HDMI Pass Through?

[gillies]

Hi,

I am in the process of purchasing a new receiver in order to, among other things, wire all my components using only HDMI. I plan to run a PS3, Linksys Media Center Extender, and digital cable box to the receiver and then run one cable to the TV.

My question is whether I must always use my receiver to get sound when watching TV, or can I pass through the receiver and get sound from the TV itself? Is this possible:

Receiver off = sound from cable box passes through receiver and runs the TV speakers.

Receiver on = sound from cable box is processed by receiver and sent to the surround speakers, while the TV gets video only.

Am I crazy? Or can this be done? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to HDMI.

Thanks for the help.

[Trix]

It can't be done with the receiver off, since the receiver processes and passes the video as well. However, you can, with most receivers, mute the audio on the receiver, leave it on, and use your tv's remote to control the tv's volume.

Keep in mind that certain receivers will only pass HDMI audio through to the tv through HDMI. So, if you use any component that has a seperate audio connection, it may not be possible to get that audio. However, most receivers that re-assign composite/component video to HDMI will also re-assign all audio to the HDMI output, and allow you to pass any audio to your tv if you mute your receiver, or turn it all the way down.

Hope this helps.

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by gillies

Hi,

I am in the process of purchasing a new receiver in order to, among other things, wire all my components using only HDMI. I plan to run a PS3, Linksys Media Center Extender, and digital cable box to the receiver and then run one cable to the TV.

My question is whether I must always use my receiver to get sound when watching TV, or can I pass through the receiver and get sound from the TV itself? Is this possible:

Receiver off = sound from cable box passes through receiver and runs the TV speakers.

Receiver on = sound from cable box is processed by receiver and sent to the surround speakers, while the TV gets video only.

Am I crazy? Or can this be done? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to HDMI.

Thanks for the help.

the video has to pass thru the receiver so the receiver HAS TO BE ON.

you could always use a secondary connection with component cables for straight to tv sound/video

thats what i do for my directv box. that way my 6 year old doesnt need to turn on the receiver on FULL BLAST for anything.

i use the harmony remote. he uses the directv remote

[Yog-Sothoth]

thats what i do for my directv box. that way my 6 year old doesnt need to turn on the receiver on FULL BLAST for anything.

Your 806 should have a setting to limit the maximum volume (and the startup volume, for that matter); I use it on my 705.

[solarrdadd]

in your receiver menu go to #6 Misc and look for "power on volume" set it to a volume that's not too loud and that is the level it will always start at.

[My_Two_Cents]

Keep in mind that the way HDMI works is that it passes audio at the lowest common denominator. By that, I mean if your receiver is set to pass the audio to your TV, all components feeding HDMI audio to your receiver will only pass audio that your TV can process (which is usually 2-channel stereo). By doing this, you will not get HD audio to play through your receiver (or even 5.1) unless you change the HDMI audio out to 'off' on your receiver. Yeah, it's a pain, but that's the limitation of the technology. Can it be done? Yes. My Onkyo will do it, and I'm sure most others will, too.

[Trix]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Keep in mind that the way HDMI works is that it passes audio at the lowest common denominator. By that, I mean if your receiver is set to pass the audio to your TV, all components feeding HDMI audio to your receiver will only pass audio that your TV can process (which is usually 2-channel stereo). By doing this, you will not get HD audio to play through your receiver (or even 5.1) unless you change the HDMI audio out to 'off' on your receiver. Yeah, it's a pain, but that's the limitation of the technology. Can it be done? Yes. My Onkyo will do it, and I'm sure most others will, too.

Hmmmm, now I'm a little confused. I have my receiver set to output audio to my TV, but I always keep the volume at 0 on the TV, but I like the option of having the TV speaker going. When I pop in any blu-ray, my receiver always displays the correct audio track (TrueHD, Dolby Digital, DTS-MA), and I assume I'm getting the correct mix. Question is, if my receiver says it's getting the full HD soundtrack, is it just fooling me?

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by Trix

Hmmmm, now I'm a little confused. I have my receiver set to output audio to my TV, but I always keep the volume at 0 on the TV, but I like the option of having the TV speaker going. When I pop in any blu-ray, my receiver always displays the correct audio track (TrueHD, Dolby Digital, DTS-MA), and I assume I'm getting the correct mix. Question is, if my receiver says it's getting the full HD soundtrack, is it just fooling me?

No. If your receiver reports it's receiving an encoded HD track, it's not fooling you. Sometimes the HDMI handshake with a TV will force a player output to stereo PCM, but not always.

[Trix]

Originally Posted by BIslander

No. If your receiver reports it's receiving an encoded HD track, it's not fooling you. Sometimes the HDMI handshake with a TV will force a player output to stereo PCM, but not always.

Thanks for the reply! Hassle: avoided.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by BIslander

No. If your receiver reports it's receiving an encoded HD track, it's not fooling you. Sometimes the HDMI handshake with a TV will force a player output to stereo PCM, but not always.

That's not the way I understand how HDMI works, but then I'm only a semi-educated novice in all of this.

I know on my Onkyo, if I set HDMI audio out to 'on' (passing audio to my TV), I only get 2-channel PCM to play through my AVR. Turn it 'off' (without doing anything else) and I get full HD audio (from BD). This has been discussed numerous times around here, but maybe the technology has changed some?

Anyway, if your AVR says it's playing HD audio, who am I to say different?

[989547]

I asked this questions a few times also. How about you use something like this : Video/Audio Splitter - HDMI M to HDMI F X 2..http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

That's not the way I understand how HDMI works, but then I'm only a semi-educated novice in all of this.

I know on my Onkyo, if I set HDMI audio out to 'on' (passing audio to my TV), I only get 2-channel PCM to play through my AVR. Turn it 'off' (without doing anything else) and I get full HD audio (from BD). This has been discussed numerous times around here, but maybe the technology has changed some?

Anyway, if your AVR says it's playing HD audio, who am I to say different?

I think there are a couple of variables - how the player responds to the handshake and whether the presence of the AVR in the middle affects the handshake. Perhaps this player doesn't care that the TV is a two channel device when the output is set to bitstream. Or, perhaps the AVR acknowledges the audio handshake and deals with the TV on its own.

But, we know that in the OP's setup, he can leave the HDMI audio connection active to his TV and still get the player to output HD codecs to his receiver. Similarly, the Panasonic manuals have warnings about how the HDMI audio handshake with a TV may adversely affect other outputs. But, I've never had a problem with coax or multichannel analog on my BD55 even though I leave HDMI audio turned on to my TV.

[cembros]

i beleive some of the new yamahas will pass through audio and video to the tv with the receiver off. The vast majority of receivers do no though

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by BIslander

I think there are a couple of variables - how the player responds to the handshake and whether the presence of the AVR in the middle affects the handshake. Perhaps this player doesn't care that the TV is a two channel device when the output is set to bitstream. Or, perhaps the AVR acknowledges the audio handshake and deals with the TV on its own.

But, we know that in the OP's setup, he can leave the HDMI audio connection active to his TV and still get the player to output HD codecs to his receiver. Similarly, the Panasonic manuals have warnings about how the HDMI audio handshake with a TV may adversely affect other outputs. But, I've never had a problem with coax or multichannel analog on my BD55 even though I leave HDMI audio turned on to my TV.

Possibly different for bitstream versus PCM, perhaps? That must be it. If you bistream through your AVR, you can pass audio through to the TV without affecting quality, but you can't do this if you are sending decoded PCM.

Anyone confirm this?

[gillies]

Originally Posted by 989547

I asked this questions a few times also. How about you use something like this : Video/Audio Splitter - HDMI M to HDMI F X 2..http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

This idea interests me. With the device, can I split the signal from the cable box and run one HDMI to the receiver and another to the TV itself? I have three HDMI inputs on the TV, so this would be no problem.

Also, can anyone tell me what type/kind of sound quality one can expect from programming broadcast over digital cable? Is there a benefit to running any of this programming through the receiver, or is it a wasted effort?

Hope the questions aren't too dumb. Again, I'm new to the HDMI thing.

Thanks.

[989547]

Originally Posted by gillies

This idea interests me. With the device, can I split the signal from the cable box and run one HDMI to the receiver and another to the TV itself? I have three HDMI inputs on the TV, so this would be no problem.

Also, can anyone tell me what type/kind of sound quality one can expect from programming broadcast over digital cable? Is there a benefit to running any of this programming through the receiver, or is it a wasted effort?

Hope the questions aren't too dumb. Again, I'm new to the HDMI thing.

Thanks.

I dont know much about HDMI, but it looks like this item should work. I was going to connect one HDMI to receiver and the other to the TV, so I shouldnt need receiver on to watch TV. I will be placing my order with Monoprice shortly.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by gillies

This idea interests me. With the device, can I split the signal from the cable box and run one HDMI to the receiver and another to the TV itself? I have three HDMI inputs on the TV, so this would be no problem.

Also, can anyone tell me what type/kind of sound quality one can expect from programming broadcast over digital cable? Is there a benefit to running any of this programming through the receiver, or is it a wasted effort?

Hope the questions aren't too dumb. Again, I'm new to the HDMI thing.

Thanks.

you should check the customer reviews for this product; it didn't do well. I'm not sure how it works but you will notice it does NOT state that it's HDCP compliant and when watching secured media (blu-rays) it might not work properly.

as for the broadcast programming over digital cable, as long as your tv has a "digital" tuner and you have good reception, you will get all of the OTA channels you can get with cable and they will look no different or sound no different. this will be true of HD programming too. if the program has DD 5.1 with cable, you should get it with OTA too. now, mind you, cable will have channels that are not OTA that are digital and you won't be able to get them without cable. so, you will have to make the determination as to what you want.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by gillies

This idea interests me. With the device, can I split the signal from the cable box and run one HDMI to the receiver and another to the TV itself? I have three HDMI inputs on the TV, so this would be no problem.

There's no reason to use HDMI to a receiver for cable or satellite. Audio is limited to DD 5.1 at best, which can be carried by an optical or coax connection. Use HDMI to your TV and a non-HDMI digital audio feed to your receiver.

Also, can anyone tell me what type/kind of sound quality one can expect from programming broadcast over digital cable? Is there a benefit to running any of this programming through the receiver, or is it a wasted effort?

Some shows/movies have DD 5.1 audio. Others have stereo. It's definitely worthwhile to run the audio through your receiver. You'll get genuine 5.1 when it's available and you can apply a DSP such as ProLogicII to matrix stereo sources into 5.1 surround.

[Dase]

Originally Posted by gillies

Hi,

I am in the process of purchasing a new receiver in order to, among other things, wire all my components using only HDMI. I plan to run a PS3, Linksys Media Center Extender, and digital cable box to the receiver and then run one cable to the TV.

My question is whether I must always use my receiver to get sound when watching TV, or can I pass through the receiver and get sound from the TV itself? Is this possible:

Receiver off = sound from cable box passes through receiver and runs the TV speakers.

Receiver on = sound from cable box is processed by receiver and sent to the surround speakers, while the TV gets video only.

Am I crazy? Or can this be done? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to HDMI.

Thanks for the help.

My Denon has this option. The receiver can be in standby (not powering the speakers) and pass the signal through to the tv.

[989547]

Originally Posted by -dase-

My Denon has this option. The receiver can be in standby (not powering the speakers) and pass the signal through to the tv.

Does the 606 also have this option?, to lazy to read manual.