Denon AVR-1909 - Audio pass through question

[pauljames]

Questions for you all (I have searched the forums, but didn't find a straight answer)

I am looking to buy a Denon AVR-1909 for use with the following kit...
Sky HD ( HDMI + Opt )
PS3 ( HDMI + Opt )
Wii ( Component + Phono )

I would like to have a single cable (HDMI) from the amp to the TV to ease wall mounting.

my questions are..

1. Can I choose to listen to the audio through just the TV?
2. If so, how do I set it up?
3. Is it easy to use day to day?
4. Will I need to leave the Amp on (rather not due to heat and power)?

And no this isn't because the wife can't work the surround sound, it's because when watching normal TV (or playing games late at night) I don't want the full bass-thumping surround sound experience, just some audio on the TV.

 

[spooney]

Your problem will be all your devices as they are connected right now do not output audio via HDMI.

Anyways I think there is a convenient remedy for your request: Set the AVR to output Stereo via the remore button and back to Standard for the surround sound.

 

[pauljames]

Set the AVR to output Stereo via the remore button and back to Standard for the surround sound.

Will this mean the sound is transmitted over HDMI to the TV, or will I require stereo phonos to the TV (if that's possible with my TV)?

 

[garylythgoe]

Im the same as you mate, it is possible to switch between TV and amp.

Go into the menu, and under the hdmi setup you can choose amp <> tv.

My problem is, this is a bit tiresome, just wondering if there is another avenue?! I.e a button or something?

 

[garylythgoe]

Hi mate, just reading an american forum, and got this snippet:

Q: What about power consumption?

A: Bugs has also been gracious enough to test this out with a "Kill-A-Watt" meter:

Power Consumption and Memory
There are 4 power states.

1. OFF: No power to any circuit (0 watts)
2. Standby, HDMI Control OFF: Power supplied to memory circuits (0.3 watts)
3. Standby, HDMI Control ON: Power supplied to memory and HDMI switching (30 watts)
4. ON: Power to all circuits (60 - 110 watts)

Toggle between OFF and Standby using the "ON/OFF" button.

Toggle between Standby and ON using the "ON/Standby" Button.

Toggle between "HDMI Control OFF" and "HDMI Control ON" in Menu>Manual Setup>HDMI Setup>HDMI Control. Note: setting HDMI Control to ON enables the 1909 to do an HDMI pass-through of audio and video signals when it is in Standby mode.

The memory circuits are powered in all states except OFF. The 1909 has memory back up that will retain Audyssey and other custom settings for about a week. If the 1909 is left OFF or unplugged for more than a week, you will lose any settings in memory and have to rerun Audyssey and input any personal tweaks again.

 

[spooney]

Will this mean the sound is transmitted over HDMI to the TV, or will I require stereo phonos to the TV (if that's possible with my TV)?

Nope - this means your AVR will only serve the front left and front right speaker, no sub, no center no surround speakers. All you need is adjust the volume
One button press for Stereo, one button press for Standard (5.1 for movies, stereo for CD)

 

[pauljames]

Nope - this means your AVR will only serve the front left and front right speaker, no sub, no center no surround speakers. All you need is adjust the volume
One button press for Stereo, one button press for Standard (5.1 for movies, stereo for CD)

Ah, so I still need the AVR on and using my separate speakers.

If I use the HDMI control feature mentioned above would I get sound on my TV using the TV speakers?

If not then I might do all the switching of video / audio in a separate box and keep my existing AMP.

 

[dwhite]

Not quite, garylythgoe gave you the solution earlier on in the thread.

There is a setting in HDMI Setup to change between amp audio out and tv audio out. You just have to toggle this setting depending on what you want. You will need the amp on at all times tho.

For the wii you will have to run a separate stereo phono connection to your tv, as it only converts the video to HDMI not the audio.

EDIT: Also you don't require the seperate optical input for your PS3. HDMI will do both multichannel audio and video for it. You are correct, however in having a separate optical input for the sky as it only does stereo over HDMI.

 

[pauljames]

Not quite, garylythgoe gave you the solution earlier on in the thread.

There is a setting in HDMI Setup to change between amp audio out and tv audio out. You just have to toggle this setting depending on what you want. You will need the amp on at all times tho.

For the wii you will have to run a separate stereo phono connection to your tv, as it only converts the video to HDMI not the audio.

EDIT: Also you don't require the seperate optical input for your PS3. HDMI will do both multichannel audio and video for it. You are correct, however in having a separate optical input for the sky as it only does stereo over HDMI.

Ok so is this an easily executed command from the remote or buried in a setup menu?
EDIT: Ah just read garylythgoe's message - can this be bound to a menu button (or onto a Harmony One or similar)?

And to confirm, my setup would be...
PS3 -> Amp (HDMI only)
Sky HD -> Amp (HDMI + Opt)
Wii -> Amp (Component + Phono)

Amp -> TV (HDMI + Phono)
HDMI for video for all components + audio for PS3 + SkyHD
Phono for audio from Wii

Still sounds like a good solution so I can have my kit in buried away from my TV and run minimal cables to the TV (if only the cheaper Denon's had the GUI overlayed on all video for volume etc).

Thanks for everybodies help.

 

[dwhite]

Its in the manual setup under HDMI Audio out. P32 of this manual.

But before you start burying cables in walls I would test everything works as you expect. I have little experience of using HDMI audio and suspect the HDMI audio tv out setting may pass the audio unprocessed, so for your PS3 you may also have to change the it to only output 2 ch PCM as I think most tv's won't handle multichannel LPCM.

Edit: Also for the Wii, does your tv have an audio input which you can associate with the HDMI? If not then your not going to be able to get the picture and sound on at the same time.

 

[dwhite]

Just re-read your original post and possibly the easiest way for you to use your system late at night is to switch DRC on (Dynamic Range Compression). This basically leaves the quiet sounds as they are but reduces the volume of loud sounds. You still use your speakers, but they shouldn't be as annoying to the nieghbours when something explodes.

 

[pauljames]

Its in the manual setup under HDMI Audio out. P32 of this manual.

But before you start burying cables in walls I would test everything works as you expect. I have little experience of using HDMI audio and suspect the HDMI audio tv out setting may pass the audio unprocessed, so for your PS3 you may also have to change the it to only output 2 ch PCM as I think most tv's won't handle multichannel LPCM.

Edit: Also for the Wii, does your tv have an audio input which you can associate with the HDMI? If not then your not going to be able to get the picture and sound on at the same time.

Bugger, it's never easy (or cheap) to get the perfect Home Cinema set up is it?

I wasn't goint to bury cables, just use a face plate with brush exits as the room for my kit is directly behind the wall I wanted to place my TV on.

And I don't think I can re-assign an audio input for HDMI on my TV.

Scrap the whole thing and back to the drawing board I think.

Any video processors that can take all my inputs and output what I want (that cost similar or less than the AVR-1909)?

 

[pauljames]

Just re-read your original post and possibly the easiest way for you to use your system late at night is to switch DRC on (Dynamic Range Compression). This basically leaves the quiet sounds as they are but reduces the volume of loud sounds. You still use your speakers, but they shouldn't be as annoying to the nieghbours when something explodes.

Not sure my wife would go for that as I don't think the AMP volume is overlayed on the TV output (and the amp will not be visible), but you never know.

 

[ShadowTD]

The 1909 has Audyssey Dynamic Volume with three settings - Day, Evening and Midnight. With it set to Midnight and the Dunamic EQ set ON you'll never want to use the TV speakers for low volume listening ever again. Trust me

 

[garylythgoe]

I'll try that out!

Can i just point out that if you set 'HDMI Control - ON' in the menu, when the AMP is on standby it will send sound through to the TV, with this setting 'OFF' no sound will be sent to the TV.

See my original bit here:

1. OFF: No power to any circuit (0 watts)
2. Standby, HDMI Control OFF: Power supplied to memory circuits (0.3 watts)
3. Standby, HDMI Control ON: Power supplied to memory and HDMI switching (30 watts)
4. ON: Power to all circuits (60 - 110 watts)

Toggle between OFF and Standby using the "ON/OFF" button.

Toggle between Standby and ON using the "ON/Standby" Button.

Toggle between "HDMI Control OFF" and "HDMI Control ON" in Menu>Manual Setup>HDMI Setup>HDMI Control. Note: setting HDMI Control to ON enables the 1909 to do an HDMI pass-through of audio and video signals when it is in Standby mode.