Difference between SPDIF and HDMI?

Question

What is the difference between SPDIF and HDMI? If I have both outputs available, should I use the SPDIF? Can you use the SPDIF output for audio and the HDMI for video? Or is the HDMI audio just as good as the SPDIF?

Answer 1

       If you have an HDMI switching receiver, you should connect HDMI from your source to receiver to get both audio and video. If your source is PS3 or BLU-RAY stand alone player, you will get HD sounds such as DTS-HD MA and Dolby True HD. SPDIF just give you Dolby Digital and DTS sound and you need a video cable.

Answer 2

SPDIF is just for optical sound.

My system runs HDMI to the TV and optical to the receiver.  This lets me use the TV speakers for casual TV and gaming, but I turn down the TV and fire up the receiver for more serious movie/tv/gaming.

HDMI sound and SPDIF sound is identical except in 1 situation.

Some BluRay disks have un-compressed sound tracks called "DTS-HD" or "TrueHD".  You can only listen to these tracks if:

- You run HDMI to your receiver, then to your TV

- Your receiver knows how to handle DTS-HD or TrueHD signals

If you plan to collect/watch a lot of BluRay disks - running HDMI to the receiver, then HDMI to the TV is what you should do.

PERSONAL OPINION

It's not worth it right now.

Look - if you have a audiophile-grade set of speakers ($2,000 each) and good amplification  - you can tell the difference between compressed MP3 and the original un-compressed CD.

But most home theater systems are NOT that sensitive and you likely will NOT be able to tell the difference between DD 5.1 (compressed) and TrueHD (un-compressed)

You are just NOT paying as much attention to a movie soundtrack as you are to a CD. This is why cheaper/less-accurate speakers work great for home theater, but not music.

So it's up to you. The best connection type for the few BluRay disks you have is HDMI.  Other than that, all HDTV sound is compressed 5.1, all DVD's are compressed 5.1 (and dont get me started about iPods).

Answer 3

Hdmi is definetly the best video while optical is the best audio. Hdmi carries both video and audio signals.

Answer 4

HDMI normally carries audio and video and it will provide you with audio that is as good (or better).