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HDMI reciver question

ISUKyro

ISUKyro

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2006
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Houston, TX
Ok, we have a ton of audio/ video geek on board and maybe they can help.
I love my TV, but it only has 1 HDMI input on it. I really want to upgrade my home audio receiver as the old one is about 8 years old.
So I'm looking at different receivers online and reading customer reviews. While looking online Bestbuy I see a receiver that has 4 HDMI inputs - great I'm thinking as I would only need 3 now, so that'd be 1 extra! But then I read the reviews and one guy says that when you plug HDMI into the receiver it's only a video switch and won't put the sound in 5.1.... wth is the point in that?! Anyway, my question is what feature is that called? What am I looking for when I read about the specifications of different amps so I can be sure that if I plug a cable box, ps3, and 360 all via HDMI that I will get full 5.1 sound and HD with out any other cables??
(EDIT some say "Built for Blu Ray" , not sure what that means though)
 
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dmclone

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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What are you looking at and how much do you want to spend.? I have a 3 year old denon and it has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output and it handles all the audio stuff 7.1, dolby true HD, etc.

The receiver you're looking at sounds like it just has HDMI passthrough. I've had good luck with both Yamaha and Denon receivers. The thing about Best Buy recievers is that companies usually don't carry their good models through Best Buy. I could give up a lot of things but this pass through wouldn't be one of them.
 
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ISUKyro

ISUKyro

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2006
12,724
2,343
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Houston, TX
I would like to stay below $500.
I guess I just got a bit nervous when I read the review that said one wouldn't handle the sound - although it was a much cheaper one at only $200.
I definitely don't want that. Would love to have the cables cleaned up and have everything with the HDMI as that is the point of HDMI

EDIT:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...oduct&id=1218066769427#tabbed-customerreviews

this is a link to the cheap one where the guy mentions the issue with audio - so this one is off the list!

EDIT: Best Buy is not a requirement, just doing a bit of research.....
 
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dmclone

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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If I was you I would give these guys call 1.800.340.4770(Welcome to OneCall - Shop for HDTV, Home Theater, Speakers, Receivers and Digital Cameras) and ask them for their best deal on a Denon AVR1910. They won't have their best deal on the web site. It will be near the top of your budget.
Another option that will set you back about $100 less is the Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K

Then buy your speaker wire and HDMI cables from HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

ISUKyro said:
I would like to stay below $500.
I guess I just got a bit nervous when I read the review that said one wouldn't handle the sound - although it was a much cheaper one at only $200.
I definitely don't want that. Would love to have the cables cleaned up and have everything with the HDMI as that is the point of HDMI

EDIT:
Sony - 500W 5.1-Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver - STR-DH500

this is a link to the cheap one where the guy mentions the issue with audio - so this one is off the list!

EDIT: Best Buy is not a requirement, just doing a bit of research.....
Click to expand...
 
3GenClone

3GenClone

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Jun 28, 2009
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Des Moines
My favorite site is Product reviews and prices, software downloads, and tech news - CNET. They have a great search function that helps you narrow down what your needs are and they give you a list of products that fit them. They have great reviews for all kinds of A/V products and also list the prices from multiple stores and web sites for the product your searching for. As a side-note, I'm currently saving to purchase the Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K that dmclone was talking about - best receiver currently available at that price.
 
BigDISU1

BigDISU1

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2006
1,196
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Oskaloosa, Iowa
I am by far not an expert on the subject,

but from my research some of the best in this price range are:

-Pioneer VSX-1019

-Onkyo 607

-Yamaha VX-R665/765

-Denon AVR-1910

All of these retail for about $500, but if you are patient and watch the deal websites (www.slickdeals.net), you can get them for about $370 or less with free shipping and no tax

In my experience, I generally cannot find a deal like this at Best Buy or any local B&M (brick and mortar) store, stick with newegg, amazon, or other reputable online vendors and be patient and your bound to get a good deal. Monoprice.com for cables is generally the best way to go.

There are more good ones, but those are some I have been looking at
 
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benjay

benjay

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
5,141
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I've used pioneer and yamaha, and they were both great receivers. You can get a very good receiver for ~$400.
 
Kyle

Kyle

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Mar 30, 2006
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Some advice based on buying my Dad's Christmas present this year.

Rule #1, #2, & #3 are to check all of the connections right after you buy it. I went through 3 receivers before finally getting one where everything worked.

Rule #4 is to make sure that if you are ordering online that the merchant will pay for return shipping if you get a defective unit.

I originally got him the Onkyo SR606 off of Amazon. It was one of the highest rated and most feature packed receivers in that price range. Hooked everything up, only to find out that some of the video inputs did not work. I'm fairly tech savy, so I thought I must be doing something wrong. I spent hours working on it before finally determining that several of the inputs simply did not work. I sent it back to Amazon (which has very good customer service and paid for return shipping) and had them send me another 606. The second one also had some defective inputs, so I sent it back as well. I then got a low-end Marantz from an Amazon merchant, banking on the Marantz name to hopefully ensure that at least everything would work. It did not. I sent it back, but had to pay for return shipping. I finally got fed up and went to Best Buy and bought a Yamaha, secure in the knowledge that I could haul it back to the store and throw it at someone if it did not work. Everything on that unit worked.

I personally would not buy an Onkyo after that experience. I also learned that they have heat problems, which could result in durability problems. Good brands seem to be Dennon, Yamaha, and Pioneer. Sony is laughed at by audiophiles, but may be a decent option if you want something basic, inexpensive, and functional.

If you are trying to stay below $500 I would avoid anything with video upconversion. The processors in those units are not very good. Additionally, most new TV's, DVD players, and Blu-Ray players already upconvert, so you don't need (or probably even want) your AV receiver to mess with the video signal. Many TV signals are also now in HD, and thus require no upconverting.

To answer your original question, I think anything with HDMI 1.3 or later should be able to pull the audio signal through the HDMI cables.
 
dmclone

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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Man you went through hell. I was thinking that you were going to say you gave up and bought a Bose system :)

Marantz and Denon are made by the same company. As far as Sony, I would agree that a lot of people don't care for their basic receivers that you get at Best Buy but some of their high end stuff is pretty decent.
 
Kyle

Kyle

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2006
4,074
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63
dmclone said:
Man you went through hell. I was thinking that you were going to say you gave up and bought a Bose system :)

Marantz and Denon are made by the same company. As far as Sony, I would agree that a lot of people don't care for their basic receivers that you get at Best Buy but some of their high end stuff is pretty decent.
Click to expand...
Bose has some significant quality problems and is way overpriced imo, although the wave radio we have (it was a gift) sounds fairly good for its size. In the Bose price range you can do a lot better.

Sony makes two different lines, and the ES ones are good, but the cost reflects that. I didn't look at them too much because they were more than I wanted to spend.

And yes, it was hell.
 
HOTDON

HOTDON

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Mar 24, 2006
2,875
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Fort Dodge, IA
I've got an Onkyo receiver that I've had for 8 or 9 years now. It has been my main audio system the entire time and it's been great. I haven't ever used any of the video inputs though, so for all I know mine could be dead too. I don't know what kind of speakers you are hooking up, but I remember my Onkyo model being able to handle 4, 6 or 8 ohms, which many of the others didn't. Not a selling point, but was piece of mind for future upgrading.

I'll also agree that all the info you'll ever need for audio/video equipment can be found on the AVS forums.
 
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