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Does a home theater receiver process video too ?

post #1 of 8
7/3/12 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
I read it does, but is it necessary ?

I really just want to have sound from my TV and PS3 go through some speakers and a subwoofer.

I am looking at getting the Denon AVR1612. I have a LCD TV with Optical, HDMI, Component connections and a PS3 with HDMI. I have a Comcast cable box that just has RCA jacks and Coaxial.

Can I just connect a Optical cable from the TV to the Receiver. If I did that, would I get the sound from the TV and PS3 to the speakers and sub connected to the receiver ?

What would be the benefits of connecting my cable box (RCA) my TV (HDMI) and my PS3 (HDMI) to the receiver ?

Im thinking majority of the receivers use would be for movies on the PS3, cable TV is fine with the TV speakers. Plus wouldnt it be better not to have the receiver on every time the TV is on while just watching TV.
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post #2 of 8
7/3/12 at 8:21pm
Quote:
What would be the benefits of connecting my cable box (RCA) my TV (HDMI) and my PS3 (HDMI) to the receiver ?

You will get better audio by connecting the PS3 directly to your receiver. You can get TrueHD, DTS Master Audio from Blu Ray movies, Dolby Digital and DTS from DVD's. you can't get this audio by connecting the PS3 to your TV first and then outputting from the TV's optical out.

Why haven't you upgraded your cable box to HD cable? Kinda defeats the purpose of having a flat panel TV.
Quote:
Plus wouldnt it be better not to have the receiver on every time the TV is on while just watching TV.

I don't see the point of having a home theater system if you're not gong to use it. I haven't used TV speakers in 15 years at least.
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post #3 of 8
7/4/12 at 2:00am
Every HDTV has a video processor, the vp in a receiver may be better quality in scaling and/or de-interlacing, but to be better quality (HQV, ABT, Marvell) they are only found in higher priced or flagship models. Entry-level receivers often have rudimentary vp, or no vp, or just a scaler without other vp functions.

Optical from TV to AVR:
1. optical cannot pass HD audio or MCH PCM;
2. many if not most TV cannot pass dts, some don't pass DD so you may be restricted to 2ch.

"Why haven't you upgraded your cable box to HD cable?"
I can't speak for the OP but I'm also using SD cable because the channels I watch are 99% SD.

"cable TV is fine with the TV speakers. Plus wouldnt it be better not to have the receiver on every time the TV is on while just watching TV."
If you're happy with that it's perfectly fine if you only want to listen in stereo and not bother with fancy surround modes and what you hear is quite clear. If you watch a lot of TV it'll be cheaper without running the AVR (and possibly air con). Cable box can go to TV and PS3 to AVR.
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post #4 of 8
7/4/12 at 2:59am
The Denon 1612 neither has a video chip nor does analog--> HDMI conversion, however, it does support the ARC feature to return the TV's smart app audio (eg. Pandora, Netflix, etc.) back to the AVR over the HDMI cable that connects them (that is if your TV supports ARC as well). Otherwise, you'll want to connect an optical from the TV to the AVR to pass TV audio back to the AVR.

Comcast (composite video/audio) ---> TV (to let you watch/listen without the AVR being turned on)
Comcast (coax) ---> AVR (when you want to use the surround sound speakers if TV doesn't support ARC)
PS3 (HDMI) ---> AVR
AVR (HDMI) ---> TV
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post #5 of 8
7/4/12 at 3:36pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the replies and info. Im still trying to wrap my head around all these connection options, lol. I read the Denon 1612 has HDMI passthrough - so I guess you can use the TV speakers if you want, but I think the receiver is still on - or in standby mode.

I will try this...

PS3 to AVR via HDMI
AVR to TV via HDMI ARC (I have a Sony 40ex400, read conflicting posts about it does/doesnt have ARC for HDMI 1)
Cable box to TV via RCA
Cable box to AVR via Coaxial
Sub to AVR via RCA Sub cable (right channel on sub to mono sub on AVR)


JDS..."Comcast (coax) ---> AVR (when you want to use the surround sound speakers if TV doesn't support ARC)" So the coaxial will send only Audio to the AVR ?

For the cable, I have SD. Was thinking of getting a new Comacst cable box with HDMI. But was told various things - 1. you have to have HD subscription to get a HDMI/HD cable box 2. It is $5 more per month ($10 total) just for the box, plus a $10 HD technology fee per month.


I guess all Im trying to do is have the option to easily switch TV audio between the TV and AVR, the TV would only be for the occasional TV movie and sports - then again maybe the TV audio will sound really good on the AVR and I will use it as the main source. Then have the AVR's main use for the PS3, for movies and games.


Thanks
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post #6 of 8
7/5/12 at 4:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AVS2012 View Post

JDS..."Comcast (coax) ---> AVR (when you want to use the surround sound speakers if TV doesn't support ARC)" So the coaxial will send only Audio to the AVR ?

Correct.
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post #7 of 8
7/6/12 at 3:30pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks.

Right now I used a Optical from back of the TV to the AVR. Any difference in using the cable boxes Coaxial vs the Optical from TV to AVR ?

Also I connected the PS3 to the AVR via HDMI. I have the HDMI Out on the AVR connected to the HDMI 1 Input on the TV. Now if my TV supported ARC, I should get Video from the PS3 on the HDMI 1 Input, correct ?

Because I do not get a signal on HDMI 1. Iam guessing because the TV actually does not support ARC. So I should connect the PS3 to the TV via HDMI and then the Optical cable I already have connected will give me the sound from the PS3 through the AVR, right ? From above I guess if I use the optical from TV, I probably will not get Dolby Digital or HD Audio.

I have Denon 1612, 2 bookshelf speakers and a powered subwoofer.

Thanks

Edit: Ok after re-reading these posts and trying to wrap my brain around this, I will do this just to try out....

PS3 to TV via HDMI
Cable Box to TV via RCA
Cable Box to AVR via Coaxial
TV to AVR via Optical
AVR HDMI Out to TV HDMI Input (would this even do anything ? Im guessing it will just let me use the Denon menu on the TV)
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post #8 of 8
7/6/12 at 6:37pm
If the cable box can pass DD 5.1, you'll want to connect the coax from the cable box to the AVR as the optical from the TV will only pass the stereo 2.0 that the cable box is passing to the TV via the red/white analog cables. ARC refers to "Audio Return Channel" and has nothing to do with video. You would need the HDMI cable from the AVR to the TV to pass the video from the PS3 to the TV so reconnect the PS3 back to the 1612. If you set BraviaSync on the TV to ON as well as to external speakers/home theater and then set HDMI Control on the 1612 to ON, any audio from the TV (ie. smart apps, Netflix, Pandora, etc.) would pass back to the AVR over the same HDMI cable that is passing the video from the AVR to the TV. If your TV doesn't have any smart app/internet connection capability you don't need to worry about using ARC.
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