2. home-theater
  3. 1299793676

Background video - listen/watch different sources

I'm about to invest in new home theater components and something that would be very important to me is to be able to watch one video source on my television while listening to music from another source from the same receiver and set of speakers. Here's the specific example I'd like to accomplish: mute the football game and listen to a record. Now obviously I only want to purchase one set of speakers that can be used when watching movies or TV or when listening to my turntable or other audio source. This means I don't want to set up a "zone 2" of speakers there in the same room because that would necessitate (as I understand it) a complete second set of speakers. Someone suggested I plug the HDMI from the satellite straight into the back of the television which then means I can't use these speakers to listen any audio from the television programs I may watch (unless I manually switch the cable back and forth, which I don't see as viable).

I have been told (from Yamaha support) that this would be called "Background Video" and that it as a functionality has disappeared from receivers with the prevalence of using HDMI connections to/from receivers.

Obviously I've googled and read reviews and so on, but I cannot find a receiver that can make this happen in my home theater. Do any of you dear forum readers know of such a receiver or likely brand? Or perhaps is there another way to accomplish this other than manually switching cables around or using zone 2 functionality and needing another set of speakers? I would GREATLY appreciate any guidance, thank you.
gtjdorris
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,024 posts
 
Noble100 - I like the advances that have been made. 1080_/24 frame Blu Ray looks a lot better than 480i DVD. Dolby TrueHD is better than Dolby Digial. One HDMI cable is easier to use than 3 component video cables and a Digial audio cable. And remember the problem with component video - if you don't have the resolution set correctly, no picture. HDMI only passes signals that the TV can correctly read.

Are there growing pains with HDMI - of course. But there are with any technology.

I think a one cable solution is easier for most people than separate audio and video cables. The typical 6 foot HDMI cable is no thicker than the old F connector 75 ohm TV cable and the connector is a similar size, although in a different configuartion.

My hope is that HDMI will make it possible for most people to hook up their own systems without much problem, like back in the day of F connector TV cables. One HDMI from the cable/satellite box to the receiver. Once HDMMI from the Blu Ray/CD player to the receiver. One HDMI from the receiver to the TV. Done.

I like being on the leading edge of the technology. If you want to wait, that is fine.

That said, my preferred music source is still records, whoops vinyl. But for casual listening, a PC hooked through USB to my DAC is fine.
noble100's avatar
noble100
1,093 posts
 
Dtc,

I agree that having one cable (HDMI) simplifies hookups for the majority of users. My issue is really with the manufacturers' apparent strategy of ]planned obsolecence'.

Some of the improvements stand on their own merits and justifiedly spur increased sales. Examples are the improvement from black & white to color tvs and from regular definition to high definition tvs.

Other improvements are more dubious such as, in my opinion, the switch to HDMI connections. Few people are going to buy new tvs or other components just to get HDMI connections. Unless the manufacturers design their products,such as bluray players that only deliver the highest resolution through HDMI and if they can only receive the latest surround sound signal through HDMI connections to their htreceivers and surround processsors. Then those silly consumers could justify the purchase of their new products. Call me skeptical, but these companies cannot survive if the average consumer buys a new tv or receiver every 15 years, they need to create demand any way they can.
Their latest idea, or gimick, is 3D tv but I'll bet there's a new one coming soon. But I generally like new technology,like you do, so I may buy one of their products if I see the merit of it. Just my 2 cents.
dbphd
1,058 posts
 
Silly me, Noble100. I moved my Proceed PAV/PDSD to a second system and installed a (used) Cary Cinema 11a in my main system for HDMI and with it the ability to process lossless codecs from my PS3 and 2.1 and 5.1 DSD from my XA5400ES.

Of course the Proceed stuff is more than 15 years old and still in use, so it may be unfair to characterize me as chasing the latest gimmick. I think your brush is too broad.

db
noble100's avatar
noble100
1,093 posts
 
Dbhd,

In my prior post, I was referring to the planned obsolescence of mass market televisions, ht receivers and dvd players. I was not making any comment about replacing an older high-end preamp/processor like your Proceed PAV/PDSD ($4,000+ msrp new) with another high-end preamp processor (the used, but newer, Cary Cinema 11a which also sold for $4,000 new) to take advantage of its HDMI connections and upgraded processing capabilities.

When I used the term "silly consumers", I was implying that that was the view of the manufacturers toward their customers (silly and gullible) and was not directed at you or any other Audiogon member.

I thought I was being clear and specific in my post but you obviously perceived it otherwise. BTW, I bought a used B&K Ref20 preamp/processor (with no HDMI connections) for ht surround decoding that I think is about 15 yrs old. I'm not exactly sure what you meant by "too broad s sroke".Anyway, no offense intended.
More to discover