Dual Output AV Receiver for 1080p TV & 4K Projector: Recommendations

joeu1998

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I am quite new to the AV world, having recently purchased an Epson TW9400 and now finding myself in the middle of setting up our home theatre.

I do not yet have an AV receiver but I’m looking to purchase one, so that I can send our firestick, PS4, etc to either our TV or projector, without having to keep moving devices around / switching cables.

I’ve already read this similar thread (and commented) but didn’t get any response, so figured I would start a new thread.

Projector is an Epson TW9400 as mentioned which accepts a 4K signal with all the HDR / 60p goodness (fibre optic HDMI cables being fitted soon) - while the TV is only a basic 1080p panel.

Only one output on the receiver will ever be used at once, i.e. we will either watch the projector, or the TV - never both at once. My understanding is that most AV receivers with dual outputs, will limit the outputs to the lowest resolution that’s connected to it, so because our TV is 1080p, I won’t be able to get the 4K HDR image on the projector.

I’ve read some comments about disconnecting the TV HDMI cable from the receiver when not in use, or powering off the TV, or doing some stuff in the settings - but if I have to fiddle around with cables, it defeats the purpose of getting an AV receiver in the first place.

Would anyone be able to recommend a receiver that can handle having 2x different output resolution devices connected (but not both in use), that will allow me to get the best image on the PJ that it can accept, even while connected to a 1080p TV? I have looked into many receivers with dual outputs, but keep coming across this issue of ‘mirrored’ outputs which limit the resolution/quality on both.

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions.

Edit: I don’t have a ‘proper’ sound system, and won’t be able to for quite some time (the projector took enough persuasion, without adding speakers all over the room…) So any receiver I purchase will need to support 3.5mm audio out to an existing Bose speaker (criminal, I know!)
 
Even if using an AV receiver with 2 HDMI outputs, the video processing associated with both those outputs will be the same. You don't get independant processing via each output and the outputs simply mirror one another.

If connecting a PJ and a TV that have differering video handling caoabilities then you'd be advised not to have both outputs active at the same time. If you were to have both outputs engaged then the least capable of the 2 devices would take priority and determine what your sources can output. This will even happen if the least capable device is in standby and not in use. If the AV receiver makes it difficult to select between the outputs without having to delve down into the AV receiver's configurations, you can negate the effect the unused display or Pj may be having by turning it off at it mains power supply. This would prevent that device from being able to output its HDMI EDID for scrutiny by the video source.

Some AV receiver manufacturers make things a lot easier by actually including HDMI output selection buttons on their remotes. Yamaha for instance do this while the likes of Denon and Marantz don't. You'd basically have to go into the AV receiver's configurations in order to activate or deactivate one of the AV receiver's HDMI outputs.

I'd not suggest you persue trying to connect an AV receiver up to your existing soundbar. A soundbar and an AV receiver aren't really designed for partnering with one another. An AV receiver's primary function is to process and then amplify audio, primarily surround sound. AV receivers don't really facilitate passing audio through them. The closest you'd get to what you appear to be wanting is to use the AV receiver's headphone jack, but this signal will not be line level and the level you get input into the speaker you have would be determined by the volume setting on the AV receiver.

I guess you could pass both the HDMI audio and video out and through the AV receiver to either the TV or the PJ and then use the TV's or the PJ's audio output to convey the audio to your existing speaker(s)? This means that the AV receiver is being used as a rather expensive HDMI switch or matrix as opposed to being used as it was intended to be used.

Given the fact that you don't appear to want the audio processing associated with an AV receiver, maybe an HDMI matrix is more in alignment with what you are after? This would allow HDMI source switching and distribuition of the HDMI signal to more than one device.

Amazon product ASIN B07TD81BDH
 
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Some AV receiver manufacturers make things a lot easier by actually inclusing HDMI output selection buttons on their remotes. Yamaha for instance do this while the likes of Denon and Marantz don't. You'd basically have to go into the AV receiver's configurations in order to activate or deactivate one of the AV receiver's HDMI outputs

I've had a few Denon and Marantz models, the HDMI output settings are stored as part of the smart select or quick select functions, my current Marantz has 4 quick select buttons which give a quick way of selecting this and various other functions.
 

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