STR-K7000 Question

I just bought this system myself and am still playing with all of the settings. First of all, audio isn't carried on the HDMI cables for some reason. It is throughput to the TV, but it doesn't stop at the amp.

What do I mean? I am using the included DVD player (a nice little upconverter) and a DirecTiVo HR10-250 (HD DVR). Both are connected to the K7000 by HDMI cables. The K7000 is then connected to the TV via another HDMI cable. With the amp on, both picture and sound come out of the TV's speakers. Nothing at all come out of the surround system's speakers. Weird. In order to get sound, one has to connect some other cables. In my case, I'm using a coax to connect the DVD to the K7000 and I'm using an optical cable to connect the HR10. I could use an optical cable on the DVD player, but I don't have one, so I didn't bother. Saves me about twenty bucks.

You won't get digital sound without using digital connections. Try that next.

I suspect that may be the problem. On the back of the DVD, there is a jack marked coaxial out. That needs to be connected to the coaxial in jack on the amp. A digital audio connection will be a single cable between two components (not two, as with analog). What other gear are you connecting? Are you using a cable or sat box?

Okay, I don't have a 360, but I think I understand where we're going here. Is your TV in HD? Is your cable box HD? I know that the 360 is HD. You say that everything is connected via component.

I am going to assume that your TV and cable box are HD. If not, connections are even simpler.

So, let's try this:

1. You like the DVD player, so let's leave it alone. Component is three cables. The fourth cable is coax sound. If you have something else, unplug it. You don't need red and white audio. Unplug those guys and see if the DVD player still works as desired.
2. Get an HDMI cable and run it from the HDMI out on the K7000 to the HDMI in on your TV.
3. Does XBox 360 have HDMI? If so, run it to one of the HDMI inputs. If not, continue using the component cables. Either way, you need to connect the audio. If 360 supports digital audio, you'll need a digital connection to the K7000. You've already used the coax for the DVD. Use an optical cable to connect the 360 to one of the optical inputs on the K7000. If 360 doesn't do optical, use coax and move the DVD sound to the optical cable. (When using optical, remove the tiny plastic caps from the ends of the cable. I learned this the hard way and felt really stupid.)
4. Connect the cable box to the K7000 with another HDMI and an optical audio cable. There is no choice for audio here (if digital). The K7000 only has one coax digital input and two optical digital inputs.)

How did we do?

Okay, so you have to ignore all of the HDMI jacks. It doesn't seem there is any point to using them.

Connect the DVD to the K7000 with component and a coax digital audio cable. Connect the 360 to the K7000 with component and an optical audio cable (under $20 at WalMart). Conncet the cable box to the K7000 with component and the other optical cable. Conncet the K7000 to the TV with component video cables. Don't worry about an audio connection. Now, you'll have to turn the receiver on in order to watch TV at all, but that should get you going with digital sound on everything and an HD picture, when available.

That got it?

Hey, the optical cables are waaaaaaay less expensive than HDMI cables.

Just a suggestion... You sound like a teenager who is into gaming and not into reading directions. There's nothing wrong with any of that, but you might get better responses in your threads by reading more of the directions. I have responded to this thread because I recently bought the same system you have and have been working on learning more about it. I am also a middle school teacher, so I tend to feel compelled to help kids when I can. In the future, spend some time reading more of the instructions. The K7000 manual is a bear to read -- very poorly organized, IMHO. Still, much of what we've discussed in this thread is in there.

Good luck.

Well, I hope you aren't offended. That was just an impression I was getting.

The Sony instructions stink. There doesn't seem to be much of a logical layout and it just throws a ton of info at you all at once. I haven't read through it all yet. Best Buy people don't ever know anything. I tried to buy this HTIB at Best Buy and they couldn't find one for me, even though inventory said they had one. I ended up getting it at Circuit City across the street.

I saw a wiring diagram wizard on the Sony website. Try this out: Sony hookup help

I have mine on auto, but I have been so busy, I haven't really had time to tweak the setup much. I may change my mind later.

Congrats on getting it all going. Digital audio is the only way to go these days. Get that optical cable for the cable box and you're good to go.

When I was 21, there was no way I could have afforded any of this stuff. Of course, when I was 21, most of this stuff wasn't even invented yet. My TV was a 12" B/W with click knobs. It still works great, too.

I tried to read through this entire thread, but I haven't so if I repeat something someone else has posted, I do apologize.

I have this same amp/receiver and had a little difficulty when first getting this setup.

More or less this is how I have my system setup.

Sanyo Plasma HD TV (very good quality, btw purchased at Wal-Mart for $1500)
K7000 receiver
5 Disc Changer (DVD player that came bundled with the 5.1 home theatre system)
Comcast Scientific Atlanta cable receiver

Currently I have the following setup:

HDMI and Optical from the amp/receiver to the TV
HDMI and Optical from the amp/receiver to the cable box
HDMI and orange coax (provided) from the amp/receiver to the DVD player

The big thing is in the manual I got the impression that you HAVE to run the optical cable regarding the TV, but not positive. I did it regardless.

Someone mentioned how they only had a DVI hook up, not an HDMI. They make an HMDI to DVI cable (available at just about any store that carries HDMI cables), and I would STRONGLY recommend using the HDMI interface whenever possible.


That is all I can add at the moment. Good luck getting things setup!

You dont need the optical to the TV. Just the HDMI. All you are carrying to the tv from the receiver is picture. Your sound stops at the receiver.
This HTIB is hard to set up. I blame the manual. This is the most poorly written manual I have ever used. Also the lack of onscreen setup for the receiver is a negative. I have since replaced all of the speakers, the receiver sounds great without the speakers that came with it.
If you have any questions feel free to ask, I have been messing with this thing nonstop for the past 2 months.
-Rich
p.s. I have my settings on AFD auto.

While I would agree that the optical cable to the TV is not needed because the the receiver is getting its inputs from the other 2 connections, are you sure the audio stops at the receiver? The receiver specs say the HDMI is pass through, which usually means no audio or video processing by the receiver via HDMI.

The only reason to have audio going to your TV is if you use the TV speakers. Otherwise why would you need audio to your TV. Your TV is just basically a monitor.
This is how my system is setup:
DVD--->Receiver (coax/HDMI)
Cable Box --->Recever (opt/HDMI)
Receiver --->TV (HDMI)
Where there is HDMI you can replace these with component cables as this gives good video also.
-Rich

I would have to say, thinking about it now, that makes sense about the optical cable to the TV from the receiver.

I would say though, if you can do HDMI, do so. The component cables worked with my TV, but there was HUGE difference when I went from component to HDMI, even on the HD channels. Some may not notice, but when an HD channel is grainy close up with component and then you switch to HDMI and it's smooth, it's hard not to justify the cost of a $65 HD cable.

Thanks for making a point about the insignificance of the optical cable to the TV. I should have just thought about it. I'm going to remove it and get my money back for it.

Your welcome, and you need to get your cables from monoprice or bluejeans, they are much cheaper and work just as well. Dont buy at B&M they are overpriced.
-Rich

Don't feel bad - I've been at it for even longer. BTW, has anyone used the "COMPONENT VIDEO ASSIGN" feature described on page 64 of the manual? I'd be interested to hear about the "how" and "why", if you have.

Anyway, here's how I hooked up my HT-7000DH to a Motorola DCT6412 III HD DVR, Samsung DVD-VR330 combo DVD/VCR recorder (DVDR) and a Samsung HL-S5086W (HDTV).

BASIC
HD DVR --> HDMI --> AVR (VIDEO 2)
HD DVR --> Digital Audio (optical) --> AVR (VIDEO 2)
DVDP --> HDMI --> AVR (DVD)
DVDP --> Digital Audio (coax) --> AVR (DVD)
AVR (MONITOR OUT) --> HDMI --> HDTV (HDMI 1)

In the BASIC set up, the AVR does all the audio and video switching (VIDEO 2 <--> DVD).

RECORDING FROM HD DVR
HD DVR --> S-Video --> DVDR
HD DVR --> Stereo Audio (Red/White) --> DVDR
DVDR --> Component Video --> HDTV (Component 1)
DVDR --> Stereo Audio (Red/White) --> AVR (VIDEO 1)
DVDR --> Digital Audio (optical) --> AVR (VIDEO 1)

In the RECORDING set up, I have to switch from VIDEO 2 to VIDEO 1 on the AVR for audio and switch from HDMI 1 to Component 1 on the HDTV for video so that I can view the VR330 menu for recording set up, editing, finalizing, etc. and to monitor the recording if I want.

A few final things about my set up as regards recording from the HD DVR:
1) The Motorola DCT6412 III outputs 480i video via S-Video simultaneously with HDMI.
2) On the DVD-VR330, the output from both the VCR and DVDR can be through the same component video output (not simultaneously, of course) so there's no need for separate DVDR and VCR video output hook ups to the HDTV.
3) Although I use the upconverting Sony DVP-NC85H as my primary DVD player, I included the Digital Audio (optical) connection between the DVD-VR330 and the AVR in case I wanted/needed to play a DVD that had DD 5.1 or DTS on the VR330.
4) If I ever decide that I want/need to record from the cable, I'll use a splitter on the coax cable coming out of the wall - one leg to HD DVR, one leg to VR330.

man your ish is complicated.

Nah, it's not THAT bad!

BTW, in case folks haven't noticed, the STR-K7000 has 5.1 discrete analog audio inputs. I believe this means you can hook up a BluRay or HD-DVD player with the corresponding outputs to your system. Also, I checked the manual for Sony's "new" HT-7100DH and this feature is NOT there on the STR-K7100 AVR.

I did and that is where my problems started of not getting video to the TV. I had a PS2 connected to Video 1 and tried to assign this to the HDMI port and after I did, I couldn't get any (composite Y/R/W cables) video to the TV from Video 1, 2, or 3 on the receiver. Is composite correct? I usually call them RCA cables. At any rate, it seems as though it was a problem with the cable box, but after I rebooted the cable box, I didn't try again. I may give it another shot now that I feel more comfortable with it.

I don't see why all signals can't be forwarded, instead of just one at a time. But my knowledge on how the signals work is very low, so I will trust that it's more complicated than they are willing to put into this unit. I'm sure there are other systems that can do this, but more expensive. HK possibly?

Thanks for the "diagram" of your setup.

This is a confusing part of the crap manual that they give us. This isnt the top o the line receiver, so yes with a better receiver you can reassign pretty much anything anywhere. But with this you have to read the chart that says what you can assign where.
-Rich