Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Did I purchase an unecessary component?

I have the following set-up under construction: M80's, VP150 and 2 QS8's (on order); Sherwood Newcastle R965 receiver, DirecTV HD receiver (HDMI outs), Panasonic 50PH9UK plasma with one HDMI input. I would like to get an upscaling DVD player. It is my understanding that the DVD player will not upscale most commercial DVD's unless it is connected through HDMI cables. The R965 does not have HDMI connections, so I purchased a SN HSB-600 HDMI switcher (2 in, 1 out). But now I am thinking that this switcher may be unnecessary.

Could I not just connect the satellite receiver via component cables through the receiver out to the TV, and connect the DVD player via HDMI straight to the TV, and run the DVD audio into the receiver? This set-up would allow me to switch sources with the receiver's remote, wouldn't it? (the HSB-600 has its own separate remote, which is somewhat undesirable).

Would there be any noticeable difference in video qualtiy from the satelite receiver using component connects instead of HDMI?

What advantages would there be to using the HDMI switcher?

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What advantages would there be to using the HDMI switcher?

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No real advantage, you would be fine going with component to the sattelite receiver with no video quality difference.

It depends on the display and on any local interference. On a large high resolution display its more likely you will see a difference. On a smaller display likely no visible difference. Also depending on your setup screen noise on component may be a factor which usually disappears with digital connections. Best to check both connections and then decide how to do it. I always get best results with HDMI, so the switcher seems like a good idea.

Running component from satellite receiver to your audio receiver then running component to your TV should not significantly diminish video vs running HDMI from satellite receiver to TV. At larger screen sizes, you may see a difference. Also, HDMI can do 1080p, but component cannot.

You will not be able to switch video sources going to TV with your audio receiver's remote because the DVD player's video is connected by HDMI to your TV, bypassing your audio receiver. (You can of course switch audio sources at your audio receiver if you connect the DVD's audio and satellite's audio to the Sherwood.)

You do not need a DVD player with HDMI to be able to do upscaling from within the DVD player. Several DVD players can upconvert to 1080i/720p through component. A good example is the Momitsu DVD-V880-DX; this player will also disable Macrovision copyright protection from a secret menu. Upscaled picture to 1080i/720p by component on Momitsu is very close to upscaled picture to 1080i/720p by HDMI on my OPPO on a 102" screen.

If it is really important to you to be able to do video switching from the audio receiver, then you can connect both your satellite receiver and your DVD player to your Sherwood with component cables.

My personal choice would be to keep the switcher and use HDMI for both sources. I am somewhat surprised that Sherwood costs $2000 and only upscales from composite and S-video to component. You can get HDMI switching in a receiver these days at half that cost.

ihifi,

I understand your statement about HDMI on the Sherwood reciever but here is the reason Sherwood has taken that particular stand.

From the Sherwood Newcastle website:

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Sherwood adds HDMI to Newcastle and Sherwood lines

Sherwood America has introduced the HDMI-Link™, an advanced audio/video switcher and video format converter designed to integrate the video output from an advanced A/V receiver with the A/V output of two HDMI capable digital A/V source units into an HDMI capable video monitor or TV.

According to Jeffrey Hipps, Sherwood’s Sr. VP for Marketing and Product Planning, consumers have been clamoring for an easy way to intermix different generations of audio/video source units such as VCR’s, satellite receivers, cable boxes and HDTV tuners in a simple-to-use system that still maintained the highest possible level of performance. “When we analyzed the situation,” said Hipps, “it was clear that the best performance required that we establish and maintain an HDMI signal path.”

However, instead of building HDMI capability into their advanced A/V receivers, Sherwood designed a free-standing unit. When asked why, Hipps responded, “HDMI is a moving target. With the HDMI 1.3 standard probably 2 years away, any of today’s HDMI devices risk obsolescence. Rather than have a $4,000 audio receiver be viewed as obsolete because it can’t support HDMI 1.3, we’d prefer to offer a low cost option. Our HDMI-Link™ is only $299.95.”

While Sherwood’s HDMI-Link does provide remote (or RS-232) switching for 2 HDMI source units, what really makes it useful is its ability to convert any component video input into an HDCP compliant HDMI output. According to Hipps, “We already have two generations of receivers from Sherwood and other manufacturers that convert composite video and S-Video inputs into a component video output. Simply adding our HDMI-Link™ to the output chain will complete the conversion of those legacy video formats to HDMI.”

As Sherwood markets two separate brands in the US: Sherwood Newcastle which is designed for the custom installer and Sherwood Home Audio for the cost conscious do-it-yourself audio fan, there are actually two separate HDMI-Link components. The Sherwood Newcastle HSB-600 is available in Newcastle’s titanium finish while the Sherwood HSB-6501 is available in black. Both models have an SRP of $299.95 and both will be available in May, 2006.

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I own one of the same receivers that BobG is getting but purchased it a while back before Axiom started offering them...

I have my cable box output via HDMI to DVI to my 36" Sony XBR HDTV. I only have the one component that outputs via HDMI. Looks great!

WhatFurrer

Bob, there wouldn't likely be a visible difference with component cables, but for another reason you should possibly reconsider your plans. Your Panasonic plasma is an excellent set with notably good upscaling(a plasma display has to scale an input to meet its "native resolution" if a player or receiver hasn't done it previously), so an "upscaling player"(and the switcher)may give you no visible benefit.

Sherwood says that rather than having a $4000 unit become obselete with a new HDMI standard, they have a low cost option of external switcher. The flaw with this arguement is that it is not the version of HDMI that is important, it is the feature set of the processor; HDMI is fully backward compatible with all previous releases of HDMI and DVI (for video only for DVI). The connectors will also be the same. When a device with HDMI 1.3 sends lossless compressed digital audio formats (Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD) to a receiver with HDMI 1.1 or 1.2, these formats will not be available because the receiver does not support these newer features in its processor. However, the source device with HDMI 1.3 will still be able to transfer DD/DTS 5.1 to the receiver. Having an external switcher that is much cheaper to change than a receiver does not change the fact that the Sherwood receiver still does not have the feature set to support the capability for HDMI 1.3 or any HDMI version. So, I do not understand the argument of paying extra for an external HDMI switcher that will not prevent a receiver from becoming obselete.

JohnK, Just so I understand, are you saying that my Panasonic TV accomplishes the same upscaling as an upscaling DVD player, like an Oppo? So, I could continue using my regular DVD player, connected to my AVR and TV with component cables, and essentially get the same picture quality as I would get if I switched to an Oppo DVD player? That would certainly save me some money.

PS, Whatfurrer, I tried to respond to your PM, but was not allowed access. I got a message that you are unable to receive any more PM's. If you PM me an e-mail or fax, I will send a response that way.

Bob, yes your Panasonic has to upscale any incoming signal which doesn't match its "native resolution" so that a full picture can be shown. The question would be whether a player or receiver could do a visibly better job of scaling than the TV itself does. It can't be said with absolute certainty that the Oppo or another player wouldn't do better, but as was said, your Panasonic is notably good at this and a significant improvement seems unlikely.

Bob,

I sent you a PM...Seems my inbox was full...try it again.

Regards,

WhatFurrer