A/V Receiver & Gaming Headset Setup Info Needed!

I have a cheaper Sony receiver that came with 5.1 speakers. It has the lame HDMI "pass-through" setup. I recently purchased an IR wireless headphone system. I have an XBOX 360, DirecTV, and PC hooked up right now. Unfortunately I have to switch the physical hook-ups back and forth from the receiver to the headphones every time I want to alternate between the headphones and speakers.

I thought a receiver with a kind of universal optical out would work perfectly where no matter what device input the receiver is set on, it would output the corresponding sound to the headphones. My wireless headphones can accept one digital coaxial, one optical, and one rca input. I would prefer to have all devices go through the receiver and have the receiver output one signal out an optical out that can hook up to my wireless headphone optical input.

Did you ever find an adequate solution that does not include an additional piece of hardware? Thanks.

To answer my own question, I ended up buying a Pioneer VSX-1120-K which has an optical out but it only sends optical out from the optical input. It does not carry the HDMI audio input. I ended up hooking up everything HDMI and then I can set my audio output the "Pass Through" which passes the audio to my tv. My Panasonic plasma tv has an optical out so that's how I'm able to use my wireless headphones with all of my devices.

Hdwdlnd - I think I have the same exact problem you were having - with the same exact equipment. I'm glad you found a solution, but I was wondering if you could be more specific.

I too have the Pioneer VSX-1120-k with a Panasonic Plasma TV that includes an optical out. See my thread here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ess+headphones

I was wondering what wireless headphones you are using and what you meant by "I ended up hooking up everything HDMI and then I can set my audio output the "Pass Through" which passes the audio to my tv. My Panasonic plasma tv has an optical out so that's how I'm able to use my wireless headphones with all of my devices."

So does that mean when you aren't using your headphones, all of the audio comes out of your TV speakers and not you're surround sound speakers?