How many HDMI Cables do I need?

[admin_exported]

I have bought a new Plasma TV and AV Receiver after reading the reviews in What Hi-Fi? I have been reading the manual of my new AV Receiver (Sony STR-DA1200ES) and it says I actually need 2 HDMI cables to connect to my TV (Panasonic TH-42PX70A). 1 HDMI goes from the TV's HDMI Output to the receiver's TV Input and the 2nd HDMI goes from the TV's HDMI IInput to the receiver's Monitor Out.

I was planning on buying the QED Qunex HDMI-P, do I really require 2 HDMI cables for this or would I be better off with one HDMI and 1 cheaper cable such as a Component or S Video?

The instructions for the Sony STR-DA1200ES also show a Optical Digital Cord in the diagram of connecting up to a TV Montior using HDMI, Is this Optical Cord really required?

Thanks

Conway

 

[Andrew Everard]

Don't get that at all. You need one HDMI from the receiver monitor out to the TV if you are connecting other devices to the receiver (DVD player, Sky HD etc) and want to switch the picture with the sound, but the STR-DA1200ES has no HDMI audio capability - it just has pass-through switching - so I can't see what function the other HDMI cable serves.

If you want to run sound from your TV's tuner through the Sony, then yes you'll need either an optical digital or analogue stereo connection from the TV to the receiver. The Panasonic has both kinds of connection.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice Andrew. I couldn't see why I would need a second HDMI Cable. I am glad I didn't waste money buying 2. I have ordered 1 HDMI and 1 Optical Digital as you recommended!

Great magazine and great advice! Much appreciated.

Conway

 

[Andrew Everard]

Are you connecting other sources through the Sony's HDMI pass-through to the TV? If not, then you don't even need the HDMI from the receiver to the TV, just the optical cable to feed TV sound into the receiver.

You only really need the HDMI link from receiver to TV if you are connecting a DVD player or whatever with an HDMI output to the receiver, and then on to the TV.

But then again you could connect such a DVD player straight to the TV via HDMI, bypassing the Sony, and just run a digital audio feed from player to receiver.

Just trying to clarify here...

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am connecting my old non-HMDI DVD Player (Pioneer DV-355) to the Sony. I am hoping to upgrade to the Denon DVD-1930 soon.

I ended up conecting the DVD Player to the Panasonic with Composite Cables, and to the Sony Receiver with Digital Coaxial and Audio Cables. (I'm not sure if I really needed both coaxial and audio).

The Panasonic is connected to the Sony via 1 HMDI from the Sony's Monitor Out to the Panasonic's HMDI 1 and a Digital Optical Cable from the Panasonic to the Sony for sound as you recommended.

Does this method of connection sound right? When performing the Auto Calibration on the Sony I noticed I do not get an image on the TV. I expected to see the Calibration screen on the Panasonic's HDMI 1 AV setting. But I don't get anything. Have I missed something? I get perfect TV image and sound but need to switch the Panasonic to AV3 to get the DVD Picture. (No Calibration screen on AV3 either)

I can't see why the Sony's instructions say to use 2 HMDI Cables, as most TV's wouldn't have a HDMI Output would they? The Panasonic doesn't so I don't think a HDMI from the Pansonic HMDI 2 - Sony's TV/Sat In would perform any fuction?

I hope all that doesn't come across as confusing as it is to me! Thanks again for all the advice and tips.

Conway

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew

What audio cable would you recommend for connecting the Denon 1930 to the Sony STR-DA1200ES?

I have connected the Denon 1930 directly to the TV (Panasonic TH-42PX70A) with a QED Qunex HDMI-P.

Maybe a good Co-axial for the audio connection? The IXOS or a QED? Or would a Digital Optical be better?

Thanks

Conway

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, an electrical digital cable will be best - either of the two mentioned will do the job perfectly well.

 

[harrisonaard1]

Having read this thread, I am incensed at the fact that the STR-1200 wasn't even made to handle audio information from HDMI. What's the bloody point in having the connections in the first place!? I might have guessed by the fact that my existing Sony HXD-710 doesn't have HDMI, so component video/coaxial sound had to be used. No that I also have a Sony BD, I obviously thought that the HDMI connections make it a one-stop-idiot-proof-quality-connection. Come on Sony, This is useless! Send us an update modification to connect the sound you fools. Thank you for the helpful thread though.

 

[The_Lhc]

harrisonaard1:Come on Sony, This is useless! Send us an update modification to connect the sound you fools.

No, it's not useless, it's cheap, you won't get an "update modification", so you need to spend more money.

 

[TWARDLAW]

Hi the question I have is :- I would like to connect my bluray player and my HD sat-box directly to my TV, at the same time have an HDMI audio breakout to my surround sound receiver for full HD sound. It may seem daft, but my wife likes to watch films and sat tv when I am not home but cannot get to grips with having to turn on everything in order to do so, so I am looking for a way of keeping it simple, even with the loss of surround sound.

is there a simple, reliable and cheap splitter that would make it possible to do this ?