Question HDMI and Optical connections

[Billy Was]

My current DVD player has both HDMI and optical ports. I have it connected to my Sony TV via HDMI and my Onkyo surround sound amplifier by optical.

It seems that if I use HDMI to the TV and then connect the TV to the amp I lose Dolby.

If I connect HDMI to the amp and then the amp to the TV I lose HD. My player has broken and I can't seem to find one with both connectors.

a) Do I need both?
b) if so any recommendations?

 

[bigboss]

What are the model numbers of all your equipment?

 

[Billy Was]

Thanks for replying and good question, one I should have addressed in the initial post

Sony Bravia KD55-AF8
Onkyo TX-NR609
Bowers and Wilkins M1 speakers (centre and front and rear surround)
Wharfedale Diamond SW150 Subwoofer

My DVD Player is Panasonic DMR-EX78 but it will no longer power on.

 

[abacus]

1. Make sure you have the player connected to a HDMI input and the TV connected to the output of the receiver.

2. Set the receiver to pass through video on the HDMI input.

3. Set the player HDMI out to bitstream

Hopefully this should solve your problem.

Bill

 

[Billy Was]

Thanks Bill.

That is pretty much what I did at first with my Sky Q box but I found that if I went for Sky ---> Amp ---> TV using HDMI for both connections that the TV did not recognise the signal as 4K. I fixed this by connecting the Sky Q box direct to the TV via HDMI and then connecting the audio to the amp via optical.

The player doesn't work at the moment and my local repair business seems to have ceased to be.

 

[bigboss]

You need to connect Sky Q to TV via HDMI and TV to amp via HDMI as well. Use the TV's ARC port to connect to the AV receiver. Your DVD player isn't even 1080p, so that be connected to the amp via HDMI. Blu ray players and UHD players are getting cheaper.....your DVD player is easily the weakest component in your system.

 

[Billy Was]

You need to connect Sky Q to TV via HDMI and TV to amp via HDMI as well. Use the TV's ARC port to connect to the AV receiver. Your DVD player isn't even 1080p, so that be connected to the amp via HDMI. Blu ray players and UHD players are getting cheaper.....your DVD player is easily the weakest component in your system.

Thanks i'll give it a go. I was looking to get a new DVD player as mine wasn't working but none had optical audio, hence this query. Hopefully now I won't need optical.

 

[bigboss]

Get a blu ray player. Plays DVDs as well.

 

[Billy Was]

Get a blu ray player. Plays DVDs as well.

Yep, I was looking at this one:

Panasonic DP-UB820EB-K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Player

 

[bigboss]

Good choice! You'll need to connect it directly to your TV for 4K compatibility as your AV receiver doesn't support 4K. Sound from TV will go to AV receiver via ARC.

 

[Billy Was]

I have connected the Amp to the ARC channel but there is no sound. I found the diagram below on the Sony site which appears to explain why - "However, if connecting a system that is not BRAVIA Sync-compatible or ARC capable, an additional audio connection via DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) is necessary."

I can stay with the optical connection from the TV to the Amp but this appears to lose any DTS signal and the amp has to use one of its artificial surround options:

Making a Connection
HDMI cable

• Antenna cable
• HDMI cable with ARC (Audio Return Channel)

If your Home Theatre System, TV, and the HDMI cable support ARC, it means the TV can transmit sound to Home Theatre System. When you connect the TV to the Antenna/Cable directly (without Set Top Box, it will allow you to hear the TV sound through speakers connected to Home Theatre System.

If you are using Set Top Box, you will need to output the sound from Set Top Box to Home Theatre System.

When connecting a BRAVIA Sync-compatible digital audio system with Audio Return Channel (ARC) technology, find the HDMI jack (socket) that carries the "ARC" mark (HDMI IN 1 or HDMI IN 2, depending on your model/ region/ country) and connect to it with an HDMI cable. However, if connecting a system that is not BRAVIA Sync-compatible or ARC capable, an additional audio connection via DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) is necessary.
If connecting a system that is not compatible with Control for HDMI or ARC, an additional audio connection is necessary:
HDMI + Optical Audio cable

 

[bigboss]

But your system should be compatible with ARC. You'll need to check the sound settings of your TV to make sure it's using ARC for sound. Then go to Onkyo's setup->Hardware->HDMI and enable first option on top of the list there. Hit the return key couple of times and av receiver should display "Searching and RHID ON" message. After this, you should be able to control Onkyo's volume with your TV's remote.

 

[Billy Was]

Okay, thanks for your patience bigboss. It will take a little juggling to try this as the output of the amp is not connected to the TV so I can't see the amp menus. Beginning to think that I need at least a 4k AV receiver.

 

[bigboss]

Okay, thanks for your patience bigboss. It will take a little juggling to try this as the output of the amp is not connected to the TV so I can't see the amp menus. Beginning to think that I need at least a 4k AV receiver.

You could go for a cheaper 4K blu ray player like Panasonic DP-UB159EB and put the money towards a new AVR.

 

[bigboss]

Okay, thanks for your patience bigboss. It will take a little juggling to try this as the output of the amp is not connected to the TV so I can't see the amp menus. Beginning to think that I need at least a 4k AV receiver.

The HDMI cable should connect TV's HDMI ARC port to the HDMI output of the amp. Only then it'll work. Maybe that's why it isn't working.

 

[Billy Was]

Okay, so I bought the Panasonic DP-UB820EB-K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Player as discussed and I love it.

To solve the 4K problem I have ordered the Sony STRDN1080 7.2 Channel Dolby Atmos Home Theatre AV ReceiverAmp . It arrives tomorrow.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Billy Was]

It all works like a dream, apart from the auto calibration but I was happy to do that manually. Well pleased!