Stunning 1080p video, ulta-detailed surround sound — Blu-ray players offer the best high-def experience out there. But if you don't use the right connections, you could miss out on some of the high-end performance you paid for.

An HDMI connection is the only way to get a full 1080p picture from a Blu-ray player. (Monster's Advanced High Speed 800HD cable pictured above).

A Blu-ray player connected to a TV via HDMI. Click to see a larger version in a new window.

How to get high-definition video

You can use either a component video or HDMI connection from your Blu-ray player to your HDTV and get a beautiful picture. Component video can work great if you have a 720p or 1080i HDTV, but Blu-ray players aren't capable of outputting 1080p via this connection. So if you have a 1080p HDTV, making an HDMI connection is a must.

Also, makers of Blu-ray players are required to include the capability to "downrez" (limit the resolution) of high-definition signals sent from players to TVs via analog connections — including component video — as part of an anti-piracy measure. Downrezzing wouldn't occur automatically, but would be triggered if the player recognized a "downrez flag" (called an Image Constraint Token) on a high-definition movie disc.

The decision to include or not include this flag will be completely up to each movie studio, and several studios have already announced that they will not include the flag. However, that could change down the road. High-def discs can provide video with 1920 x 1080 resolution, but downrezzed analog signals would be converted to 960 x 540, which is closer to standard DVD than to high-def. This means that full high-definition signals will only be reliably available via secure digital connections such as HDMI.

Not sure if your receiver can decode the new audio formats? Look for Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD, and Dolby TrueHD logos on the front panel.

How to get next-generation audio

To get next-gen audio with a Blu-ray player, you'll need a receiver that has an HDMI connection or multichannel analog inputs. While you can use optical and coaxial digital connections to get standard Dolby Digital and DTS, they don't have the bandwidth to support the new, more detailed formats. If you have a newer receiver with decoding for the latest audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, then your receiver will have an HDMI connection and this is what you'll want to use.

What if your receiver has an HDMI jack but doesn't have surround sound decoding for the new formats? Don't worry — many Blu-ray players can decode Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD internally. They then convert these formats to PCM, and send the PCM signal to your receiver via HDMI. (All HDMI-equipped receivers can decode PCM, so you don't need to worry about any compatibility issues if you choose this option.)

Multi-channel analog audio cables are a great solution for transferring high-resolution Blu-ray sound when an HDMI connection isn't available. (Monster's Interlink® 400 MkII pictured above).

The multi-channel analog audio connection on the back of a receiver. Click to see a larger version in a new window.

If your receiver doesn't have HDMI, then you'll need to connect your Blu-ray player using the multichannel analog outputs. This setup uses the player's internal surround sound decoder and outputs the signal as analog. When going this route, be sure to use good quality cables to minimize signal loss.

Also, as noted earlier, only a few players can decode DTS-HD High Resolution, and fewer still can decode DTS-HD Master Audio. So if you'd like to enjoy the latest versions of DTS, be sure your player can decode them, or use a receiver that does.