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  1. Member
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    Hi folks, I have a 2004 Sony Grand Wega, was top of the line in it's day, but the older HDMI input needs an adaptor to fit the newer HDMI cables, and the audio signal was NOT supported in the older version, so i plug my dvd RCA audio outs into the TV RCA audio in.

    Problem is, the new DVD player I want to get doesn't have RCA audio outs... only has HDMI and optical audio, which my TV also doesn't have. Gonna use the optical out to my surround sound anyway, but i still want to have audio through the TV.

    Any suggestions?
    (besides buying a new TV, can't afford that option.)

    Thanks,
    LS
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  2. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    The immediate option available to you is to use the audio out from your amp to the input on your tv (the analog out from your amp). Unfortunately that means you need to have your amp on to do this which kind of defeats the purpose but you wouldn't have to have the sound through the main speakers but through the tv speakers.

    I would google "hdmi to rca" and see what you find out. Or likewise "optical to rca" or "fiber optic to rca". There are bound to be solutions more practical than leaving your amp on.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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    Mmmmmm.... i see your angle, but it's not really an option for me as i'm not using my living room amp for surround sound. I'm using an older Alesis THX mini system that has a coax in, optical in, and direct in. I'm using all 3, and the only out goes directly to the 5.1 speaker system.

    So optical to rca isn't gonna help, and the guy at Best Buy told me there is no such thing as a HDMI cable that splits off to both HDMI and RCA audio.

    I did find a HDMI to Component cable, and since my TV does NOT have 1080p, but only 1080i/720p, i'm wondering if i'd lose any video quality with this? From what i understand, Component cables can handle 1080i... yes? No? IF this is an option, then i need to find a retailer, as this link is wholesale only.

    http://www.sourcingmap.com/18m-1080p-hdmi-rca-converter-splitter-cable-p-39188.html

    Any suggestions?
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  4. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    AS far as I know I think component does handle 1080p.

    That would be a good alternative.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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    Originally Posted by Lord Stinkfoot View Post
    Mmmmmm.... i see your angle, but it's not really an option for me as i'm not using my living room amp for surround sound. I'm using an older Alesis THX mini system that has a coax in, optical in, and direct in. I'm using all 3, and the only out goes directly to the 5.1 speaker system.

    So optical to rca isn't gonna help, and the guy at Best Buy told me there is no such thing as a HDMI cable that splits off to both HDMI and RCA audio.

    I did find a HDMI to Component cable, and since my TV does NOT have 1080p, but only 1080i/720p, i'm wondering if i'd lose any video quality with this? From what i understand, Component cables can handle 1080i... yes? No? IF this is an option, then i need to find a retailer, as this link is wholesale only.

    http://www.sourcingmap.com/18m-1080p-hdmi-rca-converter-splitter-cable-p-39188.html

    Any suggestions?

    That doesn't look possible. No such thing as just a cable doing digital to analog conversion. You'll need something better, and more expensive than what's in that link. The description gives it to you: Only for devices that output analog over HDMI.
    Have a good one,

    neomaine

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  6. Member edDV's Avatar
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    This may do what you want. Read the user reviews.
    http://www.amazon.com/Optical-Toslink-Coaxial-RCA-Converter/dp/B002HWZN4W
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    Thanks, Ed. That's not quite what i need though, as my TV only has RCA analog input, not coax audio input.

    Thanks, Neomaine. I think you are are right, as the Blu Ray HDMI output is digital, not analog, right? So a converter is needed... bummer.

    I also have read on the crutchfield site that i'd be losing any regular dvd upscaling if i go to component cables instead of hdmi.
    Component cables really dont allow upscaling?

    Hard to believe this type of issue isn't more common, and that there's no cheap & easy solution.
    Wah.
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  8. Member lacywest's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by edDV View Post
    This may do what you want. Read the user reviews.
    http://www.amazon.com/Optical-Toslink-Coaxial-RCA-Converter/dp/B002HWZN4W
    My comment is just a quick one without reading the rest of this thread ... I've gotten and it worked was a device that looked like above link ... but it was for converting a digital coax to toslink ... without actually looking for it ... it may have been vice versa but it did work ... and as far as I know it still works ... if I should need to use it again.
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  9. There are solutions, but none from what you'd consider recognizable big electronics brands. You have to hunt them down on eBay and Amazon, prices are all over the place, and so are the user reviews. That's because all these converters amount to a hack of HDMI to get analog out of it, which is frowned upon (to say the least) by the guv'mt and Hollywood. Getting analog audio out of the HDMI connection of a new DVD or BD player requires a complete conversion circuit, you can't do it with a simple $20 cable, and no one makes a "cheap" converter for audio only (they're all either video-only or video+audio). Look around for something like this:

    http://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Input-Component-Switch-Converter/dp/B004F9XVBC/ref=sr_1_5...4974286&sr=8-5

    At $88 it isn't cheap, but it isn't the most expensive either, and it does pass thru the audio (many HDMI>Analog converters do not). You'd need to get one of those mini 1/8" stereo audio to RCA L+R cables from Radio Shack to patch the audio from this box to your TV http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Audio-Cable-Splitter-1-Mini/dp/B00004Z5CP/ref=sr_1_4?s=el...4976479&sr=1-4. HD video quality might not be stellar but should be decent on a CRT like your WEGA which is much more forgiving of minor signal degradation than LCD displays. If this box is way over your budget, you might consider this alternative http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Composite-S-Video-Converter-3RCA/dp/B004FM02UC/ref=sr_1_3?s...4976882&sr=1-3. It goes straight from HDMI to composite video, downscaling to 480i of pretty mediocre quality (I've seen test footage). But it only costs $49 so might be a better buy if you truly just need the audio and don't care about the video. I don't see how that could work, though: if you plug a converter into the player HDMI for the audio, where would you connect to get the video? The more expensive box gives you better-quality multi-scaling video using component connection to the TV while also supplying audio. That seems the cleaner way to go.

    Good Luck!
    Last edited by orsetto; 9th May 2011 at 17:41.
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    Hi Orsetto....

    Yeah, i've seen similar things, like:

    http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-RCA-component-AV-Converter/dp/B002WBOQPU/ref=pd_cp_e_1

    I guess i'm in denial that there is no cheaper way with my TV.
    Damn... if ONLY it had HDMI instead of that ancient DVI input!

    I'll keep ya'z posted. The whole reason for all of this, is the Blu Ray/Divx HD/Coax and-or RCA audio combo unit... which so far doesn't exist.

    I did email Sharp and mentioned they should include RCA and Coax audio outs on their new Divx+ HD units for the rest of us older technology users. I would buy one of those in a heartbeat if only they included other audio outs.

    Thanks for the info folks.
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  11. Originally Posted by Lord Stinkfoot View Post
    I did email Sharp and mentioned they should include RCA and Coax audio outs on their new Divx+ HD units for the rest of us older technology users. I would buy one of those in a heartbeat if only they included other audio outs.
    Sharp will likely ignore your email. Unfortunately we now live in a world where backwards compatibility and frugality are dead concepts. While there is a fairly large group of people with older gear they don't want to give up, the overall market has shifted to the younger generation which thinks nothing of trashing two or three year old $500 electronics items and replacing them with the latest and greatest, even if it means going into hock. The larger market has also played right into Hollywood's hands, eagerly agreeing to give up all backwards compatibility (and all ability to record anything) for the dubious promise of "day and date movie downloads". This is why all the latest players no longer support RCA analog output: it isn't a mistake, its intentional in order to comply with "analog sunset" regulations that go into effect in 2013. By denying you analog connections, Hollywood (and its lapdog the electronics industry) can better control and monitor how media is distributed. HDMI was specifically engineered to severely limit exposure or transfer of PPV and other restricted content to anything but "approved" televisions, players, and decoder boxes. Spent $2000 on an instantly-obsoleted 400-lb Sony Wega HDTV? They don't care one bit: go buy a new TV and starve to pay for it. The new paradigm is digital streaming NetFlix and PPV, very soon to the exclusion of all other options.

    Times have changed, standards and devices are now a moving target with a three year usable lifespan (if you're lucky).
    Last edited by orsetto; 9th May 2011 at 18:00.
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    Well said, Orsetto.
    Sad, but true.

    The " Optical Toslink to Analog (2 RCA) Audio Converter" that Ed linked may actually do the trick.

    I'll keep ya posted when i figure this all out.
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  13. Originally Posted by orsetto View Post
    The new paradigm is digital streaming NetFlix and PPV, very soon to the exclusion of all other options.
    Actually, Hollywood hates Netflix's all-you-can-eat model -- at least at its current price. They want all PPV.
    Last edited by jagabo; 10th May 2011 at 08:09.
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  14. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by orsetto
    it isn't a mistake, its intentional in order to comply with "analog sunset" regulations that go into effect in 2013.
    Since the original poster seems to have an answer I thought I'd take a stab at this.

    What about the ps3 loophole? I imagine that by 2013 the ps3 will still be made. Heck the ps2 is still being sold so you have to imagine the ps3 will still be in firm production for quite awhile.

    What I'm getting at is the ps3 has the old analog output connection that the original ps1 had. In fact it uses the same connection cable to use composite out that the ps2 did and probably is the same jack the ps1 had.

    Will the ps3 be "FORCED" to remove this analog jack in future iterations of the ps3? Or will ps3 be a haven for the last analog out in the digital world?
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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  15. Originally Posted by yoda313 View Post
    Will the ps3 be "FORCED" to remove this analog jack in future iterations of the ps3?
    Yes. This was all planned years ago:

    http://www.aacsla.com/license/AACS_Content_Provider_Agrmt_090619.pdf

    2.2.2.2 Analog Sunset – 2013. No Licensed Player that passes Decrypted
    AACS Content to analog video outputs may be manufactured or
    sold by Adopter after December 31, 2013.
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  16. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by jagabo
    Yes. This was all planned years ago:
    Ok so when the time comes for the kill switch to be thrown all future ps3's will no longer have the analog connector? What a shame......
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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  17. The irony is BluRay came in with the PS3 and will likely go out with it. Once this no-analog thing kicks in for real, the already-accelerating use of BD players as primarily digital download boxes will kick up a notch. Sooner rather than later, one of the big BD participants will just say "screw this, why are we paying license money to Sony for something nobodys using?" and start marketing the download box without the BD drive. Once a major brand like Panasonic does this, it'll be an avalanche compared to the current market of third-tier no-name boxes. Unless they all just start building more extensive "box" features into ever-cheaper TV sets- another big trend. Of course BD will hang around for quite some time, at least as long as people need disc players since most new models handle BD/DVD/CD anyway. But its gonna become a "legacy" format way faster than anyone imagined during the insane "HD disc war". Hollywood will get its dream of "no analog loopholes" at the expense of a big chunk of lucrative packaged media sales.
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  18. Originally Posted by orsetto View Post
    Unless they all just start building more extensive "box" features into ever-cheaper TV sets- another big trend.
    Yes, we just bought a 22" 1080p LCD HDTV with Netflix (and a bunch of other streaming stuff) built in for US$220.
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  19. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Some other options:

    1. Get THIS - http://www.uniqueproductsonline.com/todiausp.html Optical Splitter. Optical out of Player goes to input of box. Output1 of box goes to Receiver/Amp; Output2 of box goes to #2
    2. Get THIS - http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Audio-Analog-Converter/dp/B0013LWK3A Optical w/ D-to-A converter to RCA Stereo Analog. #1 above goes to Input, Output goes to TV.

    OR

    Get a model DVD/BD player that is a little bit more expensive than the original one you were looking at, but one that DOES have other audio output options (incl. RCA stereo Analog).

    OR

    Sell your TV and get a new model (I doubt you really want to do that right now)

    OR

    Get a Better/Different Receiver/Amp that supports RCA Analog pass-through

    Scott

    edit:>>>Oops, I see edDV got there before me.
    Last edited by Cornucopia; 10th May 2011 at 13:28.
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  20. Member edDV's Avatar
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    What concerns me more is analog out disappearing from computer display cards and soon cable boxes.
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  21. Member
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    Originally Posted by Cornucopia View Post
    Some other options:

    1. Get THIS - ...

    Thanks Corn, that is my best option so far if i really "reeeeally" want to get the new Sharp Divx+ HD player i got my eye on.
    Optical out into the splitter. One split to my surround system, the other to the RCA converter and into the TV.

    My new question would be... is there a lag in such a converter? Would the audio from the TV and the surround system be in sync? Or would there be a slight latency issue?

    Currently my RCA into the TV and optical into surround system both play in sync fine... UNLESS i pass the optical out through the dvd players built in DTS decoder. Then there is a noticeable delay, and it's unbearable to listen to.

    I wonder if optical to RCA decoding would cause the same problem? Anybody ever try that?

    And as for Jagabo's digital sunset PDF file.. 2.2.2.2.....This is all new to me... how the hell did you ever find that clause in there? Are you a detective, or a lawyer?... both?
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  22. Originally Posted by Lord Stinkfoot View Post
    And as for Jagabo's digital sunset PDF file.. 2.2.2.2.....This is all new to me... how the hell did you ever find that clause in there? Are you a detective, or a lawyer?... both?
    It was in the tech news a lot back when AACS was first hitting the streets.
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