Setting up Pioneer Elite VSX-32

[doublehamm]

I am trying to correclty set up my new receiver, and seem to have a few issues.

1. My PC has an HDMI port on the graphics card - while I kind of understand why it is not passing audio (the card has no audio ports on it that I see), I was wondering if there was a way to play sound from the computer via a different method. I have tried to go to the setup to have the sound source come from elsewhere, but everything seems to be greyed out and I only have an HDMI option? The VGA plug through the TV looks horrible if I go that route as the max resolution is much smaller, so I would like to keep the HDMI for video as it supports 1920x1080. Plus the VGA is more that has to be connected to the TV which is more cable mess. I really only need a simple stereo output so I can hear what is going on, as the computer is being used mostly for recording through my Hauppauge PVR.

2. The manual states that setting the receiver to automatic surround is the easiest option for play back as it is supposed to automatically display the audio type that is being input. I have tried playing "Avatar" and "The Dark Night", and both of them end up simply displaying PCM. Is this working as intended or should I see "Dolby TrueHD" or "DTS-HD Master Audio" etc. instead of it displaying PCM?

3. I would like to set my Hauppauge PVR to be able to record everything coming out of my receiver. My cable box can display HDMI and component at the same time, why can this receiver not? (or am I missing something?) Is there any way to be able to output everything to a component signal even though it is all connected via HDMI?

Thanks in advance to any solutions!

 

[NutBucket]

1.) You just have to set the default audio device to HDMI...assuming your vid card supports HDMI audio (most do these days)

2.) What source are you using this test? I'm guessing you're using a "fat" PS3 in which case the decoding is handled by the PS3. The receiver will not display "Dolby TrueHD" or anything other than PCM unless it is doing the decoding.

3.) It is purely a function of the receiver. 99.999% of people do not require dual simultaneous video outputs; I don't know of any receiver that does this. I'm pretty sure that the receiver cannot convert HDMI-->Component due to copyright issues.

 

[The-Noid]

1.) You just have to set the default audio device to HDMI...assuming your vid card supports HDMI audio (most do these days)

2.) What source are you using this test? I'm guessing you're using a "fat" PS3 in which case the decoding is handled by the PS3. The receiver will not display "Dolby TrueHD" or anything other than PCM unless it is doing the decoding.

3.) It is purely a function of the receiver. 99.999% of people do not require dual simultaneous video outputs; I don't know of any receiver that does this. I'm pretty sure that the receiver cannot convert HDMI-->Component due to copyright issues.

3 is 100% correct. A lot of dual HDMI boxes. You can use component out if all your sources are component but no receiver will go HDMI to component.

 

[doublehamm]

I will try switching the default audio. That makes sense, but I just figured no video card would carry an audio source without being connected to the motherboard/audio card by an audio cable.

I am currently using a Samsung BD player. Is it common for players to do the decoding these days? Don't get me wrong it sounds great still, but I want to make sure I am getting the best it can be and PCM just makes it "look" boring.

Now for the HDMI conversion - I do professional videography, and my son is starting to get into video editing. My main reasons were for him personally using it to record stuff from Xbox and taking snips and using them to make his own home videos. I did not realize until last night that it works perfectly well coming out the back of my BD player as well. That is a surprise considering even ye old VHS with composite outputs were good at scrambling a signal making videos tough to copy. YIKES! Now I would kind of agree about the copyright worries now, but then again anyone who is slightly ambitious can do it anyway apparently. Maybe I will have to make dual inputs for all my devices I want to use - 1 HDMI and 1 component? The components themselves seem to have no problem displaying both sources simutaneously.

 

[doublehamm]

I am on the PC in question at the moment. There is an option for HDMI audio, and when I set it to dafualt I do see the audio bars bouncing around as if there was a signal. However I still hear no sound. I have checked almost every setting I can think of to make sure nothing is muted but am not having any luck. Any ideas? Thanks again for the help and any future help.

Oh and FYI - I just learned it is not a good thing to run this computer, 50" plasma, receiver, leave the xbox on while switching to the computer input, and run my lasko space heater at the same time. Yeah... I just had to re type out this post because I blew out the circuit for my room.

 

[NutBucket]

Could it be that you don't have the audio source linked in the receiver? In other words, the receiver needs to know that the audio and video for the computer are coming through HDMI.

As far as decoding, I'm not sure I would call it common, but technically there's no difference as long as the player can decode all the various formats. I would guess that the Pioneer can decode more formats....but that only matters if you have discs that are using those formats.

As far as your component vs. HDMI hookup; it will be fine for games but for blu-ray you may run into issues where you don't get full resolution (again, due to copy protection issues).

 

[doublehamm]

The HDMI setup option on the receiver only has HDMI available - the rest of the options are all greyed out.

As far as Blu-Rays the recording I got from it was full resolution. Looking at it I would say it looks at LEAST 95% like the original if not an almost indistinguishable from the original (from Avatar). I really don't watch many movies more than one time, there are a few exceptions, but it takes a very great and unique movie for me to ever want to keep a copy. I am just saying that this PVR does more than I ever imagined Am I blowing a whistle here? Probably not, I am sure I am not the first to ever try it and I am sure the "industry" knows about all this.

 

[NutBucket]

It'd be easier to just get a blu-ray drive for your PC and rip the movies directly.

 

[doublehamm]

I have a blu ray drive. Like I said I dont really plan on copyting them, but stating the method works. The recorder is mainly for stuff off of TV and games.