I have a Samsung LE52A656 TV, a Denon AVR 1509 amp which is connected to the HDR FOX T2 with a TOS link. The BBC test card operates in PL II not DD 5.1.

The T2 is set to multi channel on the digital out. The amp is set to auto for the input.

I'm running the latest beta software.

I'm on the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.

Could the problem be that my TV will not accept a 5.1 signal over HDMI, so it is then dropping the optical digital output back to PCM?

You need to connect the Fox T2 directly to the amp with the TOS link.

He has - the problem is likely connected with the 5.1 compression system used on Freeview-HD which is AAC not Dolby Digital. Have a look at Hummy.org there's lots of info on this . The box has to convert aac into a format that works with your amp

Hi


The Humax supports transcoding of the Freeview AAC to Dolby Digital 5.1 so it should be working fine.

To the OP, check the firmware version you have, make sure it is 1.00.04 or 1.01.05 (From the menu->settings-> info page), if not download the latest beta from this link http://beta.humaxonline.co.uk/downlo...edirects=0&d=1 instructions are in the zipped file. There were some boxes shipped with an earlier firmware version that might have had Dolby Digital issues.

When you say BBC test card, do you mean the one that alternates an audio test between all the channels? If yes that should be transcoded to Dolby Digital 5.1, although the BBC do seem to be constantly tweaking things on the audio side. Also check that your amplifier doesn't have a setting that needs changing to auto detect the signal correctly.

Regards

Phil

It does now as you say, but there still appears to be problems.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Very much appreciated.

I do have the latest beta firmware, I do have the T2 connected via the optical link (TOSLINK), the amp is set to auto on the input used and yes I do mean the test card with the audio channels "rotating".

The digital output (on the T2) is set to multi channel (not stereo).

The amp never detects DD on any programs on BBC HD.

I understand that the multi channel audio also outputs on the HDMI. If my TV is "saying" "I don't understand the audio info", is there a chance that the audio stream is being changed during the HDMI handshake?

Anyone have any other ideas for me to try?

My Panasonic BW780 only outputs surround via the HDMI connector as multichannel PCM. May be worth forgetting the optical connection and see if you get DD indicated when using the HDMI into your amp.

Even if it works there is a problem that some programs are output in 5.1 but are only stereo so you only hear sound out of the R and L speakers and no way to select a pseudo surround mode as the amp thinks it is DD!

Basically a Freeview HD and BBC cockup!

[quote=NoDad;44462652
I understand that the multi channel audio also outputs on the HDMI. If my TV is "saying" "I don't understand the audio info", is there a chance that the audio stream is being changed during the HDMI handshake?

Anyone have any other ideas for me to try?[/QUOTE]

There is no chance of this, the HDMI transfer to the TV is 100% 1 way. There is no way the TV can talk to the Fox box. Most likely is there is a problem that your amp has a problem with Dolby Pulse output. Easy to prove watch HD with a scart only connection in SD. Press audio while watching HD and check the 5.1 track is selected

bump stuck post

Unfortunately my amp only switches the HDMI inputs to a common output, it cannot use the audio on the HDMI connection. For this reason (and because I only use the amp for films, music HD etc.), I don't take the HDMI via the amp.

Thanks Graham, I'll try the scart idea. BTW, if I press the audio button during the BBC test card, I don't have the option to select a 5.1 output, only stereo or stereo with audio description? Does that tell you guys something?

It tells me that you have the right track. On freesat the second track is audio described but only in MP2 stereo (output by the box as lpcm). Beyond that reaching the limit of my limited knowledge

On the i-plate (info button press), the only audio symbol is the interlocked circles symbol, meaning multiaudio. Should there be a DD or DD+ symbol?

BTW, I've tried a scart and the audio is just the same - PL II.

Hi

There shouldn't be any DD symbols on the i-plate as Dolby Digital isn't used on British TV to date.

The multi-audio interlocking circle icons are un-reliable, they have been absent when 5.1 has been broadcast, and present when no 5.1.

There is no option for 5.1 when using the audio button on the Humax remote so that doesn't indicate a problem.

It may just be your amplifier and an incompatibility, can you get 5.1 Dolby from other sources like DVD on the amp?

I'd also try again in a few days time, the BBC are know for still experimenting with 5.1

Regards

Phil

Phil, the amp works fine from other sources (Blue ray, media files, my PC with DD 5.1 and dts).

I did try playing the BBC-HD test card recorded from satellite on my PC (a .ts file), which I put on a USB HDD, which is definitely 5.1 and that wouldn't play in DD 5.1 on the T2 either. That could be because .ts files are not upported (the video worked).

Does my amp just not like the digital stream for some reason? Is this another Humax protocol problem, like the HDMI issue which many have (including me)?

If during the BBC HD test card you don't get the 5.1 light on your amp via the optical connection to the Humax then there is something wrong with the Humax.

If I were you i would call Humax support and speak to them to see what they advise.

When the Humax receives HE-AAC then it outputs that over the optical connection unless you select "downmix" in the menu. The product will not transcode HE-AAC to DD over the optical it will only do this via the HDMI because the HDMI 'sink' is able to tell the source it can't handle HE-AAC.

If your amp doesn't support either HE-AAC or HDMI then that is a different matter and not a fault with the Humax product. BBC HD outputs HE-AAC and the optical connector has whatever audio is broadcast.

There is never any support for AAC-HE over the optical connection!

The only way to get DD 5.1 via the optical connection is for the decoder (Humax) to transcode the AAC to DD. Only a few current Freeview HD boxes support this function but I was led to believe the Humax was one of them? If not then the only possibility is to get multi-channel PCM via the HDMI connection. Even the HDMI connection will not support AAC-HE as far as I know.

That's strange. I was under the impression that the HDR Fox T2 was transcoding to DD via optical.

I have a sony DH800 amp connected via optical to the HDR Fox T2. This amp does not support AAC but I still get DD5.1 playing correctly through it. I was watching Jools Holland the other night and the amp's display changes to say that it's receiving a 5.1 source. It also does this during the BBC HD idents too.

I have the Audio setting set to Multi-channel on the HDR Fox T2

Which is why I told NoDad to contact Humax as maybe he has a faulty box?

I have to connect the optical digital output of my Fox T2 to my Audiolab 8000AP processor as its two HDMi inputs are already used for my Foxsat HDR and Oppo BD83.
I was pretty sure it was providing Dolby Digital 5.1 and I have just confirmed this from a BBC HD preview transmission of an excerpt from the Proms. This was clearly in 5.1 and the Dolby Digital light on the 8000AP was lit, so in my case at least the optical output must be outputting multi channel audio.
I have checked the specificaion of the 8000AP and there is no mention of any ability to accept and AAC input, only Dolby Digital.

Is that really how it works, Bob? I'm sure that you know your own products but that doesn't seem very sensible to me.

I know that a S/P-DIF sink can't inform the source that it cannot handle HE-AAC. But since no receivers at all (that I am aware of) can handle HE-AAC the obvious and sensible thing to do is for the source to assume that it has to transcode to AC3. To cater for possible future receivers that might handle HE-AAC then this could be controlled by a user selectable option. But the default should surely be to transcode to AC3?

And for HDMI, the behaviour that you describe is also not ideal. The preferred output would be multichannel LPCM rather than transcoding to AC3.

In my view, the correct behaviour for HE-AAC source material should be:
[LIST][*]S/P-DIF output: transcoded to AC3 (with possible user options to leave as an encoded HE-AAC bitstream or to downmix to stereo or Dolby Surround)
[*]HDMI output: Humax decompresses HE-AAC and outputs LPCM (with possible options depending on sink capabilities and/or user settings to transcode to AC3 or leave as HE-AAC)[/LIST]

Guys, you can imagine my difficulty with this. Most people seem to get the DD light on, on their amp when fed from the optical output of the T2. Surely, this must mean that the T2 is transcoding to AC3, because I'm not aware of any amps that handle HE-AAC.

I've got another Denon amp, I think I'm going to try that one too. I wonder if I have got a duff box.

I'm not being stupid am I, Sutton Coldfield do transmit HE-AAC don't they?

DTT HD doesn't come from Sutton Coldfield until next Autumn.

HD is from Lichfield at the moment.

OK, I presume Lichfield is transmitting HE-AAC audio on the HD channels (when the program is in 5.1?

I've tried every kind of search to find out.