Video to the Receiver or Directly to TV/Monitor

[timetohunt]

For those of you who use an AVR in their setup. I was wondering if most folks actually use the Video portion of an AVRs capabilities.
Relative to that, do you connect your video connections to your receiver or go for just connecting devices directly to your tv/monitor.
And what are your reasons for choosing the way you have it?

 

[Epetrone]

I would hook the components directly to the reciever, only because that way you will have the reciever decode the audio. if you hook it up to the tv, then you need your tv to have an audio output (usually toslink) back to the reciever. this would be fine if there are no problems with audio delay and your not interested in 7.1 sound.

 

[itschris]

I think it really boils down to personal preference. I have my cable box direct to the TV so that I don't have to turn everything on just to watch the news. DVD (and Blu-Ray getting soon) route through my Pioneer Elite 94 since I don't think I'd ever watch those sources without the system on.

Even though I have good ventilation, I don't want the receiver and the Sunfire Amp on just for watching regular TV. I do have optical out from the TV though in case I do want to pipe the TV through the system. I figure it helps them last a bit longer.

Beyond that, I don't see any other reason to go one way or the other as long as you have a good a/v piece that doesn't diminish the quality of your source. I have a much older Onkyo from back in the day, and even with the VCR and 1st / 2nd generation dvd players had a noticably worse picture.... but we're talking 10 years ago.

I'm sure others will chime in as well.

 

[timetohunt]

I would hook the components directly to the reciever, only because that way you will have the reciever decode the audio. if you hook it up to the tv, then you need your tv to have an audio output (usually toslink) back to the reciever. this would be fine if there are no problems with audio delay and your not interested in 7.1 sound.

Ofcourse the audio is going to receiver. I mean just the video connections.

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver video

Unless you are using a BluRay source to get audio over HDMI then most of the video features on the receiver are for convenience. They allow you to change the video input at the same time as the audio input and minimize the number of video connections to the display. Of course, any programable remote could also do this (change receiver and TV inputs) with a simple macro. Some of the newest >$1k receivers also have video scaling features which are another potential benefit of routing video through the receiver.

 

[gliz]

this is how i do it. I have my DVD player running video to the TV and the audio from the DVD player through the AVR. I also do not want to have my whole system fired up to watch news or re-runs of M*A*S*H. I think that is is overkill and with the cost of energy, expensive. But for the DVD movies I let er rip!!

 

[newb]

Every connection I want

I'm in a similar situation to other posters here, and had a spaghetti thing going on in my rack to boot. I wanted a standard connection to the TV from the cable box (coax into the ANT A input) for general TV watching. Component from the box to the TV with optical to the receiver (movies off cable with surround), and the DVD component to the TV and coax to the receiver (I wish it had toslink but no luck).

My Yammy remote will turn everything on and I only have to use other remotes for screen size and of course no macro but thinking of universal programmable remote for the whole enchilada.

Any option is available and the wiring is not too bad.

 

[brulaha]

I actually have it hooked up both ways. I run the HDMI from all of my gear (cable, dvd, 360) to the reciever and at the same time I have the component inputs run directly to the TV. During the day I always use the receiver and enjoy the added benefits of surround sound no matter if I'm watching M*A*S*H reruns or HDTV with a Dolby Digital feed. At night when it's late sometimes I don't want to have all my speakers going, and I use the component feeds.

 

[mleuba]

TV Hookup options

Hi,

Good question. I have the HDMI from my FIOS Set-top DVR going to Video in, so I can watch TV without the receivor when I want, and I have optical audio into the receiver also, when I want to Watch TV in Surround. I have my Harmony remote programmed with Watch TV and Watch TV in Surround as separate activties.

I don't think you lose much if anything when listening to the audio track via optical (digital) rather than the HDMI (v1.3).

It works for me.

Mark

===================================
Integra DTR7.8, Oppo 781, Pioneer Kuro, B&W CM series.

 

[skizzerflake]

For those of you who use an AVR in their setup. I was wondering if most folks actually use the Video portion of an AVRs capabilities.
Relative to that, do you connect your video connections to your receiver or go for just connecting devices directly to your tv/monitor.
And what are your reasons for choosing the way you have it?

I did some experimentation and decided to not pass the video through the receiver. For the DVD recorder and the cable box, I hook sound to the receiver and run a video connection directly to the TV. I tried running video through the Yamaha receiver and while it did simplify switching, it confirmed my expectation that the less things you run a signal through, the better. It means that I have to switch sound sources in the receiver and change video sources from the TV remote, but that's not a big deal.

 

[chadnliz]

I prefer to run direst when ever possible, best signal is the shortest.

 

[markw]

I run all video directly to the TV, along with a red/white analog audio feed, and use the TV as my video selector. That way, we can just use the source the TV, using the TV's measley built in audio system without needing the receiver and speakers in the equation.

Of course, I also run digital audio feeds from the sources to the receiver so when I DO want to use the big sound system I simply select the source on the receiver, turn down the sound on the TV, and all is well.

The best of both worlds...

 

[Pyrrho]

For those of you who use an AVR in their setup. I was wondering if most folks actually use the Video portion of an AVRs capabilities.
Relative to that, do you connect your video connections to your receiver or go for just connecting devices directly to your tv/monitor.
And what are your reasons for choosing the way you have it?

I run everything through my receiver, and have the receiver hooked up to the TV via HDMI. Everything is converted to HDMI by my receiver, so I don't have a bunch of wires running to the TV. I also can process the video of some of my sources this way to improve the picture.

Basically, what way is best depends upon the exact equipment in question, and what you want to be able to do with everything. With my first surround receiver years ago, I did not use its video switching at all. It could not do anything but switch the video, and it did not have all of the possible video connections that one might want, so there was not much use to it. But now, I can upconvert with my receiver, and can also simply change every type of input to output via HDMI. So, for me, the change in how I connect things is due to the change in equipment I have.

 

[Panjsheri]

For those of you who use an AVR in their setup. I was wondering if most folks actually use the Video portion of an AVRs capabilities.
Relative to that, do you connect your video connections to your receiver or go for just connecting devices directly to your tv/monitor.
And what are your reasons for choosing the way you have it?

Yeah thats a hard one to answer because its all about preference and from learning the hard way BUDGET!!. When I was getting into this HT hobby I was originally gonna buy a $1800 setup with 5.1 surround sound and a receiver. But after months and months of reading and researching I found that you can go with:

1. Good audio but poor video up conversion or
2. Really good audio and ok video up conversion or
3. You can go all the way like I did and get a receiver that does both and some more (Onkyo TXNR-905B).

In the end it will be up to you and the choice you make and what you prefer none of us can tell you what is right and what is wrong because everyone has their own preference and budget. Thankfully I got all my equipment via layaway. So I wish you luck in making your decision because it is a hard one but once you get everything you will be happy either way regardless if it is a $1000 HT or a $100,000 HT.

BTW: Because of my choice obviously I go through my receiver.

 

[Beau Ryker]

Well, I have another quick question. I might need to start a new thread, but let me get the ball rolling here.
Equipment here is a no-HDMI Marantz receiver, an Oppo player, and a Samsung 61"750 DLP............Can I run the HDMI to the DLP, and get my sound another way (maybe optical)? Does this "overide" the HDMI audio, or is there something I need to set to do this?
Thanks!

 

[markw]

Well, I have another quick question. I might need to start a new thread, but let me get the ball rolling here.

If my response doesn't answer you then yes, you should start a new thread. It's a different subject.

Equipment here is a no-HDMI Marantz receiver, an Oppo player, and a Samsung 61"750 DLP............Can I run the HDMI to the DLP, and get my sound another way (maybe optical)?

Yes. You'll be using the TV to select your video sources. Then, simply run the Oppo's digital audio output directly to the receiver. Use the receiver to select your audio source.

Does this "overide" the HDMI audio, or is there something I need to set to do this?

Dunno what you mean by "override, but if you still get sound from the TV coming through the HDMI cable and you don't want to hear it, simply turn the TV's volume all the way down if you don't want to hear it.

This method was described in post # 12.