REALLY want to thank all of you who go through these forums helping newbies like me. I have done an exhaustive amount of homework so hopefully these will be intelligent questions!

Here is my situation: I am planning on purchasing a Sammy 950 and EITHER a Yamaha V663 or the V863(more on that in a bit). Rounding out the system will be a Sony s350 Blu Ray and a Comcast HD DVR box(combo DVR and cable with HDMI output).

Now, here is the challenge. I would also like the capability of just turning on the cable box and watching TV without also powering on the receiver.

So, with all that being said, here are the questions I have.

1) First look at the two receivers I am looking at.

V663
1080p-compatible HDMI switching (2 in, 1 out)
HDMI version 1.3a with support for Deep Color, x.v. Color, 120Hz and 24HZ refresh rates, and auto lip-sync
analog-to-HDMI video conversion
480i (interlaced) to 480p (progressive) conversion


V863
1080p-compatible HDMI switching (3 in, 1 out)
selectable 480p/720p/1080i/1080p video upconversion for all non-HD sources (upconverted video available through HDMI output only


If I understand this correctly, if I run my cable box signal out THROUGH the V863 and into that receiver, it will upconvert everything non HD to 1080P. Is that correct and is that effectively giving me a fuller/brighter picture then if I chose the V663? Really trying to understand what $400.00 more buys me. Is it filling the whole TV screen with image using the 863 VS not doing that on the 663?

2) The components will be on a rack no more then 5-6 feet from the HD TV. I am planning on using Monoprice HDMI 1.3A cables. In the rack will be the HD DVR, the DVD, the receiver and planning on using 1.5 foot lengths. The cable to the HDTV will be around 10 for slack. HOWEVER, when I called monoprice, the techie there suggested I needed to use HDMI 1.3a cat 2 cables for the smaller distance(1.5 foot) ones. This goes against everything I have heard. Candidly, I dont think I need ANY cat 2 cables.

3) How would you cable this given that there will be times I just want to use the Sammy without the receiver and other times I may want to use the receiver? I am always concerned that when a signal is split, I lose image or clarity. FYI, the sammy has 4 HDMI inputs. I guess I could conceivable get a 4-2 switch with all devices going into the 4 and the output being the receiver and the HDTV HDMI 1 input. Would also then run an HDMI from the Yamaha to the HDMI 2 inout on the TV. When I want just TV sound I use the HDMI one input, when I want receiver surround sound, I use the HDMI 2 input.


Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Not sure if I have thought this through correctly so I do appreciate any and all comments!

Most new TVs will do a good job of upconverting SD to HD so I don't think it's generally worthwhile to pay to have in done in your receiver. Besides, how much SD will you really be watching in the future with a Blu Ray player and a cable HD box? I find that once I've watched HD I can barely tolerate watching SD.

You shouldn't need cat 2 cables for short runs.

There is no degradation when splitting HDMI signals. HDMI is digital so it either works perfectly or rather badly.

Yes, you could use an HDMI 4x2 matrix switch such as http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-matrix-switch.html. Monoprice also sells one.

Also see the thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1084702 which discuss a similar issue.

Thanks, Carl. In looking at that switch, it says, "This HDMI matrix switcher does have an input/output booster, but, it may not work with cheap small gauge HDMI cables. We recommend only 24 gauge cables up to 25 foot".

Do you really think it is necessary to go to the 24 guage? Had actually thought 28 would be fine.

Second, is what I am considering REALLY making sense? I know I can use the 4X2 switch but what I really want to be able to do is sometimes just watch TV without powering on the receiver. In that case, maybe some other connection from the HD cable box to the HDTV?

Monoprice doesn't build HDMI category 2 cables over 10' in 28 gauge so I wouldn't exceed that.

You could try an inexpensive HDMI 2:1 passive splitter such as this http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011303&p_id=2522&seq=1&format=2 but they sometimes have problems with the HDMI handshake. You could return it if it doesn't work.

Alternately you could run component video and digital analog cable from the cable box to the TV (assuming the box outputs both HDMI and component video simultaneously.

Thank you so much Chris for your guidance. Yep, you are right, if I run my cable box signal out (HDMI)THROUGH the V863 and into that receiver, it will upconvert everything non HD to 1080P. However, while the V663 does not do an upconvert, the sammy DOES! So, if an HDMI signal was to go through my cable box through the V663(receiver which does not do the upconvert), will the sammy still do the upcomvert when it gets that data stream? Just wondering if the Yamaha tampers with the data stream so that the only way I can be assured of upscaling(upconverting) is with the V863. If it is simple passthru, then I am fine.


2) I can pick up 24AWG cat 2s for around $11.00 in approximately 1.5 foot lengths. The ten footer is double that in price for 24AWG cat 2s. All these switches really encourage me to use the 24AWG cat2s and not 28AWG. i have no expereince to know if this is true.

3)What do yout think about this approach.

I would hook all devices up to the receiver but split the HDMI coming out of my HD DVR/cable box combo using an HDMI 1X2 splitter.

http://www.hdtvsupply.com/1x2pohdsp10r.html

One split would go to the receiver and then back HDMI to the TV 2 input when I want receiver sound. The other directly to the TV 1 input when I want non receiver sound.

4) On occasion, I will have a game system hooked up to the Sammy. I could always use the side HDMI but then the sound would never go through the receiver. On those occasions, would you recommend a permanant optical cable from the sammy to the receiver if I also want to run gaming system sound through the receiver (assuming I dont do the 4-2 switch?)

5) Last, and maybe this is just the simplest. My issue is not necessarily in having the receiver powered on, it is not always wanting to run the sound through the receiver. If I ran EVERYTHING into the receiver and then HDMI back to the TV, might it be as easy as turning down the sound on the receiver and turning up the sound on the TV? OR, do you think the sound is only controlled by the volume on the receiver


Thanks again for your thoughts. i really appreciate it.

HDMI is a simple pass through in the receiver. It actually takes a fair bit of complicated electronics to change the HDMI signal without totally messing it up so the receiver generally just leaves it alone. That's why, for example, many receivers do not add on-screen display graphics to the video picture in HDMI although they may when running analog component video. Thus the sammy will still be able to do any upconversion.

2) Well, I have no direct experience either, but with all the problems that HDMI has over longer distances, I would stay with cat 2 cables if I could.

3) yes and 4) yes, but See 5)

5) If you don't mind having the receiver powered on then you can have the receiver output the HDMI audio to the TV. For that you have to set the option SUPPORT AUDIO to OTHER in the HDMI SET menu on the V663 (pg. 98 in the manual). But I'm not sure you can also get the audio through the receiver in that mode. For receiver audio you may have to set the option back to RX-V663. Not sure how difficult it is to switch back and forth.

EXCELLENT!!!!!! Thank you very much, sir!