Easily switch audio output destination on Pioneer VSX-60

[Gnossos]

My setup:

• 
  ■ Receiver: Pioneer VSX-60
  ■ TV: Samsung UN46ES7500F
  ■ Control: Logitech Harmony Smart Hub
  ■ STB: Motorola Cable STB
  ■ Streaming: Amazon Fire TV (AFTV)
  ■ Other: 2.1 speaker system

Sometimes watching movies and such on TV, I want to use the 2.1 speaker system. Other times, e.g., when there's mainly dialog, I want to use the TV's built-in speaker.

Currently, all sources go into the receiver, and input from the STB goes as output to the TV's speakers. But input from all other sources goes as output to the 2.1 system.

I'm looking for an easy way to switch output destinations. E.g., so that output from the AFTV plays through the TV speaker. Initially, I'll implement this using the remote that comes with the VSX-60. Once it's working well, I'll program it into the Harmony Hub.

Can you suggest how to do this?

 

[americanaudiophile]

You can use a matrix HDMI selector like this
https/www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15372&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIytTwmMO62QIVjEwNCh1T3ge3EAQYASABEgLDGfD_BwE
https/www.cdw.com/product/StarTech.com-2X2-HDMI-Matrix-Switch-w-Automatic-and-Priority-Switching/3305871?cm_cat=GoogleBase&cm_ite=3305871&cm_pla=NA-NA-STP_CC&cm_ven=acquirgy&ef_id=UOXOkgAASPRVgyC5:20180222222025:s&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7o2rgce62QIVB1cNCh1OZg5HEAQYBSABEgLIh_D_BwE&s_kwcid=AL!4223!3!198550684941!!!g!110612755699!
If you can get your TV to output audio without turning off the TV speakers you can connect your sources to the TV with HDMI and the TV audio output to the receiver with optical audio. Then you just need to turn the TV volume down and the receiver on.
I don't know if the Harmony remotes allow enough customization to get either setup working with macros.

 

[Gnossos]

After pouring over the very difficult to use Pioneer VSX-60 manual (it uses lots of jargon, so things are easy to find only if you know what they're called, which is probably why you're reading the manual in the first place), I found the solution.

The receiver has a setting that sends audio output to the TV or receiver's amp. Using the remote, select Receiver > Audio Parameter > then navigate to the HDMI setting. Select either Amp or THROUGH to choose between the amp & TV.

In the Logitech Harmony app, it's easy to customize this. Select the activity you want to give a choice to, and then customize it. The necessary receiver options are there in the way of commands. IIRC, Logitech uses HTMLTHROUGH as the command that sends audio to the TV and HTMLAMP as the one that sends audio to the receiver's amp.

For now I've chosen to use short presses for the TV and long presses for the receiver. The DVR button toggles between TV & receiver amp audio. The Volume rocker button does TV volume (short presses) and receiver volume (long presses). And the mute button mutes the TV (short) and the receiver (long).

Since long & short presses are a bit tricky, I wish there were a way to program only one button to toggle between TV and receiver amp, and have something like a macro that would alter the programming for the volume and mute buttons. This way, only the toggle button would need to have two (short/long) actions.