Audio Return Channel.

[Gingerbread Man]

I currently output my TV audio to my amp via an optical table. This is to only send the TV tuners audio to the amp. All other sources go to the amp first.

Is there an advantage to using my TV's ARC (Audio Return Channel) feature for the audio instead? Will I be receiving over the air audio in a format that my optical cable can't carry where an HD cable would benefit me?

If so, my amp is an old Demon 1910. This doesn't support ARC. So I don't think I can use the same HDMI lead as I send video to the TV on. That's fine. But if needed, I could output the audio from the TV through the ARC channel (HDMI 2) to my amp, then tell my amp the TV audio is there (designated HDMI input) rather than the current optical assigned.


HDMI can carry HD audio where optical can't - Am I right there?

Do over the air TV broadcasts carry anything over basic 5.1 - am I missing better audio doing things my current way?

Is it worth my time of buying another HDMI cable and adjusting my setup?

[emss]

Hi,

Gingerbread Man said:

If so, my amp is an old Demon 1910. This doesn't support ARC. So I don't think I can use the same HDMI lead as I send video to the TV on. That's fine. But if needed, I could output the audio from the TV through the ARC channel (HDMI 2) to my amp, then tell my amp the TV audio is there (designated HDMI input) rather than the current optical assigned.

It won't work this way.
So you have 2 immediate solutions :
- Stay with your spdif link between TV set & Amp
- Upgrade the Amp to a new one, ARC compliant

Regards

Éric Masson

[Gingerbread Man]

I think from a bit more research that the TV will never be receiving HD audio via an over the air source anyway. So not worth the hassle either way!

[probedb]

Gingerbread Man said:

I think from a bit more research that the TV will never be receiving HD audio via an over the air source anyway. So not worth the hassle either way!

Correct. The only way to lossless HD audio is via Blu-Ray or download. The most you'll get OTA is DD 5.1.