Surround sound unit with a HD input

[ryjam282]

Is there one available these days?

I have my HD Tivo and use the HDMI plug on it but my receiver only has the component cable input. I have to switch to a seperate video to use the rest of my other components (DVD, PS2, etc.). Is there one that has HDMI upconvert or anything like that, that I can look into?

[BRANDONH]

Is there one available these days?

I have my HD Tivo and use the HDMI plug on it but my receiver only has the component cable input. I have to switch to a seperate video to use the rest of my other components (DVD, PS2, etc.). Is there one that has HDMI upconvert or anything like that, that I can look into?

The only thing I have ever seen is an HDMI to DVI.
http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&Webpage_ID=3&DID=7&CAT_ID=55&ObjectGroup_ID=628&SO=2

Tivo community form:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?threadid=151443

[ryjam282]

That's not what I meant. The HDTivo has a HDMI to DVI plug on it. I am looking for a surround sound unit that has DVI or HDMI plugs on it. Right now, I have my TIVO in Video 1 on the TV and just the sound on the surround sound unit (Yamaha HTR-5790). And everything else is plugged into Video 2 from the TV to the Surround Sound unit via the component input. I can't switch inputs to the other things without also switching the TV from video 1 to video 2. Is there any surround sound units that have a HDMI or DVI input?

[Woochifer]

By "surround sound unit" are you referring to an AV receiver that does digital video switching?

If so, those are very rare right now, and typically only included with a manufacturer's flagship model. If you're willing to wait, HDMI switching will probably make its way into the normal feature set for everything down to entry level receivers within a couple of years. Keep in mind that component video and HDMI have identical picture resolution, so if your Tivo box has component video outputs and you want video switching, stick with component video. Basically, there's no "upconversion" involved because the component video and HDMI outputs will both render a 720p or 1080i signal.

In all likelihood, receivers that include digital video switching will not do any kind of conversion to analog for a while. Most of the AV receivers from as recently as three years ago that included component video switching could not convert S-vid and composite video signals. With HDMI, this would be an even tougher proposition because you're talking about converting an analog video signal into digital, and at this point I'm not aware of any receivers that do video processing in the digital domain. No reason to think that this won't eventually happen, but I would guess that it will take a few more years.

IMO, the real justification for HDMI and digital video switching will come about later on when HD-DVD and Blu-ray hit the market. Rumor has it that those formats will restrict the component video output to 480p (same resolution as progressive scan DVD), and only output in HD resolution through the digital video outputs. Studios are pushing for similar signal flagging on all other HD sources as well (satellite and digital cable receivers, and over-the-air settop boxes). If these restrictions take hold, then you'll see a flurry of activity transitioning everything over from component video to HDMI.