TOPIC:

Hi,
I will try to keep this simple:

1) Can a surround receiver be used as a HDMI surround processor?
I.e. the surround receiver will do decoding, HDMI (auto) switching, Dolby Pro logic, volume control, trigger signaling. It will pass a HDMI PCM 7.1 audio signal on to the next HDMI device in the chain, which could be another surround receiver, a nanoAVR HDA+PA, or a nanoAVR HD+a surround receiver.
It think it should work but I am worried about if the HDMI audio output from the surround receiver is 24 bit PCM 7.1 audio (or limited to 2.0) and if the volume control has been applied digitally or not. I hope the output resolution is 24 bit and that the volume has been applied digitally.

2) If it is possible, I am considering using a nanoAVR for bass management and digital XO for the front speakers in a 5.2 setup I have. See the illustration I have made. I prefer using a HDMI splitter instead of sending the HDMI signal through the nanoAVR to the TV. However, the HDMI splitter will have to allow me to overrule standard behavior and make the output 7.1, even if the TV requests 2.0. HDAnywhere has a HDMI splitter that can do that.



Do you see any problems with this solution (placing the nanoAVR after the surround receiver), for instance with HDCP?

Some of you might be wondering why I want to do the setup this way. I might create another thread about this but for now I just want to focus on if there are any technical problems with the proposed setup.

Best regards,
Kim

@ Kim

We could be very wrong but I don't think that your typical/average AVR will do this (i.e. HDMI in encoded - > HDMI out decoded).
Then again we could be wrong.. Maybe ask the tech support of that Surround receiver to confirm/

DevTeam

Thank you DevTeam.

I double-posted my question because it did not show up after four days. Unfortunately, after some more days the original question also showed up. So this thread is the same as:
www.minidsp.com/forum/nanoavr-support/14...before-nanoavr#36813

Besides the surround receiver/processor maybe not being able to deliver decoded audio and maybe not in 5.1/7.1, I have also become aware of the HDMI version problems (nanoAVR 1.4, TV 2.0). It might be possible to get it to work with the right HDMI splitter but the system would be sensitive to hardware replacements. For instance, a new TV/HDMI version would require me to replace the surround receiver and splitter, if at all possible to find a working splitter for the new HDMI version. Also, I would have to pick the surround receiver with great care, if not all surround receivers will do the needed audio decoding. So I have given up on this one and am considering other more long term and reliable solutions.

/Kim