HDTV Forum

I'm currently in the process of converting my old integrated video/audio system to the new technologies. I have a 50 inch Samsung HD TV, a DirecTV receiver, a Playstation 3, a Playstation 2, a JVC progressive scan DVD player, wi-fi, and an old, but powerful, Sherwood digilink II Prolog receiver connected to the front, center, and back speakers. (I realize there's some redundancy here, but I like having some backups.)

Here's my simple question. In the old system I used the Sherwood switching capability to pair audio and video so that it was always handling the correct audio with each video source. However, in this case the Samsung has inputs for all of my sources and I've noticed that it also has a single audio-out plug. Can't I just wire the Samsung HD TV audio output into the amplifier and solve the whole problem with one cable? It seems almost too simple. Does anybody see a problem with this?

Maybe. On one TV I looked at recently it only passed Dolby Digital so you'd have to add analog audio output for regular stereo. And it may not do DTS. You'd really have to read the Owner's Manual for the TV to see what it sends out on that digital audio output and when to see if it would work.

Using the display as your A/V switching center is not recommended especially with HDMI. The HDMI source will be told it is being connected to a 2 channel destination and only output 2 channel. While there are ways around that none will achieve the seamless simplicity you seek. For that you need a capable A/V receiver supporting analog component at minimum.

Very interesting. So HDMI is bidirectional. In other words, the HDMI standard requires the receiver to instruct the source on what kind of audio signal it can handle and, of course, the source is required to configure its output to match. Sounds like a very complicated engineering solution, but I can see how it would eliminate problems.

After thinking this over and drawing several system wiring diagrams, I've realized the following:

(1) The high-end Sherwood Amp stays in the system because it's a significant investment and sounds great. Its only problem is, it doesn't have a clue about HDMI.
(2) I can still use the Sherwood to switch conventional audio for each component. It has a remote so this is no problem.
(3) The Samsung HD set will switch video, making selecting a video/audio source a two-step process. There might be a slight advantage here because I can imagine situations when I want to listen to music while watching a video source.

This means I'm using HDMI as a video-only link.

Here are my questions:

(1)The Playstation 3 does not have a conventional audio plug in the back. In addition to HDMI, it has LAN, Digital Out (optical), and AV multi out. Is there a way I can use one of these to connect to a conventional stereo audio plug onput?
(2) Given this, is there still a distinct advantage in using HDMI?
(3) Will there be a noticeable lip sync problem? I have noticed that when listening to sound both from the direct audio link and from the Samsung speakers, there is a small, but distinct echo effect. Obviously I have to turn the sound off on the Samsung when using this method.



Henry

1. Don't you have a digital input on the Sherwood? If not then upgrading is clearly in your interest since we now live in a digital multichannel direct delivery world; analog decoding is out.

2. You need HDMI for 1080p support and DVD upconversion.

3. You complained about an echo - that is not lip sync per say. It is due to using your TV speakers along with your HT sound system and the fact that the display has a built in audio delay for lip sync error. Lip sync error is when the sound does not match the timing of the image and sensitivity to that varies from user to user. Worry about that if you find it a problem.

I guess I don't understand. My Sherwood Dolby Surround Sound Prologic receiver has been decoding the signal just fine up until this moment. For example it decodes the DirectTV signal coming from the analog output (not HDMI) into four channel sound perfectly. I have not tested it on the Playstation 3 yet, but on everything else, I get good clean 4 channel audio. Why would everything change because I now have an HD set? As I explained, I'm not using the HD set for audio, but instead letting the Sherwood do the audio switching in parallel to the video switching of the HD set. The sound on the HD set is muted.

My Playstation 3 does not have the conventional left-right audio out, but instead has AV out which I assume I can handle with the appropriate adapter by only using the stereo part. Like my DirecTV receiver, the picture will come from HDMI which I assume is the highest quality video.

Henry

Compare say Pearl Harbor via analog encoding, digital multichannel encoded into an analog two channel matrix - decoded by your receiver, versus a direct digital bit stream where the original channels are directly decoded and sent to the speakers... you'll note a vast improvement in all areas of audio reproduction.

You're only getting Prologic analog surround sound derived from the Stereo (2 channel) analog signal. You get one center and one surround channel that are mixed in and derived from the stereo Left and Right signals. The center and surround channels are not full range. It's better than stereo - but just barely.

Digital surround (5.1, 6.1, 7.1 - Dolby Digital or DTS) means every channel is discrete and full range. You also get separate L/R surround channels plus a dedicated subwoofer channel not to mention discrete volume control of each channel.

The difference between prologic and dolby digital is like going from a black and white 13" TV to a 35" color set. DTS and the newer HD audio formats make it even more dramatic.

You can still use the Sherwood as an amp but you'll need either a receiver or processor that can decode digital audio at some point.

I appreciate all the information. Obviously I'm behind the times. But I have to say, I've never had an occasion when watching a movie when I said to myself, gee, I wish I had a little more separation between the audio channels. But the point is well taken. I need to hop down to my local dealer for a demonstration. Anyway, thanks for setting me straight.

Henry