My home theatre system is a Panasonic SC-BT100 7.1ch surround sound system
with Blu-ray player all in one receiver. The receiver has only one HDMI input/output. The Panasonic 50" plasma has 4 HDMI's.
My set up:
1. PVR HDMI out to HDMI input 1 on TV.
2. Panasonic Home Theatre Receiver out to HDMI input 2 on TV.
3. Apple TV HDMI out to HDMI input 3 on TV.
I use my Panasonic remote to select input for device I wish to use.
Looking at your second option, Apple TV device has only one HDMI source so i am unable to run one to the TV for video and another from my device to the receiver for sound. Maybe i can use a HDMI splitter.
Thanks for responding and hopefully explaining my setup and make of receiver was helpful to you.
You will not be able to take advantage of the "best option" I indicated. Also, since your receiver does not have even a single HDMI input, a switch will not do you any good.
What I would suggest is this...
1) Keep your existing setup with an HDMI output from each device going to the TV's various HDMI inputs.
Then, do 1 of the following:
2a) You MAY be able to use an optical cable from your TV back to the Panasonic receiver. I say may be as only some TVs will support this. I'll be honest, I don't think that this will work.
2b) You can use an optical cable from the AppleTV and send that to the optical input on the Panasonic receiver to pass digital audio. This should work, depending on the capabilities of the receiver. This is how I set up my sister's system, although she has a stand-alone AVR receiver and not an "all in one". The all-in-one units are not really designed to be "trafic cops" and accept the multiple inputs as the AVRs are designed. Also, the problem with this setup is that you are only taking advantage of the receiver's digital audio for the AppleTV and not for your PVR since the receiver only has 1 optical input.
Are you married to the Panasonic system? Or did you just get it and have the option to exchange for a true AVR? In my opinion, and with what you are trying to accomplish, an AVR and separate speaker configuration will be much more pleasing to you (albeit more costly).