Need help or advice on home theatr set up...

[Movie Fan]

Hello All...
I'm new to this post and would like some help with hooking up my theatre system correctly. I have all my gear but still need to hook it up. Here'a a list of the equiptment followed by a question....

Samsung 61 inch LED Slim HD-TV
Yamaha RX-V661 A/V Reciever
7 Yamaha 120 watt 3-way in-ceiling speakers
Yamaha 225 YST Sub
Direct TV-HD Reciever (not DVR)
Samsung HD-DVD Player
Dinky Link
Harmony 890 Remote

My Question is......I would like to hook up my Direct TV reciever and my DVD Player directly to my Yamaha Reciever with just HDMI cables. Then connect one HD:6: MI cable from my Yamaha Reciever to my TV. I bleive this is possible but I have read other posts on other sites and people are saying that they are having problems with video or sound.
The guys at the "Big Box Store (BB) told me that I have to run Optical cables from my Direct TV reciever and my DVD Player to my Yamaha Reciever for sound and then an HDMI cable from Direct TV and DVD Player directly to my TV??? This doen't sound right!!
Does anyone else have this equiptment or know enough about them to clear this up?
I understand that some people are running S_Video cable from there Yamaha recievers to the TV because of not geting on-screen displays.........but shouldn't the Dinky Link and Harmony Remote take care of that??

I appriciate any help you guys could give me!!!
Thanks!!

[ralphietweets]

With that receiver you can use the hdmi in-puts and then go one hdmi out to the tv which will give you video switching through the receiver. However, if you hook a component into the back of the receiver using component cables you will then need to run a componenet cable up to the tv as well. This is not true with all receivers but on that particular model it is.

With the audio: I do not beleive that receiver is hdmi 1.3 compliant therefore I recommend running a digital coax cable from each source (dvd, and sat) to your receiver, this will allow you to have 5.1 digital sound. Don't use optical or "toslink" unless you have to.

Hope that helps.

[Movie Fan]

Thanks for the reply....... It is my intent to run all HDMI cables all the way around. Now not to try to make this more complicated........on other question. I would also like to run (vga) monitor cable from the computer to the tv. (eventuall we would like to hook up i-home.
But also would like to know if I hook this up to the tv from the computer....and my speakers on my tv are turned off because I'm running everything through the reciever via HDMA for video and sound...Would I just turn the speakers on on the tv when needing a sound source from the computer (for on-line Netflix Movies) ??? Because it sounds like if I add any other source to the yamaha other than HDMI....there tends to be a problem with video swithing. Does that sound about right?

[markw]

It is my intent to run all HDMI cables all the way around.


I do not beleive that receiver is hdmi 1.3 compliant therefore I recommend running a digital coax cable from each source (dvd, and sat) to your receiver, this will allow you to have 5.1 digital sound.Ralphie and the guys at the big box stores are right. For 5.1 audio, you need an additional a digital audio feed. I also recommend a coax cable but toslink will work if you must.

Using only a HDMI cable between the source and the receiver, you should get video but you won't get 5.1 sound. You may get two channel stereo, but that's the most you'll get. You'll be just the guys in the other posts complaining about sound problems.

If all goes well, your video should be passed via HDMI through the receiver to the TV but, then again, not all is perfect in HDMI switching land.

[Mr Peabody]

Sir you are another in a long line of consumers who have been duped by HDMI. If your receiver is still within the 30 day return you need to take it back and get one that has a fully functional HDMI array. One that will do both audio/video and will accept a PCM signal. As mentioned if you get one that is 1.3 compliant with audio and video you should be alright. I believe the Yamaha 1800 and 3800 are such models. This is a must if you are intent on using HDMI as you mentioned.

Even though the big consumer electronics companies are the ones behind HDMI LLC they for some reason can't make their gear standard. Receivers, as you have found, have varying degrees of HDMI function. Just because a receiver has a HDMI input doesn't mean it will actually work as you think HDMI should. Don't feel bad, it's not your fault and most of the sales people don't even realize all the pitfalls of some models.

Also, if sound is a priority, I'd really recommend traditional speakers.

[SlumpBuster]

Okay, this is new one on me. What's the beef with optical? All my digital links are optical.

[markw]

Okay, this is new one on me. What's the beef with optical? All my digital links are optical.For me, it's more a matter of preference as oppopsed to any performance advantage. I've used virtually any old RCA inter connect and passed an audiably flawless signal and I hate the connectors on on toslink, not to mention that it's bend radius can be an issue. Right now an extra video cable I had lying around has been doing a fine job for several years now.

but, when all is right, toslink is just as good as a coaxial signal. ;)

And, If I ran out of coax I/O, I'd use glass in a NY minute.

[SlumpBuster]

I can understand the complaint about the connector itself.

I have a Sony CDR and MD that each came with the worst toslink connectors. 1.5 feet of glass with a thin plastic coating. After accidentally cutting one in half, I changed them all out with AR cables. The connector is easier to handle and the cable itself is very thick but also very floppy. Also, they are white, so they stick out in the snake pit.

But here is my second confusion. The only time I ever had to use a digital coax, I hooked up an extra RCA and got nothing. Isn't there a difference between RCA and proper "digital coax?"

[markw]

Isn't there a difference between RCA and proper "digital coax?"not that I can see, although there's supposed to be a bandwith issue and they specify75 ohms. Like I said earlier. I'm using a (yellow RCA plug) 75 ohm RCA connector and it's working perfectly.

And, I know I'm gonna regret saying this, but when I first got my HT in '02 or so, I tried an old, yellowed, cracked audio interconnect that had to be from the 60's just for S & G and it passed digital audio fine. It looked like drek so I replaced it with that video interconnect.

I haven't a clue why yours failed unless there was a continuity or setup issue.

[Mr Peabody]

The issues I've had is optical is a more fragile cable and more susceptiple to issues. And, it may just have been my particular gear but I have used optical and coax from my Blu-ray player and coax had better sound. I don't think the difference was in the player, I think it was in my processor. You'd think a processor of the cost of mine would have high quality in both. I have 2 optical inputs and one quit working properly. This is why my other input is suspect when hearing an audible difference. Others here have posted they have heard an improvement with coax over optical though.

Coax digital audio does require a certain bandwidth but it falls within the range of composite video. I personally would use a proper coax to be sure. I mean digital is 1's and 0's but you want to make sure they all get there. I did use a composite video cable for a couple days from a transport to DAC until I got the coax cable. Honestly when I put the specific audio digital coax in the composite's place I didn't notice any difference. On the thread "stoopid cable question" I posted a pretty good link that had a chart listing various cables and their required bandwidth. Pix was trying to tell some one they could use any RCA as component connections. Since your question is similar you might find some of the posts there interesting.

[Mr Peabody]

In researching your receiver, which I should have done before posting, it IS supposed to be able to do multichannel audio and PCM. You absolutely can hook up your sources as you intended. If there are any issues it's either with the source, or an inherent problem with Yamaha's receiver or dumb operator error, not you, those who posted problems. The 661 also has some nice features like the headphone surround mode that happens automatically when you plug in the headphones. As well as some useful surround stuff. You are lacking the HD audio formats if you decide to go Blu-ray, but not to worry, you do have multichannel analog inputs which can be used for this and let the player do the decoding.

Some receivers will allow the signal to pass through while the receiver is off, I don't know if yours is one. You may have to use another set of connections for just watching TV or always have the receiver on. I assume you want to use HDMI to keep the cable clutter down. If it wasn't a concern, for just watching TV you could use component video which will pass HD signals up to 1080i and analog audio cables. I believe I did see where you will need something other than HDMI for the on screen display which is a bit inconvenient to say the least.

You probably already mounted your ceiling speakers but that is the worst set up for surround sound. For example, the sound is to put you in the action, how can that happen with people on the screen talking and their voice coming from over your head? In wall, is not quite as bad, at least you'd get some localization from the sound.

Hope this puts you back on track and sorry I jumped to conclusions without checking first.

[Movie Fan]

Thanks for the info......

Acuallly I have all my cable in place including an extra S-video cable just in case. I have purchases Optical cables for sound if meeded.
As far as the in-ceiling speakers.......my ceiling only 7 ft and these Yamaha speakers have a multi directional tweeter,,,,,,,,I've put 7 of them in the ceiling and place them correctly for the listening positiom.......the tv will be up on a half wall so the dialog will acually sound like it's comming from the tv. I will let you know how it all works out!
Thanks Guys!: :6:

[SlumpBuster]

The 661 also has some nice features like the headphone surround mode that happens automatically when you plug in the headphones.


This feature really is very cool. I've watched a bunch of movies through my Grado and Sennheiser cans. It lacks the visceral punch of having the subwoofers turned on, but the intimacy and clarity of it is very captivating.