Audio from DirecTv box to AVR for Zone 2

Hello there. We would love to provide you with the best way to set up your video and audio with your TV using our boxes. You can connect your box to your Onkyo receiver with HDMI and then connect the Onkyo Receiver to your TV with an HDMI cable. Mayra, DIRECTV Community Specialist

Good morning.  The above mentioned connection is exactly how I have it and it works fine.  The issue is being able to listen to audio via Zone 2 on the Onkyo.  I was told that the only way to do this is to hook up the DirecTv box to the receiver using a pair of RCA cables in addition tot he HDMI.  The RCA's are the only way to get the audio fro the box to the receivers Zone 2 output.  Does this sound right?

If you look at your AVR MENU -you will note that for ZONE 2 --No HDMI Port is shown as a source to transmit audio to zone2 ---That's why you need an analog Audio Connection for zone 2 --

goldw1800, I never looked at it that way.  I just assumed that since there was an HDMI cable from the sat box into the AVR, then there was a way to get that out of there.  Thanks for the insight.

I am in this same dilemma.  My Zone 2 speakers stopped working as soon as we upgraded to the Genie 4K boxes.  The only audio out they have are either the optical or coaxial.  Since optical is digital, I was told a coaxial cable from the Genie Satellite box to my Denon AVR would fix the issue.  I tried that today and it didn’t work.  The Genie Satellite box doesn’t have red and white rca jacks to connect to the AVR, so I’m stuck.  Any ideas?

As said previously, the issue is with your AV Receiver, and many receivers just don't have the extra audio amps to support your surround sound in zone 1 AND a pair of audio amps to support zone 2.

My last unit went from 7.2 to stereo inside the house, stealing amps to support zone 2. Even my newest unit which supports 11.2 goes back to stereo on zone 1 when zone 2 audio is enabled (for the same source).

So you might try a high end HDMI splitter so you have two HDMI outputs with sound, but again that depends on what the AV unit does with the HDMI to the TV, and it might not be there, since what you want is actually sourced by the AV unit.

Getting on a good AV forum has helped me in the past, not all manuals explain this clearly.

This is a good and helpful one: https://www.avforums.com/

Greg

All....thanks SO much for taking your time on this.  I am not an audio buff,  but you really helped me.  Thanks again

Thanks!  My Denon AVR is the 3313CI, but before the 4K Genie, I could get inside and zone 2 (outside) audio simultaneously with just the HDMi cable, but the 4K Genie boxes changed all that.  I joined a Denon Facebook group and learned that the only thing that will work in my case is buying an HDMI audio extractor then can have HDMI for the inside sound and can use red and white RCAs to zone 2 of my receiver to get my zone 2 speakers working again.  If I want to listen to cds, I would have to get a 2nd HDMI audio extractor for it to work in zone 2 as well.  Basically, for any component I want in zone 2, I would need an HDMI extractor for each.  I think those two are enough.  Praying this works or I’m out of ideas and no budget for a new high end Denon receiver right now.