ATV2 with Denon AVR1910 ?

Hello,

I hope that someone can help here.

I believe that FC may be bringing me an Apple TV2 for Christmas and my proposed hook-up is via HDMI and Optical.

I have spare HDMI and Optical inputs on the Denon.

My question is will everything (music-wise) just pass through as the amp has just one HDMI output which is already connected to my Samsung TV?

Also does anyone have any opinions about the quality of streaming audio output via this method. I might add that my collection is in lossless so can I expect whatever the ATV gives to my amp is in PCM at least?

pendlewitch said:

Hello,

I hope that someone can help here.

I believe that FC may be bringing me an Apple TV2 for Christmas and my proposed hook-up is via HDMI and Optical.

I have spare HDMI and Optical inputs on the Denon.

My question is will everything (music-wise) just pass through as the amp has just one HDMI output which is already connected to my Samsung TV?

Also does anyone have any opinions about the quality of streaming audio output via this method. I might add that my collection is in lossless so can I expect whatever the ATV gives to my amp is in PCM at least?

Click to expand...

I have an ATV2 and Denon receiver (don't remember which and too lazy to go look just now). Bought my receiver about three years ago and at the time it was a low to mid price model, one or two steps up from the basic.

Regardless, my ATV2 connects to one of (I believe) five HDMI inputs and the video passes thru with the audio when I switch to that input.

Razor..top man..mine is medium spec and about 2 years old.
One less thing to worry about on that front then.

Thank you for your input.

Hmmm..I hooked up my new ATV to the Denon via HDMI and Optical.

Config is HDMI to the HDMI 1 (DVD) input and Optical to the Opt 2 Input. I've reassigned the inputs on the Denon to match and get no video signal to the TV.

I did initially get a voice asking whether I wanted voiceover but that's been it so far.

Does anyone have any ideas, I've done the resets/unplug scenarios ?

I'd be grateful if anyone else can share any similar experience, I'm certain that the video should pass through. Everything is set to Auto on the receiver but I can't spot the problem.

Does it work without the optical? The signal may be getting confused if your Denon has HDMI passthrough.

Ok Kev. I'll try that now, reset things and drop the Optical off the Input assignment

No mate.. Samsung TV just saying 'no signal' on screen. All I've ever had is the Receiver as the one source connected from HDMI Out on the Receiver to an input on the Samsung.

Ok. Try ATV direct to the TV (if you have a spare HDMI port) and optical for sound to the reciever.
What it may be is that the HDMI "handshake" from the ATV via the receiver is not compatible (I had this issue) OR even that the ATV itself is not.

Kevriano said:

Ok. Try ATV direct to the TV (if you have a spare HDMI port) and optical for sound to the reciever.
What it may be is that the HDMI "handshake" from the ATV via the receiver is not compatible (I had this issue) OR even that the ATV itself is not.

Click to expand...

I just did this Kev.
I'm getting the voiceover prompting me to choose languages etc but no video signal still.
Going into the source menu on the TV it says that it's not connected on the spare input although physically it is.

EDIT: I've just had a cursory glance at some known HDMI handshake issues between Samsung TV and Apple TV...I wonder why??!!

Interesting . . . first I've heard of problems like this, especially the TV dependant part. I have an older Olevia HDTV and the ATV works both direct and through the Denon pass through.

Have you seen and tried this:
Prevent HDMI signal drops from Apple TV to Samsung TV - Mac OS X Hints

Found it while I was looking after reading your post.

I have a 40" and a 32" Samsung both connected to apple tvs through HDMI - and I don't have any issues. I did run HDMI to the TVs - then run the optical out of the TV to my receiver. So the downside is - just to listen to music the TV has to be on. I would try connecting to another port - as well as using a known good cable. Could be the cable is bad, the port is bad. You didn't mention of you tried this or not.

That being said - it doesn't surprise me that there are handshake issues out there. HDMI has built in DRM in the form of HDCP - so it is all digital encrypted transfer between devices - there is a lot going on in the background just to get your clean digital signal into your TV.

Razormac said:

Interesting . . . first I've heard of problems like this, especially the TV dependant part. I have an older Olevia HDTV and the ATV works both direct and through the Denon pass through.

Have you seen and tried this:
Prevent HDMI signal drops from Apple TV to Samsung TV - Mac OS X Hints

Found it while I was looking after reading your post.

Click to expand...

Hi Razor,

Mine is a Samsung LE40B650T2W (Series 6). I've already had a look in the TV settings, I had to use Info-Menu-Mute-Power to enter and there is no 'Service' option (unless I'm entering the wrong menu?).

What I did find in Control/Config Option was a setting for HDMI Hotplug which was disabled already. Previous to this I had turned off the Anynet+.

IvanLasston said:

I would try connecting to another port - as well as using a known good cable. Could be the cable is bad, the port is bad. You didn't mention of you tried this or not.

Click to expand...

Hmm, I'd considered this IvanLasston but lost the plot after 4 hours and didn't try. So far these set-ups haven't proved fruitful:

Connected HDMI/Optical to Receiver .
Connected HDMI to TV-Optical to Receiver.
Connected HDMI only to Receiver.

Just another thought, now I'm back.
Is your HDMI cable definitely HDMI 1.3, and not the older 1.1? This could make a difference, but usually only from an audio point of view (1.1 can't carry full HD Audio codecs)>
I still suspect the Handshake is the issue, and that is very bad of Apple to have not addressed this, as it's been a known issue since day 1. I bought an ATV2 last Christmas, and had to return it as it didn't want to play with my Hitachi Plasma.

Kevriano said:

Just another thought, now I'm back.
Is your HDMI cable definitely HDMI 1.3, and not the older 1.1? This could make a difference, but usually only from an audio point of view (1.1 can't carry full HD Audio codecs)>
I still suspect the Handshake is the issue, and that is very bad of Apple to have not addressed this, as it's been a known issue since day 1. I bought an ATV2 last Christmas, and had to return it as it didn't want to play with my Hitachi Plasma.

Click to expand...

Hi,
It's a QED Classic HDMI-P V1.3 Certified 1080P cable.

I originally had it hooked up between the Receiver and the TV a couple of years ago but changed it for a longer lead.

I agree, if it is Apple then it's very bad.

My Denon has Component Video out ports. May be worth trying those assuming your TV has component in ports.

This is my receiver BTW. I have the AVR790
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AKKFQW/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Razormac said:

My Denon has Component Video out ports. May be worth trying those assuming your TV has component in ports.

This is my receiver BTW. I have the AVR790
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AKKFQW/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Click to expand...

This is a good idea, and it should have. At least it will eliminate the Handshake issue.

Razormac said:

My Denon has Component Video out ports. May be worth trying those assuming your TV has component in ports.

This is my receiver BTW. I have the AVR790
Amazon.com: Denon AVR790 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity: Electronics

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion.

So would this mean an HDMI to Component Convertor from the Apple; to Component Video In on the Amp, and then Component Video Out to the TV ?

EDIT: I've just been reading this..https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2787959?start=0&tstart=0

If the TV has component in, and the amp has component out, you could try the ATV via HDMI to the amp, and then component out to the TV. This may eliminate the handshake issue.
I just read through some of the posts on that topic. The DVI connection does not alleviate the handshake issue either, I know because that's how I had mine connected.
The converter mentioned may be the only solution if that doesn't work, or, out with the ATV in place of an alternative, which is what I ended up doing (sadly, I liked the ATV idea).

pendlewitch said:

Thanks for the suggestion.

So would this mean an HDMI to Component Convertor from the Apple; to Component Video In on the Amp, and then Component Video Out to the TV ?

EDIT: I've just been reading this..https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2787959?start=0&tstart=0

Click to expand...

As Kevin said, I meant using the HDMI in to your receiver and component video out. I'm not at my house so can't access the Denon menu, but I remember (I think) that in the configuration menu I could associate different audio and video settings to each input (including using Component Video instead of HDMI).
If that doesn't work, I don't know what to suggest.