video question

[acritzer]

I have virtually no experience with "real" A/V receivers so please excuse this basic question. I am wondering if I plug my cable box, Xbox 360, BD, etc. into a receiver via HDMI, do I always have to have the receiver on to change video sources?

Having to use the receiver all the time doesn't appeal to me since a lot of times my wife uses the TV for basic viewing and probably won't want to mess with another piece of equipment. On the other hand, being able to simplify cables and stuff does sound like a nice idea.

Right now I run all the video cables to the TV, since my receiver doesn't have HDMI. Then I usually run audio into both the TV and the receiver...if we're watching a movie and want lossless audio we'll turn on the receiver, if not, we can always just use the TV for simple viewing.

[Jbald87]

Originally Posted by acritzer

do I always have to have the receiver on to change video sources?

Yes, but you can get a nice Universal remote and make things simple for the wife. My family hated dealing with my system untill I got a harmony remote now they will use it.

[acritzer]

Originally Posted by Jbald87

Yes, but you can get a nice Universal remote and make things simple for the wife. My family hated dealing with my system untill I got a harmony remote now they will use it.

Hmm, that would make things easier. Can most of those turn on the TV, turn on the receiver, turn on the appropriate input setting, all with one button?

[Steve]

Originally Posted by acritzer

Hmm, that would make things easier. Can most of those turn on the TV, turn on the receiver, turn on the appropriate input setting, all with one button?

Absolutely. A good Harmony remote can turn on/off all components appropriate to the desired activity and set them all to the correct inputs with a single button press. There's also a help button in case something misses a command.

[Zman2k2]

Originally Posted by acritzer

Hmm, that would make things easier. Can most of those turn on the TV, turn on the receiver, turn on the appropriate input setting, all with one button?

My 6-year-old uses my system daily. I have the Harmony Xbox360 remote, and it will turn on my TV, cable box, and receiver for her. It changes the receiver to the correct input. Volume is controlled on the receiver, channel changes for the cable box, and all that stuff are painless. My wife will use the remote to program the DVR for her favorite shows, watch previous recordings and changes activities without problem. I know for a fact, without the Harmony remote, I would hear endless problems about things not working properly.

A Harmony remote is not just convenient when you have complex systems like ours, it's almost necessary. Getting something like the 510 would be a benefit for yourself. You don't NEED to get something really expensive like the Harmony ONE, although it's super-nice in it's own right.