HDMI Terms and Troubles...

It's hard to answer your questions without a little more information.

Are you using a Sony receiver to try to decode the new Blu-ray high resolution audio formats (such as dtsHD), or are you trying to have it process a Dolby Digital or dts audio stream via HDMI?

Any HT receiver worth its salt should allow processing of the audio signals via the HDMI connection alone. But not all can accommodate the Blu-ray-specific formats (and these can ONLY be transmitted via HDMI).

Which Sony unit do you have now?

Michael

Many Sony receivers came out with HDMI inputs that were merely 'pass-through' and incapable of processing audio or video. These required an additional audio connection from the player and, for the HD audio codecs, that had to be multichannel analog cables.

Sony was less than candid about this 'feature' and disappointed a lot of users. It was in the user's manual and, while such practices are rare on decent modern AVRs, I still recommend downloading/reading the manual before purchase.

Kal

A bit confusing .
Are you using an HDMI cable from your Bluray player to your AVR ?

Is your AVR HDMI compatible ie. does it accept the above mentioned cable and have the ability to process the signal ?

Are you trying to get the audio signal from a bluray disc ?

Is the audio signal in one of the HD formats ?

Good luck.

"My problem is this...my Sony has 3 HDMI inputs and NONE of them will allow me to get the audio from that signal and go to the surrounds"

What model "Sony" are you referring to in this statement? TV? Or receiver?

To be honest here we do need some clarification in order to help.

If these are recent purchases I’m guessing here they should all be 1.3A HDMI.

If so what you have is a configuration problem or a couple of bad or wrong connections in the speaker area.

My problem is this...my Sony has 3 HDMI inputs and NONE of them will allow me to get the audio from that signal and go to the surrounds. I have to install additional audio cables from each source and essentially double my cable mess.

I’M GUESSING AGAIN HERE, BUT it sounds to me like you have not configured the sources or receiver correctly. Or your sources aren’t compatible with the Receiver.

I just want a simple clean look.

…eg., HDMI 1.3A DOES THAT FOR YOU.

I am seeking guidance in selecting a new center-piece for my setup. I do not need DSPs or separates, or any of the like... Just a simple tuner/receiver 5.1 unit with about

Why? Did you return the Sony ALREADY?

None of us know which model Sony you bought to begin with… or what level of HDMI it possesses, 1.0, 1.2, 1.3A, and the sajme thing on your other sources. Or how you did the configuration…. Yet.

To run the receiver as only 5.1 vs 7.1 the surrounds need to be connected to the surrounds…. NOT the rear surrounds. Then the appropriate config needs to be entered in the menu too… along with distance, type, cut off, etc…. UNLESS you went the Audacy setup way, using the microphone that came with the receiver.

BTW…. Not every cable channel or DVD has multichannel audio as a default.

I have both Sony and onkyo recievers. The sony es receiver does not have HDMI. The onkyo TX SR805 I own does. it is also 1.3A HDMI.

1.3A (if yours is as well) will decode the BR hi def audio and video signals. True HD... deep color (when available) etc. there shouldn't be any worries apart from the Sony rec you own perhaps, not seeing (hand shaking) with the other HDMI devices either…. If 1.3a is what they all are.

The owners manual will tell you what’s what for each device .
"Pass Thru" on my onkyo means the signal will be passed thru as is to the HDMI output device. Normally a display, TV, or projector that has HDMI. The audio however will be decoded by the way your audio outputs of the source device are connected. Mainly this is for video only. As if you have another video source connected in a non HDMI way, say via RCA or Svideo.

Check to ensure you picked the right setting here for your sources in the receivers menus.

if the audio outs from source to your Sony are done via coax or an optical cable the receiver will process them for you internally and output them to what ever compliment of speakers you have connected AND configured correctly on your receiver.

One of the things I liked about the Sony receivers was the AUTO FORMAT DECODE feature. utilizing or selecting this function enables the Sony receiver to automatically pick the audio format being supplied to it without your need to pick the right one. using this feature will be the easiest way to go... Just set it to that and forget it.

if the audio is 2ch... that's waht you'll get... if 5.1 Dolby then you'll get that... nothing else. UNLESS you go into the DSP menu and pick out another audio format you prefer over the default the receiver saw automatically.

Fill in the blanks for us and you’ll get better answers.