622 HDMI/Digital Optical audio question

[yaz96]

I currently run the 622 direct to the TV with HDMI and the digital optical audio cable to my Yamaha receiver to decode the 5.1 audio.

If I use an HDMI cable from my 622 to my Yamaha receiver, will I get the same 5.1 digital audio from the 622 as I would using the digital optical cable?

Thanks!

 

[SatinKzo]

Ya know I had the exact same question when I was ordering my new HT receiver (it has HDMI switching). I feel bad, I call crutchfield with no intent of buying from them, but at least they seem to know the answers.

I worded it like this: Since my new receiver will have HDMI switching, does the switching just pass-thru the signal or does it decode the audio. Do I still need my optical cable for the DD?
The response I got after the guy put me on hold "To ask a tech to make sure" was that yes, the signal will pass-thru, but the receiver will also decode the audio, so I would have to mute or turn down the volume on the TV if I want to do the full HT setup. That's what I wanted to hear, but I will believe it when I see it.

Hopefully someone here will report back on some experiences, otherwise my receiver is due to be delivered tomorrow so if no one has responded yet, I'll post my findings.

Edit:

Well, it appears from what I have been reading today is that for the single HDMI cable to work your receiver needs to have HDMI SWITCHING, not just HDMI pass-thru. The receiver I ordered has HDMI switching so I should be good to go, but I'll still report back.

Man, it's been a while since I upgraded my old receiver. I'm never gonna let myself fall this far behind (informational wise) again.

 

[Heavie]

It depends on if the receiver has the feature to switch hdmi signal or the feature to switch and upscale lower res signal to hdmi.

For example I have the Sony STR-DG800 receiver, which just have the feature to switch between two hdmi signal to your tv. Signal comes in and goes out without being touch. I still need the optical or coaxial cable for surround sound.


There are receivers that does the same and beyond. Some receiver will take any signal, like from composite, s-video and component and upscale it to a hi res signal, aswell as audio to send thru a hdmi cable, to your tv. These receiver are able to take surround sound from a hdmi cable and send it to the proper channels on the receiver. Without using a optical or coaxial cable.

 

[SatinKzo]

Heavie, your Sony has Pass-thru, not switching.
Per this link see the technical details and read the reviewer who commented "Do people not read the description"
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DG800-7-1-Channel-Receiver-Passthrough/dp/B000EU0UVA

Also, see here
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-q5dF2baBneo/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=Sony+STR-DG800&i=158STDG800
In italics is states it is only pass-thru.

Honestly, it seems Sony misstated that feature, cause sony lables it as switching.

 

[Bagman]

I have the Yamaha RXV-2600 AV Receiver. It will decode a Dolby 5.1 signal from an HDMI input. The only problem is that the 622 only outputs 2 Channel Dolby over the HDMI. I'm guessing that at the time of development for the 622, few if any TV's outputted Dolby 5.1 and few if any Receivers switched HDMI. Anyway, I had to add the optical connection and set the receiver to decode the optical input.

 

[yaz96]

Thanks! I guess my question should have been - Does the 622 output 5.1 digital audio over the HDMI cable.

My Yamaha 5990 switches HDMI and converts(not UPconvert) all others to HDMI out, so it would be nice to reduce the number of cables....oh well, what would I expect from DISH?

 

[SatinKzo]

Well got my new setup and I can report that everything is working as it should. DD5.1 (yes 5.1) is going over the HDMI as it should from my vip211. I do not need a seperate optical cable.