Play Fire TV audio thru receiver

dar124

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 21, 2012
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I have done a bit of googling on this, and I don't think that it's really that complicated, but I'd like to get some [H] opinions.

I currently have a HTPC in our living room and a WDTV Live in our bedroom. I'd like to replace each of these units with an Amazon Fire TV box. The HTPC and WDTV Live have both worked fairly well, but for simplicity I think that I can use the Fire TV box (with Kodi) and make things easier especially as we work closer towards fully cutting the cord. The Fire TV for the bedroom will be a simple swap out of the WDTV box for the Fire TV box. But where I'm having issues / getting confused is in the living room with trying to get the audio from the Fire TV to my receiver (I'll have to check to get the exact model of the receiver). Now I have the TV connected to our cable box with a HDMI cable for the video, but the TV is muted and we run the audio via RCA cables from the cable box to the receiver. I don't think that the receiver has any HDMI inputs.

So if we remove the cable box, when we finally fully cut the cord, I can connect the Fire TV box to the TV with a HDMI cable, but I don't want to use the TV audio. So I'm thinking that I need to go from the Fire TV, with a HDMI cable, into some sort of audio / video splitter then on with a HDMI to the TV and RCA cables to the receiver??

I came across this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBHX072/ref=cm_sw_su_dp And I think it's what I'd need, but before I threw down + $30, I figured I'd check here for any input, etc. Or if there is something similar, but a better brand, etc.

Hopefully all that makes sense. Thanks in advance.
 
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Does your TV have an optical out?
You could FireTV HDMI to TV, then optical out from TV to receiver.
Model of TV and receiver?

Otherwise, it does appear that the linked ViewHD device should do the trick.
But if optical in/out are available, that would be easier and less devices to futz with.
 
Does your TV have an optical out?
You could FireTV HDMI to TV, then optical out from TV to receiver.
Model of TV and receiver?

Otherwise, it does appear that the linked ViewHD device should do the trick.
But if optical in/out are available, that would be easier and less devices to futz with.



It's a Sony Bravia KDF-46E3000 TV and a Yamaha HTR-5740 receiver.

I attempted to look behind the TV, and I don't think it has an optical out.
 
Well damn!!! Ok, I see the Optical Audio Out on my TV now. Must have missed it because it's flush and has a cover on the port. And it's also good that the receiver has the Optical Audio In.

So, I can do the "FireTV HDMI to TV, then optical out from TV to receiver", which makes things easier. I'd just need to get an Optical Audio "cord / cable". Any specific kind or suggestions?? And since I've never used Optical Audio, is there an Optical Audio setting on the receiver to turn it to so I can hear the audio??
 
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You might not be able to use optical out. I have a similar setup in my bedroom, Sony Bravia TV with a Chromecast to a receiver. Unless it's a newer TV it will not pass HDMI audio through the optical ports. I had to use analog
 
I bought an Amazon Basics cable for my parents when I got them a soundbar
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...482371953&sr=1-3&keywords=optical+audio+cable

Looking at the manual, and if it's like my Onkyo, the optical audio inputs will also coincide with the video inputs. So if you plug it in to the optical input labeled "DTV/CBL" then you just need to put the receiver on that setting.



Ok, thanks for the info gimp!!! It seems pretty simple now, but just something that I've never used, so definitely appreciate your help.

I currently switch from DTV/CBL (for audio for my cable) to MD/CD-R (for audio for my HTPC). So glad to know it'll stay that simple to change back and forth.
 
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Well damn!!! Ok, I see the Optical Audio Out on my TV now. Must have missed it because it's flush and has a cover on the port. And it's also good that the receiver has the Optical Audio In.

So, I can do the "FireTV HDMI to TV, then optical out from TV to receiver", which makes things easier. I'd just need to get an Optical Audio "cord / cable". Any specific kind or suggestions?? And since I've never used Optical Audio, is there an Optical Audio setting on the receiver to turn it to so I can hear the audio??
Btw: no need to get that complicated if you don't want, the Fire TV has optical out itself so you can skip the middle man (the TV) and run it directly into the receiver. You will have to re-configure the Fire TV though. (it's default setting it won't touch optical if there's a TV on hdmi that'll do audio)
 
Btw: no need to get that complicated if you don't want, the Fire TV has optical out itself so you can skip the middle man (the TV) and run it directly into the receiver. You will have to re-configure the Fire TV though. (it's default setting it won't touch optical if there's a TV on hdmi that'll do audio)

Maybe...
Gen 1 FireTV has optical audio out. Gen 2 FireTV does not.
So it depends on which gen OP has/gets.
It sounds like OP does not already have one, so I just made the assumption OP would be getting the Gen2.
 
You are correct gimp, I am looking to buy a Fire TV in the next couple of weeks, so I'll end up with a Gen2 model. Looking up info on them got me to thinking about how to connect everything ... thus this thread.


You might not be able to use optical out. I have a similar setup in my bedroom, Sony Bravia TV with a Chromecast to a receiver. Unless it's a newer TV it will not pass HDMI audio through the optical ports. I had to use analog


Any thoughts on this??
 
Just do optical out from TV to receiver. Gen2 firetv is waaay faster. Just KISS :)
 
manual says it will work.
page 11.

"Connects to the optical audio input of your digital audio equipment that is PCM/Dolby digital compatible. If you have connected an audio system to the HDMI input, be sure to connect this output to your audio system to enjoy the sound from your audio system."

Optical out may not provide an audio signal (page 47) if you're playing a Super Audio CD or DVD-AUDIO through the HDMI input.
 
Just do optical out from TV to receiver. Gen2 firetv is waaay faster. Just KISS :)

Yep, I'll definitely go with the Gen2 Fire TV. And only having to get an Optical Audio cable cheaper than buying a whole converter. It is also a simpler option, which is always good!!!
 
manual says it will work.
page 11.

"Connects to the optical audio input of your digital audio equipment that is PCM/Dolby digital compatible. If you have connected an audio system to the HDMI input, be sure to connect this output to your audio system to enjoy the sound from your audio system."

Optical out may not provide an audio signal (page 47) if you're playing a Super Audio CD or DVD-AUDIO through the HDMI input.


Awesome. Thanks again gimp. Looking fwd to getting this all set up!!!
 
So ... a couple of weeks ago I was FINALLY able to pick up a 2nd FireTV for my living room. I cant believe that it took almost a year!!!

And I'm happy to say, it was a nice easy swap. Like we talked about above, I plugged the FireTV into the TV's HDMI port and used an Amazon Basics optical cable from the TV's optical out to the receivers DTV/CBL optical in. My Yamaha HTR-5740 receiver only had 2 optical inputs (a DVD and a DTV/CBL) as opposed to the HTR-5750 that has 4 inputs. So both my cable box and the FireTV are on DTV/CBL. But, now I don't have to change the input when changing between cable and the FireTV. I leave the receiver on DTV/CBL and it automatically changes the audio between the cable and the FireTV.
 
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