Have a fairly late model Samsung 48" HD TV. Have it connected to True vision box. I have a HDMI cable as well as AV cables for sound to the True vision box.

Do I need AV cables or am I doing something wrong? I thought HDMI carried both the Video and Audio signals?

You only need the HDMI cable as it carries video and audio.

The TrueVisions receiver supports BOTH HDMI and Composite out (V-A/L+R); your TV also supports HDMI and Composite input (two separate and distinct "sources"). For TrueVisions you could use either one (but not some weird combination of the two, obviously), but HDMI is preferred. You'd really only use composite if your TV did not support HDMI, even accounting for TrueVisions relatively disappointing "HD" service.

My bad. Reason I am using AV cables is because I run the HDMI from the True box to the TV and the AV cables to my home theatre. I probably have it connected wrong although I think the True guys connected it like that from memory

I think the optimal solution would be to use the optical SPDIF output on the TrueVisions box, connected to your home sound system?

 

I guess you could use the the Audio Composite Output (red+white) on the TrueVisions box, connected to your home audio system, then mute the TV's audio.

You can choose either hdmi out or not, on Windows.  If you choose hdmi audio, then the audio goes to the same place as the video.....such as my tv speakers.  On my tv....I can then choose tv speakers or external speakers.   That is on your tv menu.

 

if you do not setup hdmi audio as the default, then your audio out will be your normal audio headphone or speaker jack on your laptop.

 

i prefer the latter.....and leave my tv alone.  It just shows the hdmi video.