I?m just warning caution right now, and making you aware of the limitation of current products in the marketplace. We haven?t eliminated everything just yet, and you should be aware of it. Clearly, it will take time for the audio companies to include full-blown HDMI switching capability as it took several years for component video switching to become commonplace. Today, several manufacturers now include component video switching with up conversion (from composite and S-Video) on numerous models, which is pretty neat.
Several upscale HDTV?s now include HDMI input(s), and a handful of DVD players include HDMI output. Sending both digital audio and video signals directly to the TV via HDMI does simplify matters up converting those already pristine DVD images to near HD quality. Audio, on the other hand, from that DVD player will only be sent at Dolby Digital 2.0 quality to be handled by the TV?s internal audio system. And, if you?re using the TV?s speakers and Dolby Digital processing, you won?t know the difference.
However, if you thought that by sending those audio signals via HDMI to an A/V Receiver using HDMI inputs, it would process full-blown Dolby Digital and DTS, you?d be mistaken. Today, those products only pass/receive Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. To obtain full-blown surround sound, you would have to use either the digital audio connectors or 1394 (if available) from your DVD player or Satellite Receiver. Of course, to obtain the best digital video and digital audio signals overall, you would simply send video HDMI signals to the display directly, and digital audio signals directly to the A/V Receiver or Processor using the digital audio connectors of both products. You?ve lost the ease-of-use switching capability, but retained pristine signals.
Going forward, 2005 versions of satellite and cable HD Receivers may include 5.1 audio HDMI capabilities. You will have to double-check to make sure. Within the audio community, HDMI switching capability will follow later in 2005 and 2006. Ultimately, it can be expected from all of the major brands. Initially, HDMI switching capability will only be available on a handful of high-end audio products. In turn, those audio manufacturers that started including HDMI will follow with HDMI up conversion from all other video sources. Presently, only two audio manufacturers have announced A/V Receiver products with true 5.1 audio HDMI switching capabilities ? Denon and Pioneer -- that will reach market early next year; although, it should be noted that both models are quite pricey costing several thousand dollars.
Going in a different direction, other companies like Harman and Yamaha, for example, are including Faroudja circuitry to enhance standard definition video signals from their A/V Receivers. Denon has just announced the inclusion of Silicon Optix?s Realta HQV video enhancement chip on their new DVD-5910 universal DVD player utilizing HDMI output. Will it pass 5.1 audio? We?re not sure as it won?t be available until next year. While it?s not totally clear if TV manufacturers will start including 5.1 HDMI capability with 2005/2006 sets, they will start adding multiple HDMI inputs to accommodate numerous video products with HDMI outputs. TV companies like Hitachi and Toshiba have already started adding multiple HDMI inputs on the backs of the top-end HDTV?s.
