4K tv, HDMI and surround sound questions

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It seems like HDMI would send both the video and audio to the TV

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This is exactly what HDMI does. It sends a digital audio and video signal over a single cable. If the receiver has HDMI inputs and output(s), it's easy- run everything (HDMI and the old composite or component connections) into the receiver, and then a single cable (HDMI) from the receiver to the TV. Sound will be processed by the receiver and sent to the surround sound system while the video will be "passed through" to the TV.

Unfortunately, if that doesn't answer the question for you, we'll need more details. List what model your receiver is as well as the model of what you'd like connected to it.

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Sound will be processed by the receiver and sent to the surround sound system while the video will be "passed through" to the TV.

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Modern receivers are designed to be the primary connection point in a home theater system, with multiple HDMI inputs and one output for video and one for sound. If you have an older receiver and a newer TV you can do a workaround by connecting your HDMI inputs to the TV, running a TOSLINK from the TV back to the receiver, and disabling sound on the TV.

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Doesn't the receiver have to support 4K video as well?

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Yes and no- if he wants to view 4k content on his TV, he'll either need a receiver which can pass the signal along or to pass video into the TV and use whatever is on the TV, if anything (usually either an analog stereo or optical audio output on TVs) back to the receiver.
He's not talking about upgrading/purchasing components, so I didn't get into that. He didn't even really mention how to get uncompressed/lossless 4k content on his TV, so I just treated it like a connection question- the parts are intercompatible.

720-1080 sources --> any receiver with HDMI -->at least 720, almost definitely 1080p content on the TV.


OP, in order to actually view the 4k content that's out there, you'll either need to use Smart Apps on your TV (for Netflix, Amazon, etc) or reinvest in sources (particularly a blu ray player) capable of outputting 4k.

My recommendation: Hook up what you've got and enjoy it for now. Worry about upgrading to 4k sources later. And know that any part of the chain with sub-4k output yields sub-4k picture (so a 4k blu ray, 1080p receiver, 4k tv -->1080p picture). Some receivers and fancier blu-ray players (like the Oppo 103) do "upscale" the picture for you, but that's almost an entirely different discussion. To put that dicussion into about 4 seconds worth a video (which is worth some 96,000 words (24f/s, 4s, picture worth 1000 words), watch this split screen blu-ray vs upscaled DVD of independence day. The video should start at 16s and pan across the girl's face. I'm trying to show you her face in native HD and upscaled HD across those frames. It's quite impressively different.

So here are the specifics:
TV: Samsung UN55JU6400FXZA
Receiver : Pioneer VSX-D712-K
Blue Ray: Magnavox NB500MG1FC
Cable Box: Cisco ISB7150

The TV, cable box and blue ray all have HDMI. The receiver does not. The TV does have an optical audio out option. I am thinking I can run HDMIs from Blue Ray and cable box to TV and optical audio from TV to receiver. Would that allow me get audio over the surround for both cable and DVD player?

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He didn't even really mention how to get uncompressed/lossless 4k content on his TV

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With the components I have now how much loss am I getting?

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My recommendation: Hook up what you've got and enjoy it for now. Worry about upgrading to 4k sources later.

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That's my plan for now. Im thinking the receiver may be the next upgrade. Possibly this time next year. Approximately how much would I be looking to spend on a receiver that can process the signal correctly without loss and has at least 2 zones.
Additional possible options would be a receiver that can transmit audio to a set of Bluetooth speakers I have by the pool approximately 300 feet away (if such an option even exists.

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With the components I have now how much loss am I getting?

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You're not using digitally compressed files (a computer with copies you've backed up or the like), so you don't have compression occurring on any devices that you have control over.

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Approximately how much would I be looking to spend on a receiver that can process the signal correctly without loss and has at least 2 zones.

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Depends on the sources. If you want two digital sources to play over HDMI to two separate zones, those receivers aren't cheap brand new. I did just pick up a Marantz sr6008 on eBay for $440, though. Accessories4less is a good place to pick one up new.

Regarding the cheapest new receiver that will do dual HDMI outputs from separate sources (which is a totally different thing than 2 HDMI outputs at the same time or 2 hdmi outputs but only one digital source), I think the Marantz sr60(XX) series is probably your cheapest bet.

Now, there are a multitude of other video players, switches, and processors that will have "matrix switching" capability which can be had somewhat cheaper. This Radioshack matrix switch is only $28 and can take 3 hdmi sources and place them into 2 locations (3 sources--> 2 outputs. Watch source A, B, or C on Output 1 while selecting any of A, B, or C for Output 2)


Now, if you're talking about just audio zones and not distributed video, ignore all of that. You can find receivers down in the $300 range with Zone2 audio.

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Additional possible options would be a receiver that can transmit audio to a set of Bluetooth speakers I have by the pool approximately 300 feet away (if such an option even exists.

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I don't know of any offhand which do this. I recently read pretty heavy into receivers, but I mainly learned about the Marantz offerings for a couple of reasons not worth going into, and you shouldn't necessarily look into them yourself. For this, I would just buy a cheap, aftermarket bluetooth transmitter, because this $30 device hooked to your analog Zone 2 output would probably be cheaper than finding one doing what you're asking. I could be wrong, but I haven't seen that feature integrated into any entry-level consumer receivers.