I have a Comcast DVR with HDMI connected to my Onkyo. Problem: I'm not getting optical output from the Onkyo to another amp. Is it necessary to use optical "in" so that I can get optical "out", or will the HDMI sound be directed to the optical "out"? Does optical carry the same sound quality as HDMI?
Read your owner's manual. It probably tells you HDMI does not down convert to optical. I'm gonna bet the optical connection probably doesn't sound much different than the HDMI coming from a Comcast DVR.
Not in owner's manual but optical in does solve for this. Odd, HDMI in won't be able to be used for optical out. By the way, you were right about the signal. If it is different I can't tell. That's all that counts. Thanks for the help.
I know the Onkyos can upconvert video signals to HDMI, but I do not believe they can take an HDMI signal and convert to optical. HDMI carries each channel on a separate cable whereas optical or coax both multiplex the channels on the same cable. Perhaps this is why it can't do it.
Thanks Frank. You are right and Onkyo confirmed it in an email. One must use either optical in or coax in to take advantage of optical out. Next problem: sound delay in other rooms is significant when I run the sound to my other receiver via the optical out. In other words, source goes to Onkyo (optical in) which then sends signal(optical out) to my receiver that handles the other rooms. The delay is enough to sound like an echo when I'm listening in one of the other rooms and can hear both sources. Ideas?