This is issue I have is very confusing so I hope I can explain it well.
I have a Vizio LCD flat screen Model V047L FHDTV10A and there are 4 HDMI ports. I have my XBOX 360 connected via HDMI 3 input and a Microsoft dongle connected on the back of it so I use HDMI and an optical output at the same time. The reason for this is the optic cable goes into my wireless Turtle Beach gaming headset. I also have my DVR connected via HDMI into the HDMI 1 input...ok that is my setup but the issue is when I turn on the tv or switch between HDMI inputs, the device connected resets. Example: I can be playing a game on my HDMI input 3 then pause the game so I can watch TV for a bit. I switch to HDMI input 1 and my DVR cable box resets. When I feel like playing again I then switch to HDMI 3 and the Xbox resets as if I just turned it on. However! When I disconnect the dongle from the back of the Xbox so the only output is HDMI, there is no reset when switching back to the HDMI 3 input. The DVR has an optical output so this makes me thing anything with an optical output is prone to the reset.
I have contacted Vizio and they said the TV is not "smart enough" to turn devices on and off like that. I really hope there is someone who #1 can follow what I am saying, and I hope I explained it well, and #2 knows what is causing this.
anyways what I would do is forget about switching between activities.. do 1 thing or watch at a time then,, but I would try to hook up everything to a receiver with hdmi like an inexpensive denon,,from dakmart and try that..
Sometimes I want to be able to listen to my TV audio from the TV and sometimes through my 5.1 A/V receiver. If i connect my Direct tv HD-DVR to the tv via HDMI, can i use the Digital Audio Output (Optical) from the TV and run it into my A/V reciever Digital Optical input without any sound degregation? I hope so, that way I don't have to use an HDMI to the TV and another to the A/V receiver and explain 1000 times to my girlfriend that she has to change the input from "direct tv" to "Home theater".
chris don't bother because tv tuner degrades sound astronomically ,, compared to tv box alone with reciever.. you can try it though but you have to turn volume on tv down when switching back to home theater sound,or else echo...........