Hey all, I just got a sony 6.1 receiver (with speakers) and a sony bravia 46" LCD TV. I was reading through the manual for the receiver and it was talking about running HDMI from my cable box to the receiver then HDMI back to the TV then coaxial or optical from the TV back to the receiver. It says that this will allow me to do multi channel surround broadcasting. What is this exactly? I don't understand how this affects and the sound both in terms of volume and quality. Any help would be great.
Unless Sony has changed the way things work, I think you may be misreading something. If they are talking about using digital coax or optical, along with HDMI, The receiver must pass through the HDMI, instead of processing it. Also, the digital audio outputs on a tv (digital coax or optical), is usually for audio from the built in tuner........only (for getting OTA HD channels in 5.1). The way that's worded, it's kinda misleading. Multi-Channel is usually referring to using the 5.1 analog inputs of receiver (sacd and/or dvd-a), in Multi-Channel Mode, instead of DVD Mode, which can't be done by digital audio outputs, except on high end equipment, with proprietary connections (Denon link, etc.). They are talking about broadcasting in 5.1/6.1 surround sound. Since your receiver is a pass through for HDMI, here is what I'd do: Run the HDMI cable from your cable box, straight to your tv, for video. Then run digital coax or optical cable, from your cable box, to your receiver, for audio. Same thing with DVD player (if equipped that way). If DVD player has the 6 analog outputs, run them AND the digital output. Digital output for movies, and 6 analog outputs for sacd or dvd-a, or lossless audio from HD DVD or Blu ray high def dvd players. TV is used only for video. Since you have an A/V receiver, no audio cables should be going to or from the tv. I hope this wasn't too confusing? Good luck! )
Thanks I totally understand what you're saying, and I ask you another question...is it better to use HDMI for the audio or optical/coax? Also, I was running my cable box with HDMI through my receiver and then running it back to the TV (for video), and the image keeps cutting in and out. I am doing the same thing with my PS3 and I'm having no problems. Any ideas about what could be going on here? I'm guessing that the HDMI port on the cable box may be busted because I tried connecting it straight to the TV and I still get a jumpy image. I was also reading about maybe some copyright protection problem, and I was wondering if that's what's going on here. Once again thanks for the help.
You'll only get audio through the HDMI, if your A/V receiver processes HDMI audio, or maybe connecting straight to tv, but then no surround. If receiver is only an HDMI pass through, you'll have to use digital coax or optical, to get 5.1/6.1 surround. Also, if your receiver is a pass through for HDMI, DD or DTS is all you'll be able to use with the Blu ray player, in the ps3, since the ps3 doesn't have the 5.1 analog outputs. To get the Dolby TrueHD or dts-HD, the receiver needs to process the audio through the HDMI. I'd bet the image cutting in and out is the cable box. Tell the cable company what it's doing, and you want it to stop. Maybe replacing the box will fix the problem............ Good luck!
Once again thanks for the help, I just found out that the receiver is not just a pass through it is a decoder. I'll call my cable company tomorrow and see if I can get this figured out.
