Receiver audio configuration help needed!

[Fallengod]

Ok. So I could use some help by someone experienced.

I kind of like being able to just turn my receiver on to hear sound output from it regardless of source used.

So instead of lets say connecting multiple HDMI/etc connections to the receiver and then switching the receiver source every time(a pain in the ass), I decided to do the opposite of connecting all devices to the TV instead and then use the digital optical audio output from the back of the TV to the receiver. This way I can switch between my cable box, blu-ray player and computer TV-out and not have to worry about changing the source on receiver every time.....

My question is, was this a good idea and am I affecting sound quality in any way shape or form by doing this versus connecting to my receiver first? I wouldnt think so but I wanted to get some input. Any drawbacks to this?

Thanks!

 

[postmortemIA]

First serious drawback if TV can't re-encode audio again so you won't receive 5.1 out. My TV can't do it right for some reason. It sends only stereo out.
Second one is that you lose modern HD audio standards such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Suggestion: get logitech harmony remote instead.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Optical out from the TV is probably only going to give you 2.0 sound rather than 5.1/7.1 surround configurations. If you've only got two speakers, that's obviously not a concern, but if you have a multi-speaker setup, you're not going to get sound to every speaker by doing a pass-through in this way. Does your receiver not have a remote? How is it easier to switch the input on the TV as opposed to the receiver? You may consider an HDMI switch to connect your devices to the receiver if doing multiple receiver inputs is that much of a hassle; they're fairly cheap on monoprice ($20-30 or so), and they'll do HDMI audio passthrough so you still get full use of your speakers.

 

[Fallengod]

First serious drawback if TV can't re-encode audio again so you won't receive 5.1 out. My TV can't do it right for some reason. It sends only stereo out.
Second one is that you lose modern HD audio standards such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Suggestion: get logitech harmony remote instead.

Optical out from the TV is probably only going to give you 2.0 sound rather than 5.1/7.1 surround configurations. If you've only got two speakers, that's obviously not a concern, but if you have a multi-speaker setup, you're not going to get sound to every speaker by doing a pass-through in this way. Does your receiver not have a remote? How is it easier to switch the input on the TV as opposed to the receiver? You may consider an HDMI switch to connect your devices to the receiver if doing multiple receiver inputs is that much of a hassle; they're fairly cheap on monoprice ($20-30 or so), and they'll do HDMI audio passthrough so you still get full use of your speakers.

Ok thanks so much. This is what I was unsure of and what I wanted to know......

So, currently, this is not the main house TV and this is a brand new Pioneer Elite VSX-50 I got for Christmas for my own room. I will only be running two speakers and a sub off it so perhaps this is ok... Would that still pass through the info for the sub or?


In terms switching. I am just trying to minimize how many remote controls I have to pick up and steps used when I want to switch between lets say, TV-out/computer, or blu-ray player from TV. If I had everything connected to the receiver first, wouldnt I then have to switch outputs on the receiver with the remote, and still have to switch source outputs on the TV as well? Some others on another forum noted it might be able to do it automatically on the receiver if it has hdmi-cec but as this is a new receiver, I dont know about that yet.

My last question would be...... I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558 headphones. If the optical audio output only puts out stereo sound, that would affect the headphones wouldnt it? Wouldnt I want surround sound being output for the headphones over stereo? How would you find out if the digital optical audio output is only stereo too?

 

[Scotteq]

I will only be running two speakers and a sub off it so perhaps this is ok... Would that still pass through the info for the sub or?

Should work just fine. Note that you should be able to set your receiver up using your TV to display the config. Even my decade old NAD does that.

In terms switching. I am just trying to minimize how many remote controls I have to pick up and steps used when I want to switch between lets say, TV-out/computer, or blu-ray player from TV. If I had everything connected to the receiver first, wouldnt I then have to switch outputs on the receiver with the remote, and still have to switch source outputs on the TV as well? Some others on another forum noted it might be able to do it automatically on the receiver if it has hdmi-cec but as this is a new receiver, I dont know about that yet.

A new receiver? You should be fine - Read through the manual to see how to program the remote.

My last question would be...... I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558 headphones. If the optical audio output only puts out stereo sound, that would affect the headphones wouldnt it? Wouldnt I want surround sound being output for the headphones over stereo? How would you find out if the digital optical audio output is only stereo too?

Your headphones are Stereo, and will sound best with a Stereo input. Every receiver I've seen automatically sets the headphone out to Stereo.

 

[Fallengod]

Yeah thanks guys. Thats helpful.

 

[Ophir]

Someone else mentioned it: get a new remote. I use the Logitech Harmony 510 and it handles all the source switching and equipment powering on sequences, e.g. hit "Watch TV" and it turns on the TV and cable boxt, and switches the receiver source. Then hit "Watch DVD" and it turns on the BR Player, turns off the cable DVR, and switches the receiver source. All functions are fully programmable, even with macros and timing. I can't picture going back.

It's a little pricey, but well worth it since I haven't used any of the other remotes in 3 years. The Harmony 650 looks like the current equivalent. I would get this one since I only have 3 devices to work with and prefer to use AA batteries so I don't have to keep recharging it.

 

[Fallengod]

One interesting thing I noticed in the manual for my TV. This is a 46" Samsung LED 6 series TV I got recently from Samsclub. It actually states that the digital audio output is actually 5.1 sound. So it seems like that pretty much answers my question. It says it will output 5.1 sound to a receiver.

Unless I am interpreting this wrong...

 

[Railgun]

Why the aversion to changing the receiver's source as opposed to the TV's source? You're still changing a source.

 

[Phanuel]

1. As Railgun said, you're still changing a source. And using a remote that ONLY changes a source instead of a remote that controls Volume + Source control.

2. You are interpreting that wrong. Your TV is only outputting 5.1 for any apps built into it. It will not break into an HDMI audio stream and output 5.1 from that.

3. Get a universal remote and let the receiver do its job.

I don't get why running everything through the TV is 'simpler' to you than doing it correctly and using the receiver as the hub device.

 

[postmortemIA]

One interesting thing I noticed in the manual for my TV. This is a 46" Samsung LED 6 series TV I got recently from Samsclub. It actually states that the digital audio output is actually 5.1 sound. So it seems like that pretty much answers my question. It says it will output 5.1 sound to a receiver.

Unless I am interpreting this wrong...

It will output decoded sound from TV signal, it won't necessarily do the same for pass through Hdmi audio.