just got myskyHDi installed ... audio question

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huxtable

114 posts

Master Geek
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#60570 28-Apr-2010 11:03

Just had mySkyHDi installed (with HD ticket etc), and looks AMAZING.

Sky technician has a differing opinion to me however with how to set up audio to utilise 5.1 setup.

I was going to connect MySky -> AVReceiver via HDMI, then AVReceiver -> TV via HDMI.

Tech suggested I may lose picture quality doing this - he instead tried to sell me an Optical audio cable for TV -> AVReceiver. I politely declined.

My equipment:
TV: Panasonic TH-P50S10Z 50" plasma Full HD
Receiver: Pioneer VSX-519V (basic Receiver, see chart http://www.pioneernz.co.nz/Site/Pronto/Files/brochures/AVCHART.PDF )
Pioneer 5.1 speaker system - just basic HTIB speakers ATM, can't even connect up my old sub - speakers are next on the upgrade list ;)
PS3 (games, bluray, dvd)

My PS3 is setup in similar fashion to what I planned with mySkyHDi - HDMI to receiver, HDMI to TV.

What would be the best solution for mySkyHDi audio? (I'd prefer HDMI, I can get HDMI cable much cheaper than optical audio :)

Many thanks for any help.

huxtable

114 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 10

#324218 28-Apr-2010 14:29

May have answered my own question upon searching forums - appears that MySky HDi cannot output 5.1 sound over HDMI, only optical, which sounds odd, but I assume is still the case.

Actually, will Coaxial work (I'm not at home at the moment, but does MySkyHDi have coax out, and will that be in 5.1? Just that I do have a spare coax cable lying around)...

huxtable

114 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 10

#324225 28-Apr-2010 14:36

manaia

272 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#324249 28-Apr-2010 15:12

I think Dolby AC3 was re-enabled over HDMI from the MySKY HDi in August 2009.

vexxxboy

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#324250 28-Apr-2010 15:13

i connect MySky -> Av-receiver via HDMI, then Av-receiver -> TV via HDMI. and i set my AV receiver to SAT to watch Sky and i get 5.1 sound when it is broadcast, a little blue light comes on when its 5.1 sound so not sure where that theory that you cant get 5.1 sound through HDMI comes from.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

huxtable

114 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 10

#324309 28-Apr-2010 16:46

I searched this forum, and there were a number of posts from a while ago suggesting that at the time 5.1 wasn't possible over HDMI. I thought this may well have changed by now. Although I note in my shiny user manual, in the specs, for HDMI it says High Definition Multimedia Interface-stereo audio;
whereas for Coaxial and Optical audio out it says supports Dolby Digital Audio.

Hmmm... will have a bit of a play and see what works.

cyril7

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#324338 28-Apr-2010 17:43

The optical and RCA coaxial spdif ports carry the same traffic, so if selected for DD on the HD channels that carry it then thats what they will carry, otherwise PCM decodes of the MpegI LayerII traffic thats normally used by Sky.

As to if the HDMI carries anything other than the PCM decode of the Mpeg, i cannot say lets hope manaia can confirm back for us.

Other than that I would recommend you just use the coax feed (or optical if its more convenient, by the way the coax feed does not need any flash cable just a basic old RCA cord, its a pretty robust interface if used in 5m or less runs.

Cheers
Cyril

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manaia

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Ultimate Geek
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#324554 29-Apr-2010 09:38

cyril7: As to if the HDMI carries anything other than the PCM decode of the Mpeg, i cannot say lets hope manaia can confirm back for us.

Yes - I should have been more definite in my earlier post. The current HDi software does carry AC3 over HDMI if it is enabled in the Audio menu - it is off by default.

edaw

41 posts

Geek

#324699 29-Apr-2010 13:35

I was just looking at the setup menu, it says you can set either stereo or dolby via HDMI.
I would however run HDMI to the TV with stereo and set SPDIF to dolby and play that out your 5.1 setup.

motogpnz

112 posts

Master Geek

#326229 4-May-2010 00:11

huxtable: I was going to connect MySky -> AVReceiver via HDMI, then AVReceiver -> TV via HDMI.

What would be the best solution for mySkyHDi audio? (I'd prefer HDMI, I can get HDMI cable much cheaper than optical audio :)

Many thanks for any help.

We have a TH50PZ, probably similar to yours...

It depends on whether you plan to always use your receiver for audio. If that is the case like we do then HDMI works fine, the picture passes through the receiver and should not lose any quality unless it doesn't pass 1080HD for some reason.

If you want the ability to switch the receiver off and use the TV speakers then you may strike a problem - our TV cannot decode dolby digital audio and needs PCM, yours is probably the same. In that case go with optical DD to the receiver and HDMI PCM to the TV.

login

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Master Geek
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#333316 22-May-2010 17:01

huxtable: May have answered my own question upon searching forums - appears that MySky HDi cannot output 5.1 sound over HDMI, only optical, which sounds odd, but I assume is still the case.

Actually, will Coaxial work (I'm not at home at the moment, but does MySkyHDi have coax out, and will that be in 5.1? Just that I do have a spare coax cable lying around)...

I run MySkyHDI to my home Onkyo theatre system over HDMI and get 5.1 sound in Dolby Digital perfectly OK. 5.1 DD is only available on TV3, Sky movies 1,Sky Movies Greats, Sports 1 & 2 channels though. There was a MySkyHDi software upgrade that came out September 2008 (as I recall, or was it 2009) that made 5.1 DD available for the first time. Prior to that the only way to do it was via digital coax, as already mentioned.

old3eyes

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#333358 22-May-2010 19:50

login:
huxtable: May have answered my own question upon searching forums - appears that MySky HDi cannot output 5.1 sound over HDMI, only optical, which sounds odd, but I assume is still the case.

Actually, will Coaxial work (I'm not at home at the moment, but does MySkyHDi have coax out, and will that be in 5.1? Just that I do have a spare coax cable lying around)...

I run MySkyHDI to my home Onkyo theatre system over HDMI and get 5.1 sound in Dolby Digital perfectly OK. 5.1 DD is only available on TV3, Sky movies 1,Sky Movies Greats, Sports 1 & 2 channels though. There was a MySkyHDi software upgrade that came out September 2008 (as I recall, or was it 2009) that made 5.1 DD available for the first time. Prior to that the only way to do it was via digital coax, as already mentioned.

Slitley OT. What model number of Onko HT amp do you have. 6 HDMI in and 1 out?? I have been looking at these but not sure what the sound quality is like as they seem quite cheap..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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171 posts

Master Geek
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#333366 22-May-2010 19:57

Onkyo TX-SR806, 5 x HDMI in, 1 x out. Plenty of power for a small to medium size room.