[justinsaccount]

> It seems like AV stuff used to be so simple.

> without a bulky expensive receiver box

A "receiver" has been one of the standard options for making bookshelf speakers work for more than 50 years. A receiver is also not expensive. You can get a basic used one for under $100. I paid $30 for a perfectly working 5.1 Denon receiver with HDMI.

Your problem is that you aren't even using "Modern" AV stuff. If you were, your speakers and TV would both have HDMI Arc ports. Arc has been a thing since 2009.

> That's harder than it sounds though because you have to navigate the menu blind using short and long button presses with the one button.

Or you could unplug it and plug it back in.

[recursive]

Why are receivers so big? It's not exactly a money issue. I just don't want the big box.

[ianburrell]

Receivers are big because of the amplifiers. AV receivers have to drive lots of channels. They are all 5.1 or 7.1. But stereo receivers are also huge.

I suspect that some of this is tradition because there are small solid state amplifiers. I'm surprised no one has made a small receiver for 2.1 system cause would be pretty common.

[gabrielhidasy]

Usually receivers are intended for passive speakers, a lot of the bulk is for housing and cooling amplifiers.

If your speakers are active and don't need an amp, you can use a HDMI audio extractor, those are pretty small (mine is about half the size of my phone)

[adamweld]

HDMI Audio Extractor is what you need. Look at OREI.