About HDMI in amps...

[Danteh]

Well I decided yo buy HT-DDWG800 (HTDDWG800) : Home Theatre and hi fi : Sony , seems perfect for me and everything.

But I'm extremely confused by why in its specs talks about 24p Cinema (wich my TV already has) and other VIDEO features. I've also heard people saying something about it's good because you can watch at 1080p with this amp (¿?), etc.

I'm a total noob at this, but aren't the Amps supossed to only care about sound? I thought that I had to connect a HDMI from the PS3 to the TV (for the video), and another to the amp ( for the sound). It's seems I'm totally wrong

If anybody would clarify this (the video things of the amp) and how must I connect my Bravia, PS3 and Home Cinema I would be very thankful

 

[dwhite]

HDMI can carry both audio and video. So you would connect your PS3 via HDMI to your amp and then your amp to the TV via HDMI. Providing your amp can handle LPCM audio over HDMI, you will get the HD audio from your bluray.

Doing this, obviously means the amp passes the video thru it. However some amps can't pass 1080p24.

 

[Danteh]

Nice, but what's the point of passing the video signal though the amp? I mean perhaphs it could lose quality with the "extra path" the signal must make, and if the amp doesn't support 24p you lose this feature..., any ways thanks for the response

 

[dwhite]

If you want HD audio from your PS3, then you have to pass the video/audio via HDMI thru the amp (it only has one HDMI output), you can't get it any other way.

For HDMI, you shouldn't lose any quality as it should be just passing a digital signal with no processing involved.

 

[sp_harris]

info here:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/integrated-av-amplifiers-receivers/920073-newbie-question-hdmi-amp-what.html

 

[Mark.Yudkin]

Striclty speaking you are correct. There is no point routing video through an amp. Since HDMI switching in your amp is not a simple switch but a transponder with re-encryption, this could introduce degradation. If the amp doesn't support a feature (as per the handshake), it will be negotiated down.

The problem is as dwhite says: HDMI carries both audio and video, and since you want the amp to extract the audio, you have no other choice. You my now groan loudly.

 

[bazonix]

in a very similar dilemma..

is there any way i could route the hdmi to my display and maybe route (via switcher) to the amp for sound?!!

i have an HK 255 which is used soley as a processor, having just bought an oppo 983 to revive my dvd collection, i dont want to lose anything this player is capable of.... but the HK does not 'pass-through' it plays about with the signal...

this renders blu-ray slightly (ever so) darker on my plasma but as the display is optimised, it still looks great, just annoying that the video is not as intended, as when sources are connected directly, there is a difference in PQ....

its a joke really... do i connect directly and lose the OSD or do i live with the knowledge that the amp is having its little say so?!!!!

 

[Mark.Yudkin]

The answer to your first question is yes, but it will gain you nothing. You're simply replacing an HDMI switching transponder with an HDMI splitting transponder. You might just as well save the money for something else.

As for the HK 255's "darkening" the image, try using the video modes menu to set Video Mode to Off, or to adjust the brightness / contrast.