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[flyinpiranha]

This just makes me realize how outdated my receiver is. Just bought in 2008 too.

 

[Theonik]

I've never used optical and I don't really see a need for it.
Are there advantages to it?

If you use HDMI no. If you use analog stereo the advantage is the ability to transmit DD5.1 bitstream. But a lot of receivers don't support HDMI audio, especially older than 2009 ones, so for a lot of people lack of optical/DD is a big bummer.

 

[levious]

Some of these years being thrown around don't make sense to me, I bought a sony receiver with hdmi in early 2008 for 300 dollars.

 

[Rolf NB]

This just makes me realize how outdated my receiver is. Just bought in 2008 too.

Is this going to be the "we should thank them for finally making us update" argument?

 

[TunaLover]

We'll need something like this

 

[Palette Swap]

We'll need something like this

Which won't get you 5.1 sound if the console itself only supports LPCM.

 

[mentalfloss]

Well this confirms I'll be getting a multiport hdmi with optical converter.

With all my other devices using multiple cables this is.. in a weird way, doing me a favour.

 

[lowrider007]

I really hate all this "hdmi receiver can be had for only blah blah etc", an older high end receiver like an old top end Denon for example will blow most, if not all budget/mid range hdmi receivers out of the water in terms of audio quality, what some people don't seem to realise is that HD audio on a budget receiver will not be better quality than ac3/dts on an old top end receiver as the components are of much lessor quality, and less power also, HD audio on cheap amps is scam imo.

 

[Theonik]

Some of these years being thrown around don't make sense to me, I bought a sony receiver with hdmi in early 2008 for 300 dollars.

A lot of receivers used to have HDMI ports but only support HDMI video passthrough and did not support HDMI audio. This was common for a lot of lower and mid end receivers until relatively recently. You are probably one of the lucky ones.
Edit: Also agree with the post above me.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

But... my Turtle Beaches

 

[Rolf NB]

I really hate all this "hdmi receiver can be had for only blah blah etc", an older high end receiver like an old top end Denon for example will blow most, if not all budget/mid range hdmi receivers out of the water in terms of audio quality, what some people don't seem to realise is that HD audio on a budget receiver will not be better quality than ac3/dts on an old top end receiver as the components are of much lessor quality, and less power also, HD audio on cheap amps is scam imo.

High-end audio amps are a scam in itself. Analog audio circuitry has been a solved problem since the early 80s. Speakers are the only thing that you still need to think about for more than five seconds.

 

[lowrider007]

High-end audio amps are a scam in itself. Analog audio circuitry has been a solved problem since the early 80s. Speakers are the only thing that you still need to think about for more than five seconds.

I'm sorry but this is false, the quality of the components, transformer etc have a massive impact on audio quality, If you think the only thing you need to consider are the speakers when purchasing an audio system then your sorely mistaken.

 

[levious]

A lot of receivers used to have HDMI ports but only support HDMI video passthrough and did not support HDMI audio. This was common for a lot of lower and mid end receivers until relatively recently. You are probably one of the lucky ones.
Edit: Also agree with the post above me.

oh yeah, I'm not discrediting people who bought higher end equipment without HDMI, just those making it seem like cheap hdmi receivers weren't available until 2009/2010. And mine is not video only.

 

[SmokyDave]

High-end audio amps are a scam in itself. Analog audio circuitry has been a solved problem since the early 80s. Speakers are the only thing that you still need to think about for more than five seconds.

You know the buzzer noise on Family Fortunes that signals an incorrect answer?

I'm making that buzzer noise.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

if you're sans-receiver but still have a nice set of speakers (ie: with just a sub and not a real receiver) a lot of people will go optical straight to the sub, otherwise go HDMI from console to TV, and then TV optical to sub.

often times though the pass-through the TV has for that sort of thing doesn't compare to doing optical directly from the console.

 

[Dash Kappei]

High-end audio amps are a scam in itself. Analog audio circuitry has been a solved problem since the early 80s. Speakers are the only thing that you still need to think about for more than five seconds.

Ahahahahahahahahahah

 

[Dash Kappei]

Interesting claim considering you have no idea what I own.

I don't need to, that's the point.

 

[pestul]

I can't believe the number of people that haven't used toslink or coaxial digital. It's been great for me for years, and I don't plan on upgrading my receiver any time soon.

 

[JWong]

$10 it'll have something like this. (but with HDMI).

Well that doesn't help when someone needs Optical and HDMI.

 

[FyreWulff]

Well that doesn't help when someone needs Optical and HDMI.

On the 360, you can still use the HDMI with that plugged in. I'd imagine it would be a similiar situation on the Wii U

 

[Utako]

HDMI is all I care about

 

[JWong]

On the 360, you can still use the HDMI with that plugged in. I'd imagine it would be a similiar situation on the Wii U

Oh, I realized that wasn't an HDMI in. Who knows what Wii U will do.

Optical and HDMI is necessary for people with a PC setup.

 

[Haunted]

oh shi- This thread just made me realise that I don't have a free HDMI slot on my TV for when the Wii U comes out.

 

[FyreWulff]

Oh, I realized that wasn't an HDMI in. Who knows what Wii U will do.

Optical and HDMI is necessary for people with a PC setup.

I was actually surprised that MS put audio breakouts on the VGA cable, too.. they even include the RCA -> stereo jack adapter.

Of course, then you actually have to find the VGA adapter.

 

[Rolf NB]

I'm sorry but this is false, the quality of the components, transformer etc have a massive impact on audio quality, If you think the only thing you need to consider are the speakers when purchasing an audio system then your sorely mistaken.

Any random solid state power amp has huge open-ended gain and operates on a negative feedback loop that makes it practically impossible that the voltage at the output is anything other than a perfect scaling of the input voltage. Until it clips. Transformer quality means nothing to the sound. That's a power efficiency concern at best.

 

[Samus4145]

My 720ax uses optical, so no optical no buy.

 

[The Faceless Master]

hey, what's going on in

High-end audio amps are a scam in itself. Analog audio circuitry has been a solved problem since the early 80s. Speakers are the only thing that you still need to think about for more than five seconds.

*180 degree turn gif*

 

[lowrider007]

Any random solid state power amp has huge open-ended gain and operates on a negative feedback loop that makes it practically impossible that the voltage at the output is anything other than a perfect scaling of the input voltage. Until it clips. Transformer quality means nothing to the sound. That's a power efficiency concern at best.

With regards to solid state power amp's, yeah, you may have a point to a degree, although I still believe transformer quality, and quality of shielding effects the characteristics of the sound, but regardless we are talking about budget av receivers here and how they compare to top of the line receivers, if you think they are of the same audio quality then your mad, I've blind tested low and high range amps and can easily tell the difference using mid range B&W's.

 

[TunaLover]

Which won't get you 5.1 sound if the console itself only supports LPCM.

I'm screwed then, I don't have a HDMI in/out reveiver =/
Heck, I doubt I can even find one in my country without lose my right kidney. =/

 

[Übermatik]

People, people - the WiiU design will have changed significantly for E3 next year.

Trust me.

 

[H_Prestige]

People, people - the WiiU design will have changed significantly for E3 next year.

Trust me.

I really hope there is a complete overhaul of the cosmetics. The current version looks hideous.

 

[Nemo]

I remember when I found out my PS2 had it, pretty awesome and it got some new playtime from me

 

[kamspy]

My dumb ass bought like, the last Onkyo receiver before they introduced the HDMI models. I wasn't online during that era, so I wasn't hip on things. Still, it's way too nice to trash just because it doesn't have HDMI. The damn guts are probably better than the new ones that have HDMI.

 

[Übermatik]

I really hope there is a complete overhaul of the cosmetics. The current version looks hideous.

It's like a fat Wii. Looks really ugly to me.

 

[Evil Benius]

Hell you can have an HDMI receiver and still want to use Optical audio. I prefer having different calibrations for my consoles/TV/Blu Ray which means breaking the audio off from those systems via optical and sending it to the receiver. Of course I doubt the majority of Wii users have ever even calibrated their TVs so I know I am in a niche market segment.

 

[Phife Dawg]

What I want is the ability to change and memerise the picture settings on each input, brightness/contrast etc.

I think I have different ones for my PS3 (HDMI) and Wii (component) but as I said, neither techie nor audiophile so I usually just set up my stuff once and then be done with it.

Anyway, I don't think they'll change the current lack of optical audio but I hope there will be some workaround in the end for you guys.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

I only have one optical out in in my HTIB and my cable box uses it.

What's the issue here, analog only input again for Home Theatres if you connect HDMI with video?

 

[TunaLover]

What's the issue here, analog only input again for Home Theatres if you connect HDMI with video?

Yes

 

[Palette Swap]

I'm screwed then, I don't have a HDMI in/out reveiver =/
Heck, I doubt I can even find one in my country without lose my right kidney. =/

Hey, I'm in the same boat. I love my receiver and don't see myself changing for one single console.
All I'm hoping for is there a incomplete, temporary specs and Nintendo will somehow see the light. And finally have a console with S/PDIF.

 

[TunaLover]

I found a Sherwood reveiver at good price, are they good?

 

[Version 3.0]

Hell no. And less than 1% of gamecube owners used the component video output, which is why they discontinued it in the later models.

That's why they said they discontinued it, but that's "Nintendo Logic" for you. The cable was only sold at nintendo.com, which I'm guessing was (and is) responsible for less than 1% of sales of every single item Nintendo sells that's also carried in stores.

 

[FyreWulff]

That's why they said they discontinued it, but that's "Nintendo Logic" for you. The cable was only sold at nintendo.com, which I'm guessing was (and is) responsible for less than 1% of sales of every single item Nintendo sells that's also carried in stores.

If you had a TV that was capable of component video when the GameCube came out, I'm pretty sure you'd also know where to get the cables.

 

[TunaLover]

I don't think that Nintendo feels like putting an optical sound output in the final hardware, it's had to do with being a pretty prescriptive company respect user needs, they will not give what user wants, instead what Nintendo wants.

It's a more deep problem that cutting corners, or being cheap.

 

[bgassassin]

I just noticed on the specs sheet and pics of the back side of the upcoming Wii U that they neither mention or show an optical audio connector or any other audio out connector.

They NEED to fix this.

Otherwise everyone without HDMI connector on their surround sound reciever won't get digital audio at all with Wii U. On 360 and PS3 they'll get beautiful DTS and Dolby Digital 7.1 sound etc. On Wii U they'll get analog stereo sound. Most people will probably just connect the HDMI in the TV and go with the TV sound.

I think this is unacceptable. They can't release a HD console in 2012 without some kind of digital audio connector except through HDMI. We can't all buy new sound recievers just to get Wii U to sound good.

Nintendo. FIX THIS!

 

[the thoroughbred]

I don't get that. Personally I think the sound is just as important, if not more so, than the resolution that everybody is so interested in. People count the pixels on the screen when comparing PS3/360 games but they don't mind having the sound coming from the TV speakers. It's so weird. In my opinion it's the sound that makes the games come to life, makes the immersion better.

But... I guess I need to get used to wasting games like that if Nintendo don't bother including an optical audio connection. I won't buy a new reciever just for one console.

I think sound is also just important, but it needs to be done well. The sound processors they use are generally quite cheap. I have to confess Nintendo don't usually use bad sound processors. But it's far more important having a good set of speakers and a good audio processor in the console, then for it to be surround. I would quite happy listen to proper stereo, but from a set of really good speakers, and well placed.

Too many people get caught up in numbers and specifications. I have seen people get a surround sound set-up place the speakers in awfully, and have crap sound anyway. All too often speakers are placed where they might look good or convenient but the mid-high frequencies are never quite reaching the ear. Placement plays such a big part. So these so called sound enthusiasts are actually just pretentious.

 

[MidnightScott]

I think people need to hold off with the accusations since game consoles change over time. By the time we get Wii U it will probably have been over a year since it was first revealed and it will probably have a lot more than that prototype they showed at E3.

 

[Reallink]

If you had a TV that was capable of component video when the GameCube came out, I'm pretty sure you'd also know where to get the cables.

LOLNO. The average consumer is a moron (see: hooking composite cables to an HDTV and declaring it's HD). Plenty of people had Component equipped displays throughout the GC era, they just had no idea what it did, or where/why they should buy the cables. Nintendo did a horrible job communicating and distributing them, end of story.

 

[FyreWulff]

LOLNO. The average consumer is a moron (see: hooking composite cables to an HDTV and declaring it's HD). Plenty of people had Component equipped displays throughout the GC era, they just had no idea what it did, or where/why they should buy the cables. Nintendo did a horrible job communicating and distributing them, end of story.

So, people are dumbasses, they wouldn't have bought the component cables on the store shelves anyway. Gotcha.

 

[Amon37]

I don't need to, that's the point.

Well isn't your audio e-peen rather large. Keep on believing buddy.

 

[Mindman]

No TOSlink, no purchase.