[gdjman68wasdigi]

hello

i recently replaced my series 4 lcd with a new samsung plasma, not sure of the model number, however it is a 43 inch 3d set.

anyway, my samsung amp was connected via optical lead to the tv itself because i have only one optical output on the amp and several units..

i connected the new tv via the same way however the sound only comes out of the 3 front speakers, (2.1) where as on the old series 4 lcd i received 5.1 through all the speakers...dolby digital is marked on the front of this set but not the new one..

maybe i have answered my own question but surely this cant be the case...

thanks in advance

gdjman68wasdigi

[Nigel Goodwin]

Generally the optical output on a TV isn't 5.1 - the exception is normally if the set is Freeview HD, when it will output 5.1 on HD channels only, if they have 5.1 on the programme. It would be rare for 5.1 to be output from any other source other than Freeview HD (or Freesat HD as Samsung now make Freesat sets as well).

[Chasing Shadows]

Your old TV was probably only capable of producing a (PCM) stereo signal, which your Samsung amp was automatically converting to Dolby Pro-Logic - meaning that all five spearkers were producing sound, though obviously not discrete 5.1 surround sound.

If your new TV is truly capable of producing DD5.1 sound, then it will be passing a Dolby Digital signal on to your amp - though not always 5.1, sometimes it may be DD2.0 - and your amp is correctly producing the audio that it is really receiving. So, when the amp receives DD2.0 from the TV, it will produce DD2.0 sound. When it receives DD2.1 sournd, it will produce DD2.1 sound. And when it receives DD5.1 sound, it will produce DD5.1 sound.

Have you actually tried tuning in to something that has 5.1 surround sound on the TV - it is currently only the high definition channels on Freeview/Freesat which carry true surround sound as their audio definition. And when you do, does the amp correctly produce DD5.1 surround sound, rather than the misleading DPL surround sound which you were wrongly interpreting as DD5.1?

[gdjman68wasdigi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chasing Shadows

Your old TV was probably only capable of producing a (PCM) stereo signal, which your Samsung amp was automatically converting to Dolby Pro-Logic - meaning that all five spearkers were producing sound, though obviously not discrete 5.1 surround sound.

If your new TV is truly capable of producing DD5.1 sound, then it will be passing a Dolby Digital signal on to your amp - though not always 5.1, sometimes it may be DD2.0 - and your amp is correctly producing the audio that it is really receiving. So, when the amp receives DD2.0 from the TV, it will produce DD2.0 sound. When it receives DD2.1 sournd, it will produce DD2.1 sound. And when it receives DD5.1 sound, it will produce DD5.1 sound.

Have you actually tried tuning in to something that has 5.1 surround sound on the TV - it is currently only the high definition channels on Freeview/Freesat which carry true surround sound as their audio definition. And when you do, does the amp correctly produce DD5.1 surround sound, rather than the misleading DPL surround sound which you were wrongly interpreting as DD5.1?

i tried it with a blu ray..which gave me the sound through the front speakers, the old set did give me sound in all 5 channels..or 6.

just read the manual, has confirmed only 2 channel sound will be heard through an external bd player etc..

so what next?

optical splitter..?

or buy a decent HT system with more than one optical input

[chrisjr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdjman68wasdigi

i tried it with a blu ray..which gave me the sound through the front speakers, the old set did give me sound in all 5 channels..or 6.

just read the manual, has confirmed only 2 channel sound will be heard through an external bd player etc..

so what next?

optical splitter..?

or buy a decent HT system with more than one optical input

The latter. More expensive obviously but more satisfying in the long term.

If you have a Richersounds nearby and they've still got any this is stupidly good value for money.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...ky-hts3405-blk

Proper AV system for 230 quid. Will quite probably knock any similarly priced "all in one" into the weeds.

Alternatively. If your amp has coaxial digital inputs then you can get optical to coaxial converters for about 30 quid.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

That's the downside to all in one's. Only having one optical in
If like me you have Sky HD, Freeview HD and games consoles your kind of stuffed for connecting them all up to your all in one home cinema. I do however have an ARC enabled TV and Cinema but i'm not sure how that works.

How do I get all the connected stuff to output 5.1 through my home cinema, if possible ?


*You have the floor*

Just in case you need to know: TV is Samsung 55" D6530 and Cinema is Samsung HT-D5530.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdjman68wasdigi

optical splitter..?

or buy a decent HT system with more than one optical input

Not a splitter you need a switch

eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-way-Opti...20980882199368

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

Not a splitter you need a switch

eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-way-Opti...20980882199368

Do I need the same thing or can I use ARC to do it.

[gomezz]

I recently added a Thor HDC75 HDMI/Optical/Co-ax switch to my old Denon AV amp / Samsung TV set up to handle all my video/audio source switching (apart from my old SCART connected kit). I can heartily recommend the Thor especially as the small, slim remote control for it tapes nicely to the flat back of my Humax Foxsat HDR remote control.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxBlaKOuTZxX

Do I need the same thing or can I use ARC to do it.

If the kit at both ends of the hdmi cable are arc compliant then yes you can use arc. You still need to know what audio the TV outputs over hdmi. It might have the same restrictions as the s/pdif outputs.

You need a so called high speed hdmi cable though.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

I recently added a Thor HDC75 HDMI/Optical/Co-ax switch to my old Denon AV amp / Samsung TV set up to handle all my video/audio source switching (apart from my old SCART connected kit). I can heartily recommend the Thor especially as the small, slim remote control for it tapes nicely to the flat back of my Humax Foxsat HDR remote control.

Appears to be discontinued .

http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tv...75-28580t.html

At full price that will go a long way to getting a decent AV amp setup like the Onkyo with plenty of inputs.

[gomezz]

Even at full price it was about 1% of what it would have cost me to appreciably upgrade my current system.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

Even at full price it was about 1% of what it would have cost me to appreciably upgrade my current system.

But the OP is not in that situation. Spending £100.00 on an all in one simply to connect 2 s/pdif outputs to one input makes no sense to me.

[gomezz]

The OP may well not be the only one to see what they can learn from this thread.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

If the kit at both ends of the hdmi cable are arc compliant then yes you can use arc. You still need to know what audio the TV outputs over hdmi. It might have the same restrictions as the s/pdif outputs.

You need a so called high speed hdmi cable though.

How do I find that out and I have a high speed hdmi cable

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxBlaKOuTZxX

How do I find that out and I have a high speed hdmi cable

Needs to be HDMI1.4 spec.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

Probably the only way short of buying one specced at 1.4 is try it to see if it works.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Soz I mean how do I find out what the TV outputs over hdmi.



Here's all I could find about the model I have:


http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/t...6530WKXXU-spec

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxBlaKOuTZxX

Soz I mean how do I find out what the TV outputs over hdmi.

Basically you try it and see - published specifications rarely seem to let you know (and Samsung don't even tell you if it's a Freeesat set or not!).

ARC is a nice idea, but it's time hasn't really come yet - it's VERY hit and miss at the moment.