TV3 5.1

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cshwone

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#30212 1-Feb-2009 20:44

Hi,

I am running a DSE STB to a Yamaha Receiver through an HDMI connection. Tonight is the first time I have accessed any 5.1 programming (Bones) but all I get is 2 channel (Front Left and Right). No centre or Surroinds. The DSE Box is Set to Dolby.

Any pointers to get 5.1?

Thanks

sbiddle

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#193290 1-Feb-2009 20:48

Have you switched the audio to AC3 rather than AAC?

It's definately 5.1 - I'm watching it here now.

cshwone

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#193294 1-Feb-2009 20:58

Yes,

Dolby selected, not AAC. Audio preferences set to Dolby in the set up menu. Program info shows AC3 audio but my Rx reckons it is reseiving a 2 channel PCM signal

sbiddle

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#193297 1-Feb-2009 21:04

Hmm.. Coming to think of it does the Zinwell do 5.1 via HDMI? I have a feeling it might only be 5.1 via the optical.

cshwone

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#193299 1-Feb-2009 21:11

Just been relooking at the manual and it shows 5.1 availability from the co-ax or optical outputs. Sort of defeats the object of the HDMI interface though.

I'll need to set up a co-ax connection in time for next week to check.

Thanks for your help.

sbiddle

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#193301 1-Feb-2009 21:17

cshwone: Just been relooking at the manual and it shows 5.1 availability from the co-ax or optical outputs. Sort of defeats the object of the HDMI interface though.

I'll need to set up a co-ax connection in time for next week to check.

Thanks for your help.

A typical setup is HDMI into TV and then SPDIF to an amp. There are lots of requirements of the HDMI spec that are very draconian and only inconvenience people, they don't stop piracy.

bazzer

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#193331 2-Feb-2009 08:08

It's very annoying...

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Jaxson

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#193336 2-Feb-2009 08:53

I had the DSE zinwell box initially and from memory I'm pretty sure I did get 5.1 out of it. I don't know, does anyone else know of any freeview hd box that actually outputs 5.1 over hdmi? Both optical and coax are essentially the same signal so I'd expect either would offer the 5.1 surround

hdmi to tv and optical/coax to amp is actually nice in that you don't have to run the amp just to watch tv. This is becoming less common now as hdmi becomes the standard and has audio and video in one, which means in most cases you have to run the amp to watch any source on the tv.

cshwone

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#193341 2-Feb-2009 09:11

It is a PITA for me as I run everything through my receiver on both the video and audio lines and the receiver does all the switching for me.

However, I believe I can continue to run the HDMI video to the TV via the receiver, and connect the audio to the rx through co-ax and reconfigure the inputs to select co-ax at the rx. Bit of a work around as HDMI does of course have the better bandwidth and it just seems wrong to be supplementing the HDMI connection with co-ax to get the best audio.

I never use the TV speakers, if the TV is on, the receiver is on.

stevenz

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#193343 2-Feb-2009 09:26

That's what I've had to do, as on my Samsung at least, the HDMI -> SPDIF is not pass-through, the TV downmixes incoming signals down to 2-channel PCM, only material coming in from OTA is output via 5.1 over the optical. I've also got to run a separate Toslink cable into the amp to get 5.1 out of mine. A bit irritating.

sbiddle

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#193345 2-Feb-2009 09:43

I'm not aware of any TV's that will give you 5.1 passthru via SPDIF when using an HDMI input. They will all downscale to 2ch stereo which is apparently a requirement of the HDMI specs.

cshwone

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#193517 2-Feb-2009 20:23

Got home from work, found an old optical cable and ran it between the DSE STB and my rx. Bit of mucking about reassigning inputs through the amps GUI. Switched to CH3 and up came the Dolby Digital indications. So my STB is now connected to the rx with HDMI for video and optical for audio.

Really luddite approach by the STB manufacturer. My PS3 passes decoded hi-res audio by HDMI, Panny BD-30 bitstreams DTS-MA by HDMI and I have to revert to Optical for vanilla Dolby Digital with this STB :(

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#193525 2-Feb-2009 20:53

cshwone:
Really luddite approach by the STB manufacturer. :(

This is typical of every STB sold in NZ in fact worldwide. I did read the reasons why somewhere - something to do with copy protection blah blah and the HDMI spec mentioned earlier.

Jaxson

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#193619 3-Feb-2009 09:33

Yeah I don't think you'll find a set top box that offers dolby over hdmi which is agreed, totally backwards.
A pain if you do use a receiver to switch inputs like it's meant to do.
You either have to regig the inputs like you have done, or run a dedicated stb hdmi cable to the tv and an optical to the receiver.