Receiver Connections - all getting a bit confusing...

[DjP]

One of the reasons I really appreciate this forum is the combination of knowledgeable and helpful people (you often get one or the other) and then there's me....

So what I've learned from reading posts recently is:

1. HDMI isn't the single cable to rule them all - it only carries stereo sound (as well as the picture, obv)

2. You're better off (in terms of picture clarity) connecting the HMDI from the source (Blu Ray, Sky HD etc) direct to the TV rather than the receiver. If this is the case, why are manufacturers putting so many HDMI inputs on receivers these days? And therefore are receivers really only audio processors and not helping much on the video side (assuming we're using the Blu Ray player for picture upscaling).

I'm expecting a box of goodies tomorrow including a Onk 507 and a Q-AV sound bar to go with my Pana BD30 and Sony 40W4000 and it sounds like I should connect up as follows. Would appreciate any comments as to whether this is the "best" approach (I realise there's more than one opinion on such things...

Sky HD to 507: optical

BD30 to 507: optical

Sky HD to TV: HDMI

BD30 to TV: HDMI

507 to TV: HDMI - do I even need this any more?

I will of course report back with how all this looks / sounds if of interest. I realise I'm out on a limb a bit with both the 507 (not reviewed) and the Q-AV (not as good as "proper" 5.1), but it's the best set of compromises for what our room needs right now.

DjP

 

[professorhat]

Whoa there, it's only on Sky HD that only stereo is sent via HDMI - this is a limitation of the Sky box as opposed to the HDMI cable. Your Blu-Ray player should definitely be connected to the amp via HDMI as this is the way to get the HD audio formats.

 

[DjP]

Thanks Prof. I *told* you I was getting confused!

So, revised version:

Sky HD to 507: optical

BD30 to 507: HDMI

Sky HD to TV: HDMI - is this a redundant step?

507 to TV: HDMI

 

[simonlewis]

HDMI is the highest quality cable for audio & vision, in other words HDMI will accept all hd audio formats, so except sky you are best routing all HDMI's through the reciever. On the reciever the HDMI is normaly a pass through.

You've got everything right above except.

BD30 to 507: HDMI only for best sound & vision.

Don't use optical on BD30

 

[Big Aura]

you still need a HDMI to take the Sky HD picture to the screen. you can do this via the amp, and have only one HDMI cable going to the screen, or you can attach the HDMI from the Sky HD direct to the telly (preferred option, unless there's some manual switching required).

 

[The_Lhc]

The other point about sending the Sky HDMI straight to the TV is that it will allow you to watch TV without the amp on, should you want to.

 

[DjP]

Thanks all. I'd prefer to route everything to the amp and then only one HDMI to the TV, but will try both ways and see what the difference is in terms of picture quality. I can't believe that over two 1m lengths of QED Performance cable only being switched by the receiver in the middle that the picture would be drastically different, but I'm prepared to be wrong...

Will report back when I'm hooked up...

DjP

 

[The_Lhc]

You're quite correct there won't be any noticable difference in picture quality, so the only question is, are you prepared to watch TV with your amp on, ALL THE TIME? Because you'll have to if you run the Sky HDMI through the amp.

You'll also have to jigger about with the amp settings to make sure you get the Sky audio from the optical cable and not the HDMI...

 

[DjP]

I guess if I leave the Onk on all the time, I can turn the fire off

As an aside, any good way of working out which Sky broadcasts are 5.1? I'm assuming not everything (most?) that is broadcast in HD is also 5.1?

DjP

 

[The_Lhc]

Press the "i" button on the remote it'll tell you what the soundtrack is, DS is Dolby Surround (Pro-Logic basically), DD is, well you can guess...

Unfortunately with Sky that only works if the program is actually playing right then, which is one reason Virgin is better than Sky, you can get the "i" information for any program, without having to go into the full TV Guide.