I am seeking advice on connecting my new Yamaha YHT-S400 (tuner/amp midi surround system with my other devices - I have a Samsung LCD TV - Blu ray player & MySky HD - should I connect these devices via the HDMI ports into the amp then HDMI out to TV or put the devices into TV then use the optical output from the TV to feed sound into AMP. Possibility of a combination?? - Thanks in advance
mmcgrath: should I connect these devices via the HDMI ports into the amp then HDMI out to TV
Yes
Definitely Yes! I think you'll find the optical out from the TV will only be in stereo so taking any feed through the TV first will lose your surround sound. Also HDMI can carry higher quality audio (Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Audio, as well as 7.1, if your receiver can handle those of course!) all of which optical can't do. Is there a reason for wanting to use optical instead of/in combination with HDMI?
Actually having had a look around I see some TVs can output a 5.1 signal via optical. However you still wouldn't get the HD audio passing through!
You have a Samsung LCD TV and Samsung were dcks about outputting dolby 5.1 audio from the TV.
Hdmi is generally the prefered method of connecting components to a receiver. hdmi does audio and video in the same lead, so if you don't use it, the alternative is cables for video and separate cables for audio. Generally hdmi offers the best quality picture and audio out from a device.
So yes, hdmi from components that have it, to the receiver.
Then hdmi from the receiver to the TV.
You would generally then want an optical cable from the TV back to the receiver as well.
There are exceptions to all of this, but on the whole that's how you'd normally aim to set it all up.
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