n00b question about HDMI

[Mermaidman]

OK, so my new TV has HDMI inputs and I want to have the minimum number of connections between the TV and other stuff.

Is there a gadget that will accept inputs from a DVD player and/or DVR, and cable TV signal, and spit 'em out as one HDMI output? Also, how would I connect a home theater receiver in such a setup?

Currently, I have separate connections: DVD to TV, CTV to TV, and TV to audio receiver. That's SIX separate cables, not counting the power cord, and it'd be a pain to manage when I wall-mount the TV. APpreciate any advice.

 

[keeleysam]

Do your current devices have HDMI or DVI?

Anything to digitize component or composite video on the fly to HDMI is going to be prohibitively expensive.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

A receiver that had HDMI upconversion (or just switching if all yout inputs are HDMI) will do this.

Do you already have a receiver you want to use, or would you be buying one?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
OK, so my new TV has HDMI inputs and I want to have the minimum number of connections between the TV and other stuff.

Is there a gadget that will accept inputs from a DVD player and/or DVR, and cable TV signal, and spit 'em out as one HDMI output? Also, how would I connect a home theater receiver in such a setup?

Currently, I have separate connections: DVD to TV, CTV to TV, and TV to audio receiver. That's SIX separate cables, not counting the power cord, and it'd be a pain to manage when I wall-mount the TV. APpreciate any advice.

Even if you get a HDMI selector...which I don't know if they have yet...probably do...you are going to be running the same amount of cables + 1 more.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Yup, new AV receivers do this. Well, some ... but that is your answer. jsut look around. The ones that do will up convert to 1080i in most cases.

 

[Mermaidman]

The TV has two HDMI inputs. All my 'devices' are old and don't have HDMI output, so I'll be starting from scratch, which I guess is a good thing. This is my goal--When I mount the TV on the wall, I want as few cables as possible sticking out of the TV.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

So new receiver then?

What kind of budget are you talking?

Overall I wouldn't recommend spending a ton on your receiver unless you absolutely have to have the cables down to one.
(Assuming you don't have some very good speakers and such already too)

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Just get the monoprice 5x1 HDMI switch and you're set. It runs $120 or so, I believe.

 

[keeleysam]

Why don't you just run the cables through the wall?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Just get the monoprice 5x1 HDMI switch and you're set. It runs $120 or so, I believe.

That's not going to help since his sources aren't HDMI

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: keeleysam
Why don't you just run the cables through the wall?

TV is going over a gas fireplace, exterior wall--I'm afraid it'll be a PITA to run lots of cables, but it might be my best cost-effective solution.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Just get the monoprice 5x1 HDMI switch and you're set. It runs $120 or so, I believe.

That's not going to help since his sources aren't HDMI

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
The TV has two HDMI inputs. All my 'devices' are old and don't have HDMI output, so I'll be starting from scratch, which I guess is a good thing. This is my goal--When I mount the TV on the wall, I want as few cables as possible sticking out of the TV.

I assumed this to mean he's buying new components. If not, then a new receiver is his best bet, assuming that there are receivers which convert analog sources to HDMI

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Just get the monoprice 5x1 HDMI switch and you're set. It runs $120 or so, I believe.

That's not going to help since his sources aren't HDMI

ya, I would suggest he just get a cheap receiver and run 2 or so wires through the wall(HDMI and composite...S-video if necessary)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Just get the monoprice 5x1 HDMI switch and you're set. It runs $120 or so, I believe.

That's not going to help since his sources aren't HDMI

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
The TV has two HDMI inputs. All my 'devices' are old and don't have HDMI output, so I'll be starting from scratch, which I guess is a good thing. This is my goal--When I mount the TV on the wall, I want as few cables as possible sticking out of the TV.

I assumed this to mean he's buying new components. If not, then a new receiver is his best bet, assuming that there are receivers which convert analog sources to HDMI

I thought he meant he didn't have a device that would output to his tv taking the different inputs rather than getting new sources while he's at it too.

I know at least some of the lower end receivers that do HDMI tend to not do upconversion to HDMI, just switching.
(Pioneer 1016 / Onkyo 604 / HK 245)

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
I assumed this to mean he's buying new components. If not, then a new receiver is his best bet, assuming that there are receivers which convert analog sources to HDMI

I thought he meant he didn't have a device that would output to his tv taking the different inputs rather than getting new sources while he's at it too.

I know at least some of the lower end receivers that do HDMI tend to not do upconversion to HDMI, just switching.

I'm kinda flexible with regard to keeping current equipment or buying new ones, so you're both correct. Sorry for not being clear!

Yoyo: I was looking at your HT setup. It's much easier when you have a projector!

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

At this point, I wouldn't buy a new receiver until the HDMI 1.3 receivers are out. The last thing you want to do is drop a bundle on a receiver that can't handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.

While HDMI 1.3 isn't worth much on a display device (deep color and wider gamut don't matter on current displays), I think it's definitely worth waiting for if you're in the market for a receiver.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
I assumed this to mean he's buying new components. If not, then a new receiver is his best bet, assuming that there are receivers which convert analog sources to HDMI

I thought he meant he didn't have a device that would output to his tv taking the different inputs rather than getting new sources while he's at it too.

I know at least some of the lower end receivers that do HDMI tend to not do upconversion to HDMI, just switching.

I'm kinda flexible with regard to keeping current equipment or buying new ones, so you're both correct. Sorry for not being clear!

Yoyo: I was looking at your HT setup. It's much easier when you have a projector!

Yeah, easy to keep the screen area looking clean... although I've managed to fvck that up occationally since I don't put too much effort into cable management having to move so often

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
At this point, I wouldn't buy a new receiver until the HDMI 1.3 receivers are out. The last thing you want to do is drop a bundle on a receiver that can't handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.

While HDMI 1.3 isn't worth much on a display device (deep color and wider gamut don't matter on current displays), I think it's definitely worth waiting for if you're in the market for a receiver.

Yeah, I would agree that HDMI would probably be worth waiting for.

I'm crossing my fingers that in the future there will be some players that will output analog.

I've been looking around for something halfway affordable that can do convertion to HDMI and I've found the ~$600 Pioneer Elite 81TXV so far.

I haven't been really keeping up with "midrange" receivers.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
At this point, I wouldn't buy a new receiver until the HDMI 1.3 receivers are out. The last thing you want to do is drop a bundle on a receiver that can't handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.

While HDMI 1.3 isn't worth much on a display device (deep color and wider gamut don't matter on current displays), I think it's definitely worth waiting for if you're in the market for a receiver.

Yeah, I would agree that HDMI would probably be worth waiting for.

I'm crossing my fingers that in the future there will be some players that will output analog.

I've been looking around for something halfway affordable that can do convertion to HDMI and I've found the ~$600 Pioneer Elite 81TXV so far.

I haven't been really keeping up with "midrange" receivers.

Bah, I'd rather have my HD-DVD or Blu-ray player provide the unmolested audio stream and let my receiver decode it. Besides, it's much nicer to have one HDMI cable rather than 8 pairs of analog wires coming out of the disc reader

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
At this point, I wouldn't buy a new receiver until the HDMI 1.3 receivers are out. The last thing you want to do is drop a bundle on a receiver that can't handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.

While HDMI 1.3 isn't worth much on a display device (deep color and wider gamut don't matter on current displays), I think it's definitely worth waiting for if you're in the market for a receiver.

Yeah, I would agree that HDMI would probably be worth waiting for.

I'm crossing my fingers that in the future there will be some players that will output analog.

I've been looking around for something halfway affordable that can do convertion to HDMI and I've found the ~$600 Pioneer Elite 81TXV so far.

I haven't been really keeping up with "midrange" receivers.

Bah, I'd rather have my HD-DVD or Blu-ray player provide the unmolested audio stream and let my receiver decode it. Besides, it's much nicer to have one HDMI cable rather than 8 pairs of analog wires coming out of the disc reader

I'll take what I can get
Might have to buy a little receiver with HDMI 1.3 at some point and hook that up to convert


Upconversion on a budget - JVC RXD412B?
http://www.beachaudio.com/product_info....&GCID=C12585x011&GTKW=rxd412b&ref=true

Or Onkyo 674?
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-KD9dKlte41v/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=580TXS674B