# HDMI and Optical Audio - Confused!



## scredsfan (Feb 10, 2006)

This may be an old (and/or stupid) question, but I'm a little confused about HDMI and optical audio connections. Right now I have component video running from my 622 to my Panasonic HDTV and optical audio from the 622 to a Sony surround sound receiver. I've been reading about HDMI and thinking about changing to HDMI to connect the 622 to the television. Will the optical audio output to the surriund sound reciever still work? In other words, will connecting the 622 to the TV with an HDMI cable disable the optical audio output to the surround receiver?


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

There is no issue with using HDMI for video and simultaneously using the optical audio output for audio. This is a common practice, in fact.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Except that it's not necessary. HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables.


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## Mike728 (Oct 29, 2007)

Lord Vader said:


> Except that it's not necessary. HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables.


It's just too bad that most TV's don't pass more than 2ch PCM audio when connected that way.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Which is why an A/V unit helps.


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## Cardini (Aug 14, 2002)

Lord Vader said:


> Except that it's not necessary. HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables.


It will in fact be necessary if he wants to hear the audio through his surround sound speakers and not the TV speakers. Unless his reciever has an HDMI input. He didn't indicate that since he's sending the audio to his reciever via optical.


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## scredsfan (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for all the quick replies! The reason I wanted to keep the optical audio connection into my surround sound receiver is that it doesn't have HDMI inputs, and the only audio outputs on my TV are standard stereo outputs.


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## Steve H (May 15, 2006)

Lord Vader said:


> Except that it's not necessary. HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables.


Does the HDMI pass Dolby 5.1? A year and a half ago when we got our first 622 we had to use the opitcal output for Dolby 5.1. Has one of the updates changed that? We run HDMI & optical to our A/V receiver, then HDMI to the TV and regular wiring to the Bose speakers.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Steve H said:


> Does the HDMI pass Dolby 5.1? A year and a half ago when we got our first 622 we had to use the opitcal output for Dolby 5.1. Has one of the updates changed that? We run HDMI & optical to our A/V receiver, then HDMI to the TV and regular wiring to the Bose speakers.


Yes, and it even passes Dolby True HD for BD players. I have an Onkyo 805 A/V, which is nice because it has 3 HDMI inputs, each of which passes through DD7.1, etc. Obviously HDMI won't pass through unless one is using a device that has such inputs, as my 805 does.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

Lord Vader said:


> Which is why an A/V unit helps.


You earlier said, "HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables."

Let's see, the OP wants to hook up the HDMI output from his 622 to the HDMI input on his TV for video. What is the OP going to use to provide Audio In to his A/V unit? Oh wait, a moot audio cable.


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## Steve H (May 15, 2006)

I just went and upluged my optical cable...................no sound (5.1) when it's unpluged. At least with my 622 a optical cable is necessary for Dolby 5.1


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## alangant (Jul 25, 2005)

Lord Vader said:


> Yes, and it even passes Dolby True HD for BD players. I have an Onkyo 805 A/V, which is nice because it has 3 HDMI inputs, each of which passes through DD7.1, etc. Obviously HDMI won't pass through unless one is using a device that has such inputs, as my 805 does.


Although HDMI is _capable_ of passing through high levels of audio, the copy protect protocols (HDCP) may prevent it. In my case, I have two Dish DVRs and one Sony DVD player which can connect to my Yamaha 2600 receiver via HDMI, and then HDMI to my Samsung display via HDMI. But, since my Samsung display only consumes 2-channel audio, HDCP cleverly ensures that only 2-channel audio reaches my receiver in the middle. Thus, I still have to connect optical or coax digital audio to my receiver for 5.1 sound. This wonderful HDCP also ensure that I can't have on-screen overlays while using HDMI in and out on my receiver, because that would modify the copy-protected signal. (sigh)


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## Moridin (Mar 22, 2005)

Also, there are HDMI devices adhering to many different versions of the spec (1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.2a, and 1.3, each of which possesses a different set of capabilities) and interoperability amongst devices is a nightmare. And that's ignoring HDCP, which is another can of worms.

With 1.3 there's _finally_ a full conformance test suite and a means for certification, so hopefully the nightmare's nearly over.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

SaltiDawg said:


> You earlier said, "HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables."
> 
> Let's see, the OP wants to hook up the HDMI output from his 622 to the HDMI input on his TV for video. What is the OP going to use to provide Audio In to his A/V unit? Oh wait, a moot audio cable.


*Don't argue with someone who is correct.*


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

Check the specs of the A/V receiver. Many only use HDMI for video switching and don't use the included audio.


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## Steve H (May 15, 2006)

The "book/users guide" that came with my 622 shows that you must use an optical cable to get 5.1 ...........


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

When they update the software they don't ever send you a new book do they? Things change and the printed books stay the same.


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## wje (Mar 8, 2006)

No, they don't send a new book. They don't even update the online documentation, as far as I can tell. The best place to find out about new features is right here.

Yes, HDMI now carries full 5.1, as of the 4.40 release if I remember correctly, and yes, it works.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Lord Vader said:


> Except that it's not necessary. HDMI passes both vido and audio, rendering moot any audio cables.


This is substantially wrong. HDMI passes video and audio, but it doesn't split it out so that you can run two devices. HDMI sent to the TV won't magically find its way to your AVR. Further, if you have any inclination to watch the TV without the AVR turned on, you'll need to use both video and audio cables to accomplish this.


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## Mike728 (Oct 29, 2007)

In a perfect world (2007), your TV would have multiple HDMI inputs. It would be capable of accepting and distributing multichannel audio. You would connect a single digital audio output cable from the TV to your existing AVR for multichannel playback, from whatever the TV's input is set to. 2ch audio would still be available to your TV, since it has to pass through it anyways. (Having a newer AVR function as the pass-through will yield the same results, minus the TV only option).

More and more TV's are currently being sold with these exact features. As most of us know, trying to keep up with technology can be very expensive and frustrating. As soon as you buy the latest and greatest, something new comes out that leaves you wanting. HDMI will be replaced with something someday, just like Component, IEEE Firewire and DVI.

To the OP - Your best connection is to run an HDMI cable to your TV and keep the optical cable going to your AVR. Use HDMI over Component, if for nothing else, less cable clutter. It will also allow you to watch and listen to TV without your AVR being powered up, if you so desire.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

wje said:


> Yes, HDMI now carries full 5.1, as of the 4.40 release if I remember correctly, and yes, it works.


L401 to be precise.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Ok.. guys.. I removed a few posts since they were a bit off-topic and starting to get personal.


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## wje (Mar 8, 2006)

BobaBird said:


> L401 to be precise.


Right, thanks. 4.40 is actually the release number for the software I do at work. It was a long day.


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