Home Theatre question

[jussi]

I have a htpc and have the video output via hdmi and audio as rca. My question is how to make the TV use 2 different inputs. I couldn't find anywhere in the settings to allow this. It's an LG.

[JimD]

I have a Samsung and a LG blu ray. My blu ray is hooked to the TV using HDMI 2 and it feeds both the video and audio signal through that connection. Are you sure you need to feed the audio by a separate cord?

On my Samsung, the remote has a button that brings up a screen that controls which available feed the TV uses. I think the button is labeled "connection". When I turn on my blu ray the TV switches to HDMI 2 but to switch it back, I have to bring up the connections screen. It has a bunch of hdmi inputs but all I use is the cable signal and the one input from the blu ray (which also streams Netflix).

Jim

[LarryG]

Just guessing here, as I am unfamiliar with your LG television. Mine are all Samsungs, like Jim's, and as he says there is a button on the remote that allows you to select the input for the desired source. (I actually don't use this; with my rig, everything is controlled by the AV receiver.)

HDMI carries audio as well as video, whereas RCA audio is usually paired with component video. On my TVs, the inputs have default names like HMDI-1, HDMI-2, COMPONENT-1, COMPONENT-2, etc. (I don't have my manual handy and am not near the TVs so I'm not sure of the exact terminology, but it's something like that.) I can select any of these inputs, one at a time, but I know of no way to combine elements of one with elements of another. For example, if I connected a DVD player's video to COMPONENT-1 on the TV and the audio to COMPONENT-2, I'm pretty sure I'd get video only if I selected COMPONENT-1, and audio only if I selected COMPONENT-2.

So it may be that your LG TV's circuitry makes the (entirely reasonable) assumption that whatever input you select will have both the audio and video connected to it. More complicated switchings and pairings are typically done with a receiver. That's the case with my rig ... all the input devices go to the receiver, some via HDMI, some via component, some via analog RCA, but in all cases the final connection to the TV is via an HDMI cable and the input selected on the TV never changes.

My guess, then, is that you're going to need to use component video instead of HDMI.

[JimD]

My TV and blu ray came one week and my HDMI cable the next week (all ordered from Amazon at the same time, this is just how they were delivered). I couldn't wait and didn't like the idea of spending $30+ to get a HDMI locally so I just hooked them up with rca cords for the video and the audio. My Samsung has these and it worked fine but I noticed the picture was a little better when my HDMI cord came and I used it.

My guess is the only audio jacks you have will work only when the video comes in the component input (assuming there is one). What isn't clear to me is why you need that audio cord at all, however, if you are using a HDMI cable. If the cable is good and your devices have HDMI jacks like mine have, everything you need to connect is on that one HDMI cable.

Jim

[Cubsfan]

So it may be that your LG TV's circuitry makes the (entirely reasonable) assumption that whatever input you select will have both the audio and video connected to it. More complicated switchings and pairings are typically done with a receiver. That's the case with my rig ... all the input devices go to the receiver, some via HDMI, some via component, some via analog RCA, but in all cases the final connection to the TV is via an HDMI cable and the input selected on the TV never changes.

My guess, then, is that you're going to need to use component video instead of HDMI.

I'll bet this is exactly right. Unfortunately, I'm guessing that you're converting DVI to HDMI, so getting sound on that same cable will be difficult. Converting DVI-D to Component is tricky at best. You might be able to use something like this:
http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=6055
coupled with something like this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
But with so many adapters, the end result may not be very good.

[jussi]

What isn't clear to me is why you need that audio cord at all, however, if you are using a HDMI cable. If the cable is good and your devices have HDMI jacks like mine have, everything you need to connect is on that one HDMI cable.

Jim

It's an htpc that I built, not a stand alone (store bought) unit. The video comes from the video card and audio from audio card. I initially had the audio hooked up to a receiver but it died a couple of weeks ago and am waiting on a good deal to replace it. So for now I have everything hooked up to the TV. You're right in that the TV assumes the video and audio should be coming out of the same input. I was hoping that there was a way tell it it wasn't.

Unfortunately the video card only has HDMI and DVI outputs so I would need a converter. Oh well, guess I'll just have to wait for a good receiver to come on sale.

[dewi1219]

Another, possibly better, option would be to replace the video card in your HTPC with one that will do audio over HDMI. They're not all that expensive now.

[jussi]

Another, possibly better, option would be to replace the video card in your HTPC with one that will do audio over HDMI. They're not all that expensive now.

I thought about that but since I'm planning on getting a receiver (which will have much better sound than the TV) it will just go to waste. I was hoping to find a solution that wouldn't cost me any money since it's only a temporary fix. I think I may just hook up my Bose alarm clock to it for now.

[dewi1219]

I wouldn't say it would go to waste - most new AVRs accept HDMI input so that you can run the audio and video through the AVR and then on to the TV. This provides the best picture and sound. Your plan is perfectly fine, I'm just an audio geek that wants the absolute best sound quality. There's nothing wrong with using RCAs but they are somewhat susceptible to noise were full digital transmission is not. Most people would never notice or care though...

[mpc]

The one combination input I've seen on TVs is any video input combined with an optical audio input port. If your TV is one of those (I know zilch about LG capabilities), and your HTPC has an optical digital audio port, then that'll get you where you want to be - and it'll be 100% digital rather than analog audio.

The other option is the "PC Input" which is a glorified VGA connector; that probably teams with one of the analog audio inputs on the TV as well. You may have to give up pixel resolution though - many TVs won't accept full 1080i/p signals over the PC input.

mpc

[vaking]

I believe certain video cards with HDMI output have special port for digital audio to be connected to the digital audio output of the sound card. This way video card can put together digital video and digital audio and send both on the HDMI connector. Check if your video card has such input.