HDMI pass through (passive?) Pioneer VSX521 - Can you watch TV without it turned on?

tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 17:39
Last edited 31/10/2021 - 23:36

Just put a TV on the wall and trying to minimise cables going to the TV from the amp. Manual suggests this amp has Standby HDMI pass through and you only need one HDMI cable to output all amp connected devices.

Ie. feeding stuff like TV recorder, Bluray etc into the amp, then using a single HDMI cable out to the TV.

The specs say the VSX521 amp has Standby HDMI pass through. I can chose (using the parameter setting button) between 'amp' (so sound is processed by the amp speakers), or chose 'pass thru' and sounds comes out the TV speakers only.

However, the amp needs to be turned on actively in both scenarios to work. I cant for the life of me see why you would turn your amp on, and then listen to sound from your TV?

Am I doing something wrong?

I also tried using composite outputs instead, but the TV composite input doesn't work at all if ARC is enabled on the amp.

Just an FYI, the VSX 521 doesn't have a HDMI TV input (only composite inputs), but again, when ARC is selected, the amp wont let you chose a composite input, it defaults to HDMI…even though there isn't an actual TV HDMI input on the amp!

Any help would be much appreciated as it's currently a spaghetti monster of HDMI cables with each device connected to the TV and the amp to make sound possible on both.

EDIT - NOTE - FOR FUTURE READERS

Turns out Pioneer have incorrectly labelled the HDMI pass through ability on the Australian VSX 521. HDMI Standby Pass through (where the HDMI Signal will still pass through the amp when it is turned off) only works on the US version. They forgot to include an interface to enable it on the Australian version. However, the website, manual and downloadable brochure still says it can do standby pass through. Super dodgy by Pioneer.

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • SF3 on 31/10/2021 - 17:49

    spaghetti monster

    Reads like it too :). A mspaint diagram would help.

    • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 20:27

      Yeah these things can be an enigma.

      Summary, how do we watch the TV recorder with audio through the TV speakers when the amp is switched off? This unit has HDMI pass through.

      • spackbace on 31/10/2021 - 20:44

        Just plug the recorder directly into the TV

        • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 21:33

          Yeah, I can get it to work by having one cable going direct to the TV, another cable going direct to the amp, and then another cable coming from the TV ARC back to the amp….so that's 3 HDMI leads coming from the entertainment unit to the wall mount TV. Just thought I could make it simpler with HDMI pass through feature.

          • Nugs on 01/11/2021 - 10:19

            @tunzafun001: does amp and tv have optical? can plug everything into tv by hdmi or composite etc, then one single optical cable from tv to amp for sound when desired. Amp remains off when not needed. it's not the result you probably wanted but that is how i've done it before
            .

            • tunzafun001 on 01/11/2021 - 11:31

              @Nugs: Yeah, can do optical. However, still has no video when the amp is off. The easiest solution is a HDMI chord for each, plus a HDMI for return.. Well basically 3 sets of leads in whatever format. Cheers.

  • twadds on 31/10/2021 - 18:00
    +2

    If you want to watch tv without turning the amp on you should be able to adjust the settings on your tv to use the internal speakers.

    • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 20:22

      The other half always watches TV via the TV recorder. If the amp isn't turned on and set to the right input, there is no signal.

      Just to clarify, the TV recorder is plugged into the amp, then the amp connects to the tv. I have set the amp to HDMI pass through….but it only pases audio through if it is turned on.

  • spackbace on 31/10/2021 - 18:44

    Just to confirm to get ARC working, I enable ARC on the amp, and then plug it into the ARC HDMI port on the TV? Do I connect this to the Video out HDMI port on the amp (and it back feeds via ARC)

    Yes

    Read the manual?

    • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 20:13

      I've been looking for it since 2pm. Having one of those "I literally just had it the other day" moment. Either my 2 yr old has stashed it somewhere, or it's been intercepted by the Missus and binned.

      This was an Ozbargain favourite, so hoping someone knows the answer.

      Do you know if it's possible to go through the amp when it is in standby? I think it's called passive pass through?

  • avoidfullprice on 31/10/2021 - 18:59

    I cant for the life of me see why you would turn your amp on, and then listen to sound from your TV?

    Just guessing the amp needs to be turned on to switch between different inputs to display on your TV?

    If you just want to watch TV without using the amp for the sound, turn off ARC function on your TV settings.

    • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 20:19

      Cheers. I tried using the non ARC HDMI port on the TV. When the amp is off, there is no signal. Would that be the same?

      • avoidfullprice on 31/10/2021 - 21:32

        I don't understand what you are asking. What do you mean when you say "Can you watch TV without it turned on?" What do you want to watch?

        I thought you want to watch free to air tv. In that case you change your TV audio output settings. Sound will come out from TV and not the amp.

        If you want to watch from your Bluray Drive plugged into your amp, then you need to turn on your amp divert that HDMI signal back to your tv, whether you are using the amp speakers or not.

        • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 21:43

          Sorry for the confusion. We are looking to watch free to air TV via a TV HDD recorder.

          I was hoping the HDMI Signal from the TV recorder would simply "pass through" the amp and on to the TV when the amp is in standby mode. Then when the amp is turned on, the amp speakers would deliver the sound, and the audio signal wouldn't get passed through to the TV speakers.

          But currently I can't pass through the audio to the TV speakers without the amp being turned on, and you need to fiddle around in a menu to find the pass through option. If you want to turn off pass through, you have to go back through the steps to get to the menu and change it back. Total pain in the butt. I thought it was as simple as off = pass through, on = amp processes the audio. Surely it can't be this crap?

          • avoidfullprice on 31/10/2021 - 22:12

            @tunzafun001: Do you have it connected like this:

            TV HDD Recorder (HDMI Out) - TV (Non ARC HDMI In)

            AMP (HDMI Out) - TV (ARC HDMI In)

            Sorry i couldn't decipher that from your post/earlier comment

            In the above config, you might have to fiddle with the TV HDMi settings, but you won't need to change the AMP output settings

            • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 22:49
              +1

              @avoidfullprice: I just read through a whirlpool post.

              Turns out Pioneer have falsely declared that this amp has Standby HDMI pass through. Apparently the American version does, but the Aussie version doesn't.

              The website and instruction manual says you can connect everything with one cable output to the TV. Turns out you can't. So your proposition above should work. Just means you need to do this with every device that you want to use the TV speakers and or amp speakers.

  • dizzle on 31/10/2021 - 19:01
    +1

    I cant for the life of me see why you would turn your amp on, and then listen to sound from your TV?

    I can't for the life of me see why you would have a speaker system and listen to the TV speakers. Even for the news, my HTS gives better sound. You hear the voices better, without needing it up louder. It's not like the Bass should be thumping and waking the kids when watching Seinfeld, Friends or Big Bang Theory.

    If I use the TV speakers it tends to be louder to compensate for the better quality I'd get from the HTS.

    • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 20:16

      We have an old Pana that has decent speakers.

      The issue is the missus hates the surround sound amp, and the bubs loves to push every button on it… So then said missus can't work out how to get it to work.

      I totally agree that if you have the amp turned on, why wouldn't you have the sound coming out the amp speakers? I see no reason for having the amp on, and still listening to the TV speakers.

      So hoping there is a setting to pass through the amp when the amp is off/ on standby. My old amp has composite pass through, and this is advertised as having HDMI pass through, but does it mean it can only pass through when it's turned on…therefore a useless function?

      • dizzle on 31/10/2021 - 21:35

        The issue is the missus hates the surround sound amp, and the bubs loves to push every button on it… So then said missus can't work out how to get it to work.

        Then get a new amp/home theatre.

        Or, and stay with me on this, get a new family :)

        Pretty sure you can't do what you want with it. FYI some that have video pass through, won't even pass the sound through, they keep the sound for the surround system. You would still need an audio (such as optical) as well as the HDMI in those cases

        • tunzafun001 on 31/10/2021 - 21:53

          Maybe you are right, but just wanted to confirm. Maybe the 'HDMI pass through" on this model is just rubbish. But I cant see what purpose you would want the pass through feature active when the amp is on? It makes no sense?

          Sadly, this is the 'new amp'. I have an older non HDMI amp that passes through composite signals when it's turned off no problems. But this doesnt even do that as it blocks all composite signals when ARC is enabled (I have no idea why).

          So I could get a new amp, which probably would result in me looking for a new family ;)

          *Edit - just found an answer on whirlpool. Turns out Pioneer have incorrectly advertised this amp as having HDMI Standby pass through. The website brochure still says it does..but apparently that only applies to the US version. Aussie version doesnt have the interface to enable it.

  • tunzafun001 on 01/11/2021 - 11:34
    +1

    I just discovered there really is no such thing as HDMI Standby pass through.

    LNew amps have this feature, but basically it just keeps the HDMI circuit powered the whole time.

    So

    pro - only need one HDMI chord to TV.

    Con - your amp will chew around 40 watts even in standby.

    So probably better off just running extra leads.

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