reply.,Or if you can come over and set it up for my i'll pay you!!

thanks in advance

 

[Leprkon]

your receiver will process all the digital signals through the same path, so it's ok to rename the input and run any digital device to it and you will still have Dolby, DTS, etc.. you won't be stuck with just two-channel CD on the digital CD input.

Toslink is the same as optical.

S/PDIF is the same as coaxial. just be sure you use the funny-looking orange cable with the bulge on one end, instead of just a normal RCA-type cable.

Converters are never your best solution (though sometimes your only solution) as they add another potential source of noise or other problems. I don't believe you need one.

you would also want to use the white and red hookups if you play all your cd's though the DVD player. this comes in handy if/when you want to use the "Source Direct" or similar setting on the receiver to play just two channel cd music. most receivers will not let you use source direct (i think yammie calls it "Pure Direct") if you have only a digital connection. the direct needs an analog input (reds & whites).

if the Direct mode doesn't work with that set-up, you might try putting the red/white into the V/Aux input for any time you do want Direct music.

If you don't want direct music, the red/white is not needed.

Using the receiver for audio-only is not a bad thing. video sources are almost always better run direct to the TV. the lower and mid-line yammies that do have component video in/out STILL only do video switching anyway. they don't actually improve the quality of the signal and add more connections and potential problems. yammie's component video might make it easier to switch audio and video sources all at the same time, but ya gotta be REAL lazy to whine about having to hit two buttons instead of one...

 

[dw17dw17]

I just got off the phone with Yamaha and the statement below is correct. I can just reassign the cd port for use with the DVD and it will proccess everything as if it where the optical dvd input. Now to buy tons of cable and wire!! Most likely i'll be back with more Questions!!

Thanks to those that helped out!!

Can I plug it into my receiver using the coaxial input even though it is labeled CD? Here is what part of the manual says:
(see page 41 on manual about "input 1 I/O Assign")
http://www.yamaha.com/copyyec/customer/manuals/HTR_5730.PDF

From what i understand i can just reassign the input so it will work with the dvd player and even say "dvd" on the receiver, not that that is important. I just want to make sure the DVD will have 5.1,DTS, Etc. and not be set up for somekind of CD Only Audio.