HDMI Matrix with AV Receiver

[mark88]

I'm trying to plan a multi room setup, an Octava HDMI matrix will be at the centre of it. I've never owned a home cinema receiver before so can't get my head around how the av receiver will work with the matrix.

The only zone in the house to have 5.1 will be the living room. All my sources(ps3, sky HD etc) will be connecting to the matrix which then feeds wall mounted TVs in the rooms. What's the best way to connect them to the AV receiver? Most of them only have 1 x HDMI output.

Or do I just treat the AVR as 'display' and connect it an output of the hdmi matrix? this would mean none of the video sources are connected directly to the AVR though, so I would only be using the receiver for audio processing. Should all my video sources be connected to the AVR or the Matrix?

 

[Joe Fernand]

The audio ability of the connected Sink (Display) devices will dictate how best to connect the system.

Only include the AVR in the HDMI signal path if all of your Display devices support 5,1/7.1 via HDMI or you are happy with the requirement to toggle your Sources between 2.0 and 5.1/7.1 depending on where you are viewing/listening!

If the Sources, HDMI Matrix and AVR are collocated in one place its often simpler to use Optical or Coaxial to get a 5.1 signal into the AVR from each Source and use HDMI to deliver Video + 2.0 audio to each Display connected to the Matrix.

Joe