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c073186

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 2, 2007
821
3
I'm looking into buying a Blu Ray player and am finding that all of them support only HDMI output. I want to connect this to a slightly older Yamaha receiver that supports only component (and for audio, optical or coax) inputs. Is there a cable that will convert the HDMI to component or some other good way to do this? I've searched but haven't found anything with many positive reviews.
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,835
5,430
Atlanta
...Is there a cable that will convert the HDMI to component or some other good way to do this? I've searched but haven't found anything with many positive reviews.

Cable??? NO. HDMI is a digital signal that is HDCP protected (and the only way HD copy content is allowed). You would need to remove the HDCP and then convert the digital to analog video while stripping and converting the audio from the digital video to S/PDIF.

You would be FAR better off updating your older receiver.
 

FreakinEurekan

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
5,419
2,488
Monoprice used to sell a converter, but it's not on their site now. Wonder if it has to do with issues circumventing copy protection (which Component doesn't support)?
 

phrehdd

macrumors 601
Oct 25, 2008
4,289
1,292
You didn't give much info on what is being used to play the video portion of your blu ray discs.

You may be able have HDMI video from your blu ray player go directly to HDMI input on your TV and then analogue cables from the blu ray unit to the Yamaha.

Perhaps you need to check out various blu ray players or better yet, get a good more up to date AVR/Receiver. They are not that expensive to replace considering you want to play back blu ray discs.

Samsung
LG
Toshiba
Sony
Panasonic
Sharp
and
Oppo
are all good places to start with checking out blu ray out put being split between HDMI (video only) and analogue out for audio or possibly Optical (this would not be HD audio but Dolby and DTS only).

I am pretty sure the Oppo BDP103 and 105 can handle HDMI video out with 5.1 or 7.1 audio analogue out. (Honestly I would really consider in your case getting a new AVR).
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
Monoprice used to sell a converter, but it's not on their site now. Wonder if it has to do with issues circumventing copy protection (which Component doesn't support)?
Yes. Specifically, the analog sunset. We are barely allowed to make an electronic device with component video anymore. And that is worldwide, not just a USA rule. OP, This is also why you can't find a bluray player with component output, anymore.

An option is to buy an HDMI switch at Monoprice. That is what I currently use with my old receiver. This means you need to change inputs both the receiver and HDMI switch when necessary, but a good remote control can automate that into one button press.
 

takeshi74

macrumors 601
Feb 9, 2011
4,974
68
You may be able have HDMI video from your blu ray player go directly to HDMI input on your TV and then analogue cables from the blu ray unit to the Yamaha.
This is what I do as I haven't been quite ready to upgrade my receiver. My TV has plenty of HDMI inputs so I really don't need the receiver to do any HDMI switching.
 

phrehdd

macrumors 601
Oct 25, 2008
4,289
1,292
This is what I do as I haven't been quite ready to upgrade my receiver. My TV has plenty of HDMI inputs so I really don't need the receiver to do any HDMI switching.

Possible work around if you are willing to accept non-HD audio but happy with Dolby and DTS (assuming your receiver handles them)


Blue ray HDMI to TV
From TV - OPTICAL out to receiver.

What you are doing is letting your TV get all the signal then pass audio out to your receiver. What is required is that both your TV and receiver should handle optical out (Tosslink as example). Many TVs have stereo analogue out but Optical out should handle surround sound.

Assuming the above is possible - when you play Blu Ray movies, go to the set up and pick DTS or Dolby (which ever is on the disc) as opposed to the higher end audio (DTS-MASTER as example).

The TV ideally should have a setting that chooses whether the TV's own speakers are working or if it should pass the audio out via the optical connection.

Please let me know how it goes as I admit I should have offered this possibility in my original post response.
 

brentsg

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,578
936
The device that you're looking for is an HDFury. It's of questionable legal status in some countries b/c of the HDCP issues.
 

priitv8

macrumors 601
Jan 13, 2011
4,028
638
Estonia
Blue ray HDMI to TV
From TV - OPTICAL out to receiver.
As we've learned from this forum, not all TV sets are created equal in their ability to pass through high bitrate audio from HDMI to optical out.
My Bravia only does DD5.1, not DTS. But there are some that only can send stereo.
If your TV is not up to the task, then you shall connect BD optical out directly to receiver's optical in (or coax-to-coax digital if available at both ends). That way your decoding capabilities are determined only by the receiver.
 

phrehdd

macrumors 601
Oct 25, 2008
4,289
1,292
As we've learned from this forum, not all TV sets are created equal in their ability to pass through high bitrate audio from HDMI to optical out.
My Bravia only does DD5.1, not DTS. But there are some that only can send stereo.
If your TV is not up to the task, then you shall connect BD optical out directly to receiver's optical in (or coax-to-coax digital if available at both ends). That way your decoding capabilities are determined only by the receiver.

Lots of variations on a theme to be sure. Some Blu Ray players wont do a split of HDMI video with audio optical out. Some TV wont process DTS and some wont process but will pass it through and so on. I suppose the thing to do is see exactly what the blu ray player can do and what the tv being used can do.
We do agree that ideally passing audio to the receiver/avr directly is the best choice.
 

scottw324

macrumors 6502
Mar 5, 2012
453
1
I'm looking into buying a Blu Ray player and am finding that all of them support only HDMI output. I want to connect this to a slightly older Yamaha receiver that supports only component (and for audio, optical or coax) inputs. Is there a cable that will convert the HDMI to component or some other good way to do this? I've searched but haven't found anything with many positive reviews.

I have been using something like this forever in my living room.

http://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-HDMI-Component-Converter-Converts/dp/B00E5QWZ8A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379583919&sr=8-2&keywords=hdmi+to+component+converter

I still have an old style tube TV out there since it still works with an Apple TV 3 hooked up to it. The ATV3 only has HDMI output and optical out audio. I use the optical out to run the sound to my Vizio sound bar and use the HDMI out to run the video to my converter box which then allows me to send the video to the tv via component cable.

It has been this way for about 3 years now.
 

xArtx

macrumors 6502a
Mar 30, 2012
764
1
There are legal ones still in Aus, but got to be careful they just stop working
when anything is DRM.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AC1605
I actually had this one. Be careful if you find one, that it not only works,
but will decode the signal you want it to (this one doesn't, but was great for outputting games, etc.).
 
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