Home Theater Hookup Question

[Jackruf 7]

I am hoping some of you home theatre enthusiasts can help me out? I recently replaced my trusty 15 year old 50” Sony WEGA with a Samsung 65” UHD Smart TV. Both the Sony WEGA and Integra home theater  receiver were pre HDMI inputs. All audio/ visual connections were via RCA input jacks. I bypassed the Integra on the new setup by hooking the tv directly to the FIOS cable box via HDMI. The TV works fine but I of course lose the audio from the home theater. Here is my question. My new TV has an optical audio out and the older receiver also have optical audio in ports. If I hook the optical cable between the Tv out and receiver in, should that give me the 5.1 surround sound back?

Thanks

Andy

 

 

 

[PeteF 1,044]

Yes, have mine set up that way.  Fios,samsung tv, older yamaha rcvr.

[voyager9 3,434]

It should. Assuming the TV will pass all the hdmi audio channels over optical and doesn’t limit itself to outputting it’s own “smartTV” audio for some reason.  Optical can definitely pass surround sound. 

What you propose should work for the cable box. The issue is this configuration complicates switching other sources. 

[Jackruf 7]

Thanks guys. It is a simple setup without any other input sources. Just TV connected to set top box via HDMI and an optical cable from digital audio out on TV directly to optical audio in on receiver. The Tv worked great last night on just the HDMI connected to cable box. But today i want to get the external speakers hooked up.

 

Thanks again

[voyager9 3,434]

If your cable box has optical output that may be another option. Depends where the cable box is relative to the tv and receiver. For example if the Tv is on the wall you may not want to run two longer cables in a wall. Especially if the cable box and receiver are close together.  

[Jackruf 7]

The cable box does have an optical audio recepticle.  If I run the optical cable from the cable box to the receiver will the audio be transmitted to the receiver?  As opposed directly from tv to receiver. Both paths are equally accessible.

[Howard 538]

I have a 65" UHD Samsung and use its optical out to go to my older Surround sound system, works perfectly.  It transmits the sound be it from a cable box, a Roku, a FireTV box, a DVD, or any other input.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

Hook up the optical from the settop box directly to the reciever. No reason to run it through the TV, which could need you to change settings. 

[voyager9 3,434]

56 minutes ago, Jackruf said:

The cable box does have an optical audio recepticle.  If I run the optical cable from the cable box to the receiver will the audio be transmitted to the receiver?  As opposed directly from tv to receiver. Both paths are equally accessible.

It should. I had that configuration before I got an HDMI receiver and it worked fine. I mainly did it that way because I had multiple sources and used the receiver to switch between them at one place.

For your use I think either would work fine. Run optical from TV or Cable Box yo receiver. 

[Malice4you 627]

Oh, I remember those simple days of one component hooked up...back when I didn't need a component map to plan out which input/output I could use and retain use of all my other AV equipment... No one ever gives you enough HDMI ports, optical ports, or coax digital ports.

Sounds like you got this covered. I have two receivers hooked to my comcast box, one via optical, one via rca, if memory serves me. The TV gets video through hdmi. I would prefer this over going through the tv to optical out to receiver.

[Jackruf 7]

Thanks to all for your valuable comments. The optical connection worked like a charm with the home theater. Now I need to reprogram the Logitech remote, to talk to the new tv and change the default settings on the receiver.  

Thanks again.