How do I play sound from hdmi to av or optical?

DarkAng3L

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Nov 12, 2013
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I have a 46" TV that has 3 hdmi connections. I need to play the sound through my amp but the amp does not have any hdmi ports. is there any way or device i can use to get the sound to play to my home theater system?
 
Solution
Your Audio Signal Cable Choices
for-tutorial-Audio-Cables70_zps2bf30abd.gif


Digital versus Analog
Digital audio cables are meant to transmit a sophisticated high definition audio signal between your audio source component and a component to "play" the sound into your room. The older analog audio cables did the same thing, but they use TWO wires and the sound is nowhere close to as sophisticated. If you spent money to purchase a high definition component to "play" your sound, if at all possible, you want to use one of the three "digital" cabling choices.

The playing component referred to, could be your stereo speakers, a surround sound system, a home theater...

DarkAng3L

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The TV only has the aerial out, 3 HDMI's, 1 AV out which only works with devices connected via AV and an earphone Jack. The earphone Jack cancels out all other sound setting options and is very soft and I think it only plays in 2.1 ch sound.
 
If you use the earphone jack you will be able to adjust the volume from the TV. Select Dolby or Dolby Pro logic as you surround sound mode and that will give you surround. Not the best way as you will not get Digital Surround Sound. That is the only way you can get sound from the TV internal tuner. If you use external sources then you can use the AV out.
By the way TVs only have HDMI inputs never outputs.
 

gregates

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I have a brand new 55" Samsung (UN55FH6003F ) with ZERO audio outputs (go figure). And of course ZERO HDMI outputs.

I purchased an HDMI switcher box that has "separate" audio outputs as well as an HDMI output and 4 HDMI inputs..

Into the Switcher
I have three HDMI inputs going into the switcher box from (1) my cable box (2) from my dvd (3) and from my Smart Sony Internet box.

Out of the Switcher
Video= I run an HDMI cable from the switcher box to my new TV.

Audio= The switcher box has a choice of three different types of separate audio "outputs" to go to your amp. You could use either (a) digital coax cable (b) a digital optical cable and (c) analog red/white RCA cables. In my case, I have my audio from the switcher box to a separate audio system (could be any receiver/external speakers/home theater/whatever). I hook to a BOSE Solo system. I picked that because I wanted to control the volume with a remote. I turned off the crummy speakers in the TV and only use the Bose (like your amp).

The Switcher box
The switcher box is a Monoprice 5557 pretty cool and only $43 bucks. It also has a separate HDMI input in the front that my son uses for his XBox. Here is a link to the switcher box:

http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5557

If you click on the products image on their page, you get a front and back image of the switcher box to see all the inputs and output.
Good luck!
 

EricTheGreat

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Nov 16, 2013
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Yes, Monoprice makes this splitter which accepts an HDMI input and will output the audio to optical or coax audio for older amps, and give you an HDMI ouput for routing the video signal to your TV.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011412&p_id=10251&seq=1&format=2
 

gregates

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To: EricTheGreat and DarkAng3L

EricTheGreat absolutely correct. Your item will work. But the Monoprice 10251 that you have referenced, is different than the Monoprice 5557 that I referenced. Both are about the same price. there is a significant difference,

Both
---Are about the same price.
---Both have [1] ONE HDMI out put to go to your TV.
---Both have THREE different Audio Out choices to run to a separate audio source other than your TV's speakers (to an Amp, to a Surround Sound, to a BOSE SOLO system, to separate speakers OR whatever). You just turn off the TV's speakers.
---Both have choices of audio out functions of either a Digital COAX cable, Digital Optical cable OR the Analog Red/White RCA cables.


Monoprice 10251
---Has ONLY [1] ONE HDMI input So you would have to choose if you wanted to run your cable box there. Your DVD or you gaming console. You would have to plug and unplug (unless you did not want two of the above to have sound NOT coming from the AMP, but instead through the TV’s speakers.
---Unless you manually plug and unplug your components, only one component at a time is connected to your separate sound system. BUT if you ONLY will want one component to have the option of sound to your AMP, this will work for you.

Monoprice 5557
---Has [4] FOUR individual HDMI inputs. You can have MULTIPLE HDMI components hooked to your TV, as well as your separate AMP sound system You could have a cable box, a DVD, a gaming system and a forth HDMI input for your PC or anything else you can think of you want to have video through your TV and the sound coming from your AMP.


Compare the two
On the two product pages, take the time, to double click on each items main product image. It then gives you front and back views of the their inputs and outputs of what I describe above.


Monoprice 10251
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011412&p_id=10251


Monoprice 5557
http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5557




The Monoprice 5557 solved all my problem.

 

gregates

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Oct 3, 2013
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Your Audio Signal Cable Choices
for-tutorial-Audio-Cables70_zps2bf30abd.gif


Digital versus Analog
Digital audio cables are meant to transmit a sophisticated high definition audio signal between your audio source component and a component to "play" the sound into your room. The older analog audio cables did the same thing, but they use TWO wires and the sound is nowhere close to as sophisticated. If you spent money to purchase a high definition component to "play" your sound, if at all possible, you want to use one of the three "digital" cabling choices.

The playing component referred to, could be your stereo speakers, a surround sound system, a home theater amplifier, a sound bar etc,. In short, a more sophisticated sound source to "play" your sound, than just simply using the speakers housed inside your TV.

Coaxial Digital Audio Cables Coaxial digital audio cables have a good "tight" fit to your source sound component and your playing component. Sources say that over distance there is a loss of signal quality. Consult your cable source as to what they say for signal quality versus the length of cable distance. Some sources advertise longer cables constructed for longer distance with no or minimal signal quality loss. If you are less than 15 feet, don't give it a a second of thought, you are fine!!!

Optical Digital Audio Cables Optical digital audio cables transmit your sophisticated digital audio signal just like Coaxial (above), but can do it over much greater distances than Coaxial, without having to boost the signal. So if your components are 20 feet apart, use Optical. But, there are limitations. Optical cables use light to transmit the signal. So if you have tight bends in your path from one component to the other, Optical might not be the answer.

Analog Audio Cables Analog audio cables, commonly known as RCA, stereo, or composite audio cables. Prior to the high definition and digital world, we all used these for hooking up our stereo components. Basically color coded one red and one white for a two channel "left" and "right" audio connection (if there is a "third" cable for an analog video signal, it is usually color coded yellow).

High Definition Multimedia Interface Cables Referred to commonly as HDMI cables, this is always your best choice. Remember, the three other choices presented here, ONLY transmit your AUDIO signal from component to component. There ALWAYS has to be a third cable transmitting the VIDEO signal component to component with the other three choices. Example, if you use a Coaxial Digital Audio Cable from your DVD to your high definition TV, you STILL need to run a separate video cable from the DVD to the TV as well. BUT running an HDMI cable from your DVD to the TV transmits a digital signal of BOTH video and audio. You use one cable instead of two. Both the video and the audio signals are digital.


Why I had to use the HDMI switcher box
In my case, I needed to send two SEPARATE signals from my source components (cable box, DVD, Xbox) to [1] first a video from my source component to the TV and [2] second an audio signal from my source component to my separate sound system (in my case my BOSE Solo).

Bottom-line, IF your TV HAS an "Audio Out" plug for any of the above audio cables, use that to go to your separate audio component. Otherwise, my solution detailed above works absolutely great.

Enjoy!
 
Solution