Needed: HDMI switch with Optical Audio out

[miller]

Hi all,

Relatively new here, but loving the forum so far. I have a question ... more like a product I'm looking for.

In my quest to accumulate as many HD CE devices as I can, I now have run out of connection options on my TV (Mits 57731) and my receiver (Denon 3803). Mixing and matching these connections has not been a headache because I have a nice Harmony remote that takes the pain away. But I have run out of ways to connect devices now.

So I thought I would buy an HDMI switch. Easy enough to find one of those. But my receiver does not have HDMI connection, so there is no way to use an HDMI-only switch to get the audio to my speakers. My Denon does have 6 optical inputs ... so ...

Is there a device that will take 4-8 HDMI inputs and provide not only and HDMI output, but also split out the audio signal from those HDMI inputs via an optical out as well?

I found this:
http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20switch% ... oslink.htm

... but I get the impression that I will need to directly feed the optical inputs as well, rather than it "figuring out" what the optical out is from the HDMI in's.

Hope that's not too confusing.

Thanks,

- Miller

[akirby]

It may be easier than you think. Try connecting the Digital Audio Out port on the back of your TV to the A/V receiver. This should pass the digital audio from the HDMI TV input allowing the TV to do the audio switching for you. Hopefully it passes all digital audio signals and there's no sync issue. Here's what the OM says:

12. DIGITAL AUDIO OUT
This output sends Dolby Digital or PCM digital audio to your
digital A/V surround sound receiver. Analog audio from
analog channels and devices is converted by the TV to PCM
digital audio. If you have a digital A/V receiver, in most
cases this is the only audio connection needed between the
TV and your A/V receiver.
TV Back Panel, continued

[Shane]

Here's one from Gefen ($899 list):
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2758

But be careful, your TV may tell your source device that there are only two speakers available, so only two channels may be available via the Toslink output.

- Shane

[miller]

Here's what the OM says:

12. DIGITAL AUDIO OUT
This output sends Dolby Digital or PCM digital audio to your digital A/V surround sound receiver. Analog audio from analog channels and devices is converted by the TV to PCM digital audio. If you have a digital A/V receiver, in most cases this is the only audio connection needed between the TV and your A/V receiver.
TV Back Panel, continued

DOH! Got the owner's manual quoted to me. Sorry about that, should have done a little research on my own.

So based on your response, and what Shane provided ... will the TV (to which the HDMI is connected) tell the source device that there are only 2 speakers available? And will this result in only 2-channel digital audio over the HDMI, and therefore limit the digital out from my TV to 2 channels?

Thanks,

- Miller

[akirby]

Because the OM says it will send Dolby Digital, I doubt that it would limit it to 2 channels. But the only way to find out for sure is to try it. It won't cost much for one digital audio cable to test with.