Question HDMI - Optical audio signal clash?

Mayandi2

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While we are getting 2 completely new Home Cinema systems for the lounge and master bedroom, I decided that rather than get rid of the very good condition older items, I'll use them to DIY another A-V system in the third bedroom (for guests). I wonder if what I am thinking is going to cause a HDMI-Optical clash of some kind.

The system is centered around a TV and my old Onkyo HTX-22HD 2.1 system. The Subwoofer/Receiver has 2 HDMI inputs, a HDMI out, 2 RCA inputs, 2 optical inputs and a coaxial input. I plan to do the following.
- Sky mini box to Receiver via HDMI 1
- BD player to Receiver via HDMI 2
- Receiver's HDMI out to TV
- CD player to RCA 1 input
- Turntable to RCA 2 input

So far so good, right? But in order to use the Onkyo's speakers I have to disable the TV's own speakers. If I did that, I cannot access the audio for TV's own incorporated programmes like Freeview, Netflix and Amazon Prime. I am going to try and solve this issue this by connecting the TV to the receiver by an optical cable.

If I did that and then tried to see Sky channels or a BD movie later, will the audio signals from those devices use the HDMI in-out connections or will there be interference from the optical connection between the TV and receiver?
 
Your Onkyo system only has HDMI 1.3 which means that it only supports HDCP 1.2. Slky Q mini boxes require a minimum of HDCP 1.4. I do not think that your old system will work with SkyQ.
 
Your Onkyo system only has HDMI 1.3 which means that it only supports HDCP 1.2. Slky Q mini boxes require a minimum of HDCP 1.4. I do not think that your old system will work with SkyQ.
I did not think of that. Will interposing an HDCP booster/converter solve the problem?
 
You would need 1 or more HD Fury’s as the Blu Ray will also probably need 1.4. It would be cheaper to just buy another AVR but @Joe Fernand can advise you better on which AV Fury’s that you need.
 
TV - which model?

Connectivity - leaving aside SKYQ mini for a second your original plan looks fine, you would simply toggle the Onkyo between HDMI 1 (SKY Q mini), HDMI 2 (BDP) and Optical (TV audio).

Control - you may have to ensure HDMI CEC is disabled on all devices to stop them trying to auto select which Source your are viewing or listening to.

SKY Q mini - I haven't come across that problem so far. If as mushii suggests it is going to be an issue you could consider connecting SKY Q mini and the BDP to the TV via HDMI and then use the Optical Out from the TV for all AV sources.

Turntable - ensure either the Turntable has Line rather than 'Phono' Out or the Amp has a Phono (RIAA equalised) Input.

Joe
 
Thank you Mr Fernand. The turntable has a phono output and the Onkyo has a phono input. The two have worked well before and so I cannot see a problem with that.

The Optical out from TV for all sources - Sky mini box, BD player (LG BD350) and the TV itself (Netflix, Amazon Prime etc) to the Onkyo sounds like a workable plan. But just for the record, is there an HDMI converter or booster that can make the Onkyo compatible with the Sky mini Box?
 
If as mushii suggests it is going to be an issue you could consider connecting SKY Q mini and the BDP to the TV via HDMI and then use the Optical Out from the TV for all AV sources.

OK, I went back and considered all permutations and combinations about this. Your "optical out for ALL A-V sources" is an easy solution except for one thing. Let me explain.

I have a large collection of DVD audio and American DTS CDs that will not play on any of the new UK spec 4K systems nor on the BD player that I am going to add to the old Onkyo. But I have a 12 year old Sony DVD Recorder which plays them perfectly and I intend to add that onto to the "bits & pieces" system. This DVR has no HDMI but has a Component Video and Coaxial Audio.

The TV that's going to be part of this system has component video input and so playing DVDs on it if I choose to (instead of the BD player) is not a problem since the audio comes out of the aforementioned TV to Receiver optical cable. But if I want to play any of those DTS CDs or DVD-Audio discs I mentioned above, I will have to switch on the TV to complete the link. I don't want to have to do that and so if I connect the DVR to the receiver via a coaxial cable the DTS CDs and DVD Audio discs should work with the TV off. OK.

Now forget about the BD player for a moment. With the above arrangement, if I place a DVD film in the Sony DVR ans switch on the TV, the video signals go to the TV via component, right? But how will the audio signals go? The DVR is connected to the receiver by Coaxial but the TV is also connected to the receiver by optical. Will there be an issue?
 
DVD audio and DTS require a HDMI connection, neither can be passed by analogue connections unless the player has analogue out in the form of 5.1, as many of the old SACD or receivers did. It's rare now to find TVs with a full set of component inputs and those inputs were for video and not audio, audio being restricted to stereo for the TV.

You will need a multi region BD player as most will play DVD-A whereas DTS-CD seem to be something of an oddity. However a player with bitstream output should enable a receiver to decode and play it.

If your TV should be able to pass through audio signals via optical back to the receiver. In what form depends on the TV. Modern sets can pass through Atmos and 5.1 surrounds. However, as I previously said there are not many modern TVs that have a set of component inputs. Your best bet is a player to pass DVD-A and DTS via bitstream to a receiver for 5.1.
 
Thanks. The DVD-recorder was bought in 2006 and has no HDMI but has component video and coaxial audio. It was connected to my other (now sold) Onkyo receiver via component and coaxial. There were other inputs too. Then only one HDMI went out of the Onkyo to the TV.

With that setting, DTS-CDs and DVD Audios played and where appropriate the DTS signal - a red light - came up on the receiver.

The 'old' TV is an LG 24MT49S24 bought for the guest room and not so old. It has 2 HDMI inputs, a component video and optical audio. Therefore, Joe Fernand's advice of connecting the BD player (Region B only), Sky Q mini Box and the DVR to the TV and using an optical link between the TV and receiver will work very well. But the only reason that I have included the DVR in that setup is because of my collection of DTS CDs and DVD Audio discs. I can still play them in that setup but will have to switch the TV on to be able to listen to music. I don't want that.

The workable answer I am thinking of is to connect the DVR by coaxial to the receiver's only coaxial input. That would enable it to be used as a glorified CD player without the need to turn the TV on.

I also have several old Region 1 DVDs of documentaries, movies etc which I plan to keep in the guest room. These will not play (I think) on the Region A locked BD player. Therefore, I may have to use the DVR, which is multiregion; my question above was, if I play a DVD in the DVR as connected above, how will the audio signals go? Via the coaxial link direct to the receiver or optical link between the TV and receiver?

I am guessing that the discs will play on both Optical or Coaxial depending on the input chosen on the receiver. If so, problem solved.
 
Coax and optical are basically the same, both will pass 5.1 audio. I would go the receiver route and use whatever cable to have to hand. It should work as the receiver can decode DTS.
 
I would go the receiver route and use whatever cable to have to hand. It should work as the receiver can decode DTS.

Oh I think I can see what you are getting at! You are saying with an optical or coaxial link to the receiver, both the BD player and DVR will simply act as transports for the receiver to decode the signal, right? I did not think of that. In that case I should not have problems with either DTS CDs or DVD Audio.
 
Sounds like you have a plan and the only potential 'issue' with the older player is being able to ensure you keep the Video and Audio 'in sync' when you do use it as a video source (YUV to the TV + Coaxial to the AVR) - you may have to change or have a different delay set when you use it as a video source vs. your other video sources (HDMI to TV + TV Optical Out to the AVR).

Joe
 
Thanks. I have no choice really because the older DVR has no HDMI and component will carry only video signals to the TV. I have to have that coaxial link with the receiver. If I have any lip sync issues, I'll get one of the Richer Sounds guys installing the two 4K systems to correct it.
 

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