Have 2 digital optical inputs, but need to hook up one more. Have one for DVD, one for cable box (not that that is great 5.1) and need one now for ps3 for blu ray movies any thoughts
I figured it out, Amazon.com has 12 ft optical cables for $1.87 ea, then for 4.99 a toslink digital optical splitter that is (after researcing) reversable for 2 inputs to 1 output, or vice verse http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002344GG
OK, here's another question. I notice a lot of new a/v receivers have multiple HDMI connections. Usually 3 in, and one out to tv. Why would you go from dvd, ps3, cable box etc. to a/v receiver, then out to tv. Why not just go directly into the tv. Am I missing something?
The reason is because if you connect everything to the TV and then connect the TV to AV, you are not going to receive HD sound. This is because the outputs on the TV are stereo (2 channel) and the PS3/Cable has 5 channel sound so your decreasing the quality. This is the same thing I asked because my TV has optical out so I wanted to connect everything to my TV and then connect that to my AV. I'm still going to do it because I want all my sources to have surround sound - it doesn't bother me that I'm not receiving 5 channels as I have a pro logic II decoder anyways.
Ok, so you're saying I should go HDMI from say dvd player to HDMI input on a/v, then HDMI out from a/v receiver to tv. Isn't the video signal degraded at that point. Isn't it simpler and clearer going from DVD directly to tv? From what I see. People are HDMI'ing dvd, cable box into a/v receiver, then out from that - ONE connect to tv.
NEver mind, i figured it out. the HDMI cable does video as well as audio for HD sound, so therefore no optical cable is needed
Yes, and makes it easier to switch from one thing, to the next. Going through the receiver for video too, means you don't have to change the input on the tv, when you change from dvd to tv. You just push the tv button on the remote.
And, there is NO degradation in video signal going through the a/v receiver, instead of directly going from the source to the TV????
Not if you have a good receiver. Only time I could think this might be true is if you had a receiver that could upconvert a SD DVD to 1080, but your tv's native resolution was 720p, so your tv will then downscale the image to its native resolution. That might degrade the picture quality a bit, but probably not enough to notice.
Ok, I'm (and i don't wanna spend the $$) getting the bug for a new a/v. Here's the situation. What I have: Sony KDS R70XBR2 OPPO dvd PS3 (only for blu ray) 5.1 speaker system....(not a package deal) Cable box Explorer 8300(not sat) and...Yamaha HTR 5140 (about 7 yrs old.)....great amp So, PS3 is hdmi to tv, (waiting for splitter to optical to amp..oppo is hdmi to tv optical to amp...stb is component to tv because was having issues, and tech said component hook-up would eliminate issue vs hdmi..optical to amp So, would upgrading to new amp give me better performance (blu ray sound that is)and better over all ease (remote working everything thru amp)...never did this before. Or, would the 5.1 sound the same and spending $$$.
Well yea, I would think if you bought a new amp that probably has better performance then your old one would help out. Not to sure if it's actually worth spending the money though. BTW.. Nice tv you got there man.
The tv blows everyone away. Guy was putting in new granite in my kitchen one day, across from where the tv is, and he asked me if I could put it on....lol
I guess what i'm sayin is....will a new amp change anything. Will the sound diff be noticeable. will they have a remote that will work everything easier. Your're right, why spend the $ if it's not necessary.
From an educated it guess, it might sound better. I'm sure there has been lots of improvement in the tech in the last 7 years. I don't know too much about amps, so I can't really tell you. But I'm sure whatever you got will still sound really good. There's a couple folks on here that know more about the amp stuff then I do. I'll see what they have to say when I see them around. They usually troll around this area of aD, so maybe they can chime in.
The biggest change in sound comes with different speakers. Speakers influence the sound more than anything else. I doubt you'll notice much of a change with another receiver, unless you get one that's a lot more powerful, and just does a better job driving the speakers you have. Not as long as you're using optical cable for audio from Blu ray. When using optical cable, the audio from a blu ray movie will sound just like a regular dvd. As far as getting everything to work with one remote, check out the Harmony remotes. Their cheapest one will work everything in the system, except the PS3 (I think). PS3 needs it's own remote, unless something new has come out.
Ok, I got the toslink bi-directional (joke) optical splitter, and tried putting 2 (dvd and ps3) into one optical back of AVR.....IT SUCKED!! didn't do anything. had sound for about a millisecond. So I tried dvd to optical, blu ray to optical...THEN....cable box coax audio out to the digital audio in on receiver. When I played a dvd, i also got sound from tv..I presume if I keep these connections I will have 5.1 from all three, but will have to turn off the cable box to keep the sound off from that????
