HDMI to Component

Our home came pre-wired with component cables running from a hall closet to a box mounted over the fireplace where my TV is mounted. I have a Samsung Plasma that is 720p because I only had component running through the house. There is no way to run cable myself (like a CAT6 to HDMI balun) without major renovations...

Now I am wanting to buy a new receiver and speakers to run surround sound and run it, my cable box, and Blu-ray all from my hall closet. My problem is that all the surround sound formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio are only available through HDMI.

So my question is, should I buy a HDMI to component converter so I can plug everything in to the receiver through HDMI to get the better sound. Or should I just settle with component everything, and not worry about these surround formats?

Our home came pre-wired with component cables running from a hall closet to a box mounted over the fireplace where my TV is mounted. I have a Samsung Plasma that is 720p because I only had component running through the house. There is no way to run cable myself (like a CAT6 to HDMI balun) without major renovations...
FYI - Component is capable and does carry 1080 signal...

Now I am wanting to buy a new receiver and speakers to run surround sound and run it, my cable box, and Blu-ray all from my hall closet. My problem is that all the surround sound formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio are only available through HDMI.

So my question is, should I buy a HDMI to component converter so I can plug everything in to the receiver through HDMI to get the better sound. Or should I just settle with component everything, and not worry about these surround formats?

Component is analog and HDMI is digital. I don't think you will find a converter and if you do it will still not decode the new HD audio codecs (Dolby True HD and DTS MA). So the choice is yours. If you are really interested in the HD audio then HDMI is the only way to go, from beginning to end.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for you response.
I'm just wanting the converter to do video. The audio will be decoded in the receiver as the cable box and DVD are plugged into the receiver through HDMI. But if I go into the receiver with HDMI I have to come out with HDMI. There's my problem... my wires are component. So I'm trying to convert the HDMI to component between my receiver and TV.

Is there a economical way to do this?

Many mid to high end A/V receivers are true HDMI 1.3 and do analog upconversion.. So, if you get say the Onkyo TX-SR607 for example. It will upconvert all analog (component/S-video) via the single HDMI out to the TV. It has 6 HDMI inputs as well. So if all your components are in the closet or wherever, you simply connect as many as you can via HDMI to the receiver. Then connect whatever via component. All you will need in any case is a single HDMI cable out from the receiver to the TV. You can get rid of that all the componet video cables and switches runing from the receiver to the TV and run just a single HDMI cable as long as it is not too far away.. Much cheaper, cleaner and better IMO. How far away is it? You can get quality HDMI cable from monoprice starting around $5 a pop for a 6ft cable. They have runs of up to 125 ft. I believe. And the Onkyo TX-SR607 is onsale at Amazon for $397 shipped.:bowdown: Just FYI.. They do sell HDMI to component video converters, but since it is digital to analog video conversion, they are pretty expensive. Especially since you would need multiple outputs (if they even make those).

http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?spcDB=10240&spcWord=Video+Cable+%2D+%3Cb%3EHDMI+%3C%2Fb%3E&keyword=hdmi%20cables

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001VEI2KO/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ALAQLAKJ574UN&v=glance

Thanks for you response.
I'm just wanting the converter to do video. The audio will be decoded in the receiver as the cable box and DVD are plugged into the receiver through HDMI. But if I go into the receiver with HDMI I have to come out with HDMI. There's my problem... my wires are component. So I'm trying to convert the HDMI to component between my receiver and TV.

Is there a economical way to do this?That's quite illegal, ya know, and I suspect you won't find a commercially available box that does an HDMI-component HD conversion. That's why receivers don't allow HDMI inputs to be output over component. That would create a rather substantial hole in the copy protection process, which is the primary reason for HDMI in the first place.

Thanks Bigloww - My house is pre-wired with Component. There is no way to run an HDMI to the TV. That's why I need the converter. To my understanding, receivers don't down convert from HDMI inputs to Component outputs, thus I need a converter.

Thanks Bislander, but why is that illegal?

Thanks Bislander, but why is that illegal?

It circumvents the copy protection that is part of the HDMI standard. That is also why you can only upconvert over hdmi and not component as well.

Thanks Bigloww - My house is pre-wired with Component. There is no way to run an HDMI to the TV. That's why I need the converter. To my understanding, receivers don't down convert from HDMI inputs to Component outputs, thus I need a converter.

There are a few HDMI to component converters on the market but they are quite expensive. $200 and above each. What BI was talking about concerning legality is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection or (HDCP) with HDMI. Do a gogle search for HDCP if you want to dig further on that. This is why the few HDMI to component converters on the markey have desclaimers like:
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT SOLD FOR
THE UNAUTHORIZED RECORDING OF COPYRIGHTED WORKS INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, UNAUTHORIZED RECORDING FROM PRERECORDED COPYRIGHTED MOVIES.
THIS PRODUCT IS SOLD TO ALLOW YOU TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR HD READY DISPLAY THAT DOES NOT INCORPORATE AN HDMI OR DVI INPUT.
That is why they can't guarantee they will work with HDCP compliant devices.

So, in my opinion the cost and reliability of a HDMI to component converter will not be in your best interest. But that is up to you. Why can't you run a single HDMI cable? How far away are you components from the TV? Are you unable to fish the cable through the wall?:what:

The only other option that I can think of then would be to purchase a A/V receiver with at least 2 or 3 component inputs and switch from the receiver end. Connect the BD player and cable box to the receiver via component for video and via optical cable for audio. Then connect 1 of the pre-run component cables out from the A/V receiver to the TV. This will support DD 5.1 and or DTS. If you really want lossless Dolby True HD/DTS HD-MA with your BD player, you will need to have a BD player and A/V receiver that also has multichannel analog audio output/inputs.

But I would really look into running a single HDMI cable from the A/V receiver if at all possible. Even hiring an electrician for $100 or so to run it for you would be the way to go.

Thanks Bigloww - I have been in my attic and traced the wires... There is no way to run new wires... I can pretty easily get from the TV to the attic, but from the attic to my closet to two floors down and across the house... Then it would be about 125 feet. Whew...

Am I really missing anything by not using the lossless Dolby True HD/DTS HD-MA compared to DD 5.1 and or DTS? I have nothing to compare it with. I'm running a entry level receiver and speakers I purchased 5 years ago for about $399. But if I'm going to put $1K or so into the system, I want to do it right. I just don't know if there is a big difference between in all the surround decoding.

Thanks Bigloww - I have been in my attic and traced the wires... There is no way to run new wires... I can pretty easily get from the TV to the attic, but from the attic to my closet to two floors down and across the house... Then it would be about 125 feet. Whew...

Am I really missing anything by not using the lossless Dolby True HD/DTS HD-MA compared to DD 5.1 and or DTS? I have nothing to compare it with. I'm running a entry level receiver and speakers I purchased 5 years ago for about $399. But if I'm going to put $1K or so into the system, I want to do it right. I just don't know if there is a big difference between in all the surround decoding.

I forgot to mention 1 other option before. That is Cat5 to HDMI.. There are a few out there for around $150-$200. But the max distance is 150 ft. and it sounds like you will need a bit more. And I think you already stated even running Cat5/6 would be too hard.

http://www.avovercat5.com/frames/sales_links/tristate_popup_frame.htm

As far as lossless vs lossy goes... I can tell the difference in a some movies (some more than others), but other than a selected few, it is nothing huge to rite home about. And would not be worth it with all the BS you have to go through IMO. If you get a receiver with analog multichannel outputs, you can always get a BD player down the road with the same if you really get the itch for Dolby True HD or DTS HD-MA. Other than that, digital optcal will do just fine.

OK... school me on digital optical and digital coaxial audio. Will Dolby True HD or DTS HD-MA be transmitted on digital optical or digital coaxial audio?

Or how about if I go seperate audio outs from the BD to the reciever... can I get Dolby True HD or DTS HD-MA with that? Wow... that's a lot of cables...

Neither digital coax or optical can carry Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD MA. The only two other ways are 1) HDMI - and that is out for you. The other is to buy a receiver that has 5.7/7.1 multichannel INPUTS on the back (look like standard composite cable inputs) and purchasing a bd player which has 5.1/7.1 multichannel outputs and also can do onboard decoding (such as Sony BDP-S550) after connecting those you use your bd players menu to set the player to decode and send as PCM not bitstream and on your receiver set it to multichannel PCM. What you get as the end result is the same thing.

It isn't that hard to do -5 rca cables which really don't need to be very long and can be tied/bundled together between your disc player and avr along with your component cables for picture.
Movie soundtrack mixes tend to be hit or miss as to when there is a big difference between standard dolby and lossless soundtracks and some studios seem to do a better job of sound mixing in general but when done correctly Man is it a sweet experience.

...you use your bd players menu to set the player to decode and send as PCM not bitstream and on your receiver set it to multichannel PCM.PCM is still digital. You are correct that the player will do the decoding to produce PCM. But, it doesn't stop there. The player then converts the PCM to analog and that's what gets sent to the receiver. Select the multichannel analog inputs on the AVR in order to hear the player's analog output.

Thanks guys... You've really helped me.

Thanks HDF!!!