Routing through AV...or not?

[admin_exported]

Hi

Looking at a surround system for tv, blu ray, x box and Virgin V+ box to go through and have had some very good advice telling me how to connect.....thanks all

One question I have though is that most of the time I wont be interested in the surround sound but instead will rely on good old tv speakers to produce the sound when I have to be quiet or kids are using the tv.

If I have routed all my items eg X box or V+ box HDMI'ed to the AV receiver does this mean I always need to have the AV receiver on...even if I dont want the surround support audio at the time. Do I need to connect the v+ box etc to the av system and separately to the tv.

Trying to avoid spaghetti junction and ensure I can use all my equipment with or without av support

Thanks in advance

G

 

[Dave_]

yes if you run all your kit through the receiver it will need to be on! assuming that it will be the v+ that gets the most use, i would connect it direct to tv via the hdmi and via optical to the receiver eliminating the need to have the receiver on all the time when using the v+ box

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks dave

I think I will route the V+ box, x box and blu ray straight to tv and separately optical cable to av

Seems like I may not need the 3 hdmi inputs for an av

Would I lose sound quality if I went down a non-hdmi route for linking to the av

Thanks

G

 

[gregvet]

Be aware that the Blu Ray cannot send HiDef audio formats through optical, only HDMI or analogue, so doing this may mean missing out on (IMO) the biggest benefit of having Hi Def in the first place!

ÿ

I would at least advise routing the Blu Ray through the amp.

ÿ

ÿ

 

[nads]

Gavin C:
Thanks dave

I think I will route the V+ box, x box and blu ray straight to tv and separately optical cable to av

Seems like I may not need the 3 hdmi inputs for an av

Would I lose sound quality if I went down a non-hdmi route for linking to the av

Thanks

G

in one word Yes.

 

[professorhat]

This is actually a really complicated answer - I started to answer it but got two paragraphs in and realised even then, I'd left some information out! At the end of the day, it's possible to have what you want in terms of everything being able to output via the TV or the amp, but it very much depends on what components you have in your AV amplifier and Blu-Ray player to even make it possible and even then, if you do have the right kit, it involves changing settings on both before the correct sound comes out.

I would ask the question someone else asked - can you not just have it connected to the surround sound and just turn the volume down when it needs to be quiet? A decent system will perform just as well at low volumes as high ones, there's no need to resort to the TV speakers for this.

 

[Big Chris]

As others have said. Why would you want to listen to the TV speakers when you've got a proper system to play through?

My TV speakers have only been used for 10 days or so in the 3+ years I've owned it, and that was when my A/V amp went off for repair.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am the same as Chris, my AV system spends most of its time on TV. It's a much better/clearer sound.
Play it as quiet as you want, much more detail on low volumes.

Thats the way to go IMO.

 

[Andrew Everard]

My 'TV' doesn't have speakers. Or indeed a tuner...

 

[cram]

Big Chris:As others have said. Why would you want to listen to the TV speakers when you've got a proper system to play through? My TV speakers have only been used for 10 days or so in the 3+ years I've owned it, and that was when my A/V amp went off for repair.

I'm similar to the OP - I don't want to listen to everything always through the surround sound. This applies mainly to the TV where, unless I'm watching something I've been looking forward to, I'm really not bothered and the TV speakers are just fine. Plus by not using the amp I'm saving electricity (have got an Onkyo 876 and that drinks electricity)

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, but it heats the room up as well!

Full Class A, don't you love them.

 

[Anonymous]

I have mine connected into my stereo set-up - the TV speakers are in a box, unused so far.

Works well and the low volume is probably better than you'd get through tv speakers.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with everyones sentiment re using the av, however my main driver is family orientated. My 4 year old regularly puts on the V+ and DVDs. I am reluctant to let him blast out volume through the av to protect my own ears, neighbours, and probably most importantly any speaker equipment I may have.

Felt it best to let him have purely telly control only. I have an alcove in the back of the wall so cables from eg V+ or dvd to tv, and separate cables to av for use as and when required felt like an ideal safe kiddy friendly solution.

There also seems to be a next step beyond usual telly set up...that might indicate overkill from wifes viewpoint. I can just imaging the reaction when I ask her to turn volume up for telly through another box!

Sounds like if I go down a 'try everything' solution it adds complication and I need anaologue rather than optical inputs

Thanks all

 

[professorhat]

Okay, I can understand where you're coming from for your child. For the V+ box, I think if you hook up direct to the TV via HDMI and then to the amp via optical, you will get sound through both at the same time (hopefully someone else can confirm this). This just means turning the TV down when using the amp. For the Xbox, assuming your TV has analogue inputs, you can use the Component cable and connect the video cables to the TV for picture and the two RCA phono cables into the TV for audio. You can also connect an optical cable up to the amp which can carry sound when you want to use the amp. I don't think you'd need to change anything in the Xbox settings for this but I can check this later on for you.

The Blu-Ray is where it gets complicated. Really, you want to have the player connected to your amp via HDMI to get the best possible sound. I believe some amps will allow you to pass the audio on to the TV via the HDMI between the amp and the TV. I'm not sure if the amp would have to be on for this work, it would at least have to be in standby - you'll definitely need to research this. The only other way I can think to do this would be to buy a player which can decode all formats onboard and has multichannel outputs. You could then set the player to decode onboard, hook the player to the TV using HDMI and the amp using the analogue multichannel outputs (effectively six RCA phono cables). By changing the settings on the Blu-Ray player, you could then decide whether the audio goes via HDMI to the TV or via the multichannel outputs to the amp. The downside of this is, depending on the Blu-Ray player and AV receiver you have, you might not be getting the best sound available to you.

Whatever you do, I would definitely suggest looking into a Logitech Harmony remote. This will at least solve your other issue with your wife. With the Harmony, you can set it up to tell it, when someone presses the "Watch DVD" button, the TV, amplifier and Blu-Ray player all switch on and the TV and amplifier get set to the correct input so the Blu-Ray players welcome page will automatically appear on the TV. You can also tell it, increasing the volume for this activity involves the amplifier, not the television, so the remote will adjust the volume on the amplifier. At the same time, you can have another activity called "Watch TV". This can be set to only switch on the TV (or leave that on and switch everything else off if you have just watched a DVD), change the TV's input to say, the standard TV freeview tuner, or it could switch on the V+ box and set the TV to the correct input for this (all automatically). You can also tell it, for this activity, the volume control should then control the TV's volume setting, not the amplifier's. This takes away all the hassle of knowing which remote does what for which device etc. and should simplify things greatly for your wife.

Hopefully this info is of use, let me know if anything is unclear.

 

[The_Lhc]

Gavin C: There also seems to be a next step beyond usual telly set up...that might indicate overkill from wifes viewpoint. I can just imaging the reaction when I ask her to turn volume up for telly through another box!

This is the problem I have, the missus does know how to use the amp, she's just terrified of it (well, terrified she's going to break it, I wouldn't mind, it's about ten years old, it'd be a good excuse to get a new one...), she doesn't want to use the amp when she's watching TV, and most of the time I can't be ar^H^H^H bothered to either, it's just not worth the effort for watchdog or some other rubbish like that.

Having said that I don't have a flatscreen yet, so once I've got one the onboard sound might be so bad I'll end up listening to everything through the amp anyway, but that's a question for another day...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks proff

I will take your solution and definitely feed the blu ray through the av

V+ and therefore nickolodeon junior to bypass the av......and just have to put up with my better half wondering why I need so many boxes!

 

[Anonymous]

I thought you could set the Onkyo up to pass picture and sound (basic stereo) out with the amp in standby?!

I know my amp will definitely pass the picture through without it being on but have not yet checked the sound.

It is part of the way you set up the HDMI in the amp menu.

 

[Sorreltiger]

I can guarantee that when other halves and sprogs get to use the wonderful Harmony remote which you have purchased, they will congratulate you on your wisdom, rather than berate you for wasting money on yet another gadget! ÿI was going to say that it makes everything idiot proof, but I'd better notÿ

 

[Anonymous]

That would solve all my problems

I was being tempted by either the sony str dg820 (or if i get severe budget creep the Yamaha dsp ax863se)

Can anyone tell me if picture and stereo sound from sources such as V+ and dvd would go through these avs if they were on standby

(might be worth a separate topic as this helps me decide on separates versus awaiting a semi decent all in 1)

Thanks shreddy for giving me a glimmer of hope here