Receiver/ HDMI help

[hamerhead]

Yet another stumbling block on the road to 3D happiness is the fact that my current receiver (Pioneer 1019ah-k) does everything but support 3D. Dammit. It's 4 or 5 years old, right on the edge of when home 3D was starting to happen. Double dammit. I haven't found any firmware updates that might fix this (don't know if it's even possible), so I'm not holding my breath.

Two questions:

Can I go the cheap route and split the HDMI cable from the Bluray player, sending one directly to the TV (for 3D picture) and the other to the receiver (for sound)? That would be an awesome fix, as I have the current receiver set up, dialed in, and paid for.

If that isn't possible:

I'll need a 7.1 (or 7.2) 3D-ready receiver around $500. I've had Sony, Denon, Yamaha, and Pioneer. I love the features on the Pioneer, but thought the Yamaha sounded the best (warmest) of those four. Got anything in mind?

I'm open to any suggestions, but keeping the price down would be great. I know the 4K stuff is coming, so I'm keeping that in mind as well.

[triodecr]

Do your Blu Ray player and receiver have optical digital audio (light pipe)? My setup is not 3D but this works great and is cheap.

[cynic]

If your player has two HDMI outs you can send audio and video separately.

My setup (Oppo 93) has one HDMI going directly to TV and the other to the receiver but my player has dual outputs built in.

If not, you might look into something like this HDMI Splitter from Rocketfish which can apparently split data from one input to two outputs while maintaining 3D video support. I am in no way endorsing the Rocketfish and have no personal experience with it, I only offer it as an example.

[velorush]

I've got a hodge podge mix of really-old and kind-of-old components, but my receiver (20-yr old Pioneer) has no provision for HDMI. My Samsung TV, however, does have audio out.

That forces me to do something that might work for you: BluRay HDMI Out > TV In; TV Audio Out > Receiver Audio In.

This maintains the Dolby Surround (receiver is only 5.1 capable) and allows me to continue to get by with the old receiver.

[jwhitcomb3]

Dunno if it would work for you, but why not run the HDMI from the 3D DVD player to the TV, and then run audio out from the TV to the receiver? The audio out from the TV to the receiver could be HDMI, RCA, or optical.

This will only work if the TV's audio out mirrors the audio in from the DVD player.

[JohnnyB]

Hamerhead, did you already get a 3D Blu-ray player, and if so, which one? Would you be willing to spend $159 to fix your dilemma?

This Panasonic 3D Blu-ray has dual HDMI outputs and 7.1 channel analog surround outputs. You can send the 3D video directly to the TV and lossless surround sound to your Pioneer receiver.

Of course the Oppo does this as well, but the Panasonic will save you $440 with the same I/O connectivity.

Given how much you saved on your 3D rig, this $159 saves you a lot of tail-chasing and will probably give you a better picture, and definitely better sound because it will enable you to hear a lossless soundtrack.

[hamerhead]

Oooooh JB - I think you're on to something. I picked up a Sony 3D Bluray from Amazon for like $90 two weeks ago. I can send it back, pay the difference and get the Panasonic. Not only would I not have to upgrade my receiver (saving $$$), I won't have to move it upstairs, put the upstairs one in the garage, and the garage one in the shed.

MAJOR ongoing hassle solved. Sir, I owe you a beer. Thank you.