I am browsing through the forum and can't seem to find the information I am looking for. I am just wondering why there would be an HDMI output on some of the receivers out there? Right now I have an HDMI cable running from my STB to my TV(only 1 input) so how would I run one to the receiver? As far as speakers are concerned I am looking at best buy and futureshop and I see Sony, Panasonic, and JVC have some surround systems but my budget is around 800 dollars. So would it be wise to get a system with an HMDI output? And why?

Recievers with hdmi start at about $2000 right now i believe, so no you dont need hdmi.

Some others will probably chime in here...that know alot more than me but the new receivers coming on the market have HDMI output. This is used for video upconversion and/or passthrough. Basically if you have devices in your HT setup using S-video, composite and component you can hook them up through the receiver and have only one cable (HDMI) going to your tv. This allows upscaling to occur from analog sources to HDMI.

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/receivers/RXV2600.htm

This is the new yamaha receiver that incorporates upconversion. Here is a review on 2 levels of yamaha receivers that have it:

http://www.audioholics.com/cedia/cedia2004/YamahaRXV2600RXV1600receiv.php

As u can see they are quite pricey. Its a matter of budget and need/want when u chose a receiver for your system. The long and short of this is 480p video signals can be upconverted to HD 720p and 1080i. Read through the review and weigh if this feature is a necessity for you at this time. There are plenty of wonderful receivers without this technology that can be had for $800.00 budget.

Well I noticed on the box of the sony system for 1299 @ futureshop that it had an HDMI symbol on it and on the specs it says 1 video monitor ouput

I have HDMI output on my STB and an HDMI input on my TV so why would anyone myself included need it on a stereo receiver?

I have HDMI output on my STB and an HDMI input on my TV so why would anyone myself included need it on a stereo receiver?

Some people prefer to route all their video through the receiver and only use one Input on the TV. You can hook all of your stuff to the receiver and then just have one cable to your TV. The benefit is you don't have to keep switching the INPUT on your TV when you change sources.

Don't forget it upscales. That is a big thing for alot of audio/video people.

Previous thread with some information on the subject.

http://digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32280&highlight=hdmi+receiver%2A

I have HDMI output on my STB and an HDMI input on my TV so why would anyone myself included need it on a stereo receiver?


........well one of the basic reasons would be for those that want a receiver to do video switching.
It can apply to any video connection other than hdmi as well Several sources and perhaps only one input on tv. Run inputs to receiver then it can function as a video switch and send your input to tv. Some will do this even if they have several of the required inputs on tv just to lessen the amount of cable runs. In the future, once the newer revisions of hdmi are in production, multichannel audio will be pulled from the hdmi data stream and processed by receiver, so you would have another reason to connect your hdmi to receiver.

So what should I be looking for when buying a system? I just like to watch alot of sports and HDPPV movies so which 5.1 system out there is good?

I have HDMI output on my STB and an HDMI input on my TV so why would anyone myself included need it on a stereo receiver?

Bigben

You can do that, but the intent by many is to use their receiver for a better surround sound effect than the sound coming from your TV.

An HDMI signal from say a DVD player, and the video card from a home theatre computer, and ideally from a STB as well. All these HDMI signals going into a receiver, and one HDMI from the receiver to the TV.

That's the principle behind it, but in practice unfortunately the cable companies will not let their digital signal into the receiver because they are worried you'll send that digital signal to a recording device and burn DVDs. So the cable and satellite companies are happy with the way the copy protection (HDCP) is working at the moment, and it is unlikely (I think) that receivers will be able to pass an HDMI signal on to your TV. We'll see

From the little reading I've done on various web forums, there are no receivers able to pass an HDMI signal from a set top box and on to a TV, however the receivers all seem to be able to pass HDMI signals from most DVD players and home theatre PCs.

So whether you want HDMI switching in a receiver probably depends on your individual needs. They do sell for less than the $2000 mentioned above. I don't know of all the available models, but I have a reasonably good pioneer ($1300) with HDMI switching and it also converts any anologue signal going into the receiver into a digital signal for transmission to the TV via HDMI cable.

Alot of the HD programs now televise in 5.1 DD so if I connect an HDMI cable from my STB to my TV and L and R audio cable from stereo receiver to the HDMI in on TV will that give me 5.1 DD sound?

TVs don't give DD5.1 sound and the L/R audio cables also don't provided DD5.1 sound. You can only get DD5.1 via a digital audio connection like HDMI, Optical or Digital coax. See the Digital Home FAQs on "What's available in DD5.1" and "Cables & Connections".

You, of course need a digital receiver that decodes DD5.1 and the appropriate speakers.

Suggest you visit the Dolby website to learn more.

I couldn't find any information on wiring an STB, Stereo receiver and a TV, do I hook up the Stereo receiver to the STB and the STB to the TV? Using audio rf cables from Stereo receiver to STB and HDMI from STB to TV? Is that the best way considering I would have a Dolby Digital receiver and speakers?

Just a small correction............HDMI receivers that have been coming out start out at more like $1200 and up.

- HDMI directly from STB to TV.
- Optical or coaxial audio from STB to receiver.
- Optional - red/white cable from STB to TV for audio from TV.
- Optional - some sort of video connection from AV Receiver to TV for receiver setup visuals available on some receivers.

Keep in mind that the receiver you buy will likely have all the instructions (including diagrams) that you need to hook everything up the way you want. Don't stress over it too much.

The cheapest Onkyo (I don't know this year's price) is the 803. It has 2 in 1 out with switching, but no upconversion (only component upcon). It was over $1200 before.

I've been finding this whole thing a bit depressing of late. I really like hooking up the video from all my units to my receiver, thus doing all the switching at the receiver and not at the TV as well. But I'm considering buying an HDTV early next year, and I'd prefer to keep all switching at the receiver. Which means I can either spend a huge pile of dough on an HDMI receiver (with HDMI upconversion), which is priced well out of my budget, or I have to buy another DVD player, one that can upconvert over components. The former is mega pricey, and the latter . . . I just don't want to use components if HDMI is available, that's all.

Dammit, I hate change! ;) Why can't everything just stay the same?! :(

cheers,
supervij

You could consider buying an HDMI switch box...

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI-HDMI-switchers.htm