How to correctly connect PC, U7 and Denon receiver

[PsiCore]

Do you know what I'm doing wrong here?
I'm trying to connect PC -> U7 <- Denon receiver (via optical to U7 and HDMI to PC).
Unfortunately when changing the source via the button switch on the U7 to Speakers, I get no sound. Only when I switch the source on the PC (as on the link below) from U7 to Denon I get sound from Speakers.
https://ibb.co/XXWDJ2s

[xeromist]

I'm not really understanding how you have everything connected. Is the optical output on the U7 connected to an optical input on the Receiver?

If you are using HDMI from your PC to the receiver for video but want audio from the U7 then you need to check the receiver's manual to see how to assign an alternate audio input to an HDMI input. I believe most modern receivers support this because they know an HDMI source might be video only. So my receiver will play video from HDMI-1 and audio from SPDIF-1.

If the optical output from the U7 is connected back to the PC that doesn't make sense. You wouldn't output from the PC over USB to the U7 and then send it back to the PC from the U7. Windows 10 isn't going to allow you to have both HDMI and USB audio as active outputs simultaneously anyway.

[PsiCore]

The connection looks like this:

U7 via optical to Denon + USB to PC (obviously)
Denon via HDMI to PC
Then on Denon I'm using as source AUX with assigned optical.

The manual didn't really help me: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/566602/Denon-Avr-X1000.html
Better was the video and I did everything as on it, but not really sure if it 100% applies to my case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74RuakwIcMc

[xeromist]

It seems odd that it's still playing HDMI audio when the audio input has been reassigned. I would start by disconnecting the optical from the Denon and look to see if there is actually light coming through the cable from the U7. Next I would double check on the Denon input assignment that the correct optical is assigned (the video shows 2 optical inputs) and that no other analog signals are also assigned to AUX as that may override the optical depending on how it handles multiple audio assignments.

Beyond all that you could try assigning the optical to TV Audio as it shows in the video with no HDMI assigned (just "X" for the HDMI column) and see if you can even get just audio from that input when there is no video playing. If you still cannot get audio on an audio only input then I'd say you're not getting any output from the U7 for some reason.

[PsiCore]

Thanks for trying to help, but for some reason it still wasn't working correctly, so I've just sent the U7 back.
And looking into other issues which Asus don't even bother to deal with (Sonic Studio 3), I think I've made the correct choice 😉

[Pipco]

xeromist wrote:
It seems odd that it's still playing HDMI audio when the audio input has been reassigned. I would start by disconnecting the optical from the Denon and look to see if there is actually light coming through the cable from the U7. Next I would double check on the Denon input assignment that the correct optical is assigned (the video shows 2 optical inputs) and that no other analog signals are also assigned to AUX as that may override the optical depending on how it handles multiple audio assignments.

Beyond all that you could try assigning the optical to TV Audio as it shows in the video with no HDMI assigned (just "X" for the HDMI column) and see if you can even get just audio from that input when there is no video playing. If you still cannot get audio on an audio only input then I'd say you're not getting any output from the U7 for some reason.

Hi, just wondering if you would be able to advise me on how best to connect ASUS TUF Gaming F15 FX506HM to Denon AVR-X2700H.
I want to experience DTS but when I connected the laptop via HDMI the sound was barely audible (sounded better coming from the laptop!)

Would I be better to go USB-C (Thunderbolt) to HDMI, rather than HDMI to HDMI to get the best audio (DTS)/video?

Thanks in advance

[xeromist]

HDMI is a digital signal so it's not going to be a "bad" connection. My guess would be the volume on the laptop was turned down? Did you try setting the Windows volume to 100%?

Other than that you'd have to look at your receiver to see what kind of audio you are getting. They usually have some indication if you are getting surround, dts, stereo, or whatever.

[Pipco]

xeromist wrote:
HDMI is a digital signal so it's not going to be a "bad" connection. My guess would be the volume on the laptop was turned down? Did you try setting the Windows volume to 100%?

Other than that you'd have to look at your receiver to see what kind of audio you are getting. They usually have some indication if you are getting surround, dts, stereo, or whatever.

(a delayed) thank you for your response