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Foxsat-HDR and Digital Audio


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Old 13-01-2009, 15:03
alanrco
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I have the new Humax HDR and am really pleased with it. However, I'm not sure how to set up my system to receive Dolby Digital thru my home cinema system.

I have the HDMI cable linked to my TV (Sony Z4500) and a TOS (digital optical) cable from TV to my home cinema system (Sony HT-SL40) but when I set the home cinema to auto detect all I get is stereo thru my front speakers even when viewing HD programs. I can of course manually switch to Dolby PL/PL11-MOV/PL11-MUS but I'm sure the amplifier should auto-detect this and I'm not sure whether I'm getting the best from my system.

I notice with the Humax spec tho that it states Digital Audio Output is thru the S/PDIF socket (Whatever that is!) but my amp does not have a corresponding input for S/PDIF.

Am totally confused!

Any help would be appreciated.

BTW, the reason I run the Optical cable from the TV (instead of the Humax which suprisingly does not have an TOS output!) is because I have Freeview built into the TV which I watch quite a lot of the time when there is no HD worth watching.

Alan
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:13
MartinImber
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You need digital audio from HDR to the receiver, the TV gets a stereo downmix.

There is an optical digital audio out so use that.
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:24
GaseousClay
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I notice with the Humax spec tho that it states Digital Audio Output is thru the S/PDIF socket (Whatever that is!) but my amp does not have a corresponding input for S/PDIF.

Am totally confused!
Clicky Here
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:32
Cynderyn
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Hi

As already stated there is a optical link from HDR which I use to plug into my sound system.

However I have found that it only feeds the digital output on BBC HD

If you press "I" on remote control when watching BBC HD digital out icon is there on any other channel the icon does not appear.

In practical tests the only time I see a signal and get sound via my 5.1 (AC3) decoder is on BBC HD.

Can anyone else confirm if this the case
Cynderyn
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:33
grahamlthompson
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You need digital audio from HDR to the receiver, the TV gets a stereo downmix.

There is an optical digital audio out so use that.
You need a seperate audio feed from the TV to your amp, if you don't have another optical socket on your amp just use analogue stereo as Freeview only has stereo sound you won't lose anything.
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:37
alanrco
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Thanks for all your replies, will look into it when I get home

Alan
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Old 13-01-2009, 15:58
grahamlthompson
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Thanks for all your replies, will look into it when I get home

Alan
If you want to use 2 optical and have only 1 input on the amp this will do the trick

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-WAY-TOS-TOSL...1%7C240%3A1318

Last edited by grahamlthompson : 13-01-2009 at 15:59. Reason: wrong link
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Old 13-01-2009, 17:17
Flyer 10
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I have one similar to that for the Humax and PC, be aware though that you cant turn off the Humax optical so if you are listening to another opitcal input and the Humax powers up to record. It will stop the audio from the other device.

Ive put this in the bugs thread as its very annoying if you are using a different input and have to unplug the Humax optical.

BBC is the only channel that has 5.1 sound and it only has that intermittently, you may get lucky with ITV HD or you might have to wait weeks to get 5.1 on ITV.

Try Lux HD if you want to test 5.1, this is in non freesat mode.
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Old 13-01-2009, 17:42
Caoimhghin
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I notice with the Humax spec tho that it states Digital Audio Output is thru the S/PDIF socket (Whatever that is!) but my amp does not have a corresponding input for S/PDIF.
S/PDIF == Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format, can be either coaxial or, as in the case of the Humax HDR, optical, in which case it requires an EIAJ Optical cable (commonly refered to as 'TOSLINK') to connect.


BTW, the reason I run the Optical cable from the TV (instead of the Humax which suprisingly does not have an TOS output!) is because I have Freeview built into the TV which I watch quite a lot of the time when there is no HD worth watching.
See above reply!
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Old 14-01-2009, 09:34
wjharing
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Hi,

I experienced the same 'problem'. I have HDR connected through S/PDIF to receiver and Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1 when applicable.

However only a stereo signal is provided from HDR->[HDMI]->TV->[S/PDIF]->Receiver.

This is truly a shame as otherwise I could save myself an S/PDIF port on my receiver, and also save having to switch my receiver from TV input to HDR input.

the HDMI cable is able to transport Dolby Digital, so why downgrade? That does not make sense to me and sounds like a bug.

Wouter.
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Old 14-01-2009, 09:51
son_t
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It's the TV that is downgrading - better ask your TV manufacturer...
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Old 14-01-2009, 09:58
grahamlthompson
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I have one similar to that for the Humax and PC, be aware though that you cant turn off the Humax optical so if you are listening to another opitcal input and the Humax powers up to record. It will stop the audio from the other device.

Ive put this in the bugs thread as its very annoying if you are using a different input and have to unplug the Humax optical.

BBC is the only channel that has 5.1 sound and it only has that intermittently, you may get lucky with ITV HD or you might have to wait weeks to get 5.1 on ITV.

Try Lux HD if you want to test 5.1, this is in non freesat mode.

If this post refers to the optical switch I can't understand this. The switch is mechanical two input one output device. Only one input can be routed to the output, being mechanical the optical input routed to the output can only be changed by operating the switch. How can the Humax input interfere with the other ?
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Old 14-01-2009, 12:14
Flyer 10
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It's the TV that is downgrading - better ask your TV manufacturer...
Thats true, my TV to surround is 2.0 but the Humax direct to the surround system is 5.1

If this post refers to the optical switch I can't understand this. The switch is mechanical two input one output device. Only one input can be routed to the output, being mechanical the optical input routed to the output can only be changed by operating the switch. How can the Humax input interfere with the other ?
My adapter isnt a manual switch, you have to switch the other device off to make it work.

Now its no problem switching the PC optical off for the Humax to work but you cant have the Humax recording while using the PC optical. The digital off does not work in the Humax menu.
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Old 14-01-2009, 12:26
grahamlthompson
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Thats true, my TV to surround is 2.0 but the Humax direct to the surround system is 5.1


My adapter isnt a manual switch, you have to switch the other device off to make it work.

Now its no problem switching the PC optical off for the Humax to work but you cant have the Humax recording while using the PC optical. The digital off does not work in the Humax menu.
Why not replace it with a manual switch in this case it would surely be more convenient to have a manual switch rather than having to disconnect the toslink lead
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Old 14-01-2009, 13:15
wjharing
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It's the TV that is downgrading - better ask your TV manufacturer...
That would be horrible if that is the case. I have one of the latest Sony TVs (W4500), fully supporting dolby digital etc.
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Old 14-01-2009, 13:34
grahamlthompson
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That would be horrible if that is the case. I have one of the latest Sony TVs (W4500), fully supporting dolby digital etc.
Have you actually tried to see if DD5.1 comes out of the optical output when it's being input on the HDMI. I ask because the manual for my KDL-40W4000 is very vague in this respect and to play 5.1 on the tv's speakers obviously has to be downsampled to stereo. As a result suspect that DD2.0 rather than 5.1 might be output.
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Old 14-01-2009, 15:40
Flyer 10
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Why not replace it with a manual switch in this case it would surely be more convenient to have a manual switch rather than having to disconnect the toslink lead
Because I can turn off my computer without moving, I should be able to turn off the Humax without moving but the optical off doesnt work.

Saves plugging and unplugging every time I want to use a different device.
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Old 14-01-2009, 15:40
Flyer 10
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Have you actually tried to see if DD5.1 comes out of the optical output when it's being input on the HDMI. I ask because the manual for my KDL-40W4000 is very vague in this respect and to play 5.1 on the tv's speakers obviously has to be downsampled to stereo. As a result suspect that DD2.0 rather than 5.1 might be output.
I have exactly the same TV and it is definitely 2.0 coming out of there.
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Old 14-01-2009, 15:49
alanrco
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phew!!! Confusion reigns here

Wonder if setting a modern TV and reciever up will become a degree coarse sometime soon

I have the very latest Sony TV (40Z4500). Now I suspect that because it has a TOS output for sound that it's capable of routing DD 5.1 from a peripheral (in this case the Humax HDR) HDMI cable through to the sound system. In my case this appears not to happen.

I have since discovered that not all HDMI cables are the same, arghhhh! Apparently you need a HDMI cable that is 1.3a, 1.3b, 1.3b1 or 1.3c? As there is nothing on the HDMI cable (supplied with the Humax) to tell me what it is I would have assumed that it was capable of DD5.1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-De...edia_Interface

OMG! and I thought computers were difficult enough

Alan
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Old 14-01-2009, 16:08
wjharing
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I have since discovered that not all HDMI cables are the same, arghhhh! Apparently you need a HDMI cable that is 1.3a, 1.3b, 1.3b1 or 1.3c? As there is nothing on the HDMI cable (supplied with the Humax) to tell me what it is I would have assumed that it was capable of DD5.1
If I'm not mistaken, it is not the HDMI cable that is determining 1.1 1.2 or 1.3abc, but the the device itself.

Since both the Foxsat HDR and the W4500 as well as the Z4500 support HDMI 1.3a+ I would also have expected for the Dolby 5.1 to be carried forward. I will look in the TV manual to see if there is any info.
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Old 14-01-2009, 16:14
Flyer 10
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It doesnt say what the HDMI cable it, Ive seen here you need a 1.3 for it to communicate with the TV to synch off and on but I have no way of finding out if its the cable thats the problem.
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Old 14-01-2009, 16:48
KDH
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Have you actually tried to see if DD5.1 comes out of the optical output when it's being input on the HDMI. I ask because the manual for my KDL-40W4000 is very vague in this respect and to play 5.1 on the tv's speakers obviously has to be downsampled to stereo. As a result suspect that DD2.0 rather than 5.1 might be output.
I have a Sony KDL-32W4000 (same instruction manual as the 40") and on page 34 the spec says for the Digital audio output socket that it only outputs Dolby Digital from the (internal?) DVB depending on broadcast and PCM from any other input source (ie the Freesat + box).

Can't remember if PCM can be converted to DD5.1?
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