Connecting/configuring Sony AV receiver

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Connecting/configuring Sony AV receiver

1 | 2

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#323151 26-Apr-2010 18:12

joker97: not all receivers can receive audio thru HDMI. the cheaper ones usually can't.

That is a good point...

joker97: AND lossless audio CAN be bitstreamed over optical i'm pretty sure

...but you are wrong here. It's either via RCAs as analog or HDMI as digital. You can send the "core" of DTS-HD MA however. Well, actually lossless audio CAN be sent over SPDIF, but not 7.1, only maybe 2 channel or something, perhaps that's what you meant?

andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#323194 26-Apr-2010 19:37

OK, checked the receiver and it was already set to Amp, not Amp+TV. I'll work through your subsequent reply later - got to do some family-friendly stuff (e.g. let the wife watch the Living Channel) for an hour or so.

Not sure I mentioned the TV in the OP, actually, but it's a 40" Samsung LCD. Thinking of getting a Sony Bravia but the Samsung will have to do for a while yet, and I know Samsung and Sony have some partnerships going, including manufacturing TVs in the same factory together, so I was hoping it would be "compatible enough".

andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#323387 27-Apr-2010 08:44

There is also the ability to switch between digital and analogue (under Switching between digital and analogue audio (INPUT MODE))

Found this in the manual - it looked promising. There are two selectable settings: ANALOG and AUTO. AUTO is supposed to give "priority to digital signals when there are both digital and analog connections ... HDMI audio signals have priority over COAXIAL and OPTICAL". There are no analog connections between my BD and receiver, just a single HDMI cable, but I selected the BD source and made sure it was set to AUTO anyway. The end result is the same though: perfect sound and vision when HDMI3 is the selected source, and picture only when BD is selected.

I'm going to have to set some time aside to really read this whole manual from cover to cover, and in the mean time, go back to Sony and get them to show me one set up in store. I just find it hard to believe that a current model receiver can't (or at least makes it this hard to

) get HDMI audio out of source selection designated for a HD media format...

Dingbatt

6756 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#324728 29-Apr-2010 14:28

andrew027:
There is also the ability to switch between digital and analogue (under Switching between digital and analogue audio (INPUT MODE))

Found this in the manual - it looked promising. There are two selectable settings: ANALOG and AUTO. AUTO is supposed to give "priority to digital signals when there are both digital and analog connections ... HDMI audio signals have priority over COAXIAL and OPTICAL". There are no analog connections between my BD and receiver, just a single HDMI cable, but I selected the BD source and made sure it was set to AUTO anyway. The end result is the same though: perfect sound and vision when HDMI3 is the selected source, and picture only when BD is selected.

I'm going to have to set some time aside to really read this whole manual from cover to cover, and in the mean time, go back to Sony and get them to show me one set up in store. I just find it hard to believe that a current model receiver can't (or at least makes it this hard to ) get HDMI audio out of source selection designated for a HD media format...

I just downloaded the Owners Manual for the 3500ES and I notice it has some subtle differences from the 2400ES I set up at the end of 2008.
The first (as you mentioned) is that the hdmi inputs are numbered but have no default names, and there is an extra row of buttons on the remote for hdmi 1 thru 4.

One thing I did notice is that there is a small 'for AUDIO' written beside hdmi3 on the back of the receiver. Have you tried any of the other hdmi-in ports?
I see you have tried assigning hdmi to the BD in the options menu and commented there is isn't any option for audio. I assume Sony have decided that if you select hdmi you mean both video and audio. Once you have made your selections, is there the option to save? Or is that achieved by selecting return? The OM isn't very clear on that.
What happens if you set the input assign audio option for BD to BD Coax (even though you don't have a physical cable connecting the two)? Having the audio select to 'AUTO' should still mean it selects hdmi over anything else anyhow.

Does the input mode button on the remote allow you to cycle through the possible digital sources, or only select between digital and analogue?

The only other thing I can think of at the moment is that when you press the hdmi button on the remote it overrides the input assignment settings for BD.

I will keep reading the OM and see if I can think of anything else. I do sympathise with you, I find Sony AV gear particularly difficult to configure and decipher.

I guess you could ring Sony NZ (rather than just the store) and ask to speak to someone who has the technical know-how to help you...

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#324823 29-Apr-2010 16:44

Thanks Dingbatt - you're a freakin' legend just for sticking with this!

I'll work through your post later, as I'm not going to be home until late tonight due to a physio appointment. In short, though:

- I haven't tried any other HDMI ports for the BD player, but surely one labelled "for AUDIO" sounds like it should solve this problem - not cause it!
- The on-screen menu suggests that to save, you just press Return.
- I did try the Input Mode button. From memory it just cycled between "Auto" and "Analogue".
- I have posted a question on the My Sony forum, and will try calling their 0800 SONY NZ number tomorrow.
- Yes, bl**dy difficult!

1 | 2