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Is it better to connect components to receiver or tv? (1 Viewer)

Necros

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I’m about to buy a new 4K TV, the Samsung 55” MU6300 (waiting to see if there’s a price drop on Friday). We have the 75” version of this set in the living room and really liked it, so I’m going with the smaller one for my game room / man cave. Right now I have HD Plasma that will be going away. I have my cable box, Xbox One and my PC for certain games connected to a Sony STR-DH770 receiver and I use that to switch around between components.

I will want to watch 4K movies and shows using the TV’s apps, and I’m wondering which is the best way to connect everything? Should I keep everything on the receiver and connect the TV to it with the HDMI out (is that what arc is for?) .. or is it better to just have the 1 cable going from the TV’s HDMI out to the receiver, and plug all of the components into the back of the TV?

Would there be any difference in performance of video or audio connecting them either way, or will I have the same results? I was thinking that plugging everything into the TV would be the most efficient since I would need 1 less cable. I can also connect my cable box to my xbox to pass through it too. And I was thinking the PC might be better going directly to the TV rather than through the receiver? My first thought was to connect everything to the receiver but I was just wondering if it would be better to connect to the TV instead?
 

DaveF

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My experience is most people use the AVR as the source selector rather than the TV. And you can run a PC through a receiver just fine.

If you calibrate your display, there’s an argument for using the tv as the selector so you can calibrate per device input.

I think it will work fine either way.
 

David Willow

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I suggest leaving everything connected to the AVR. Often when connected to the TV you only get stereo sound passed back. Typically only the TV's internal apps and tuners will pass 5.1.

Also, if I have a choice I use optical from the TV to the AVR. I've never had luck with ARC. Optical just works.

FYI - Your Sony is HDCP 2.2 so you will have no issue passing 4k to your TV with the XBOX One. Just make sure your HDMI cables are up certified high speed 2.0 (certified does not mean expensive - get them from monoprice for $10 or less).
 

Necros

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Thanks. I'll stick to the receiver for connections. I don't really want to run my cable box through my xbox, and I would have to since the TV has less inputs. If I use the ARC to the tv, will I be able to just hit the power button the receiver remote and it will turn everything on? Or will that work with just regular HDMI? I want to be able to just have 1 remote to rule them all.. right now I have the newer Comcast voice remote for my cable box, that also controls the TV (just on and off), but I have to turn on the receiver separately. Would I be better off buying an all new universal remote? Any good ones out there that will control everything?

There was an Amazon lightning deal last night and we decided to splurge and get the 65" instead of 55"
 

David Willow

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I can't help with much CEC or ARC - I have little experience with either (other than being a PITA ;)).

Check out the Harmony line of remotes. They are programmable via an app or website and can control just about everything.
 

Necros

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Cool maybe I’ll look into those Harmony remotes.. are they the ones for Logitech? That came up in a quick googling. Looks like there's a bunch to choose from.

So I do a lot of gaming both with an Xbox One and with a PC connected with a long HDMI cable (I’ll probably upgrade to a Xbox One X soon too), I plan to use Game Mode to lower the input lag. If I want to just watch TV or movies, will I have to switch Game Mode off? Wouldn’t it be better to just just leave Game Mode on 24/7? Like why do they even need a game mode to lower the lag, wouldn’t it be better to just have it be low like that all the time and not need a special setting? Or is it just some marketing gimmick?
 

Stephen_J_H

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By all means connect to receiver and then one cable to the TV, using the ARC HDMI input. If you're streaming using the smart TV functions, my experience with ARC for that purpose is that it works a treat.
 

Todd Erwin

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Also, if I have a choice I use optical from the TV to the AVR. I've never had luck with ARC. Optical just works.

The only problem with running optical from the TV is that most TVs will only pass PCM 2.0 audio over optical. ARC implementation is still far from perfect, but it is still the only way to pass multichannel audio from the TV to the receiver.
 

David Willow

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The only problem with running optical from the TV is that most TVs will only pass PCM 2.0 audio over optical. ARC implementation is still far from perfect, but it is still the only way to pass multichannel audio from the TV to the receiver.

From the internal apps? What's the point of having optical on the TV then? Especially if your receiver does not have ARC.
 

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