HDMI How does it work with audio and video

[alanvan69]

Hello, I just bought a new tv, dvd up converter and av reciever. All have HDMI inputs or outputs. I have tried to connect directly from DVD player out to AV reciever DVD input and monitor out to tv. In order to watch my dvd i now have to have teh reciever on not best but i can live with this. However I can not here the audio thru the reciever just thru the tv. My dvd player is setup to work in digital out but still no audio thru the reciever. I have read somewhere that perhaps HMDI won't work this way but I will have to get optical cables to hear the sound thru the reciever. MY questio nthen is this true? If so why should i upgrade my old reciever besided it doesn't have optical inputs but has all the rca inputs and i have the over procedd monster cables already. Please any imput would be great. Thanks Alan

[TBoneit]

The HDMI will feed the audio to the TV as you found out. It sounds as if your AV receiver doesn't use that audio. It is probably waiting for optical or analog audio.

Why optical? To get true 5.1 surround sound out of the DVDs you play. Plus you should never get any audio hum with optical.

Just better sound but if you can't hear it then....

I upgraded my AV receiver because the remote circuit was going bad inside the unit (Thermal problem). When I bought the new one I made sure to get one with more inputs. I could have kept using the old one but I was getting tired of getting up and down to adjust the audio level when I changed TV stations, and input selection between HD TV, Tivo, DVD etc.

[edDV]

First the theory of how it should work:

HDMI includes one way digital video (similar to DVI), one way digital surround audio and bidirectional data communication control lines. All this is wrapped in HDCP which when enabled, encrypts the video and audio data.

Current implementation is very primitive. You can connect point to point, or through a passive switch. If and when HDCP gets employed, a special active HDMI switch box like this gefen will be required to maintain encryption through the switch box to the destination.
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3278

Encryption is established source to destination (e.g. HD source to HDTV monitor). Future AV receivers will need to employ this technology and it won't be cheap.

Audio may or may not get encrypted*. If it does, the receiver will need to decrypt the audio. To do this it needs to be recognized as a valid device by the source. Control lines allow the various boxes to control modes on the other devices (without IR blasters). Eventually this may mean a single remote control.

That is the theory, in practice expect years of development until all this works flawlessly, if ever. If and when the HD/BD DVD players enable HDCP, all devices must be approved by the source before high definition video will be sent.

If Congress passes the broadcast flag, all this extends to OTA, cable and dbs tuners where the flag can trigger encryption on a program by program basis. This means HDTV sets that aren't authenticated through HDCP will not be sent an HD signal.


* Current HDCP thought is S/PDIF output may optionally be degraded to stereo when triggered by the flag or individual HD/BD DVD disc. The full 5.1 audio would only be available through the encrypted path. That may mean you are forced to buy a new A/V receiver.

[jman98]

I would not recommend buying a new receiver at this time. In addition to edDV's worthwhile comments, I would point out that NOBODY (as far as I can tell) currently makes a receiver that supports any of the new sound formats supported by BluRay and HD-DVD, so you might want to wait for that. I am starting to see receivers with HDMI inputs though.

[dcsos]

I'm not even going thru' a receiver

Plain ol HDMI male to male plgged into a DVI to HDMI adaptor at the output of my LAPTOP, direct to friends 52" LG Plasma HDMI input..

NO SOUND. The Picture passes fine but NO SOUND! dammnit!
this HDMI thing sure blows chunks!

as edDV writes:

That is the theory, in practice expect years of development until all this works flawlessly, if ever

[davideck]

Plain ol HDMI male to male plgged into a DVI to HDMI adaptor at the output of my LAPTOP, direct to friends 52" LG Plasma HDMI input.

DVI does not include digital audio.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/DVI_HDMI_connections.htm

[dcsos]

Thanks!
Is there any way to inject AUDIO back into the HDMI before the leap to the PLASMA?

[davideck]

Some HDTVs provide a standard set of analog audio inputs for the HDMI input(s).

[dcsos]

thanks, didn't mean to hijack this forum!
Does anyone know the diff between HDMI 1 and HDMI (is it 2 or 1.2)?

[edDV]

thanks, didn't mean to hijack this forum!
Does anyone know the diff between HDMI 1 and HDMI (is it 2 or 1.2)?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDCP