Apple TV 3rd gen - how connect to Zone 2 or 3 of Yamaha RXV 2700 amplifier

[salladay]

I have had Apple TV as the heart of my entertainment system for more years than I can count. This week I finally replaced my old 1st gen Apple TV with a new 3rd gen.

In my old setup (in addition to using the Main amp in the RXV2700 in the living room for AppleTV, DVD and Cable STB) have wired several other rooms to a speaker switch so that Zone 2 is everything but the living room (i.e. pool deck, sun room, bedrooms) and I select which room(s) on Zone 2 are active with the speaker switch. The speaker switch was wired to the Yamaha RXV2700 via speaker wire of course to each room (i.e. analog).

Now the problem: with the replacement of the Apple TV 1st gen with a new 3rd gen, Apple dropped the RCA connectors and the AppleTV 3rd Gen is now all digital (HDMI and Optical toslink). The problem is Yamaha RXV 2700's Zone 2 and 3 are purely analog. I can play the DVD and STB on Zone 2/3 via HDMI but Apple TV will not play on Zone 2/3. I can also play the Tuner on Zone 2/3 which makes my entertainment system a very expensive radio!!

Help please !!!! Any ideas?? Maybe I can do something with the RXV2700 setup but the 150 page manual is a bit overwhelming.

Thanks,

Salladay (aka Jeff)

 

[davidoloan]

I think you can connect an airport express to the zone 2 analog input, and then set your apple TV to airplay its audio output to your airport express.

Or you can buy a DAC (digital analogue converter) which will be the best quality way, but maybe you are already using the Apple TV3's digital output for zone 1?

 

[1hitwonder]

Hi Jeff,

I think that a hard wired connection may be best for you so maybe try some thing like this

http://www.lightinthebox.com/hdmi-v...rds_shopping&gclid=COKliuSvnMYCFQKWtAodXxIAyw

A cheap simple solution, I hope this helps.

Shaun

 

[waw74]

I'm not so sure that cable would work, to the best of my knowledge, HDMI has no analog signals on any of the pins, so you need some sort of active converter box. Plus that would use the HDMI port meaning the OP looses his video connection to the main system.

The aTV outputs audio on both the optical and HDMI at the same time, all the time.

this converter from monoprice, will go from the optical to red/white analog audio.
It will not convert dolby digital, so your movie audio will not work, but stereo should.
check elsewhere on monoprice for cheap (price not quality) optical and analog cables to connect the box to everything else.

 

[davidoloan]

I'm not so sure that cable would work, to the best of my knowledge, HDMI has no analog signals on any of the pins, so you need some sort of active converter box. Plus that would use the HDMI port meaning the OP looses his video connection to the main system.

The aTV outputs audio on both the optical and HDMI at the same time, all the time.

this converter from monoprice, will go from the optical to red/white analog audio.
It will not convert dolby digital, so your movie audio will not work, but stereo should.
check elsewhere on monoprice for cheap (price not quality) optical and analog cables to connect the box to everything else.

I agree with this. Shaun's cable won't work imo.

Another thing to think about is that the airport express has a DAC built in and if you can wire the airport express to your router with ethernet and your apple tv in the same way you might get the benefits of a wired connection plus airplay from your computer and ios devices as well (bypassing the apple tv for audio directly to the hifi equipment). Completely wireless still works well.

The DAC in the Airport Express is good but obviously you can spend more on an audiophile dac and it will sound better. Airport express can output optical digital audio or convert to anlogue from the same output jack on its back panel.

I've been using an Arcam Dac between the Apple TV and a stereo hifi for about 3 years without a single problem.

Another thing to think about is as waw74 suggests you can get two digital audio outputs from Apple TV - you can take an optical audio cable from your TV digital audio output (which is getting the digital audio over HDMI from Apple TV) and can send that to your hifi equipment via a DAC and you can take an optical audio cable directly from the back of your Apple TV and send that to your hifi equipment via a DAC. I'm pretty sure you can do this at the same time, which might be of use with your two zones.

If using the digital audio output on your tv you need to check the tv audio settings so that it is outputting the right output for you i.e. multichannel or stereo.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Pick up a Toslink (optical) digital to analog converter. About $25 on Amazon. I have an TV myself wired to analog Zone 2 on my own receiver. Works just fine. I see one for about $9 bucks called "Portta PETDTAP Digital Coax and Optical Toslink to Analog Audio Converter" but there are many others there.