I'm thinking of purchasing a HD Plasma monitor (without speakers) and connecting the satellite audio feed directly to my A/V receiver to power surround sound speakers that I already own. I'd like to purchase a monitor with HDMI inputs but I'm wondering if connecting the satellite tuner directly to my monitor via HDMI will override the audio that I want to pipe in to my A/V receiver? Does anyone know the correct and best way to take advantage of some of the newer satellite receivers that boast 5.1 channel surround sound? I'm assuming the audio would need to be connected to your receiver than powers all the speaker channels.
Thanks for your help.

In most if not all STB's, both the HDMI audio and optical out audio work simutaneously.

In most cases you shouldn't have any issue running HDMI to the TV and the optical audio to the AV receiver.

There have been some cases with cable STB's where when hooked to a TV via HDMI, the audio output over both the HDMI connection and optical and/or coax connection has been forced to two channels only due to the fact most if not all TV's can only support two channels of audio over HDMI. In a case like that, the only work around is to use component connections for the video.

Thank you Matt!

I have a DirecTV H20 receiver, which is Dolby 5.1 output capable. It is connected to my Sony KDS-50A2000 via HDMI and My Panasonic SC-HT900 HTIB via Toslink. When I want to use the Panasonic for 5.1 surround on a TV show I simply turn it on and turn down the A2000. No problems and the sound is great.

Sweet. Thanks Chris. In my case however (no speakers on tv) all of my sound will be ouput through my front channel speakers (or multiple channels when I'm watching a broadcast in 5.1)?

i just go the new directv hr-20 receiver and the installer used the component cables that came with it but i wonder if i buy an hdmi cable will it make the picture look better? iamb a newbie to the yd life !

i just go the new directv hr-20 receiver and the installer used the component cables that came with it but i wonder if i buy an hdmi cable will it make the picture look better? iamb a newbie to the yd life !

Welcome to the forum. Actually you don't have the same question, this was a thread about HDMI audio, not picture quality vs component cables. Please try to post your questions to threads in the same topic as yours or start a new thread if you can't find one that pertains to your question.

To answer your question, you need to try both and see what looks best to you. You can pick up an inexpensive HDMI cable at monoprice.com or other various online vendors, don't waste your money on overpriced cables.

Sweet. Thanks Chris. In my case however (no speakers on tv) all of my sound will be ouput through my front channel speakers (or multiple channels when I'm watching a broadcast in 5.1)?

I don't think you should have any problems. My A2000 has two HDMI inputs: one for combined video/audio and the other for just video, which requires separate RCA cables for audio. If you have multiple HDMI inputs similar to that you can try the "video only" if you have trouble...but I think you'll be okay with the HDMI to your plasma and then running the audio "out" directly to your sound system, which should pick up whatever audio format the signal is being transmitted in.

Satellite Receiver -> HDMI directly to Plasma

Satellite Receiver -> Digital audio directly to A/V

Chris

Hey everyone....I've searched the forum but haven't found a solution to my problem:

I have an HR20 connected to my TH-42PX50U via HDMI. When I run the optical audio from the TV to my AV receiver I only get 2 channel (PCM 48). Is there something I'm doing wrong? Does anyone know how to get 5.1 DD using this setup?

One note - I DO get 5.1 DD when I have HDMI to the TV and run optical audio directly from the HR20 to the AV receiver.

The TV doesn't output DD. You have it right it your note.

Hey everyone....I've searched the forum but haven't found a solution to my problem:

I have an HR20 connected to my TH-42PX50U via HDMI. When I run the optical audio from the TV to my AV receiver I only get 2 channel (PCM 48). Is there something I'm doing wrong? Does anyone know how to get 5.1 DD using this setup?

One note - I DO get 5.1 DD when I have HDMI to the TV and run optical audio directly from the HR20 to the AV receiver.

Your television only outputs DD5.1 when the signal is decoded from the built-in ATSC tuner. Signals from the NTSC tuner and all other inputs are output as stereo PCM. See page 14 of your manual.

The only way to get DD 5.1 is the way you described it in your note.

I hooked up optical into audio receiver from my new DVD player. also i hooked up hdmi cable to my new tv from DVD player. now when i play DVDs the dialogue is echoed. seems like center speaker has most dialogue but side speakers do too, and are slightly out of synch and makes dialogue distorted. not sure why there is echo.setting for DVD/6Ch on receiver no longer works. it now goes thru CD/DVD setting. i am getting DD 5.1 sound, esp on music DVDs. receiver says it detects optical.but dialogue is messy on movies. any suggestions? does it have to do with hdmi or optical?
thanks

I have a slightly different problem: No audio at all.

I have HDMI hooked up to my TV (Pioneer Kuro Pro-111FD) from my LG Blu-Ray player. I'm using the Optical Audio Out from the Blu-Ray to my receiver (Denon 2802). I've tried playing around with the audio settings on both the Blu-Ray player (changing from PCM to Bitstream, etc) as well as the receiver, but no luck at all.

Any help would be appreciated. The picture looks absolutely beautiful. I just wish the audio existed!

I hooked up optical into audio receiver from my new DVD player. also i hooked up hdmi cable to my new tv from DVD player. now when i play DVDs the dialogue is echoed. seems like center speaker has most dialogue but side speakers do too, and are slightly out of synch and makes dialogue distorted. not sure why there is echo.setting for DVD/6Ch on receiver no longer works. it now goes thru CD/DVD setting. i am getting DD 5.1 sound, esp on music DVDs. receiver says it detects optical.but dialogue is messy on movies. any suggestions? does it have to do with hdmi or optical?
thanks

Do you have the sound turned down on the TV? If it's on that would produce an echo.

I have a slightly different problem: No audio at all.

I have HDMI hooked up to my TV (Pioneer Kuro Pro-111FD) from my LG Blu-Ray player. I'm using the Optical Audio Out from the Blu-Ray to my receiver (Denon 2802). I've tried playing around with the audio settings on both the Blu-Ray player (changing from PCM to Bitstream, etc) as well as the receiver, but no luck at all.

Any help would be appreciated. The picture looks absolutely beautiful. I just wish the audio existed!

Do you have access to your on screen display with the Denon? If you do, you need to go to the System Set up Menu, scroll down to Digital In Assignment and set your BD/DVD player to the correct OPT1, OPT2 or OPT3 corresponding to your Denon. That should fix your problem.

With my Denon 4802, I need to use an S-video cable from the rear of my Denon to my S-video "in" on the back of my Sony lcd to get the Denon on screen menu. Here is a link to your manual if you do not have one http://www.usa.denon.com/ArchivedAVReceivers.asp?archivedModelSearch=true&clearCurrent=true&archivedCategory=AV&archivedModel=AVR-2802&imageField.x=22&imageField.y=13

Look on page 13 of the manual in regards to setting the digital in assignments.

Mike

Do you have access to your on screen display with the Denon? If you do, you need to go to the System Set up Menu, scroll down to Digital In Assignment and set your BD/DVD player to the correct OPT1, OPT2 or OPT3 corresponding to your Denon. That should fix your problem.

With my Denon 4802, I need to use an S-video cable from the rear of my Denon to my S-video "in" on the back of my Sony lcd to get the Denon on screen menu. Here is a link to your manual if you do not have one http://www.usa.denon.com/ArchivedAVReceivers.asp?archivedModelSearch=true&clearCurrent=true&archivedCategory=AV&archivedModel=AVR-2802&imageField.x=22&imageField.y=13

Look on page 13 of the manual in regards to setting the digital in assignments.

MikeMike, thanks for your reply. That same input on the Denon was previously used with a regular DVD player and worked fine. But, I will hook up the on-screen display and go through the motions just to be sure...

Edit: Although I don't have access to the on-screen display, when pressing the STATUS button one of the displays read "IN=D OPTICAL 1" for "DVD" and I do have the Blu-Ray hooked up to Optical input #1...

The connections are all OK. I'm starting to wonder if it's the cable (although it's never been used before), so I will replace that within the next day or two and see if there's any difference.