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HDMI or Optical digital audio cable???

I have an ATV2 with cable box, Samsung sound bar w/blu ray DVD player, and a Samsung led tv. I have HDMI cables and also a optical digital audio cable from my cable box to the sound bar. My tv sound is fine but when I switch over to the ATV2 the tv sound remains on and no sound from the ATV2. I can't figure out what to do.

Message was edited by: Dman3284

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jan 24, 2011 6:39 PM

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10 replies

Jan 25, 2011 3:54 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks for the reply. I have a HDMI switch (hub). There is a HDMI cable from the Apple tv to the "in" on the hub. A HDMI cable from the cable box to the "in" on the hub. And a HDMI cable from the "out" on the hub to the tv. There is also a optical digital audio from the cable box to the DVD sound bar. So when I switch to the Apple tv the tv sound remains but the Apple tv video plays. Hope this helps.

Jan 25, 2011 12:13 PM in response to Dman3284

Dman3284 wrote:
Shouldn't the HDMI cables carry the sound along with the video? Do I really need the optical digital audio cable at all?


yes they do, but you don't have your kit connected up so that it would do it.

if you wanted to use the HDMI to carry the audio you would need to connect the appletv direct to the soundbar - as it is just now you aren't doing that.

Jan 26, 2011 8:53 PM in response to Dman3284

Why are you using optical cables? Your Apple TV and cable box should be connected directly to the soundbar with HDMI. Then you connect the soundbar to your TV with HDMI. HDMI carries both audio and video in the highest quality possible and has higher capabilities than optical. There is no need for optical at all unless you have run out of HDMI inputs on your soundbar or something.

Jan 28, 2011 2:17 AM in response to tgibbs

Not on the Apple TV, true. But I was talking about in general. Lossless audio formats like those that come on Blu Ray discs like DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD do not work through optical. They only work through HDMI. I was just pointing out that HDMI is a preferred method of connecting over optical. If you have the ability to connect with HDMI, there really isn't much of a reason to use optical.

Jan 28, 2011 11:43 AM in response to Dman3284

Dman3284 - draw a little diagram of your set up and you'll quickly see where you've gone wrong..

*you don't need ANY optical cables at all with your setup*.. all you need is one more HDMI cable.. forget about the optical cable.. un attach it.. leave everything the way you have it and just attach an HDMI out from the sound bar to the TV and you are done.. everything will be everything..

HDMI or Optical digital audio cable???

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