[thedjs6]

I have a Sony HDTV hooked to a Comcast STB using component cables. (The STB has no HDMI) Next I have a Sony AV receiver connected to my STB using a fiber optical cable. The receiver is not connected to the TV. My problem is when I connect my laptop to the TV using HDMI I am unable to use my sound system and all the sound is coming through the TV. Not really desirable if I want to stream movies.


If I run a separate optical cable from the receiver to the TV would that them allow me to turn off the TV speakers and run the sound through the receiver?


Thanks for any advice you can give me.

 

[commsysman]

No.


What is the Model number of the receiver?


I suggest that you connect the STB to the receiver using the component-video/audio cables.


Connect the computer to the receiver using HDMI.


Connect the receiver video output to the TV using the 3 Component Video cables (3...no audio) (assuming it HAS component-video outputs).


Keep the TV audio muted.

 

[BIslander]

The answer to the OP's question is actually "yes". A digital connection from the tv to an input on the receiver will enable you to feed audio from the PC through the TV to the AVR.


However, the output will likely be stereo as most TVs will not pass through encoded multichannel sound. So, running HDMI from the PC to the receiver is likely the better way to go. Of course, you'll need to add an HDMI connection from the receiver to the TV for video.


None of this has anything to do with your existing STB set-up.