A/V Receiver query

SK1979

Hey guys

Got a bit of a stupid question but I'm gonna ask it anyway. I've currently got an AV amp with 2 HDMI inputs. They are filled with Sky HD and PS3. I then have the only HDMI out on my Amp into the TV. Sound is grand and works no problem.

However, I've just been given an Xbox 360 and would ideally like to be able to get surround sound through the amp for the games on it. However, I lack another HDMI input. Therefore, is it possible to run the HDMI for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Sky HD directly to the TV (there's 4 HMDI inputs on this) and then run an optical from the TV to the Amp for the sound? Will that work? Then the TV handles the video processing, but the Amp still handles the sound? I'm pretty sure its not that simple though. :-(

Cheers

Idleater

Not sure, but if you read the manual for the TV it will outline what is outputted via the Optical connection, and also if HDMI audio is routed to it.

It may be easier to get a HDMI switch to allow more than one HDMI device (obviously only one on at a time) connect to one of your AVR ports.

Mountjoy Mugger

I wound up using 3 of my 4 HDMI slots on the TV, but used optical connections (I have several) on my receiver. I'd recommend this path, if it's available to you.

SK1979

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll check the Amp when I get home, I cant remember how many Optical in's it has. Its a Pioneer 1018 if thats any use.

I just have it in my head that the only way to have the amp doing the sound is putting the HDMI's through it. I hope its not as it was pretty stupid on my part buying the Amp with only 2 HDMI's in then.

If I can mix and match that would be great, i.e. put PS3 and Xbox straight into the Amp and then run the Amp to the TV for their sound and then put the Sky signal straight to the TV and run an Optical to the Amp from the TV for the Sky sound, that would be ideal.

Idleater

SK1979 wrote: »

If I can mix and match that would be great, i.e. put PS3 and Xbox straight into the Amp and then run the Amp to the TV for their sound and then put the Sky signal straight to the TV and run an Optical to the Amp from the TV for the Sky sound, that would be ideal.

What you actually want to do is run the optical from the sky box direct to the amp, rather than going through the TV.

That is assuming the skybox will allow both HDMI and Toslink at the same time.

Mountjoy Mugger

A Pioneer VSX-1018 is what I have too...

lethal dose

Hi,
I run hdmi from ps3 to tv for picture and optical out from ps3 to denon amp for sounds. The sound quality is great!

Idleater

I wouldn't pick the ps3 for that, rather the xbox or sky box since the ps3 can output hd audio over hdmi. again assuming your avr can decode dd/dts hd or uncompressed lpcm.

lethal dose

Your assuming that I have hdmi inputs/outputs on my amp too:)

Idleater

lethal dose wrote: »

Your assuming that I have hdmi inputs/outputs on my amp too:)

No, to be fair, I assumed the opposite, and wrote my clarification for the OP's benefit.

To clarify further:
all things being equal, the optical output from the sky box/xbox is worse than the optical from the PS3. The PS3 will downmix BluRay HD audio to full bit rate DTS (1.5 Mb/s) so if you have no HDMI and rely on optical for the Best quality, then the PS3 downmixed to DTS is better than the XBOX which doesn't do BR.

For an AVR without HDMI for HDAudio, yes, my preference would be to use the optical connection from the PS3 above that in the Xbox. To say that the OP should use Optical from the ps3 in place of HDMI audio (assuming codecs exist) is not the best advice.

byte

SK1979 wrote: »

Hey guys

Got a bit of a stupid question but I'm gonna ask it anyway. I've currently got an AV amp with 2 HDMI inputs. They are filled with Sky HD and PS3. I then have the only HDMI out on my Amp into the TV. Sound is grand and works no problem.

However, I've just been given an Xbox 360 and would ideally like to be able to get surround sound through the amp for the games on it. However, I lack another HDMI input. Therefore, is it possible to run the HDMI for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Sky HD directly to the TV (there's 4 HMDI inputs on this) and then run an optical from the TV to the Amp for the sound? Will that work? Then the TV handles the video processing, but the Amp still handles the sound? I'm pretty sure its not that simple though. :-(

Cheers

An option might be...

Have the PS3 and Xbox running via HDMI into the AV Amp, with HDMI from Amp to TV.

Have the SkyHD box wired directly to a TV HDMI input and use optical cable from SkyHD to Amp. I specifially singled out the SkyHD box, as it only outputs Dolby Digital 5.1 over optical (unless things changed very recently, and Sky have said it's being considered, HDMI on Skybox only outputs stereo).