5.1 Audio System

[Elcs]

YOyoYOhowsDAjello,

I am already having second thoughts about the Onkyo HT-S5100/5105. I am reading that it cannot pass audio over HDMI and Im not sure if this should concern me.

I need some help going over the thought process of how Components should be hooked up optimally to achieve the desired effect.

Components:

LG 47LG5010 HDTV - does Optical audio out, 3 HDMI ports - Linked

PC Sound - I have a Club 3D Theatron Agrippa DTS 7.1 sound card - Linked

PC Video - Powercolor ATI HD4870 512mb - Has dual DVI ports

Digital TV Box - a V+ box by Virgin Media which has an HDMI port, Optical Audio out and many other plugs. LINK: Link - Link

There are no plans to get a Blu-Ray player or HD DVD player any time soon. If I do, it'll only be one for my PC only, not an external thing. I also plan to only use a 5.1 system as I do not have the room/space for 7.1.

So how would be the best way to hook up my components and would the Onkyo HT-S5105 be sufficient? Would the lack of HDMI audio pass-through affect me adversely in terms of quality?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

PC
DVI to HDMI converter to TV
Digital coaxial or Digital optical to receiver

Digital TV Box
HDMI to TV
Digital optical to receiver

If you use the TV's tuner, connect the Digital optical out to the receiver too.

Audio over HDMI only really matters if you're going to get a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player since HDMI is the only way to pass the new audio formats. Without those sources, digital optical and digital coaxial will work just as well.

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
PC
DVI to HDMI converter to TV
Digital coaxial or Digital optical to receiver

Digital TV Box
HDMI to TV
Digital optical to receiver

If you use the TV's tuner, connect the Digital optical out to the receiver too.

Audio over HDMI only really matters if you're going to get a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player since HDMI is the only way to pass the new audio formats. Without those sources, digital optical and digital coaxial will work just as well.

Fantastic.

Id love to keep this thread open until Ive got it and tested it but thats a little silly.

Thank you for your help!!! You'll probably see me in 2 weeks time celebrating my new system!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Good

 

[Elcs]

I apologise for bringing my rather newbish questions but I am finding new questions and some are rather obscure and dont seem to have answers hidden in helpful FAQ's.

Reading up on my HD4870's audio capabilities, I found this@:

HDMI output support
Integrated HD audio controller with support for stereo and multi-channel (up to 7.1) audio formats, including AC-3, AAC, DTS, DTS-HD & Dolby True-HD4, enabling a plug-and-play audio solution over HDMI

The HT-S5105 HTIB I am getting has the HT-R518 Receiver in it and the HDMI as noted on Page 26/27 of this manual is labelled as a Pass-Thru.



In short, I am wondering whether I would get the best sound quality from my PC if I used my HD4870 to do it over HDMI??

The way I envisage it would be (in my untrained eyes) is that the DVI to HDMI adapter is hooked on and an HDMI cable fed to the Receriver. Another HDMI cable is fed from my Receiver to my TV. This should (in theory) pass the video and audio signal to the Receiver where it plays the Audio through the speakers and passes through the Video to my HDTV.

My mind boggles with all of this cabling, passing through and ugh.... I'll learn it eventually. I just need some guidance to satisfy my curiousity.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

That receiver is not going to do audio over HDMI, so you would not benefit from running HDMI through the receiver.

I would just run video straight to the TV and hook up the sound from your soundcard to the receiver by a digital coaxial or digital optical cable.

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
That receiver is not going to do audio over HDMI, so you would not benefit from running HDMI through the receiver.

I would just run video straight to the TV and hook up the sound from your soundcard to the receiver by a digital coaxial or digital optical cable.

Yeah, it took me about 4 passes of that manual to decipher it this morning.

I guess its not important, I mean how many games or music tracks do anytbing in one of the special HD formats? Do any games use even DTS?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Elcs

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
That receiver is not going to do audio over HDMI, so you would not benefit from running HDMI through the receiver.

I would just run video straight to the TV and hook up the sound from your soundcard to the receiver by a digital coaxial or digital optical cable.

Yeah, it took me about 4 passes of that manual to decipher it this morning.

I guess its not important, I mean how many games or music tracks do anytbing in one of the special HD formats? Do any games use even DTS?

They sure make it confusing. The only thing that you're missing out on right now is if you were to get an HD-DVD player or Blu-ray player since those are the sources that have those new audio formats. For everything else, you're not missing anything.