Question Compatibility between new and older entertainment equipment.

[yobydnub]

Hi

I hope someone can help me with my issue.

I recently updated my blu ray player with a new UHD player (Panasonic DP-UB420). I thought it would go nicely with my Kogan 55" curved TV (Kogan 55" Curved 4K LED TV (Series 9 MU9500). Yes, one of the early models of this TV that does not have HDR, but I was not to worried about that. The last piece of equipment is my very outdated amplifier (Sherwood RD-6513)
This amp performed well with my previous blu ray/3D player

The setup was pretty simple, I just replaced by blu ray player with the new one. Just so we are all on the same page, an HDMI cable from my player to the HDMI1 port in my amp, and an HDMI lead from the output of my amp into my TV's HDMI1 port. Pretty simple right? Well no. I got a picture, but no sound. MY player had 2 HDMI ports, I tried both with no success. Then I changed the input on my amp to the second video HDMI input and suddenly I had sound. unfortunately this was not coming from any HDMI port, it was an analogue signal which I had rigged up ages ago for a reason that I can't now remember, that sent video and audio signal str8 to my amp. Yes a work around, but not the most ideal. in fact I needed no HDMI plugged into the amp at all to get audio and video signal.

Ok so I doesn't take a genius to figure out I need to up date my amplifier. But to what? I certainly want to future proof it for the time I do get a HDR TV, but I don't want to spend a fortune either. I am on a very limited budget. I'm not adverse to buying second hand, as long as it works as its supposed to. i wouldn't mind either something that might be compatible with Dolby Atmos Audio in the future, and Im pretty sure an upgraded system would be in 7.1. but I have great speakers, and adding another 2 should not be a problem.

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I wanted to include as much 'tech' as possible so people were sure of what my system already comprised of.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. What I have now, although working, is far from perfect, im not even sure im getting a true UHD picture quality.

I can't break the bank here. I don't have thousands of dollars at my exposal. Please keep that in mind

Thank you all in advance for you help.

 

[jsmithepa]

To update the amp, u need one with HDMI 2.0 capability, and new cabling to match.

If for some reason you are not ready to upgrade, can hookup your sources directly to TV. Have the TV switch video, and the amp/receiver switch audio, with a potential minor downside, may not be able to play uncompressed audio this way i.e.: Dolby HD, but Dolby Digital and plain DTS fine.

 

[yobydnub]

I did update all my cabling, but obviously thought my amp was up to the task.
Can you recommend an AMP that will do the job, not cost me too much money - the sound I can deal with, but what is the point of upgrading my blu ray player if I can't even be sure I'm getting UHD quality picture? I want something that will grow with me when I'm ready to upgrade speakers and other necessary components.

Not having experienced much of either, is there much difference between 4K and HDR? Well I'm sure there is a difference, but to the untrained eye at home, is the picture difference that great? My TV is fairly new and had many many years of use ahead of it, and I'm not prepared to toss it out for the sake of picture quality I might not even notice. There isn't any conversion box or something similar that may boost my picture quality? To be honest, I get great picture on my 55" curved TV, and I thought 'well if blu ray can look that good, im sure UHD must look great" and I wanted to take full advantages of that this TV offered.

Thank you replying and I really appreciate your help.

 

[jsmithepa]

I failed to mention am no salesman and am humble hobbyist, and not in the market for an AVR, so I have no opinion what you should get.

Buying an AVR is really a consumer decision. Any specific feature u need? Modern AVR pretty much got everything one ever want. Top of my head, Bluetooth is nice, AirPlay if you have IOS devices is nice. I would just make a list of 5 maybe interested in and read the Amazon reviews, and check out avsforum for that specific model and see what people say.

All 4K components are pretty much HDR capable. If your current TV doesn't have it, I personally would not feel shortchanged, lots of us, including myself, are not videophiles, I like to say it saved me $tons through the years! Just put it on your next upgrade shopping list when the time comes.

BTW ur shopping may not be complete 'cuz your broadband may also needs upgrading to accommodate 4K, comfortably 40 mbit per 4K stream, if u stream at all.

 

[yobydnub]

I don't use Apple so Airplay is not an issue. i do stream quite a lot and I find my 100 mbit is quite up to the task. I will try and sift my way through the 100's of AVR's on the market that will suit my needs. I think that is going to be the hardest part. Sure, I want to future-proof myself, but I don't want to spend thousands on an AVR with technology I don't need, when something for a few hundred dollars would do the trick. I am no videophile either, and I'm concerned I'm going to end up paying for features that I do not really need. i just want to see my new 4K movies on my new UHD player, that will have the ability to play HDR when it comes time to upgrade my TV, and possibly Dolby Atmos somewhere down the future. Any suggestions on a basic AVR that could perform these functions, or even just a point in the right direction, would be greatly appreciated.

On a completely different note, I recently bought an external USB Pioneer UHD player - I know my laptop is up to the task of playing these discs (of course I know I cannot get 4K on my laptop), My laptop recognises the drive, I can even see the files on the disc, but I have yet to find 1 player that will play the discs. The supplied Cyberlink PowerDVD wouldn't do it, neither would my upgrade to version 19. Neither would adding a few extra files to VLC (it won't even touch the disc) or any other player I have come across that claims to be able to play them. Would you have any ideas ?