My LCD had 3 HDMI slots- 2 in and 1 out. Here is my set-up when I want to watch a DVD or using my Onkyo via my receiver to listen to my TV sound.
Cable box- HDMI-Out to Onkyo HDMI (IN2) Onkyo HDMI (IN1) to HDMI HD DVD Player (Out) Onkyo HDMI -Out to Samsung HDMI (1).
80% of the time, I use my TV speakers versus the Onkyo receiver so I have to hook the Cable HDMI-out to my TV HDMI slot. When I do this, I am no longer able to use the Onkyo for my TV sound.
I assume that using a HDMI switcher box is the only way that I can avoid changing the HDMI cable each time depending on how I want to listen to my TV sound. I would like to have the option of using the TV sound and Onkyo receiver without having to move around the cable each time. Any suggestions?
Easy, use the Onkyo for sound only instead of using it for the video swiching also. Just connect the DVD and the cable box directly to the hdmi in on the TV.
If its a high def cable box there should be either a digital coax or or optical output on it. Just connect either of these to the Onkyo.
The DVD player should also have a digital coax or or optical output on it. Just connect either of these to the Onkyo.
When you have done this pick the input for the DVD on the receiver and press the digital input button on the front of the receiver until you have selected the digital input you used on the back of the receiver.
Do the same for the Cable box. If the cable box does not have digital audio out then use red and white and connect it using that. Then you can pick the input on the receiver that you connected that to for the cable box.
You may have to go into the setup on the DVD to tell it to output bitstream.
One of the advantages to doing this will be getting 5.1 channel output that the Onkyo will decode if that was not happening with the hdmi but it may have.
This could be a problem in the future if you go with a Blu-Ray player that has Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD sound as they are input via HDMI on Onkyo receivers. This does not matter if your onkyo does not decode these formats which I do not know because you gave no model number for the Onkyo. This is not a problem though if you go with a blu-ray player that has the HD sound decoders in it. Personally I was not able to find one with the decoder that I was comfortable with investing in.
OK, I just noticed you had the model number for the Onkyo in your thread name. This receiver does receive High Def Sound via HDMI and decodes it from blu-ray players. This does pose a problem for you when you upgrade to Blu-ray as you will want to switch hdmi thru it when you do. I just use the onkyo for sound all the time. I am not saying not to do it but personally I would not try to switch it the way you are suggesting with another HDMI switch. I guess for now you could do what I previously suggested as this is not going to be a problem for you until you go with blu-ray.
Hi Jeff, I appreciate your answer. I have sound now. I used the digital audio cable- I tried the optical audio cable and couldn't get it to work. Any advantage of using the optical audio cable versus the digital? Again..a BIG thanks.
Yes, optical is better but don't sweat it. Its not that big of a deal but it should have worked. Just make sure that when you set it up that you pick the input that you want for it (dvd would be dvd) then hit the digital input button on the front of the receiver until you have selected the one you plugged it into. For the Cable box choose the Cable/Sat input and hit the digital input button until you have selected the one you plugged that into.