No Optical Digital Sound output on H24

[mitchflorida]

I just found out the hard way how DTV seems to be economizing on some important features. I just bought a brand new Home Theater system for my Samsung Plasma TV. I ordered all the right cables, and then found out that I can't connect the H24 to the HT. The H24 has a coax digital output, not optical. And my Home Theater only accepts optical.

Instead, I had to connect the HDTV to the Home Theater, not the H24 like I wanted.

Now if I listen to music, I have to keep the tv on. I also heard that the HDTV won't pass 5.1 over the optical cable. That I have to connect the H24 and HT directly for that.

Why did DTV go this route? Most everything produced now uses Optical TosLink.

I can buy a Coaxial-to-Optical Digital sound converter for about $18, but that is a bother. I notice that the HR24 DOES have an optical audio outlet, but the H24 was shortchanged on this.

How are people setting this up if they want digital sound to go to their HT system?

 

[joed32]

I would use the converter but that's just me.

 

[raoul5788]

I just found out the hard way how DTV seems to be economizing on some important features. I just bought a brand new Home Theater system for my Samsung Plasma TV. I ordered all the right cables, and then found out that I can't connect the H24 to the HT. The H24 has a coax digital output, not optical. And my Home Theater only accepts optical.

Instead, I had to connect the HDTV to the Home Theater, not the H24 like I wanted.

Now if I listen to music, I have to keep the tv on. I also heard that the HDTV won't pass 5.1 over the optical cable. That I have to connect the H24 and HT directly for that.

Why did DTV go this route? Most everything produced now uses Optical TosLink.

I can buy a Coaxial-to-Optical Digital sound converter for about $18, but that is a bother. I notice that the HR24 DOES have an optical audio outlet, but the H24 was shortchanged on this.

How are people setting this up if they want digital sound to go to their HT system?

I don't know the order you bought your equipment in, but either way, you should have known what connections each had ahead of time. Are you saying your ht receiver doesn't have a coaxial digital input? Perhaps you should have gotten a different ht receiver then. Maybe you should pony up the $18 for the converter. It's a small price to pay for your error.

 

[mitchflorida]

I don't know the order you bought your equipment in, but either way, you should have known what connections each had ahead of time. Are you saying your ht receiver doesn't have a coaxial digital input? Perhaps you should have gotten a different ht receiver then. Maybe you should pony up the $18 for the converter. It's a small price to pay for your error.

Who peed in your corn flakes today?

 

[raoul5788]

Who peed in your corn flakes today?

You were the one bitching and moaning about your H24. I pointed out that your problem is your fault. If that's pissing in my corn flakes, and saying that makes you happy, go for it. I don't care. I didn't buy such cheap equipment that it doesn't have the basic connections. Like I said, buy the converter. It's cheap.

 

[mitchflorida]

" I didn't buy such cheap equipment that it doesn't have the basic connections."

Are you talking about the H24? And if so, why do you feel that way?

 

[raoul5788]

" I didn't buy such cheap equipment that it doesn't have the basic connections."

Are you talking about the H24? And if so, why do you feel that way?

No, I am referring to your ht receiver, if it doesn't have a digital input. What model is it?

 

[cybok0]

Ummmmmm...The HR 24 DOES have optical out it is under the coax, I'm using it. Take a closer look.

Look at picture six of seven.

DIRECTV HR24 High Definition DIRECTV PLUS MPEG-4 DVR (HR24) HD DVR - DIRECTV - HR24 -

 

[raoul5788]

Ummmmmm...The HR 24 DOES have optical out it is under the coax, I'm using it. Take a closer look.

Look at picture six of seven.

DIRECTV HR24 High Definition DIRECTV PLUS MPEG-4 DVR (HR24) HD DVR - DIRECTV - HR24 -

He has an H24, not an HR24.

 

[harshness]

Technically, coax is both cheaper and offers greater bandwidth than the cheap LED and plastic cable based TOSLink configurations.

HDMI is the future and connecting through your sound system is what is expected going forward. Most of the newer HDMI systems will pass through the HDMI signal even when they are in standby mode (although this may not be the default "power saving" configuration).

 

[cybok0]

He has an H24, not an HR24.

Oh. OK. My mistake.

 

[mitchflorida]

For whatever reason, DTV decided to cut corners on the H24... not only does it not have an optical output, they also decided to save $5 and not include an RF-capable remote, like the HR24 has.

Too many bean counters trying to save nickels and dimes when they should be providing a quality product instead.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

If the costs are low enough, I wouldn't be too surprised to see the H24 become the basic receiver for both SD and HD installations, with MPEG2-only models being dropped altogether. None of the non-DVR receivers (recent models, at least) have come with RF remotes.

 

[raoul5788]

For whatever reason, DTV decided to cut corners on the H24... not only does it not have an optical output, they also decided to save $5 and not include an RF-capable remote, like the HR24 has.

Too many bean counters trying to save nickels and dimes when they should be providing a quality product instead.

IIRC, all of the HR series dvrs come with rf remotes, whereas none of the H series since the H20 do. You can get an rf remote from Directv for $25.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

IIRC, all of the HR series dvrs come with rf remotes, whereas none of the H series since the H20 do. You can get an rf remote from Directv for $25.

Or $21.95 for the NFL model.

 

[raoul5788]

Or $21.95 for the NFL model.

Do they do rf and are they even still available? I didn't see them on the Directv website.

 

[SATMANINMEMPHIS]

Do they do rf and are they even still available? I didn't see them on the Directv website.

DIRECTV: NFL Remote

 

[joed32]

Do they do rf and are they even still available? I didn't see them on the Directv website.

They do RF and they look great.

 

[raoul5788]

They do RF and they look great.

Hmm, it seems odd that they would be cheaper than the regular rf remote but have the NFL logos on them. Good deal, though!