Two HD players into one AV amp using same 6-channel audio connections?

welshy

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I have a Pioneer Ax5i AV receiver with one set of 6-channel audio inputs. If I were to purchase an HD-DVD and Blu-ray player could I connect the 6-channel outputs of both these HD players into the single 6-channel audio inputs on my AV receiver using 1-to-2 RCA phono splitters for example?

Would the audio signal from one of the HD players end up going back into the other HD player or is this impossible by design?

I think I'm correct in assuming that to listen to the new formats on these HD discs I need to use the 6-channel audio inputs on my AV receiver?
 
You may want to look at this kind of product:
http://www.zektor.com/

The TOSLINK and S/PDIF outputs/inputs can only handle up to 1.5Mbps of throughput.
To pump lossless audio (e.g. DD TrueHD) through to your amp at e.g. 3Mbps, 6Mbps or more, you need to do so via either HDMI or 5.1 Analogue.
It is my understanding that the 2-channel Analogue outputs will also handle higher bandwidth but you, of course, lose the ability to pass more than 2 channels (normal Stereo) through to your amp in doing so.
 
Thanks for your reply but I don't really want to purchase another piece of kit. I just want to connect the 6 multichannel outputs of two HD players into the single 6 multichannel inputs of my AV receiver using cables and adaptors/plugs. What I would like to know is if this is possible? I know the adaptors/plugs are available but will the audio work?
 
I would expect there would be a problem unless you physically disconnected the unused set. You could damage both players and or the amp. You would have to switch off the unused player at the very least.

Good Luck.
 
Thanks peterweg, that's what I was thinking that maybe it would damage the devices.
 
You can buy reasonably priced component video switching boxes. They usually have 3 or 4 component, l & r audio and composite video inputs (6 sockets, as required). Check them out on ebay.
 
I have component switching built into the amp. Surely you could use that?
 
I have component switching built into the amp. Surely you could use that?

dont think so as the amp will only have 3 inputs....

the component switching devices have 6, the 3 video inputs, stereo inputs and a single composite input......

these are all switched at the same time through the same board......whereas in the amp you only have 3 inputs on the component switcher, the stereo/composite are most likely on a different board and the switching might not be sync'd properly....i wouldnt like to say...

i too have only one set of inputs and no HDMI...heh....i reckon so long as you kept the unused player switched off then you could use a 2-1 adapter without problems.....just have to be careful it doesnt somehow cause a sparky bang....heh.....if one machine is off though i cant see why it would....

i've decided to wait till the joint player is out instead.....or upgrade my amp, but currently i cant afford either so its sort of pointless for me to worry about it :D

(a small part of me keeps saying 'sell the 3910 and 3803 and get a HD-E1 and 2307......lol.....but i dont want to lose the 3910 as its such a rock solid transport and good enough as a CD player till i get the DAC of my dreams...lol)
 
Knyght byte

Streeeeeeeeeeetchhhhhh that credit card, life is to short Lol:D
 
dont think so as the amp will only have 3 inputs....

the component switching devices have 6, the 3 video inputs, stereo inputs and a single composite input......

these are all switched at the same time through the same board......whereas in the amp you only have 3 inputs on the component switcher, the stereo/composite are most likely on a different board and the switching might not be sync'd properly....i wouldnt like to say...

i too have only one set of inputs and no HDMI...heh....i reckon so long as you kept the unused player switched off then you could use a 2-1 adapter without problems.....just have to be careful it doesnt somehow cause a sparky bang....heh.....if one machine is off though i cant see why it would....

i've decided to wait till the joint player is out instead.....or upgrade my amp, but currently i cant afford either so its sort of pointless for me to worry about it :D

(a small part of me keeps saying 'sell the 3910 and 3803 and get a HD-E1 and 2307......lol.....but i dont want to lose the 3910 as its such a rock solid transport and good enough as a CD player till i get the DAC of my dreams...lol)

AFAIK, connecting multiple devices will affect the characteristics of the load (capacitance, resistance, inductance). I don't know enough about the inputs but I expect you may get half the volumne and possibly frequency shift issues. Maybe not, but get switches instead, they should be cheap.
 
I have a Pioneer Ax5i AV receiver with one set of 6-channel audio inputs. If I were to purchase an HD-DVD and Blu-ray player could I connect the 6-channel outputs of both these HD players into the single 6-channel audio inputs on my AV receiver using 1-to-2 RCA phono splitters for example?

Would the audio signal from one of the HD players end up going back into the other HD player or is this impossible by design?

I think I'm correct in assuming that to listen to the new formats on these HD discs I need to use the 6-channel audio inputs on my AV receiver?

You could easily do damage forcing the outputs of two different players to simultaneously drive a single set of inputs. The outputs expect a high impedance load, but you would be providing a VERY low impedance load.

If you don't have HDMI inputs on your receiver, then you'll probably want to do one of:

1) Pickup a multichannel analog switchbox so you can select which player drives the receiver (a manual analog audio, composite, and component switch box will serve this purpose).

2) Use Toslink or coaxial S/PDIF digital to connect the players to your reciever However, that will limit the bitrate of the track you listen to SD DVD performance, and for LPCM, you would be limited to just the main front two channels.

3) Use the 5.1 multichannel for one player and S/PDIF for the other. My guess is you would want to use the multichannel inputs with the BR player since that's the only way you could get the 5.1 channel LPCM track. With the E2, this would also provide you with crosscoding from advanced DD audio CODECs to 1.5Mbps DTS via Toslink -- better than being limited to 640Kbps DD.
 
Thanks for the help :)
 
Hello all

Just a quick note re the Zektor products - the entry level HDS4.1 (199.95 GBP) is being used very successfully by lots of folk as a four input 5.1 Analogue switch; see http://www.zektor.com/hds41/specs.htm

With the ability to 'Learn' IR codes from pretty much any handset the Zektor is a breeze to integrate into your system.

Joe

PS I believe there may be one on sale in the classifieds here on AVForums.
 
I went through this whole process and posted almost exactly the same questions last September. In the end I got the Zector product mentioned above.

I now have my HD DVD player, my Blu-ray Player and my Denon Upscaling DVD player all connected via the Zektor, to the single 5.1 analogue input on my amp. I still have one spare input as well. Works perfectly with full remote switching. Very good quality component.

Total cost to me was about £260 including 4 sets of 5.1 phono cables. My rationale for spending this much was a) It's all part of the cost of getting into HD, and b) it is far cheaper than buying a new amp, just for the convenience of HDMI audio switching (I have a separate switchbox for HDMI Video).

Furthermore, I like my current amp and would need to spend serious money to get any sort of worthwhile upgrade.

The Zektor is a top bit of kit. The only benefit going HDMI (apart from convenience) is if the DAC's in your amp are better than the DAC's in your player. Given how good the advanced audio codecs sound on analogue, I can't see me changing my amp for ages yet.
 
>it is far cheaper than buying a new amp,
At £260 its not mcuh cheaper. The Onkyo 670 was selling for £300 last week wasn't it?
 
I went through this whole process and posted almost exactly the same questions last September. In the end I got the Zector product mentioned above.

I now have my HD DVD player, my Blu-ray Player and my Denon Upscaling DVD player all connected via the Zektor, to the single 5.1 analogue input on my amp. I still have one spare input as well. Works perfectly with full remote switching. Very good quality component.

Total cost to me was about £260 including 4 sets of 5.1 phono cables. My rationale for spending this much was a) It's all part of the cost of getting into HD, and b) it is far cheaper than buying a new amp, just for the convenience of HDMI audio switching (I have a separate switchbox for HDMI Video).

Furthermore, I like my current amp and would need to spend serious money to get any sort of worthwhile upgrade.

The Zektor is a top bit of kit. The only benefit going HDMI (apart from convenience) is if the DAC's in your amp are better than the DAC's in your player. Given how good the advanced audio codecs sound on analogue, I can't see me changing my amp for ages yet.


Did you import your Zektor or are they available over here?
 
Joe F at The Media Factory does them and they are excellent products, I use several of their devices and will most likely add a few more yet. They are switchers done correctly. Well worth their modest cost.
 
Joe F at The Media Factory does them and they are excellent products, I use several of their devices and will most likely add a few more yet. They are switchers done correctly. Well worth their modest cost.

:thumbsup:
 
I reckon peter and trevor are right, When you connect an output to another output, effectively, you are likely to be over-loading them. They will draw too much current, and you may damage both. I'm a graduate electronics engineer with lots of integration expereince - not a nay-sayer. I wouldn't do it.

Nick ;)
 
I'm convinced, not a good idea using same 6 channel inputs for both players then. Thanks for the heads up on the Zektor, looks like the only solution right now.
 
>it is far cheaper than buying a new amp,
At £260 its not mcuh cheaper. The Onkyo 670 was selling for £300 last week wasn't it?

I did say a new amp which would be a worthwhile upgrade. I'm going to sound like an AV snob now ... but I wouldn't really consider Onkyo on my shortlist!.

IMO, I would need to spend over £1,000 on a current model Yamaha / Denon / Arcam etc. to have any chance of getting a substantially improved sound. In fact, I might not get any serious improvement - I could spend that money just to get HDMI switching, DAB tuner, a few extra audio decoding tricks, possibly iPod connectivity, and a few other bells and whistles. But, basically, in terms of what an amp is designed to do, i.e. amplify the sound!, I'm not sure £1,000 would be much of an upgrade.

So £260 was in my opinion well spent, enabling me to keep my trusty (if a bit old now) Yamaha DSP-A1.

I tend to have an upgrade "splurge" every 3-4 years, and then sit back and enjoy whilst technology catches up!
 
Joe F at The Media Factory does them and they are excellent products, I use several of their devices and will most likely add a few more yet. They are switchers done correctly. Well worth their modest cost.

Yep - that's where I got mine from.
 
I would need to spend over £1,000 on a current model Yamaha / Denon / Arcam etc. to have any chance of getting a substantially improved sound.

I quite agree. Even though my trusty old Pioneer Ax5i does not have HDMI or any other new features it certainly performs well enough and does have some grunt, if a little bright at times. So for me too, if I wanted to upgrade I would have to find something quite spectacular and at the moment with HD in its infancy I need to wait.

Anyhow, everyone seems to agree that good sound from HD discs can be had via the 6 channel analogue connections so I'm quite happy with this for the time being.
 
I did say a new amp which would be a worthwhile upgrade. I'm going to sound like an AV snob now ... but I wouldn't really consider Onkyo on my shortlist!.

IMO, I would need to spend over £1,000 on a current model Yamaha / Denon / Arcam etc. to have any chance of getting a substantially improved sound. In fact, I might not get any serious improvement - I could spend that money just to get HDMI switching, DAB tuner, a few extra audio decoding tricks, possibly iPod connectivity, and a few other bells and whistles. But, basically, in terms of what an amp is designed to do, i.e. amplify the sound!, I'm not sure £1,000 would be much of an upgrade.

So £260 was in my opinion well spent, enabling me to keep my trusty (if a bit old now) Yamaha DSP-A1.

I tend to have an upgrade "splurge" every 3-4 years, and then sit back and enjoy whilst technology catches up!

Just a suggestion, check out the Pioneer Elite series, I was very much surprised by how good they sound at the price point. (And I CARE about the sound :))

PS. Mine required a LITTLE break-in, but not much.
 

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