Help with Video distribution

[kertofer]

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions about what equipment I need for video distribution. I would like to move a cable box/dvr into my equipment closet and broadcast the signal to several TV's. I was planning to get a 2 input 4 output HDMI splitter/switch so that I could also put my PS3 in there and distribute whatever I want to watch.

Here is the catch: For 2 of the TV's I want to go to I can just send them straight HDMI as the Video and Audio will both go into the TV's directly. In my theater though I will need HDMI to the TV and either toslink or coax for audio into my receiver as it does not have HDMI inputs.

Can you advise me on the best way to do this?

 

[drvnbysound]

Sounds like you already answered your question ... of the 2, I prefer Optical (Toslink)

 

[kertofer]

No, my question was around what equipment I need to get in order to input from 2 devices and output to 4 devices, only 1 of which needs the audio broken out. I got my answer, it is an HDMI Audio Extractor. You connect your sources to the HDMI switch, then from there you either connect via direct HDMI to the target or to an HDMI Audio Extractor that breaks out the audio to a toslink or coax and also sends the video via HDMI.

 

[drvnbysound]

Couldnt you also do exactly what you originally stated though.. run HDMI to your Theater TV, and use the Optical out of the TV to provide the audio signal to your receiver? This would reduce the need for additional equipment, and wouldnt cost you anything

 

[jautor]

Probably not. On most TVs, the optical digital audio output is only for audio from the integrated QAM/ATSC tuner. They don't generally "repeat" received digital audio from HDMI sources. Which, of course, is a shame.

Jeff

 

[kertofer]

Yup, also I neglected to mention that the device that I need to split the HDMI streams on is for a projector, so no audio in or out on it.

 

[drvnbysound]

I recently connected my brother-in-laws Samsung LCD TV with HDMI from his Xbox and HDMI from Comcast cable box, as the receiver he was using was 4-5 years old had no HDMI inputs. I then ran Optical from the TV to the receiver and it worked fine... I'd try it before ruling it out.

Edit: Ahh, I missed that it was for a projector :-/

 

[jautor]

I recently connected my brother-in-laws Samsung LCD TV with HDMI from his Xbox and HDMI from Comcast cable box, as the receiver he was using was 4-5 years old had no HDMI inputs. I then ran Optical from the TV to the receiver and it worked fine... I'd try it before ruling it out.

Good to hear! How new was that TV - a 2011 model? And do you know if it was passing DD5.1, or just 2-channel LPCM?

 

[drvnbysound]

Good to hear! How new was that TV - a 2011 model? And do you know if it was passing DD5.1, or just 2-channel LPCM?

I am fairly certain they bought the TV sometime in 2010. I didnt specifically test or look for DD5.1 when I hooked it up so I cannot confirm - his wife was sleeping when we finished. However, he has expressed his excitement for the surround sound during football games and nascar races and he did mention that he could hear background noises in the rear surrounds so I can only imagine it is receiving all 5 channels of audio.

 

[aksor]

Octava has HDMI to toslink breakout boxes that separates the audio from the HDMI signal and passes the video to the tv and you can then take the toslink or the stereo RCA output and feed it into a an older receiver that is lacking HDMI inputs.