HDMI passthrough - Save Electricity?

Murlidher

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I am curious to know from the FM's how they connect their DTH to their TV/AVR?

1) Through HDMI directly to TV and then connect ARC port from TV to AVR via another HDMI cable, so that you need not have to keep the AVR in stand by mode always even if you want to view DTH via TV audio?

2) Through HDMI directly to AVR using HDMI passthrough option from your AVR. This however requires to keep the AVR in stand by mode even if you want to hear the audio from TV only? (this option makes electricity meter running at a low speed)

3) have two cables - i.e. HDMI to TV and connect optical cable to AVR.

please share how you connect your DTH even if your AVR supports HDMI pass through. :rolleyes:
 
Everything to AVR and AVR to TV.

I really mean everything to AVR, that's including PS3, HTPC, WDTV, Tata Sky, etc.

If you really don't want to use the AVR all the time (like in the case of family members watching TV) then I'd get a soundbar for that particular TV.
 
Thanks Musicbee. I really like that way, but I was thinking why to have the AVR put in standby mode during the day time for elders who watch the TV Soups. Also they complain why the light (red) is lit all the day, why can't you remove the plug!!!
 
Thanks Musicbee. I really like that way, but I was thinking why to have the AVR put in standby mode during the day time for elders who watch the TV Soups. Also they complain why the light (red) is lit all the day, why can't you remove the plug!!!

Not just that, mothers (typically) don't to remotes, AVRs, smartphones, tablets, media servers, PlayStation, etc. well. I've found a soundbar or computer speakers (2.0) via headphone jack to be a better solution instead of an AVR.

I've even jacked up an old Hi-Fi system (remember Phillips Powerhouse) to a Sony DVD player, JBL computer speakers to a TV, etc. In a way it puts old equipment to use and also is more manageable than an AVR with multiple inputs that needs to be manually selected.

That said mothers can be tech savvy when needed... I got mine a Moto G and she is way more social on FB (sharing updates, photos using the Moto G camera, etc.), at least a lot more social than I am.
 
:) My mom is now getting herself tuned to Android phones, but she recently returned stating, she is getting more bills since she suspect touching accidentally few buttons.

My mom is OK with TV Audio for her TV programs, but I prefer to hear through AVR when I am at home. I may have to convince that AVR being in standby mode will not incur much electricity though I doubt it would be accepted.
 
Right now, i have only 2 components.. HTPC & HD STB.. Both have been connected to AVR and then to TV (ARC Port)...

I use standby function when there is power outage (or) when i am juz browsing... I don't think they consume much power when they are on stand-by....Some benefits why i use this way...

* If your AVR remote supports HDMI-CEC function and your TV too supports this function, then juz put the AVR in standby & you can control TV volume thru AVR's remote...

* Eases the cable clutter around TV with juz one cable around TV

* My AVR remote control has learning capability, so taught the STB functions to it.. Now using only AVR Remote to control AVR volume, TV volume in standby & changing STB channels..

* An other important reason (slightly off-topic), i use Audyssey features (Dynamic EQ & Vol) when playing STB thru AVR... This improves the SD channels dialogues and you can hear them clearly.....
 
Everything to AVR and AVR to TV. AVR in standby. Works fine. My parents don't complain - I don't think they even notice the small standby LED on my Onkyo. :)
 
Why not best of both worlds?!!
[1] Let video up scalping be taken care by TV (if it has good refreshing rate) and audio to AVR by optic/co-axial from STB. But there's a catch... if your STB and BLURAY player has only optic out where as your avr has only one optic-in.... you are in soup (buy a monoprice optic-coaxial converter) !!!!
[2]If your TV has multiple HDMI inputs.... connect STB with hdmi to any of these and optic-out of TV to AVR. Now connect BLURAY with hdmi to TV. Connect ARC of AVR to ARC of TV.
In both situations your AVR happily not just sleep(mode) but dozeses off when watching channels/blurays with TV speakers...
 
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DTH to TV via HDMI + DTH to AVR via optical.

While watching regular TV I do not switch the AVR and use the TV directly. If I have to watch any channel having 5.1, I switch on the AVR for audio only. The video goes directly to the TV via HDMI.
 
I have only one connection from STB HDMI out to TV HDMI in and then from AVR out to TV HDMI in (another input) and utilize the Audio Return Channel capability to get the audio from TV to AVR via that same wire.
 
I too have connected all my devices (PC, HTPC, TATA Sky, PS3, Blu-ray) to HDMI inputs in the AVR and only 1 output to the TV from the ARC (HDMI) port.
This way it keeps the wire clutter to a minimum and is more manageable.
 
Using ARC depends on implementation of manufacturers and may be different for specific models from same manufacturer. e.g. I have Panasonic plasma 50VT20 (released 2010) and it sends multichannel audio over ARC only if the source is within the TV (i.e. TV receiver or playing a movie from USB port on TV).
If I connect Tatasky HD (or any other source capable of multichannel over HDMI) to another HDMI input on TV I do not get it as 5.1 over ARC on the AVR.
In short, for all sources external to TV the TV sends 2.0 over ARC.

Here is a recent article (August 8, 2014) which also says similar stuff and I cannot find a better one at this time
What is Audio Return Channel (ARC)? - CNET

It doesn't always work, at least, not perfectly. Turns out, many TV manufacturers haven't implemented ARC to send any and all audio via HDMI. Want to hear 5.1 surround from your receiver? ARC might not let you do it. Many TVs are two-channel (2.0) only via ARC.
So even if you've got a great surround sound movie, and a receiver with 5.1 speakers (or a sound bar with rear speakers), connecting them with ARC might mean you're only going to get audio for the main two speakers.

Some TVs will send 5.1 if the TV is the source of the audio (either from a streaming app or the built-in over-the-air tuner), but won't pass 5.1 from other sources, like a Blu-ray player.

Also, ARC only passes Dolby Digital. So those new high-resolution audio formats available on Blu-ray discs, namely Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, are unavailable over ARC. This isn't the TV manufacturers' fault, but it's still annoying.

Even here HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: Audio Return Channel the examples are with TV as a source.

Anyways the spec itself does not support higher resolutions. Its not directly mentioned but gives a hint here HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: FAQ for HDMI 1.4

Which audio formats are supported over the Audio Return Channel?

The Audio Return Channel supports all the same audio formats that can be sent through a traditional S/PDIF audio connection, including Dolby Digital, DTS, and PCM audio.

So as of now, if you are interested in high resolution (or even 5.1 from your STB) check the specs of the TV/ try it yourself, and most probably you will have to get back to burning more power by reconnecting everything via AVR!:mad:
 
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Interesting report though but definitely worth checking since I have similar Pana model as you and may be a bit back dated. But if multi channel is the concern from STB then what you need to first check is whether the STB itself delivers multi channel audio over HDMI. In my case it does not and does the same via Optical. So anyway in my case there is no point is routing the STB's HDMI out via AVR. But in my Dish TV only Movie Now has 5.1 so using HDMI ARC does not impact me much :)
 
Interesting report though but definitely worth checking since I have similar Pana model as you and may be a bit back dated. But if multi channel is the concern from STB then what you need to first check is whether the STB itself delivers multi channel audio over HDMI. In my case it does not and does the same via Optical. So anyway in my case there is no point is routing the STB's HDMI out via AVR. But in my Dish TV only Movie Now has 5.1 so using HDMI ARC does not impact me much :)

I actually googled to check if newer TVs support multichannel over ARC. The CNET story is pretty recent to validate that most of them still do not do it.

Tata sky hd + does support multichannel over HDMI.
I was disappointed 3 years ago when I found this as I wanted to connect it to TV directly and make life simpler especially for my parents. Thankfully HDMI pass-through through my AVR does the job equally well and haven't heard of any complaints from them after I made it a point to switch to tatasky input on the AVR before switching it off (they cannot handle this switching by themselves :sad:)

There is a comment on the CNET page that Vizio supports multichannel from another HDMI input so everyone should try for their combo of TV/AVR before finalizing the connections. But again the spec itself does not support higher resolutions so such sources should go to AVR directly.
 
I have a Panasonic 32 LCD-CCFL HD Ready TV, approx 4 yrs old which has HDMI- ARC Input on it.. Never checked if that supports 2.0 (or) 5.1 over ARC... But most Panasonic, Sony models have HDMI-ARC functionality...

Samsung being the bigger player, restricts to midrange models & higher end models... None of the budget plasma from Samsung support HDMI-ARC feature (Except 51F550 & 64F8500)...

Philips TV's don't have this feature at all... But their soundbar has this feature :eek:hyeah: Really funny..

How much of additional cost would it be for the manufacturer to add this feature?
 
Please invest in a Harmony universal remote which can operate multiple devices at a click of a button. Harmony 300 may cost about 2k and is a wonderful solution to make the lives of elders easier.
 
A beautiful, well-constructed speaker with class-leading soundstage, imaging and bass that is fast, deep, and precise.
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