New to HD, need help please? god bless!

[johneric8]

The installers are coming out in a couple of weeks to hook up the HR20 and I need advice because I'm new to all of this.

I live in Dallas and I get lots of channels already using an OTA with my HDTV. Here is my first stupid question- If I connect the OTA to the HR20 and choose to watch the OTA channels through the HR20 will I be able to record those OTA channels to the DVR in HD?

Question #2- If I connect the HR20 via HDMI cable to my HDTV with plans of using my AMP to transmit the sound to my surround system,
what cable do you suggest that I need to retain Digital Dolby signals from the HR20 to my amp? Is it one of those digital optical cables?

I'm not sure but I dont think that my HDTV can transmit Digital dolby to the amp I think I need to go straight from the source to the amp to retain Digital Dolby.

Thanks so much guys I'm very new to all this and really apreciate your answers.

 

[Spize]

1. Yes it should
2. Yes, Optical will work fine.
2. B. I don't know about if your TV will broadcast the optical in DD, but if it has both an optical in and out, more than likely it will, and it also may have a setting that makes the TV's internal speaker the center channel so you don't have to set a speaker on top of the TV.

 

[joed32]

Just run the optical cable from your HR20 to your A/V reciever. It doen't have to go to your TV at all.
Optical cables here.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&style=

 

[johneric8]

Thanks for clearing that up guys! can you guys tell a difference between the PQ of OTA HD compared to the Directv HD with both intergrated into the HR20?