Dear Big Picture Big Sound,

I have just bought a 61-inch Samsung DLP TV, a PlayStation 3, and an Onkyo HT-SR800 7.1-channel Home Theatre-in-a-Box system. The DLP and the PS3 are directly connected by a Monster HDMI cable. The HT-SR800 has:

• HDMI V1.3 pass-through (2x In / 1x Out, 1080p compatible)

What’s the best way to get connect everything, use one remote, buy a DIRECTV HDMI Satellite receiver, and get the maximum out of the system?

-James M.

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Answer:

Hello, James,

You might not like my answer but the "best way" to hook these components up is to return that particular Onkyo Home Theater system and buy a different one that supports audio over HDMI.

We're fans of most Onkyo products here on Big Picture Big Sound (I own their TX-SR605 receiver myself) but the HT-SR800's HDMI inputs are "video passthrough only" which means the receiver cannot get the audio feed from the HDMI output of your PS3 or DirecTV HD receiver box.  You could hook up the HDMI outputs of the PS3 and DirecTV box to the Onkyo receiver anyway (just for video switching), but you'll also need to hook up the PS3 and the satellite receiver to your Onkyo via the coax or fiber-optic digital audio outputs.

For the DirecTV box, using the fiberoptic or coax digital output is acceptable because satellite channels generally only use two-channel PCM, 2-channel Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround and all of these can be carried over a standard S/PDIF (fiber or coax) digital connection.  But for the PS3 you will be unable to enjoy the highest quality surround sound formats on Blu-ray Disc, namely multi-channel PCM, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio.  These surround formats can only be passed from source to receiver using HDMI.  The PS3 actually converts (or will soon convert) Dolby TrueHD, DD+ and DTS-HD to multi-channel PCM surround, but multi-channel PCM sound can only be passed to a receiver over an HDMI cable.

If you're within the return period, then consider spending a little extra and swapping the HT-SR800 for their HT-SP908, which does include audio processing of HDMI signals and supports the new surround sound codecs.  With the upgraded HTIB system, all you'll need is a total of three HDMI cables to hook up the audio and video of all components the highest quality way - 1 HDMI cable each from PS3 and satellite box to the Onkyo receiver, 1 HDMI cable from Onkyo receiver to HDTV.

As for getting it all to work with one remote, none of your factory remotes will operate everything in your system, primarily because the PS3 uses Bluetooth wireless signals whereas all the rest of your equipment uses IR (Infrared).  So you're going to need to buy a couple of additional items if you want to use one remote to operate everything:

1. Nyko Blue-Wave IR Remote for PS3 - this aftermarket IR remote comes with a USB IR receiver which sticks into the front USB port on the PS3 and allows the PS3 to respond to infrared commands.
2. A programmable universal remote control that can operate everything in your system. 
   

For a universal remote, I'd recommend the Logitech Harmony One.  The Harmony remotes are about the most powerful and easiest to program universal remote controls available these days.  You install the Harmony software on a PC or Mac then plug the remote into your computer via a USB cable.  Once connected, you are taken to the Logitech web site where a configuration wizard asks you for the model numbers of your components.  Then the software sets up simple activities like "Watch HDTV" that will turn on your TV, audio receiver and satellite receiver, switch everything to the right inputs and allow you to change channels on the satellite receiver and volume on the receiver automatically - all from one simple hand-held remote and all with the touch of a single button.

Here are a few links that should help you complete the system or at least see a few of your options:

• Nyko Blue-Wave IR Remote for PS3
• Onkyo HT-SP908 Home Theater in a Box System
• Cables-to-Go 2-meter HDMI cables (around $10.00 each)
• Logitech Harmony One remote
  

Hope that helps,

-Chris