HDTV/HDMI audio component questions

I'm getting ready to take the plunge and upgrade to an HDTV, and I think I've about got the video end of it sorted out, but my question is about my audio setup...

I've got a perfectly good preamp-tuner with a stand-alone amp right now. The amp is better than anything I've found in any of the HDMI-compatible receivers out there, so I'd like to keep using it. For the time being, I'm only going to be switching inputs between the HD DirecTV and a DVD player (BluRay's coming, probably sooner than later). If I use the analog video switching of my old preamp, how much picture quality am I going to lose? I suspect it's going to be shitty, so I'm prepared to pony up for a new preamp or receiver (or find a way to jerry-rig till I get a BluRay player). FYI, the TV I'm looking at has multiple HDMI and analog inputs, so I assume I could find a way to run digital video signal from the DirecTV to the TV, and then pipe the audio through my preamp... just thinking out loud here.

As far as HDMI-ready receivers, what's a good one to look at? I'd like to find a way to work in my old amp, even though it's analog... but hey, I don't have digital speakers yet, so what's the big deal, right?

Most HDTV sets have an optical output. Just run everything to the TV, then feed the audio back to your receiver.

If the set you're considering lacks optical output, try Samsung... It's got TI™ inside and you'll make Dave happy if you buy one.

I am a fan of either Onkyo or Dennon, both to my knowledge have receivers that are capable of HDMI switching. The nice thing about HDMI is that it carries both audio and video. I cannot vouch for this source, but there are some places to get cables way cheaper than the local stores

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Originally Posted by Magma

I cannot vouch for this source,

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I can. Quality cables for cheap and shipped fast.

I can also vouch for this source
And I agree with TC, feed all the HDMI to the TV, for best quality picture and simplicity. Then feed the audio out to your existing reciever, weather it's optical or plain RCA's so you won't have to get a new reciever and you can better use the money toward the TV set.

That sounds like a pretty good plan. No sense ditching a perfectly good preamp if I don't have to. I think the TV I was looking at had all the proper ins and outs to set that up, but I'll double check - it was a Samsung, after all (plasma, though, not a TI DLP)!

Anybody know if that way of hooking up the audio will give me 2 volume controls, or should the TV have a fixed line-level audio out (like a DVD player)?

Thanks for the input so far!

Pre-outs are usually at a fixed line level.

Make sure you compare shop everywhere online also; tiger, newegg, amazon, and costco.com.
Costco is where I got mine. 2 year warranty and 90 day no questions asked return policy.

Target and Wally world also have decently priced HDMI cables.

Chris
Chris

What about us guys who still use a coke can on a coax cable?

I've got about 4 grand in audio/video but dont feel like paying a video pimp for crappy channels I will never watch.
I guess that's all coming to an end in (09?)

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Originally Posted by Billy Blaze

What about us guys who still use a coke can on a coax cable?

I've got about 4 grand in audio/video but dont feel like paying a video pimp for crappy channels I will never watch.
I guess that's all coming to an end in (09?)

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IMHO, either of the dish services are a waaaay better deal than cable (and there's puh-lenty of crap on cable that you'll never watch). I switched from cable a few years back and bundled all my services (TV+phone+DSL) with SBC. I ended up getting a hell of a lot more (more channels, better picture, 2 DVRs) for about $80 less each month. My bill for basic digital cable had crept up to $75/month, and that's without any movie channels! Plus, you have the added bonus of not having to be at the mercy of the cable service monkeys.

If you do run the HDMI thru the tv make sure that it does not do any internal processing of the signal. Most likely it wont, but you don't want a TV making audio changes to the original signal.


I'm a purest, and run directly from source to source. No switching, down/up converting ect. The more paths that you put the signal thru, you will have a larger chance of noise being inserted.

Just like speakers, ALL receivers and pre-amps have different sounds. You would not want to mix Pioneer with Klipsch, or Denon with B&W.

[QUOTE=Magma;131420]I am a fan of either Onkyo or Dennon,



You can also look at Yamaha.

OK... I went and looked at a couple of HDMI receivers (now I'm getting the bug). Looking at some specs online, I see that some of the lower-end units have HDMI inputs listed as "Video Passthrough" as opposed to "HDMI 1.3a"...

It sounds to me like the "Video Passthrough" is fancy way of saying I'll still need separate audio cables to run the audio to the receiver - thus making the HDMI solely a video transport. Am I right? If so, that seems to defeat the purpose of the HDMI interface... namely the "M" part.

So... can I assume that an HDMI 1.3 input will support audio? If so, the only cables/wires I'll need are the HDMI cables from my components to the receiver, the one cable to the HDTV, and the speaker wire. Safe assumption? If so, I think I'm likely going to start steering toward a whole HDMI setup... funny how that works, eh?

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated! I think I'm on a roll here... :D

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Originally Posted by trickyrix

OK... I went and looked at a couple of HDMI receivers (now I'm getting the bug). Looking at some specs online, I see that some of the lower-end units have HDMI inputs listed as "Video Passthrough" as opposed to "HDMI 1.3a"...

It sounds to me like the "Video Passthrough" is fancy way of saying I'll still need separate audio cables to run the audio to the receiver - thus making the HDMI solely a video transport. Am I right? If so, that seems to defeat the purpose of the HDMI interface... namely the "M" part.

So... can I assume that an HDMI 1.3 input will support audio? If so, the only cables/wires I'll need are the HDMI cables from my components to the receiver, the one cable to the HDTV, and the speaker wire. Safe assumption? If so, I think I'm likely going to start steering toward a whole HDMI setup... funny how that works, eh?

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated! I think I'm on a roll here... :D

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You are right, that is the best option. You will get the most out of your HD-DVD/Blu_ray player that way too. If the receiver decodes from the HDMI you can get true lossless audio.

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Originally Posted by trickyrix

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated!

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Go to www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ and start reading. ;)

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Originally Posted by sammm

Go to www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ and start reading. ;)

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Argh! Can't search without signing up! :punchout:

EDIT: OK... found an answer to my question... for anyone else who's interested, "Video Passthrough" means you still need separate audio cables, sooooo... looks like I should be shooting for the HDMI 1.3 capability.

Thanks!

All right... well, it looks like I'm going to go ahead and pop for a receiver, and I've got it narrowed down to:

Onkyo TX-SR805

Denon AVR-2808CI

Pioneer VSX-91TXH

All of these look pretty even, features-wise... anybody got any favorites among these? Any other suggestions? I culled the similar Yamaha b/c it didn't have the latest version of HDMI (only v1.2, all the others have v1.3a).

BTW, these are my main speakers... ;)

I always minimize the number of connections. In theory better performance, but at minimum it requires fewer cables. We've got FiOS at our house with their HDTV box with built in DVR. I run HDMI from the box to the tv for the video and I run an optical connection from the box to my processor for the audio. Admittedly my processor is old enough that it doesn't have HDMI connections.

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Originally Posted by Prova7

I always minimize the number of connections. In theory better performance, but at minimum it requires fewer cables. We've got FiOS at our house with their HDTV box with built in DVR. I run HDMI from the box to the tv for the video and I run an optical connection from the box to my processor for the audio.

My speakers. Not my amps.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kidder...stinPowers.JPG

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I love tube amps:)

Amazon has a good price on the Onkyo Click Here

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Originally Posted by Magma

Amazon has a good price on the Onkyo Click Here

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Yup... saw that... is it a good unit? I mean, it looks pretty damn good to me.

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Originally Posted by trickyrix

Yup... saw that... is it a good unit? I mean, it looks pretty damn good to me.

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My last receiver was a Denon. My current is an Onkyo (TX-SR604, older model lacking some of the HDMI goodies). Hard to go wrong with either IMHO.