# Onkyo TX-SR608 - Keep Audio off when TV turns off



## lordstylz (Jan 1, 2011)

Hey couldn't find an answer to my question through a search so here it goes.

I have Onkyo SR608 that I recently got to replace my now defunct Denon A/V Home theater. One thing that my Denon used to be able to do however is when I turned off my TV the audio would automatically shut off as well. For some reason the Onkyo does this at first (turns off audio) but then turns the audio back on a few seconds later.

My set up ... Cable > TIVO HD w/ cable card > HDMI IN > Onkyo receiver > HDMI out to TV.

Is there an option I need to turn on/off to just allow me to hit one button to turn the TV off and keep the audio off too?

I am pretty amateur at this so any help would be welcome. Thanks.


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## rmalak (Apr 10, 2010)

You have to turn the receiver off too.


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## lordstylz (Jan 1, 2011)

I guess that could be an option but I didn't have to with my old Denon, and it does turn the audio off initially but turns back on. Just thought there might be another way.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Are you saying you used to keep your Denon on all the time? If you don’t want to turn the Onkyo off, you could just switch it to another input.

Regards,
Wayne


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## lordstylz (Jan 1, 2011)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Are you saying you used to keep your Denon on all the time? If you don’t want to turn the Onkyo off, you could just switch it to another input.
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne


The Denon would turn itself off to stand-by mode... I guess could say it would know it didn't need to use any more power since the TV was off.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Wow, really? Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a receiver with a feature like that, and I’ve been an audio buff since the ’80s. Unfortunately, I doubt you’ll ever see it again. You’re going to have to start turning off you receiver yourself, like the rest of us do. 

Wayne


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## lordstylz (Jan 1, 2011)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Wow, really? Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a receiver with a feature like that, and I’ve been an audio buff since the ’80s. Unfortunately, I doubt you’ll ever see it again. You’re going to have to start turning off you receiver yourself, like the rest of us do.
> 
> Wayne


After I thought about it, it does seem like something unordinary for a/v units. But when you think about it it isn't something that can't be done and is quite simple. If it was a program you'd just say:

IF TV does not require/receive signal; (meaning with digital HDMI it would be able to detect whether the TV is receiving the signal when the power is on or off).
THEN turn on standby/sleep mode;

IF TV does not receive signal for x amount of time;
THEN turn on standby/sleep mode;

Anyway like I said in the post originally... when I first turn the tv off at least the a/v theater unit originally shuts the audio off too, but then it turns the audio back on after 5 seconds or so, and that's the part that is different now (the Denon would at first keep silent then eventually go to standby). I don't need the a/v unit to actually power off, I'd just like for the audio to stay off. That's the point. If it does it at first then why can't it just stay off?


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## rmalak (Apr 10, 2010)

The audio goes away when you shut off your tv because HDMI "sensed" a change and then has to "recalibrate". Some call it "handshake". I don't know what the official term is for it but as long as the receiver is getting a sound signal and is turned on it will continue to play the audio. So you need to either get used to shutting off your receiver or your cable box.

You could try and run your HDMI to the TV and then send it to the receiver. That should stop the signal when the TV is off and solve the perceived issue. Your receiver would still be on all the time though and be drawing power though. That's the best I can come up with. Good luck.


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## viccmw (Dec 15, 2010)

Hi,

I think the HDMI connection enables some equipments to put each other into standby - if properly implemented.

In my case, I have one HDMI equipment that did not quite "work well" with each other thereby making the entire HDMI chain go awry - an AC Ryan media player. With this connected, I could never get any HDMI functionality to work between by Panasonic P50V20 and Onkyo TX-608 eg. audio channel return, etc.

Try removing you Tivo temporarily and see whether switching off your TV will put the SR608 into standby. Also, make sure correct HDMI setting is enable in both the TV and AVR.

NOTE : I've since moved on from AC Ryan to Dune media player and no more issue with HDMI.


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## lordstylz (Jan 1, 2011)

Thanks those are good suggestions to try


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

Old thread I know, but perusing old threads can be interesting.
Anyhow I have the 608 and, out-the-box, when I switched the TV off the 608 would switch off too, it really annoyed me. I like individual control and, after playing with the settings for a while, got what I wanted!
Mike


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## MysticalMateo (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi Mike, what settings did you tweak to get it to control the devices individually? Can you be a little more specific as I am going through the same issue.


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

Oh boy, now you're asking 
The HDMI inputs on my TV act differently depending on which one is used. HDMI1 doesn't switch off the TV when I switch the receiver off, but it DOES switch from TV to HDMI1 automatically when a signal is present! HDMI2 is just the opposite, but I can't work out why!
The upshot of this is it depends on your set-up, I suppose.
Give me a breakdown on what you have and what you're trying to achieve, and I'll see if I can work it out compared to what I needed to do.
I could probably go through all the settings on the 608, but not sure that would be productive.
Part of the MAIN problem is the section under: 7:HARDWARE SETUP/HDMI. HDMI control in there has several options... you could start there which is where most of my individua-control problems stemmed from... 
I'm going away for 5 days tomorrow, so I apologise if I don't get back to you in time.
Mike


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## MysticalMateo (Aug 20, 2011)

Wow that was a fast reply. I went upstairs to take another shot at the receiver settings and came back and there was a new message  Well. I purchased an Onkyo HT-RC360 receiver this week to support my 3D setup. I have an LG 60PZ950 TV that is ARC capable and it is hooked up to the receiver's output HDMI using a v1.4 HDMI cable. Right now the TV's sound output is through the 5.1 speakers. If I'm playing my iPod Touch 2g with the UP-A1 dock in extended mode, I'd like to be able to select the album on the TV screen and then just turn off the TV display since there's no need for me to have a visual while playing music. When I hit the TV power button, no matter if it's with the Onkyo remote or with the LG remote, it turns off the receiver as well. Basically it would be nice if I could just turn off only the TV as intended without turning off the receiver at the same time. Thanks for the help.


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

That was purely luck! I didn't even look to see when you posted.
It seems like it's a control signal from TV-to-Receiver rather than the other way around as my problem was.
OK, on the plasma, hopefully there's a setting named LINK or HDMI control, or similar?
Maybe if that is switched OFF, as it is on my plasma (Panasonic), maybe that will stop the receiver switching OFF automatically.
I like a certain amount of automation, but when you switch the TV off, you don't want the receiver "assuming" you're finished... you may want the RADIO on for example. So, I understand your frustration.
Mike


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

By the way, I ended up using HDMI1 as it was the only way I could maintain the amount of individuality I wanted. The unfortunate side effect was I couldn't use ARC, because HDMI2 was the only ARC enabled and HDMI1 was what I HAD to use.


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## MysticalMateo (Aug 20, 2011)

ah I see. Yeah. There's a "link" control for the TV from the receiver. I think what I'll have to do is to turn off that ARC control as it is associated with the hdmi link control. I'll just hook up the optical cable from the TV to the receiver again with ARC turned off. The audio quality should be the same anyway as I'm not really getting HD quality sound from my TV's antennae. cheers.


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

Yes, exactly, I ended up using an additional cable TV-to-Receiver for audio. It's every bit as good via HDMI as far as I can tell.
Mike


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

BUT... what about on the TV menu? Is there an HDMI control there that will stop this happening or is THAT tied in to ARC as well?


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## MysticalMateo (Aug 20, 2011)

The TV menu is relatively simple. Under sound setup there's just the option for different TV speaker output types like surround or normal. ARC is an option that's turned off at the moment. I didn't buy the receiver or TV for ARC anyway. It's just one way to reduce another cable running back there but one more cable isn't going to hurt


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## mlhifi (Jul 10, 2011)

True enough. Good luck, hopefully you're happy with the way it's all functioning now?
Best regards,
Mike


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