Is there any simple and straightforward list, spreadsheet, or other source detailing (for dummies and others) cabling and corresponding equipment settings and the advantages and features of each? For example if you have optical digital cables what settings and features are required or desireable for each type of compnent (i.e. Pre/pro, cable box, dvd/blu-ray) to take advantage of the optical cable, and then compare that to 5 and 7 channel analog cables as well as the corresponding settings features are required or desireable for each type of component to maximize a 2 channel, 5.1 channel, or 7.1 channel system (I have a 7.1 channel system). Is there anything comprehensive like this available in one place?

To a relative neophyte (admittedly like me), an optical digital cable would seem by its very nature to be better than analog, but by making the optical choice (if I am understanding various posts correctly) certain very desireable multichannel capabilities are limited or given up entirely. If so, what is given up and what differences would likely be noticeable. Also, whatever the choice, the correct settings have to be made on the components, such as PCM, Dolby Digital, among others, or you will lose the features you were after when you chose the cabling in the first place. And finally, all this should be compared to HDMI and the settings available for it and whether HDMI is the miracle "jack-of all-trades" that will eliminate cabling and setting concerns. Unfortunately, without such a list/diagram I am not sure I am getting the most out of my system; and I don't have the time nor inclination to try out the plethora of cable and setting options to come to my own conclusions.

I look forward to any comments/insights people may have.

Ed.

Ed,

If you haven't read Gonk's FAQ (in his signature), I think that's a good start.

I've got some notes in my Basicsof Home Theater page (although it hasn't been updated in a while), as well as my HDMI FAQ that RedSIinPA mentioned.

Here's a quick overview of the options that go beyond just the old stereo analog:

• Coaxial and optical digital: I lump these two together because functionally they offer the same things. You can do stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS with this connection. That's all you need for CD, DVD, and the various forms of HDTV (over the air, cable, and satellite). It also allows the signal to remain digital until the last possible moment (when the receiver or processor converts to analog). You need to be sure that your DVD players and digital cable/satellite boxes are set to output a "bitstream" (sometimes also called "raw" output) because it preserves those Dolby Digital and DTS signals. (The alternative is having the source decode it and spit out PCM stereo, which is a significant step down if you are starting with a 5.1 source.)
• Multichannel analog (5.1 or 7.1): This will work with anything that the source can decode internally. You only see this on disc players, typically ones that do Blu-ray, HD-DVD, DVD-Audio, and/or SACD. That is because the audio offered by these four formats (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, DVD-Audio MLP, and SACD DSD) can't be carried over a coaxial or optical cable. In this scenario, you are generally pushing all audio processing (including matrix surround processing, bass management, speaker delays, and in some cases even channel trim) out of the receiver or processor and into the source player because the receiver's multichannel analog input is generally an analog bypass that only gets volume control at the receiver. The 990 can do some audio processing (bass management, speaker delays, and channel trim), but that's not common.
• HDMI: HDMI has its share of issues (confusing versions, HDCP handshake problems, distance limitations, and non-locking connectors), but it offers a connection that can handle any audio you can throw at it if the hardware at both ends will support it (which is where those confusing versions come into play). It will do stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS just like coaxial and optical. It will also do multichannel PCM, Dolby Digital Plus bitstreams, Dolby TrueHD bitstreams, DTS-HD bitstreams, DVD-Audio, and SACD (either as multichannel PCM or DSD bitstreams). How you set up the source and receiver for these depends on where you are doing decoding.

HDMI has a convenience factor of passing video and audio through one cable, but the only sources where it offers advantages in signal compatibility over coaxial and optical are DVD-Audio, SACD, Blu-ray, and HD-DVD. Anything else will work equally well via coax or optical.

Thanks for the great insights. Although I have admittedly not yet read Gonk's reference materials (which I am turning to now), I have the following additional questions: (i) in respect of multichannel analog, what settings should I be using for my Blu-ray player (the Samsung BD-P1200 which I believe has 5.1 multichannel) for multichannel analog (which I may switch to until I order my 997), and also for optical (which I am currently using), to achieve the best sound performance before switching to the 997); (ii) in respect of HDMI, is there any picture and sound internal settings that are preferred to maximize picture and sound performance? I currently use HDMI from my cable box and from my Blue-ray player to feed my TV.

Thanks again for all the insights. I will start reading Gonk's reference materials now.

This will take some manual parsing, which I probably won't have a chance to do until tonight. The BD-P1200 does not decode TrueHD or DTS-HD internally, so the only time you will need the multichannel analog output with the 990 is for Blu-ray discs with multichannel PCM. Otherwise, optical is just as good (if not better) because the player and the 990 will both be decoding the same core DD or DTS track. Because the 990 will handle bass management, you'll want to set all speakers to large in the P1200, the sub to "on", the channel trim levels to 0, and the speaker distances to 0.
This can get complex for video, as you get into determining where you want video scaling to take place and the like. As a rule, I don't make video adjustments at my sources (brightness, contrast, etc.) unless I have to for some reason.