HDMI and Receiver

[nomrah]

Haven't been keeping up with the times, had a quick HDMI question. HDMI is audio & video and if I plug an HDMI device directly into a capable TV it'll work presumably ok.

My question is what happens when you throw a receiver in the mix? I know there are receivers that have HDMI in and out. How I'm thinking it works is, plug HDMI device into the HDMI in of the receiver, HDMI out goes out to the TV for Video, but the receiver/speakers will handle the Sound portion of the HDMI signal?

Does that make sense or am I complete wrong?

 

[krotchy]

That is correct if the receiver has HDMI processing, in which case you run device -> receiver -> TV, and the receiver pulls off the audio and the TV grabs the video. Some low end receivers simply have HDMI switching meaning the receiver doesn't process the audio, it just passes audio/video off to the TV. If you get one with only switching you need a separate connection for audio to the receiver.

 

[BassBomb]

You are right there, but then you have to also use the reciever whenever you want to use the HDMI.

Depending on what codecs you are sending through the HDMI audio it might be a good idea to pass it straight to tv, then use a TV's optical/digital out or audio out to the reciever.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
You are right there, but then you have to also use the reciever whenever you want to use the HDMI.

Depending on what codecs you are sending through the HDMI audio it might be a good idea to pass it straight to tv, then use a TV's optical/digital out or audio out to the reciever.

HDMI to receiver is always the best way. there's no reason ever to run HDMI > TV > Optical > Receiver.

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: BassBomb
You are right there, but then you have to also use the reciever whenever you want to use the HDMI.

Depending on what codecs you are sending through the HDMI audio it might be a good idea to pass it straight to tv, then use a TV's optical/digital out or audio out to the reciever.

HDMI to receiver is always the best way. there's no reason ever to run HDMI > TV > Optical > Receiver.

I completely agree. If you have an HDMI receiver there is never any reason not to use the HDMI connection for audio from any source except maybe a PC, where HDMI audio is still not fully conceived in many video cards (My HT Omega Striker 7.1 SPDIF sounds a ton better than my Radeon 2600XT's HDMI audio.)

Still in this case the TV shouldn't be involved in audio processing at all. In fact some TV's will take a digital stream from an HDMI cable box and only gather the 2.0 stream from the box, since that is how it negotiates the stream. Then when you run optical to the reciever you get 2.0 audio even with a 7.1 receiver and 5.1 cable box.

 

[Sid59]

Can someone recommend non-pass through HDMI Receivers. I want to replace my current 6 year old receiver and get a new one receiver that will pull the HDMI audio at the receiver level and pass the video on. My TV only has 1 HDMI.

Budget is less than 400 but rather spend less. Quality isn't too big on my list and neither is "sound". I have terrible hearing but i know that having the receiver and 6 speakers is better than the tv.

 

[Shawn]

Onkyo 605

 

[krotchy]

Onkyo 606. Its the replacement of the 605, and was on amazon a couple days ago for 390. Upgrades over the 605 include 2 more HDMI ports and 1080i video upscaling instead of 720p.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Onkyo 606. Its the replacement of the 605, and was on amazon a couple days ago for 390. Upgrades over the 605 include 2 more HDMI ports and 1080i video upscaling instead of 720p.

I'm with you. Click here OP.