Hi Guys, New technology seems to be overtaking me at the moment and I need to catch up 
I have a Panasonic 50" Plasma TV and Panasonic AV system (both HDMI) but I can't see how to get the sound from the TV into the AV system via
HDMI - everything video based (media streamer, DVD player etc) works fine to the TV but so sound gets back to the AV. The only alternative output on
the TV is a stereo twin coax lead (sadly no optical) but I don't think this will give me 5.1 channels of sound will it?
is it a twin plug on the back, IE stereo phono? If it is then you'll only get 2channel stereo. If its a digital coax then you can get 5/7.1 etc. Digital coax is better than optical.
what's the reson for digital coax being better than optical?
Yep, it is just the stereo phono. I was under the impression that HDMI was designed as a total solution to all of the older cable bird nest.
I should have added that the TV has 2 HDMI sockets - one connected to my Sky+HD box and the other to the AV system. At the moment I can only get the
full surround experience when playing DVDs but Sky movies is just through the TV speakers unless I use the optical lead fro Skybox to AV (and coax
from media streamer to AV) I was hoping that HDMI would do it all and save having to switch inputs when switching on the AV system.
my amp has like an HDMI through for most inputs.
eg, use an HDMI cable from blu ray player to amp (sorts out the sound) then the output from the amp to the tv sorts out the picture (and sound if you
don't want to use the amp for sound)
Everything hdmi plugs into my Onkyo amp, then into my 50" Samsung. Not all hdmi can handle sound and vision !!!
My new system is a Sony, but there is a setting in the many menus to allow the TV to input via the HDMI.
Have a look in the settings, your system may have one to.
You can't expect the sky box to send sound through your speakers which are powered by the av amp unless there Is a link between the boxes! I totally understand what you are saying but the best way to get the result you're after is to use an av reciever/ amp with hdmi switching so for example your hdmi output from sky to a hdmi input on the amp. Hdmi output from DVD to other hdmi input on amp then just one hdmi from output of amp to input on tv! That way your amp powers everything and will put sound through your speaker system!
quote:
Originally posted by franky
Digital coax is better than optical.
Basically over short runs, say less than 50M there's no difference between digital coax and an optical connection unless you really need the
bandwith(which you don't).
With audio equipment coax is better as its a straight digital connection where as any type of optical connection needs to be changed from a light
signal into a digital/electrical one. Just something else to go wrong or cause variations from the original data.
How many HDMI inputs do you have on your AV receiver? You should be able to plug all your inputs (DVD, Streamer, Sky) into your receiver then just
have one HDMI from there into your telly.
I think that is the idea of them, I dont think you can send audio back from the TV using HDMI, you have to plug all your sources into the receiver
then it just outputs one HDMI to the telly. You should get all the 5.1 (where available) through your HMDI from the sky box.
Hope that helps.
quote:
Originally posted by franky
With audio equipment coax is better as its a straight digital connection where as any type of optical connection needs to be changed from a light signal into a digital/electrical one. Just something else to go wrong or cause variations from the original data.
quote:
Originally posted by greggors84
How many HDMI inputs do you have on your AV receiver? You should be able to plug all your inputs (DVD, Streamer, Sky) into your receiver then just have one HDMI from there into your telly.
I think that is the idea of them, I dont think you can send audio back from the TV using HDMI, you have to plug all your sources into the receiver then it just outputs one HDMI to the telly. You should get all the 5.1 (where available) through your HMDI from the sky box.
Hope that helps.
quote:
Originally posted by Rocket_Rabbit
quote:
Originally posted by franky
With audio equipment coax is better as its a straight digital connection where as any type of optical connection needs to be changed from a light signal into a digital/electrical one. Just something else to go wrong or cause variations from the original data.
Sorry, but that is simply b0ll0cks.
Digital is ones and zeros on/off high/low - BOOLEAN.
Whether the signal is sent via electrical impulses (coax) or light (Optical) the data is still digital and will be interpreted as such.
Infact, optical is more reliable than coax because the signal cannot be disrupted by any form of EMI.
However, in terms of the toslink system, coax can carry more data although, ultimately, optical/fibre wee wees all over any other data transmission type.
This is all balls out of the window anyway, because it all falls down when your amp has to convey the signal to your speakers though.....WIRE
quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
My TV has 2 inputs and my AV amp only one output. I could use one of those so-called 'automatic' HDMI switched but they don't seem to work as they should and I always have to stagger over to the switch and do it manually
[Edited on 12-12-10 by RazMan]
quote:
Originally posted by franky
Its not bOllocks, I work on/build £5million broadcast trucks for a living and we do not use fibre of any type on the trucks as we've had nothing but trouble when using it.