Connecting Blu-ray player to AV amp and TV

[Mark V GTD]

I am a bit out of touch with the latest connection methods having just bought a Marantz AV amp/processor for surround sound in conjunction with a blue-ray player I already own. At the moment the blue-ray just plays sound and vision through the tv via a HDMI cable.

I have had a surround sound set up in the past but back then I used a co-axial digital cable to connect a DVD player to the processor/amp and then component video cables from amp to TV.

Nowadays everything seems to be HDMI focused but does it also carry the digital sound signal from the player to the amp for processing or do I still need to connect via a co-ax or optical digital cable? Also it seems to be the thing to also connect the processor to the TV via HDMI so you have player - processor - TV daisy chained together - is this right?

Sorry to sound a bit thick !

[Scrump]

Sounds right to me. That is how mine are connected.

[boyse7en]

I'm no expert on this, but for my system the Blu-ray is connected to the TV using a HDMI lead, and then the TV is connected to the Amp/receiver using an Optical lead.

This allows the sound from the TV, Blu-ray or Firestick to all go through the Amp.

[tonyg58]

Yes

HMDI from bluray player to amp.
HDMI from amp to TV.
If you want the TV sound through the amp you may need an optical cable to the amp, but if your TV is new enough it may have ARC (Audio return channel) fitted, in this case it can send sound back down the HDMI from the amp to get surround sound that way.
It may not have ARC on all HDMI ports (one may be labelled HDMI ARC).

[STiG911]

Mark V GTD said:

so you have player - processor - TV daisy chained together - is this right? !

Yes, this is correct.
Also, make sure you change the audio output of the Blu-ray Player to ensure the amp decodes the sound format correctly. At the moment it might be set to Dolby Surround, Dolby Audio+ or similar which the TV can understand, so the full fat bitstream isn't being sent out which is what the Amp will need.

[anonymous-user]

Basically all the devices (blu ray, games console etc.), bar the TV, connect to the Amp’s HDMI in sockets.

The amp connects to the TV via the amp’s HDMI out socket.

[Mark V GTD]

Thanks for all the helpful info!

So surround sound signals can be received from the player via HDMI and I don't need a separate digital cable connection to the amp?

[Mr E]

Mark V GTD said:

Thanks for all the helpful info!

So surround sound signals can be received from the player via HDMI and I don't need a separate digital cable connection to the amp?

Correct.

[Mark V GTD]

Thanks Mr E!

Interesting reading about HDMI cables - 'Which' magazine suggest there is no discernible quality difference between a £5 lead and one costing 20 times that. I have always gone for 'specialist' cables in my hi-fi installations in the past, not 'high end' by any means but say £100 or so for a pair of speaker cables so its a surprise being told - don't bother, makes no difference!

[FunkyGibbon]

Mark V GTD said:

Thanks Mr E!

Interesting reading about HDMI cables - 'Which' magazine suggest there is no discernible quality difference between a £5 lead and one costing 20 times that. I have always gone for 'specialist' cables in my hi-fi installations in the past, not 'high end' by any means but say £100 or so for a pair of speaker cables so its a surprise being told - don't bother, makes no difference!

As long as the HDMI cable is classed as High Speed you will be fine even for 4K stuff..

There is a benefit for spending more money for long cable lengths.

Do not be conned by people telling you that you need HDMI 1.3, or 1.4 or 2.0 cables. The HDMI numbers refer to the standards in the equipment - not the cable spec.

[Mark V GTD]

FunkyGibbon said:

There is a benefit for spending more money for long cable lengths.

The new one that arrived this morning is 0.5m long for £5.00 and that will connect the player and amp which are adjacent to each other - I will need a 2.0m one to go up to the TV but presume thats not really classed as a 'long' cable?

[FunkyGibbon]

Mark V GTD said:

I will need a 2.0m one to go up to the TV but presume thats not really classed as a 'long' cable?

Under 5m and you will be fine with any high speed cable. I have mostly the KabelDirect ones off Amazon about £7 for 2m. (I have no affiliation to either company)

[Mark V GTD]

Thanks again - really appreciate the advice!

[STiG911]

Mark V GTD said:

Thanks Mr E!

Interesting reading about HDMI cables - 'Which' magazine suggest there is no discernible quality difference between a £5 lead and one costing 20 times that. I have always gone for 'specialist' cables in my hi-fi installations in the past, not 'high end' by any means but say £100 or so for a pair of speaker cables so its a surprise being told - don't bother, makes no difference!

Ah, Which? Well known reviewers of HiFi and its associated peripherals they are not.
Read What HiFi or Home Cinema Choice instead - they actually know what they're talking about.

[heisthegaffer]

STiG911 said:

Mark V GTD said:

Thanks Mr E!

Interesting reading about HDMI cables - 'Which' magazine suggest there is no discernible quality difference between a £5 lead and one costing 20 times that. I have always gone for 'specialist' cables in my hi-fi installations in the past, not 'high end' by any means but say £100 or so for a pair of speaker cables so its a surprise being told - don't bother, makes no difference!

Ah, Which? Well known reviewers of HiFi and its associated peripherals they are not.
Read What HiFi or Home Cinema Choice instead - they actually know what they're talking about.

I wouldn't trust what hifi personally, I very much doubt they are impartial.

[Mark V GTD]

I have trusted WHF in the past - but this is really more of a general statement that HDMI cables are not particularly revealing in quality difference in the budget sector. Anyway I have shelled out for a cheap £5.00 one now so we shall see.

Got everything connected up last night bar one of the surround speakers - hopefully the 'big switch on' will be soon!