Need Help With Setup...besy way to hook in internet

[77gators]

Here is the system;
- XPA5 gen 3...will power current 5 speaker set-up
- LPA-1...will power future 2 backs and 2 outside speakers
- Oppo 103...main dvd/cd
- XRC...secondary cd
- XMC-1...main processor
- UMC-200...processor for outside speakers
- STB
- Panamax 5300 line conditioner / surge protector
- LG 65" OLED
- Salk Songtower rt l-r-c...Athena floor stander rears

Question - about to introduce internet into the system primarily for streaming 4k video ala Netflix/Amazon and Tidal music - what is the best way to hook it in to maximize use and signal? Do I go straight to the XMC...the Oppo to the XMC...the STB to the XMC? Complicating the issue is that the internet will be coming over the same pipe as the cable signal and I want to run it direct...not through a router/wireless. Currently the cable goes into the STB connected to the XMC via Hdmi.

I am completely confused on which way to go with this and would appreciate any advice. TIA

[TempTag]

You would not daisy chain devices like the old cable TV wiring methods.  Wired ethernet assumes a star topology where each device has its own connection to a central point that is providing/managing connections - see this:
Star Network Topology

Each connected device will require its own connection/IP address either wired or wireless. I personally prefer wired but many go wireless as well, especially for devices that only require network access for firmware updates.

It sounds like you may have a cable connection. If so, the easiest wired setup would be if your vendor provided network access device was close to your equipment.  This is not necessarily your STB but is often some kind of all-in-one modem/NAT router/WAP/switch with one or more Ethernet LAN ports on the back that is set up to provide local IP addresses to multiple wired or wireless devices through DHCP.  (Your STP may have an Ethernet connection as well but, at least where I live, these are never active.)  If your all-in-one device is close, and has multiple Ethernet LAN connections, it's simply a matter of connecting one Ethernet cable (buy cat 5e minimum or cat 6 preferred) to each piece of equipment that needs it.

If your vendor provided device has only one LAN port, or is not close to your home theater equipment, simply run one ethernet wire from a LAN port (to the area where your equipment is located) and connect to an inexpensive 10/100/1000 switch. (~$30 for a 5 to 8 port switch at Amazon). From this switch, you can connect multiple wired Ethernet devices - one cable to each device that requires network access.

[geebo]

Sept 8, 2016 5:30:22 GMT -5 77gators said:

Here is the system;
- XPA5 gen 3...will power current 5 speaker set-up
- LPA-1...will power future 2 backs and 2 outside speakers
- Oppo 103...main dvd/cd
- XRC...secondary cd
- XMC-1...main processor
- UMC-200...processor for outside speakers
- STB
- Panamax 5300 line conditioner / surge protector
- LG 65" OLED
- Salk Songtower rt l-r-c...Athena floor stander rears

Question - about to introduce internet into the system primarily for streaming 4k video ala Netflix/Amazon and Tidal music - what is the best way to hook it in to maximize use and signal? Do I go straight to the XMC...the Oppo to the XMC...the STB to the XMC? Complicating the issue is that the internet will be coming over the same pipe as the cable signal and I want to run it direct...not through a router/wireless. Currently the cable goes into the STB connected to the XMC via Hdmi.

I am completely confused on which way to go with this and would appreciate any advice. TIA

You can scratch going direct to the XMC. It won't accept music or video over an internet connection at this time. You won't be able to stream protected 4k content through the Oppo and depending on your STB you may or may not be able to do it there, either. And right now you cannot stream 4K through the XMC unless you got one just this week with the new HDMI board installed. The best way to stream 4K would be to get a 4K source and stream it direct to the TV and take the audio from the TV and send it to the XMC. Amazon FireTV is cheap if you already have Amazon Prime and you can stream 4k content from it to the TV directly.
You should be able to stream music through the network connection on the Oppo but it doesn't have Amazon capabilitiy although you may be able to do it with the Roku stick.

[KeithL]

Is your 4k LG TV a smart TV?
If so, then you can play streams directly on the TV - then use ARC or even a direct connection to get the audio back to the XMC-1.

[garbulky]

The XMC-1 or the Oppo doesn't do HDMI 2.0 4k video which is what most 4k content needs. You can do what Keith says however you will lose the onscreen osd of the XMC-1.

[geebo]

Sept 8, 2016 9:16:13 GMT -5 garbulky said:

The XMC-1 or the Oppo doesn't do HDMI 2.0 4k video which is what most 4k content needs. You can do what Keith says however you will lose the onscreen osd of the XMC-1.

Or soon you'll be able to purchase an HDMI upgrade through Emotiva.

[77gators]

Wow...I feel like Fred Flintstone after reading these responses. I didn't realize how far down the food chain I was tech wise. Appears my 2 best options are to feed the incoming cable pipe directly to a splitter and then to the various components with each one utilizing the signal to the best of their ability...or, feed it directly to the TV - Thanks for the input Dan it is a "Smart" tv - using the arc hdmi input to feed the audio back to the XMC. Somehow the STB has to be in the loop. Right now the cable goes to the STB - hdmi to XMC - XMC hdmi to tv....or would I be able to run an hdmi out from the XMC to the STB?

So, it looks like option 1 - "simply run one ethernet wire from a LAN port (to the area where your equipment is located) and connect to an inexpensive 10/100/1000 switch. (~$30 for a 5 to 8 port switch at Amazon). From this switch, you can connect multiple wired Ethernet devices - one cable to each device that requires network access." My internet access will literally be coming out of the wall 3' from the equipment.

Really appreciate the input. I'll let you know how this turns out.

[KeithL]

Assuming you have "regular cable TV", the signal comes into your house on a coaxial cable - with a round connector that screws on at the end of it (it's called an "F connector").
THAT signal is absolutely special purpose..... and can go to either a Cable Modem, or a Set Top Box (you used to be able to connect it directly to the antenna input on a TV, but not usually any more).
The Set Top Box puts audio and video, and the Cable Modem gives you a network connection.....
(There are some odd systems out there that offer variations of this theme... )

Since the STB takes in "cable signal" and outputs HDMI, it isn't going to have an HDMI input...
A smart TV usually accepts as input both HDMI (from the STB or XMC-1) and a network connection (Ethernet from your cable modem).
The streaming stuff comes in over the network connection.
(And there's a thing called ARC that lets the TV send the audio from stuff it's receiving through the network back to the XMC-1 to play through your stereo.)

Sept 8, 2016 12:30:49 GMT -5 77gators said:

Wow...I feel like Fred Flintstone after reading these responses. I didn't realize how far down the food chain I was tech wise. Appears my 2 best options are to feed the incoming cable pipe directly to a splitter and then to the various components with each one utilizing the signal to the best of their ability...or, feed it directly to the TV - Thanks for the input Dan it is a "Smart" tv - using the arc hdmi input to feed the audio back to the XMC. Somehow the STB has to be in the loop. Right now the cable goes to the STB - hdmi to XMC - XMC hdmi to tv....or would I be able to run an hdmi out from the XMC to the STB?

So, it looks like option 1 - "simply run one ethernet wire from a LAN port (to the area where your equipment is located) and connect to an inexpensive 10/100/1000 switch. (~$30 for a 5 to 8 port switch at Amazon). From this switch, you can connect multiple wired Ethernet devices - one cable to each device that requires network access." My internet access will literally be coming out of the wall 3' from the equipment.

Really appreciate the input. I'll let you know how this turns out.