[putashirton]

I am looking to buy a new TV between 2 choices. One supports pass thorough (sony790w) the other does not(samsung 6350). I am leaning towards the samsung.

I have not yet purchased by set top box for XBMC, but will probably be a chrome box or something similar.

I also have an older receiver that supports 5.1/7.1 dts and dolby. I am quite happy with it. There is no HDMI inputs for video on this receiver, only component.

Is it possible to send an video signal from the box via HDMI straight to the TV and an audio signtal via spdif straight to the receiver bypassing the TV?

From what i have read, i have some difficulty understanding if I will actually get 5.1/7.1 via spdif, and don't understand at the moment if i need pass through for my setup or not. Do i need this feature?

[SniperZoz]

So - HDMI from device running XBMC/KODI to TV; and SPDIF from same device to AMP .. yes no problem and you'll get any surround format your amp supports over digital.

[noggin]

Yes. If your set top box has a digital audio output (SPDIF Toslink or Coax) compatible with your amp then you should be able to route the video out over HDMI to your TV and the audio out via Toslink/Coax SPDIF directly to your amp.

You will probably need to compensate for delay in your TV's video processing (as the audio won't, by default, be delayed) by either setting an audio delay in your amp (if it has that function) or in XBMC.

[gibxxi]

I had this scenario with my old amp and HTPC as the amp didn't support HDMI (Pioneer VSX-1013).

SPDIF-Out from the HTPC to the Amp, HDMI out from the HTPC's graphics card to the TV. Worked well.

If your Routing HDMI to the TV and then SPDIF from the TV to the amp, you may need to follow noggin's advice. But before setting it up like that, check your TV as many only output STEREO via Toslink/SPDIF, regardless of the input signal. If the set top box supports SPDIF-Out, go for that, straight to the Amp, without going through the TV first. Zero latency, and guarranteed to get the number of channels output by the set top box.

[noggin]

I had this scenario with my old amp and HTPC as the amp didn't support HDMI (Pioneer VSX-1013).

SPDIF-Out from the HTPC to the Amp, HDMI out from the HTPC's graphics card to the TV. Worked well.

If your Routing HDMI to the TV and then SPDIF from the TV to the amp, you may need to follow noggin's advice. But before setting it up like that, check your TV as many only output STEREO via Toslink/SPDIF, regardless of the input signal. If the set top box supports SPDIF-Out, go for that, straight to the Amp, without going through the TV first. Zero latency, and guarranteed to get the number of channels output by the set top box.

Think you are misunderstanding me - I'd suggested to go from the XBMC box via HDMI to the TV for video, and from XBMC via Toslink/Coax SPDIF to the Amp directly for the audio. However precisely because there is no latency in the audio path, but there is in the video path (flat panel TVs almost always add some processing delay - our current one is around 4 or 5 frames - 160-200ms in 50Hz) you will need to counteract the latency in the video path by delaying the audio to match. (Either in the amp or XBMC) You NEED latency in the audio path to match the unavoidable latency in the video path.

The OP was asking specifically about not routing audio via the TV I think.

[gibxxi]

I never had any latency issues with this setup when I was using it exactly as described. I never needed to add an audio delay of any amount. Setups vary, but for me it wasn't nessecary.

[noggin]

I never had any latency issues with this setup when I was using it exactly as described. I never needed to add an audio delay of any amount. Setups vary, but for me it wasn't nessecary.

As you say - all set-ups vary - but most panels add some delay, though Full HD panels may add less in 1080p mode than in 1080i/720p (where de-interlacing and scaling respectively are required) GAME modes on many TVs reduce this latency. (Routing the audio through the TV also mitigates as the TV will add a matched delay to the audio)

I've just been round our new set-up measuring and compensating for delays - with an AV sync test. It's a 4K set so even 1080p will need to be scaled, and it definitely adds more vision delay than our previous 2007 1080p set (which had minimal digital processing in it and was 48/50/60Hz only)

[nickr]

HDMI to tv for video and spdif to amp is a very standard setup and easy. Do bear in mind spdif is limited to dts or ac3 for multi channel. No dts-hd or truehd. No pcm greater then stereo.

[putashirton]

HDMI to tv for video and spdif to amp is a very standard setup and easy. Do bear in mind spdif is limited to dts or ac3 for multi channel. No dts-hd or truehd. No pcm greater then stereo.

i can live with that.
thank you everyone for the advice.