I'm in the midst of setting up a home theater and I need some help with a temporary audio scheme. Basically the last thing I need to do is wire my family room for the 7.1 setup. But as that's no small task, I want to temporarily output audio through my TV (Panny TH-50PX77U).

I have a Media Center machine that takes digital cable and outputs into my Yamaha V661 receiver. I'm using optical for the audio and DVI -> HDMI for video. From the receiver to the TV, it's HDMI for video but the receiver won't do audio over HDMI unless it also comes in via HDMI. So there's my question: how do I send the audio to the TV? I have some component cables that I'd like to use rather than buying something I'm only going to use for a week. Everything I've tried so far hasn't worked.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not sure I understand. Do you want to use the receiver for now, or not? Does the TV have an optical audio input?

Yes, I want to use the receiver. Once I do the wiring for the speakers, I'll disconnect the audio from the TV and connect all the speakers to the receiver.

The TV does have an optical input, but I was hoping to not have to buy a cable I won't need later. Is that the problem perhaps? Digital audio coming from the PC and I'm trying to output it as analog?

Thanks siva.

Yes, I want to use the receiver. Once I do the wiring for the speakers, I'll disconnect the audio from the TV and connect all the speakers to the receiver.

The TV does have an optical input, but I was hoping to not have to buy a cable I won't need later. Is that the problem perhaps? Digital audio coming from the PC and I'm trying to output it as analog?
How exactly are you trying to connect the receiver to the TV via an analog connection?

With a component cable (red/white). Maybe that's not analog, I'm a newbie with this stuff. :P

That is an analog audio cable.

Component is a three plug video cable (red, green, blue.)


Also, TVs tend to not have optical inputs. It's probably an optical out to get surround sound from the TV's tuner to the receiver. Most TVs will have one or more sets of analog audio inputs. They generally don't need more than that as they rarely if ever have more than stereo speakers.

You're right, it is an optical output.

I have my cable (red, white, yellow actually) plugged into the red/white ports marked "HDMI 1 audio in". I assumed this was for audio when the cable in HDMI 1 is carrying video only. The situation with the receiver is where I'm less certain. I've tried pretty much everything with no luck. It has an auto mode so I assume it will automatically do the right thing. Again, no experience with receivers.

Is this what your receiver back looks like?

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/av/lib_image/rxv661/panel.jpg

How many audio inputs on the TV?

Yep that's it. Here is the manual for the TV: http://media.*******.com/Image_Products/Panasonic/TH42PX77U.pdf

Page 12 has a picture of the ports.

The missing domain is llaceno -- backwards. God is that really necessary?

What audio outputs does your soundcard have? Does it have a pair of red/white RCA outputs?

No, just your standard 3.5mm jacks. Before the receiver arrived, I had the computer hooked directly to the TV with a 3.5mm -> red/white cable and that worked fine.

I have my cable (red, white, yellow actually) plugged into the red/white ports marked "HDMI 1 audio in". I assumed this was for audio when the cable in HDMI 1 is carrying video only. The situation with the receiver is where I'm less certain.
Which "cable" are you talking about? Do you literally mean "a cable" or do you mean "cable TV"?

From what, exactly, does this cable run into the TV's "HDMI 1 Audio In" ports?


Before the receiver arrived, I had the computer hooked directly to the TV with a 3.5mm -> red/white cable and that worked fine.
So why don't you do that again? Is there a reason you are currently running anything (video or audio) through your receiver?

Yeah, I'd route everything to the TV if there are enough inputs. Especially if it's temporary, unless for some reason the wiring for 7.1 is going to last months.

I literally mean a cable. It's got red & white for audio and yellow for video (which is not plugged into anything). I thought this was called a component cable which is what I was referring to in earlier posts. This cable runs from my receiver's audio output ports, of which there are several and I've tried them all.

I think I will just move the media center back over to the TV so the cables can reach. I'm planning on getting the speakers wired this weekend so it's not worth going to more trouble.

Thanks for your patience here guys, I appreciate the help.

I literally mean a cable. It's got red & white for audio and yellow for video (which is not plugged into anything). I thought this was called a component cable which is what I was referring to in earlier posts.
It's "composite" cable. At least that's what the yellow video cable is called. The red/white audio cabling is just called "analog audio cable". Although some people call the whole thing "composite".


This cable runs from my receiver's audio output ports, of which there are several and I've tried them all.
Well, you have 2 options for doing it if you want to run the audio through the receiver:

1.) If you are going to use an optical cable into the receiver for audio, then what you would need to do is, first, set up the receiver for 2-channel playback. In other words, in the receiver's setup menus, set it up as having only your 2 front speakers; no center, no surrounds, and no sub (see footnote). Then you would use the receiver's front pre-outs to connect to your TV's "HDMI 1 Audio Input". If you did this, you would be able to control the volume with both the receiver and the TV. If you want to use the TV's volume control, then you would set the receiver's volume somewhere and simply leave it there.

2.) You could also use your Zone2 outputs. But your Zone2 outputs will only pass that which comes into the receiver via a 2-channel analog connection. So, you would need to connect your soundcard via the 3.5mm-to-red/white-RCA cable that you have to any analog input of your receiver; "CD" for example. Then you would assign that input ("CD" in this example) to Zone2. Then you would use the Zone2 pre-outs to connect to your TV's "HDMI 1 Audio Input". You most likely have the ability in your receiver to set the Zone2 volume to be "fixed" or "variable". If you want to use the TV's volume control to control the volume, you would set the Zone2 volume to be "fixed". Then, you would just use your receiver's Zone2 for routing the audio.


But, as you say, it's probably easiest to simply connect directly to the TV for the time being.


footnote: You may actually want to set the receiver up as having a sub and set your front speakers to SMALL and use some crossover in order to keep really low frequencies out of your TV's speakers.