Connecting HTPC with AV-reciever (1 Viewer)

[aspik]

Hello Everyone

I recently bought a AV-receiver and have some thoughts about connecting it to the HTPC. I never had an AV receiver, always some active PC-Speaker connected with a 3.5mm jack. My HTPC is currently an Intel NUC. As the NUC doesn’t have an SPDIF output, I decided to buy a USB to SPDIF adapter. Found a very affordable solution from Delock:
http://www.delock.com/produkte/F_438_Sound-Produkte_61961/merkmale.html?setLanguage=en

My plan was to use the currently NUC mini-HDMI -> TV HDMI connection for the video and the audio sending over a Toslink cable to the AVR. The receiver that I bought is a Yamaha rx-v377:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...6&cm_re=yamaha_rxv_377-_-82-115-476-_-Product

Once the AVR arrived I took a closer look at the available connections and found one HDMI port that was labeled as OUT (the rest of the HDMI ports are Inputs). I thought, the HDMI output should work as a pass-through port. I decided to connect the NUC to one of the HDMI input ports and TV to the HDMI output. The NUC is now sending video and audio over HDMI to the AVR, the AVR is passing through the video to the TV and playing back the audio signal. On the Yamaha display I'm seeing that it is receiving PCM audio, which is the right thing. I'm using MPAR as audio renderer which is working without a problem

Reading the forum, I can't recall to see that someone here is using such a connection, or am I wrong?
I wonder, how do you connect the AVR + HTPC and TV? SPDIF? HDMI splitter? Or maybe your HTPC has simply more than just one HDMI an you sending video and audio over two HDMI ports?

 

[Kotik]

You have done it the right way.
HTPC --> (HDMI) --> AVR --> (HDMI) --> TV

Since your AVR does support video pass-through then this is the most efficient and correct wayt to connect your HTPC to your AVR/TV.

You might also try to bitstream your sound instead of using Media Portal Audio Renderer. See if you are getting dropped frames. If you dont then you can enjoy untouched quality sound. This way the sound of your movies (DTS/HD , DD/ TRUE HD etc) is being passed directly to your AVR and decoded there. If you have questions don't hesitate to ask them.

Enjoy your new toy

 

[kiwijunglist]

Bitstreaming doesn't result in higher or lower quality audio.
If your AVR doesn't support HD audio, then you would actually get better quality audio by decoding on the HTPC.
To decode DTS-HD + TRUE-HD etc you need to add the dtsdecoderdll.dll from TMT, details are in the guide in my sig.

My HTPC is connected
HTPC -- (HDMI) --> Gefen HDMI Detective -- (HDMI) --> AVR -- (HDMI) --> TV

 

[Kotik]

I didnt say "higher" i said "untouched".

 

[kiwijunglist]

"untouched quality" could be interpretated as higher quality

 

[Kotik]

Kiwijunglist would the hdmi detective solve some black screen issues after a refresh rate change?

Once in a while after a refresh rate change the signal is lost.

 

[kiwijunglist]

To fix the black screen do you have to either unplug+replig the cord / or / power off + on one of the devices? ... If yes then it might.

My problem was that when i changed sources on my avr and then back to the htpc, the video would work but the audio wouldn't, and the only fix was replugging the cable. Now that problem is gone.

I'm really happy with mine. I'm not sure if there is a 4k version though...

 

[aspik]

Thank you both for the answers!
I might try the bitstream, how do I do that?
@kiwijunglist
Can I ask you, why do you use Gefen HDMI Detective? Is it because your AVR don't support video pass-through? Or is there another reason?

Is video pass-through in AVR in general a new feature? I haven't bought a high end receiver, this is the cheapest model from yamaha that they have. The higher models have features that I don't need. Internet radio, wifi, dlna, etc.. I don't need this fancy stuff, why would I, I have MediaPortal

One thing that I noticed recently. It make difference in what order I turn on the devices. If I turn on the TV first and then AVR then I can't play anything in MP. Any try to play something (video, tv or music) ends in crushing MP. Rebooting the HTPC solves the issue. When I turn on the receiver first and after that TV, then everything works as it should. I don't have to turn on the HTPC, because it runs 24/7. Additionally I'm using dynamic refresh rate changer. Any thoughts what might be the reason for that?

 

[Kotik]

Which vga are u using? And which video/audio codecs you use for mediaportal?

 

[aspik]

Which vga are u using? And which video/audio codecs you use for mediaportal?

The integrated Intel VGA, since with NUC there are no other options:
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/nuc/nuc-kit-d34010wyk.html
Codecs: LAV for audio and video.