Question on HDMI pass through

djseafood · December 2009

What I want to do is connect my laptop via it's HDMI output to my system so I can watch videos on my TV. My current TV has only one HDMI input and am already using that for my dish network DVR. I know that my Onkyo TX-SR506 only does HDMI passthrough so my question is this:

If I connect my laptop the the AVR and use the HDMI pass through to send the signal to the TV, can I then get the audio signal back to the AVR via the TV's audio out port? Or does the AVR only pass the video signal to the TV and audio is lost?

The way I have my DVR setup, I send the HDMI signal dirrectly to the TV via HDMI cable and then run a separte Tosslink cable from the DVR to the AVR. I guess I could test my current setup by removing the Tosslink and sending the audio back to the AVR in the method described above.

I appreciate any input.
Thanks!
AJ

vc69 · December 2009

You are going around the block to visit your next door neighbor.

Try this:

Make all source connections (DVR, laptop, etc.) to the AVR via HDMI. Then coonect the HDMI out of the AVR to your TV.

Switch between the sources via the AVR. This will require some setup in the AVR (assigning inputs, etc) but you should have an onscreen menu from the AVR to help.

The AVR will pass only video to the TV and handle all audio. Of course, this means your AVR must be ON in order to have audio.

djseafood · December 2009

I would do that in a hearbeat but I think the problem with my AVR is that it does not process the audio coming in from an HDMI source. It says this in the manual:

On the TX-SR506, audio signals received by
the HDMI IN jacks are output only by the
HDMI OUT (pass thru). HDMI sources are not
output by the speakers connected to the AV
receiver.

This is why I'm going around the block as you say

vc69 · December 2009

Wow... well. I don't even know what to say. That makes ZERO sense to me.

djseafood · December 2009

Hey, it was only $119! What more can I say

I can stand to run up to three more cables than I need to for that price!

vc69 · December 2009

Let us know what you come up with...

Perhaps your TV has multiple inputs and can do the switching? Source via HDMI --->TV via toslink --->AVR?

polktiger · December 2009

As you said, I would sub the DVR for the laptop and try it out. At best you will probably only get 2 channel coming back from the TV.

djseafood · December 2009

That's what I'm expecting, but that's okay. It will be low quality streaming Netflix or whatnot anyway so I'm okay with 2 channel.

Disc Jockey · December 2009

I would be very surprised if you can get audio back from your tv. You will need to connect the laptop to the avr also.

djseafood · December 2009

And we hit another road block:
From the user's manual for my Toshiba 30HF84

"Note: This TV is not intended for connection to and
should not be used with a personal computer."

Well there's one more kick to the nuts!

vc69 · December 2009

If your computer has HDMI it should be fine. I think you will be able to select the proper screen resolution in your display settings.

djseafood · December 2009

I definitely have some testing out to do. I was going to order a few HDMI cables from Monoprice today but will hold off till I answer some of these questions.

Thanks for all the help!

Question on HDMI pass through

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