HDMI receiver that doesn't decode the audio? *PIC*

[mikebw]

So I am looking at a new receiver, and I want something that has a couple HDMI and component inputs. I found this one made by Onkyo that looked pretty good, at first- <A HREF="http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=i">http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=i</A>

It has 3 HDMI inputs, but I come to find out that the receiver will only switch the video signal. If you want the multichannel audio from your source you must still use either the optical or digital coax inputs on the receiver. Why the heck would you want that?

Isn't the whole point of HDMI so you can have your HD video and multichannel audio all in one cable? Sure you can get 1080p resolutions, but this is essentially the same thing as a DVI port. Although, I suppose they are smaller and allow for more ports on the back of the receiver, but still, I don't really see the advantage.

Are there any less expensive receivers that will decode audio from the HDMI inputs?

[cole]

Hi, Mike. Your looking for a reciever that uses HDMI 1.3 which came out in the okyo 605. I own this reciever and Im very happy. Its probably not cheaper but Im sure pioneer carries a few. Just look for HDMI 1.3 It will carry all your audio.

[bking]

You want a receiver that has the audio "repeater" function to pass it along with video in the HDMI cable. In the Onkyo line you'll have to step up to the SR-576 model to get that feature.

[ricky]

Provided Link: http://www.accessories4less.com/make...ipping-/1.html


Here you go, or wait until they get some of the new TXSR-606

[djarchow]

Mike,

I don't think that having the receiver do the decoding is that big of a deal and in some cases it is a detriment.

For example, if you are using something like blu ray or HD DVD and that disk uses advanced authoring features such as picture in picture for stuff like directors comments, you will still need to have decoding in the player as the directors comments are stored as a separate audio track which has to be mixed with the main movie soundtrack. For this to happen, it has to happen in the player and then either analog or PCM sent to the receiver. IF you rely on the receiver to do the decoding, you will lose the sound for the PIP, menu sounds etc. So while this will impact all HD DVDs as they were all authored in advanced mode, most blu ray disks up to this point have not. With BDJ finally being supported in upcoming players (and the ps3), Blue Ray will be in the same boat going forward

This might not be a big deal to you but it is something to be aware of.

Regards,

Dennis

[mikebw]

> You want a receiver that has the audio
> "repeater" function to pass it
> along with video in the HDMI cable. In the
> Onkyo line you'll have to step up to the
> SR-576 model to get that feature.

I'm not sure I understand the difference. The 506 model I linked to it says it will pass the audio & video to the output device (TV). I guess that is called "passthrough".

So you're saying that in order for the receiver to decode and play out the audio signal from the HDMI cable I need to get one with "repeater" functionality? So that would mean the audio gets re-sent along with the video to the output device (TV).

See what I don't quite get is why you would want to send multichannel audio (from DVD for example) to a stereo output device, like a normal TV with an HDMI input in the first place. Are there TV's that will decode the audio and then send the signal back to the receiver via optical cable or digital coax? Adding more loops in the chain...

Well, either way thanks for the explanation.

[mikebw]

Dennis,
Thanks, I did not know about that. To me, that seems like a failure or a shortcoming of HDMI itself, not the receiver. Perhaps I have had the wrong impression about HDMI.

What about normal DVD's and multichannel audio from OTA HDTV, or digital HD cable? Do you know if HDMI will work as an audio cable for those sources?

I guess it's not really a big deal to run an optical or digital coax audio cable along side the HDMI, it just seems like a waste still.

> Mike,

> I don't think that having the receiver do
> the decoding is that big of a deal and in
> some cases it is a detriment.

> For example, if you are using something like
> blu ray or HD DVD and that disk uses
> advanced authoring features such as picture
> in picture for stuff like directors
> comments, you will still need to have
> decoding in the player as the directors
> comments are stored as a separate audio
> track which has to be mixed with the main
> movie soundtrack. For this to happen, it has
> to happen in the player and then either
> analog or PCM sent to the receiver. IF you
> rely on the receiver to do the decoding, you
> will lose the sound for the PIP, menu sounds
> etc. So while this will impact all HD DVDs
> as they were all authored in advanced mode,
> most blu ray disks up to this point have
> not. With BDJ finally being supported in
> upcoming players (and the ps3), Blue Ray
> will be in the same boat going forward

> This might not be a big deal to you but it
> is something to be aware of.

> Regards,

> Dennis

[djarchow]

> Dennis,
> Thanks, I did not know about that. To me,
> that seems like a failure or a shortcoming
> of HDMI itself, not the receiver. Perhaps I
> have had the wrong impression about HDMI.

No, this is how HD DVD and Blue Ray work. On DVD to view a directors commentary with the director in a small window at the bottom (i.e psuedo picture in picture PIP) they had to put another whole copy of the movie on the DVD even though only the small window and the sound were different. In HD DVD and Blu Ray with advanced authoring, the directors comentary and the picture in picture video are stored seperately from the movie, then the player has secondary video and audio decoders that decode the pip videao and audio which are then combined with the main video and audio and output via PCM or analog to the receiver.

> What about normal DVD's and multichannel
> audio from OTA HDTV, or digital HD cable? Do
> you know if HDMI will work as an audio cable
> for those sources?

HDMI does support all the existing formats, i.e Dolby Digital, DTS etc. However, you would need to verify what your source component will actually output over HDMI.

Regards,

Dennis