Please Explain HDMI

[watsonville]

Does HDMI replace the analog Left/Right inputs and outputs as well as video? And does it recognize the digital inputs as well so the Coax or Optical will not be necessary?
The only HDMI unit which has one is DVD recorder and the new AV Reciever has a host of HDMI plug-ins. Could I just get by for now to connect the DVD Recorder to the AV Reciever? It sounds like I have to update a lot of devices. Even my TV does not have HDMI.

 

[Adam]

Hi. HDMI is capable of transmitting digital audio and video. It is, as far as I know, still a one-way transfer for those. So, it would transfer digital audio and video from the DVD recorder to the receiver. It won't transmit audio and video from the receiver to the DVD recorder over that same HDMI cable.

Now, because your TV doesn't have HDMI, and no receiver that I know of will convert HDMI video to any other kind, it probably won't do you much good at the moment. If you connect the DVD recorder to the receiver using HDMI, you'll be able to hear it but not see it on the TV. So, for now, it makes sense to use the digital audio connection (coax or optical) and the best analog video connection that you can (component is better than s-video, and s-video is better than composite).