HDMI -- Not being practical?
 

Hey all,

Ok, I currently use a DVI interface for video and an Optical or Coax cable for audio. Now, as far as I am concerned -- this one of the best setups you can get... However, reading more and more about HDMI, there are a few basic things that just don't make sense....

Ok, let's say I have an HDMI output on my DVD player and an HDMI input on my HDTV. Great! Now, I hook it up, and -- oh wait -- All of that great audio feed from the cable is being used......by my TV speakers! What about my $1,000 receiver. Am i missing something here? A/V together is great, but now I would have to buy ANOTHER cable and daisy chain the video through my receiver as well -- then into my tv.... is this thinking correct? Is any quality lost with this extra stop for the sources?

One more quick question -- just rating the video quality, is a DVI stream just as high quality as a HDMI video stream?

A little confused....


Matt

my tv has hdmi in and an optical out to send the audio to a receiver :D

I don't know if this is what happens with every HDMI device, but the 8300HD DVR that I have allows me to select how the audio is output (HDMI, digital out, or other). This way I run the HDMI to my television for the video, then run the coax out from the DVR to my receiver. As long as I specify that I only want the HDMI to handle the video, the audio works fine (otherwise it outputs to both TV and receiver :))

And I'm not sure about the HDMI vs DVI question. I'm pretty sure they're the same, HDMI just is able to carry audio as well as video. (haven't hooked up DVI and HDMI to compare...and I'm not sure, unless there was a major difference, if I could even tell). All I know is the HDMI video stream is fantastic on my TV.

Lampei,

Seems like you ar doing what most would -- but, honestly, doesn't it seem silly that they make this nice cord, but in order to make it work simply, we have to ignore the audio portion of the stream and use a seperate cable for the audio stream? Kinda defeats the purpose...

Matt

Yeah, definitely a strange idea, but I think as joe consumer goes, when the "standard" is an HD signal, it will be much easier for them to hook up.
step 1 - take HDMI cable
step 2 - plug into TV
:)

If DVI had been the standard they would have received quite a few more questions ("which audio cable to do I use?" "my cable from the cable company goes into the coax in on my cable box...do I use the same cable for the audio?" :D). This way they just tell them to buy the HDMI cable, plug it in and they've got audio and video. Home Theater enthusiasts can then just buy the 2 separate cables to get their audio and video separately.

The idea it to plug the HDMI cable from a cable box/DVD player to a receiver then a HDMI cable to the TV to carry the video. Sound will go through the receiver. Or, as stated, plug the HDMI from the source right to the TV.

Yea,

I figured that the receiver would be chained in the middle -- but then you have to buy an extra hdmi cable -- which is silly. But, yea, this may actually be a simple cable for joe consumer that happens to have top notch cabability for a/v....but then again, not too simple -- because you can contol/power several components at once with it (for example, when all connected with HDMI, the dvd player will tell the receiver what stream to stream and tell the tv what mode to play in, etc....) We'll see....

Matt

Oh yeah, I hadn't even thought of it this way. :o That'd be much easier. The receiver would then automatically output just the video stream instead of passing the video and audio.

Audio covered...

Video: DVI and HDMI should have precisely the same signal. The only differences in these 2 connections are the shape and that HDMI has audio and HDCP mandated.

This is why people hire installers. All I have to do is show people the back of my rack and they run screaming from the room.

I could definitely handle one cable to rule them all. Even though I understand the dozens of cables running into my receiver, I'd love to drop it to one per source. And one output to TV.

yep, i cant wait to be able to run one cable from the dvd player/hd tuner/next xbox/whatever else, then one cable to the tv, thats nice and clean looking i bet, now i have the 5.1 analog wires for sacd and dvd audio, optical and digital coax for others, then of course the video cables,

i'll wait for all that for when hd dvd is stronger and receivers have at least 3 or 4 hdmi inputs , until then i guess i keep it like it is , as long as i dont move again and have to redo it all its all good :)

And after that will be wireless that doesn't destroy the A/V quality. Someday...

...streamed right to your brain.

i'm pretty sure HDMI is technically superior to DVI in the video department. i believe it can support a higher bitrate. it is also HDCP compliant by spec, unlike DVI which may or may not be depending on the product. plus it does have the added bonus of the audio stream...which will be nice when AV receivers with HDMI switching are common. just run one cable from your HDMI dvd, xbox2, hd cable box, etc. to your receiver and you're set.

Here's a good article on the differences

http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messa...79/122868.html