Toslink/Co-axial ports to AVR: Guaranteed way to connect DVD, AVR & TV.

[Subcenter2009]

Dear friends,
I initially posted this on a fellow FM Manish's page just now but, I think this info is important. So, I'm starting a new page. Hope this information is useful.
Try this method of connecting your Home Theater:
Connect BluRay/DVD player to TV via HDMI.
Connect HD ready Set Top Box to TV via HDMI.
Connect BluRay/ DVD player directly to AVR via Toslink/Co-axial.
Connect TV to AVR via Toslink/Co-axial.

Results:
If earlier facing video issues, not any more. Video should work fine now.
You need to switch on AVR only when using Home theater.. For normal viewing, TV speakers will do. While using Home Theater, mute the TV.
The AVR sound will work fine when connected directly to BluRay/DVD player via Toslink/Co-axial.

You should now be able to get full 7.1 surround sound output from the HD DTH set top box and USB jump drive of the LED/LCD/ Plasma TV. The USB pen drive and HD channels will, play as Dolby Digital 7.1 or Dolby ProLogic IIx/z or DTS Neo on my Yamaha AVR. Only DTS output encoded from the Pen drive is doubtful.. But that does not matter since, all HD/SD channels and most downloads are either in stereo or in Dolby Digital (AC-3). No problem since you are using Toslink/Co-axial between the DVD player/TV and the AVR. Newer TVs support everything.. So, get a TV with USB port and most importantly, A Toslink(Optical) / Coaxial audio port.
Hope this helps,
Yours,
Subcenter2009

 

[kneo]

As I mentioned in the other thread, optical/coaxial will not support HD audio. You are incorrect in mentioning that most downloads are in Dolby digital (AC3). Downloads are available in all kind of formats and it's up to you to choose which you want to download. Chances are that you may be downloading the ones having Dolby digital 5.1 tracks. There are a few of us who download the ones having DTSHDMA/Dolby TruHD.

Almost all the new movies would have HD audio and if you are connecting the BDP to AVR through toslink you may end up losing the HD audio. Only the core DTS stream would be sent to the AVR.

The connections that you've outlined would work well for a STB as currently none of the STBs offer anything more than Dolby digital 5.1 tracks. But for a BDP or a media player, the best way transmit audio is through HDMI.

 

[Subcenter2009]

Thanks, dear Kneo for enlightening me. I learned something today. Will try and catch up with the present and the future..
Thanks for taking the time.
Yours,
Subcenter2009

 

[spirovious]

Other way is to get a BDp with 2 HDMI out,one for TV and other for audio/AVR.In HTPC you can do it easily with Graphic card.

 

[pradeepkamat]

I am using HDMI out of HD STB of dish TV connected to HDMI1 input of my Samsung 40" led TV and HDMI output of WDTV Live to HDMI2 input of the TV. Audio out is taken out from Optical out (Toslink) of the TV & connected to Controlpod of Logitech Z-5500, 5.1 system. So I can listen to both TV & WDTV Live by suitably selecting the HDMI port of the TV.

 

[jain1980]

Does the optical cable at least carry 5.1 surround sound?

I am planning to connect my Tata Sky HD optical out to my Yamaha receiver for 5.1 surround sound and HDMI directly to TV so that even if the AVR is switched off, my family can watch Tata Sky.

Will this work?

 

[spirovious]

Does the optical cable at least carry 5.1 surround sound?

Yes,standard definition 5.1 sound, Dolby digital and DTS are passed through optical cable.

 

[kneo]

Does the optical cable at least carry 5.1 surround sound?

I am planning to connect my Tata Sky HD optical out to my Yamaha receiver for 5.1 surround sound and HDMI directly to TV so that even if the AVR is switched off, my family can watch Tata Sky.

Will this work?

This is exactly how I have connected. With Tata sky box being limited to the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound in it's HD channel, optical is more than enough for passing audio.