Andrew Everard:
Not sure I understand the question, but yes the Onkyo will accept digital inputs from CD players, DVD players, digital radios, games consoles, etc..
Do you have a specific problem in mind...?
Hi Andrew,
Given the complexity, you might regret asking that!
Yes. I'm trying to find a way of getting Sound from my Freesat HDR box to my Onkyo 605 SR receiver without being forced to run the HDMI to it because I don't want to be forced to have it switched on all the time because of the electricity it uses and because I don't want cinema sound to be permanently on with normal tv.
I currently have my Freesat HDR connect direct to my Pioneer 428XD Kuro into Input 3 via HDMI. However, no matter what I try, I cannot get sound out of the Pioneer back to the Onkyo through the Pioneer to Onkyo QED Optical cable I already have fitted and that I currently use for films on tv - it outputs sound perfectly well with tv, but is silent with Freesat on input 3.
The Freesat manual, suggests with HDMI you should connect direct to the tv but makes no mention of using an AV set up.
It does however, mention an AV setup where HDMI to scart conversion is used on a tv without HDMI in and here it suggests using HDMI out of the HDR to the tvs scart via a convertor plug then an optical cable from the HDR to the receiver although it specifically describes it as Sony SPIDF rather than straight optical.
I wondering therefore, if a HDMI to the Pioneer's HDMI port will work if combined with a 2nd optical cable from the HDR to the receiver so I can take or leave the cinema sound as I please. The only thing is, the Onkyo manual doesn't state if its supports SPIDF and when I googled it, it said it was a specific protocol that actually requires a handshake from the equipment in order to work! I didn't want to buy a QED optical cable only to find it wouldn't work!