Hello all!

So, I like to enjoy PS3 games and streaming movies in 1080 and currently I have my system first running into a surround sound system, and then into the TV. While this is totally awesome, it does not go over well at 1 in the morning, so my wife bought me a nice pair of wireless headphones. The headphones have a base that accepts rca style audio cables or a standard 1/4" jack. I have found HDMI to RCA adaptor cables and I have found HDMI signal splitters that would allow simultaneously sending the signal to the (muted) surround, and the headphones.

My question, would I be degrading any of my signal quality if I did this? I'm looking at THIS UNIT.

Thanks in advanced

firstworldproblems

Which surround sound receiver are you using?

At least in the olden days, most receivers had a headphone jack that, when you plugged the headphones in, muted the speakers. That should do it.

This is a Sony system that works in synch with the Sony TV's Bravia.. all of the outputs are on the bottom, which is weird to me, and I searched the thing over and couldn't find a headphone output...

You can't find a headphone jack because it apparently doesn't have one. Which is odd.

Here you go: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=145977

Seems your best bet is to plug the headphones into the surround system.

mrjoshm wrote: My question, would I be degrading any of my signal quality if I did this?

EVERYTHING degrades quality when running wires. Everything from the material the lines are made of to how many connections. You should be looking at how much your sound quality is degrading. Chances are, when you hook in some headphones, the quality wont be drastically changed. Its usually a minor step down unless you have some really E36 M3ty equipment.

I'm more concerned with degrading the the picture by sending it through a splitter first. Everything is Sony running through gold HDMI cables. I should also say, the only outputs are either the speakers that have a dedicated plug (so I can't splice in), the aforementioned HDMI output to the TV, and a component video output if I wasn't using HDMI. There are no audio outputs, and it's worth noting that the TV doesn't put out any audio with this hook-up. I could run the PS3 into the TV and use the optical output to the receiver, but then I wouldn't have the insane surround sound...

I ran powered HDMI splitters to feed 4 TVs with 2 Dish boxes before I got my Hopper. No signal degradation that I could detect, and one of the TVs had a 50-foot cable run.

HDMI is a digital signal.

It either works, or it doesn't. There's no "degradation" in quality because you used a cheap cable. It either works, or it drops the signal and you get very, very obvious failures.

That splitter may be your only option. If you're worried that it's going to degrade things, connect it up and play your most intense 1080p source material through it. If the image stutters, the sound cuts in/out, or anything like that, return it. If in doubt, have your wife watch. Don't tell her why, just ask her to watch the TV. If she doesn't notice anything amiss, you're fine.

That said, how exactly do you plan to go from HDMI to your headphones? AFAIK it's not possible to go from HDMI (digital, encrypted(?) signal) to RCA without some sort of processor...

I found an HDMI to RCA cable so I assumed that would work, I just wouldn't use the video portion of the cable.

Thanks again everyone!

I JUST bought one of these...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011306&p_id=8204&seq=1&format=2

...from Monoprice to split a PS3 signal to a TV and a monitor. I don't need both at the same time, but I wanted to get around having to switch cables. It is very small, and works great. It does need to be plugged in (as all do). I have seen no issues.

Well that looks good, reviews of the one I originally posted were underwhelming. Apparently they stop working around 10 months. Thanks for the heads up!

peter wrote: HDMI is a digital signal. It either works, or it doesn't. There's no "degradation" in quality because you used a cheap cable. It either works, or it drops the signal and you get very, very obvious failures.

This, no degradation to worry about until you change from digital to analog, and even then wires make little difference. Tests have been done where self-described "audiophiles" couldn't tell a horrible hacked-up cable with bits of rusty hanger wire bird-E36 M3-soldered into it from the high-end audiophile cables that suckers pay for.