Hi all. please don't flame me for asking something that has prob. been explaned to death but I just need some quick answers..... been reading up on HD LCD's/Upconverting DVD's etc etc etc in the other forums and my brain is about to explode (no lie prob. over 40 hrs. in the last 5 days)!

Don't know much about digital when it comes to home theater since I was very happy with my Sony Trinitron CTR 'till it blew up last week and had been running all analog.

My problem is that even tho I'll be running HDMI for video my receiver forces me to run separate cables for audio (will only output HDMI audio to TV speakers, don't know if this is "normal" for most receivers?). The options that I have from my playback components (DVD/SAT box) are digital coax/optical or RCA.

From what I've read digital is better than RCA and coax is more durable than optical hence less chances of having issues.......but will the digital audio output from those sources work with older Dolby 5.1 DVD's and other non digital signals (Sat audio) or will I still need to use the analog cables?

Thanks in advance and sorry if my question is a bit dum but I'm past the point of being able to assimilate much more than simple explanations.

.......but will the digital audio output from those sources work with older Dolby 5.1 DVD's Huh? What are you trying to ask? Work with DVD's?
and other non digital signals (Sat audio) or will I still need to use the analog cables?All satellite stuff is digital. What do you mean non-digital for sat? Chances are you don't need analog, but please restate your questions so that they make sense.

Ed

Ed, thanks for your response and sorry for my questions not making sense. Maybe it's just misinformation/confusion on my part and being overwhelmed by all the new stuff I've been cramming in. I'll try again;

1) When an HD/SD Sat receiver outputs an audio signal does it do it in both digital and analog forms regardless of it being HD or an SD unit?

2) When playing an older DVD encoded in the old Dolby Surround (pre 5.1 stuff) will the newer HD DVD players be able to play the audio thru the digital outputs? I know that sounds like a weird question but the reason I'm asking is because my last DVD player (oooold) had no digital outputs so I've never had a chance to try yet.

Until recently all my gear has been analog, Receiver/TV/VCR/DVD. A few month's ago my Receiver went so I got one with HDMI/Digital connections (plus analog of course). Last week my TV went out so I got a new 42" 1080p LCD. So now I just need to get a HD DVD player (well at least an upconverting one, I still haven't decided between HD and Blue-Ray) and HD Sat DVR to get the most of out of the gear.

Just wanted to know if my older DVD's would output sound on the new gear using digital outputs.

Thanks again,

1) When an HD/SD Sat receiver outputs an audio signal does it do it in both digital and analog forms regardless of it being HD or an SD unit?Yes. You should be able to get both out. Note that the analog will be downmixed to stereo. The digital probably can be output as DD which can be 5.1 or PCM which will most likely also be downmixed to stereo.
2) When playing an older DVD encoded in the old Dolby Surround (pre 5.1 stuff) will the newer HD DVD players be able to play the audio thru the digital outputs?Yes, definitely.

Ed

the reason I'm asking is because my last DVD player (oooold) had no digital outputsI find that hard to believe. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a spec that mandates digital output on all DVD players - even from the beginning. What was the brand/model of that old one?

Ed

I find that hard to believe.
Why? He said it was "oooold".

- even from the beginning.
The beginning of WHAT?

I had a first generation Toshiba, and it certainly had a digital out. I believe that
ekb is correct that it is part of the DVD spec.

Ed thanks for the explanation. As far as my old DVD it was one of the very first bottom feeder Samsungs that was available in the US. While I'm not willing to say I'm absolutely sure it didn't have digital out that is how I remember it, but that could just be because my old receiver was all analog (of that I'm sure :)) and I had no use for the digital out on the DVD.

Being a newbie at this I'm certainly not going to argue with someone that has more knowledge on the subject than I do. So if all DVD's were made with some sort of digital out from the beginning I'll accept that.

I guess that would be important to know in case of a heated trivia discussion. :D

Thanks again for the help.

Why? He said it was "oooold".


The beginning of WHAT?
I think that a digital out was a requirment on all DVD players ever since the first DVD player was made (ie the beginning means when the DVD standard was defined and specs for players were written). So even though his player is old, I believe that it should have a digital out.

Ed