Question about optical cable, please help me out!!

[pinkfloyd1173]

Ok I have a question, I have a Sony 7.1 Blue Ray Player surround sound system, everything is hooked up via HDMI cables but I also have an optical cable hooked up too. The way everything is set up right now is, I have the optical cable running from the TV to the Sony receiver, mind you I have uverse so that will be gone tomorrow. So when I get the DTV HD/DVR receiver tomorrow, should I run the optical cord from the SONY receiver to the DTV receiver, or leave it the way it is now. I always listen to my TV in surround sound so I just want to know so I can enjoy the 5.1 that the DTV receiver has. IF anyone can help me out I would appreciate it thanks everyone.

 

[harshness]

We need to know more about your HTIB. Does it have HDMI inputs?

Connecting the TV output to the HTIB is pretty useless as that usually results in a simple stereo audio signal.

The HTIB must be fed a digital audio signal directly from the TV providers box (regardless of who your TV provider is) or you won't get digital surround.

 

[pinkfloyd1173]

I have a sony 52 inch LCD, it has 3 hdmi ports, 1. has the uverse receiver 2. has the sony blueray home theater system 3. has my PS3 hooked up. The optical cable is hooked up too the TV to the SONY home theater system. Now when I get the DTV receiver should I hook up the optical cable to the DTV receiver to the sony home theater system or leave it the way it is?? Thank for your hel man.

 

[harshness]

When someone asks you for details, don't ignore the request. In this case, I was expecting a model number of your surround sound system (HTIB) or an answer to my HDMI input question (or both).

Coughing up details allows us to cut to the chase and it makes arriving at the correct advice a whole lot easier.

The DIRECTV Plus HD DVR (or any other device that supports digital surround sound) must have a TOSLink (or coax if supported) cable into the HTIB .

No, you can't use the TV to switch digital audio. As I said before, your existing setup is NOT giving you digital surround.

 

[joed32]

If your home theater has an optical input then go from the HD receiver to the home theater with optical and HDMI from the receiver to the TV. You will have to select the correct input on the home theater.

 

[pinkfloyd1173]

Sorry did not know what HTIB ment but the sony surround sound model is BDEV300.

 

[wildbill129]

Ignore Harsh, he has ZERO people skills. HTIB stands for Home Theatre in a Box.

You can try it running a single optical cable from your television to the receiver. However, many TV's will not process the Dolby Digital signal correctly. You might end up only get PCM to your receiver. You are better off running individual optical or coaxial (digital) cables to your AV Receiver and switching the inputs. If you buy a Harmony remote or similar it will do it all for you. Either that or buy a new receiver with HDMI inputs.

 

[JerseyMatt]

It looks like the BDVE300 is like most HTIB in that it does not do HDMI switching (no HDMI inputs). However, it does have an optical and coax (orange RCA) input. So what I would (short of buying a new audio receiver) do is run the optical connector to your PS3 and the coax to the new HD receiver. As Bill said, the TV is (most likely) not going to pass the Dolby Digital signal through its optical port. What you are also going to want to do is turn off the TV's internal speakers, and program your remote to control the HTIB volume.

Honestly though, you may want to invest in a non-HTIB receiver with a separate Blu-Ray player. Even the cheap Sony receivers have 3-4 HDMI ports.

 

[harshness]

The EDV-E300 manual (page 23) suggests using the coaxial input for satellite/cable and happily, the HR2x DVRs feature a coaxial output.

Unless you're using the TV tuner to watch content, you could also use the TOSLink input for something that is producing a digital surround signal. The PS3 would be a good candidate here.

 

[raoul5788]

Ignore Harsh, he has ZERO people skills. HTIB stands for Home Theatre in a Box.

And the understatement award of the year goes to..........Wildbill129!!!!!!! Congratulations!

 

[cband]

I have an optical cable running from the HDDVR to my home theater receiver for dolby digital. The HDMI runs from the Direct HDDVR to the TV (I have a non HDMI receiver..for now!) this setup allows me to listen to the tv sound through the HDMI connection without having the receiver on.

Jeff

 

[kjlued]

I don't have high tech optical audio equipment lol but I have the sound coming from the TV in to the stereo. I do this so I don't have to mess with the stereo every time I switch from DVD, PC, or SAT.

However, I still have a direct feed from the receiver to the stereo so that when I want to listen to Sonic Tap without the TV being on, I can. (which I only did with the xgf since her music tastes were different then my punk rock loving self)