First off, let me provide the details of my setup.

60GB PS3 (latest firmware 1.92)
32" Sharp LC-32D42U Aquos LCD HDTV (supports 480p, 720p, & 1080i)
Onkyo TX-SR505 Digital Receiver

I currently view PS3 video output (games & video) using the HDMI pass-through feature of my receiver--my PS3 is connected to my receiver via HDMI cable while the receiver is connected to the TV through HDMI cable as well. Sound is output via toslink/optical directly to the receiver.

DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and video files play at 1080i just fine. The problem I'm having deals with playing video games at 720p, which is what most default to because they don't seem to support 1080i. The video display starts to flicker every 1-3 seconds between a black screen and a partial signal of whatever game I'm trying to play at the time. The games that i've tried so far are actual game discs of Virtua Fighter 5 and NBA College Hoops 2K7 as well as game demos of Ninja Gaiden, Gran Turismo, Folklore, Resistance, and Stranglehold. What's interesting is that the game demo of Super Puzzle Fighter HD doesn't provide any problems because it displays at 1080i.

What I did to isolate the problem is by doing a System Restore. This reset video and sound to output solely through HDMI. Playing game discs was just fine through this setting--no flickering screen and what not. Once I set the Sound Settings to optical/toslink, the problem began to re-occur.

Can anyone shed some light on this issue and how it can be resolved? Thanks in advance.

I have an Aquos LC37D43U, and I get the flickering as well when I run HDMI to the TV and optical to the receiver AND have DD/DTS enabled.

What works for me is to run HDMI (audio & video) to the TV, then connect the TV's optical OUTPUT to the receiver, using the TV as the passthru. No more flickering.

The TV still complains sometimes about unrecognized audio signals, but it still seems to work (albeit a little buggily).

So much for plug and play...

Hmm, that sounds like it's a problem with the actual PS3. You might want to contact Sony customer service and see if they have anything to say about it.

Well it's been a year and many many firmware revisions to the PS3. As of writing this, latest firmware is 2.42 and there still is a HDMI flickering problem if you use HDMI and setup the sound settings to output through an optical cable. (HDMI for video, Optical for sound). Unfortunately Sony has not fixed this, and the only way to stop PS3 games from flickering is to NOT USE THE OPTICAL OUTPUT ON THE PS3. :(

The workaround on a Sharp LC37D43U is use Input 5 (which has HDMI audio passthrough support) and use the optical output on the TV. As the previous people have written, this works, but isn't perfect. The TV sometimes doesn't detect the audio signal and it will not output sound. Only fix for that is to reset the TV when you have no audio. Usually a TV power cycle allows the TV to detect the audio stream.

This is my setup.
PS3 to HDMI 1.3a cable into HDMI on Sharp LC37D43U passthrough optical out to Z-5500 receiver.

Sharp HDMI settings for Input 5
HDMI auto view - OFF
HDMI audio - Dolby Digital

PS3 settings
BD/DVD settings - Optical and HDMI audio output - BITSTREAM
Sound Settings - HDMI > Manual > Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, AAC, Linear PCM 2 channel 44.1khz and 48khz.

NOTE** I was able to sucessfully send a DTS signal from the PS3 HDMI, through the TV out optical to my reciever ONLY after enabling AAC support. I don't know why, but it works. Tested DTS on DVD, DTS ES on DVD, DTS HD Master Audio on Blu-Ray. The Z-5500 receiver detected a DTS signal on all formats. :)

NOTE2.. I know I'm not getting actual DTS HD, but even regular DTS sounds better IMO than Dolby Digital.

I use my PS3 on a computer monitor with HDMI to DVI, along with optical out going to a receiver, and I have never seen flickering. I'm sure there are many other people who use a combination of HDMI and optical.

I know it sucks, but it sounds like this is the display rather than the PS3. Have you tried something else that can be set to only output sound through HDMI?

Yeah I use my PS3 in the same fashion (HDMI video, toslink audio) and I have never experienced any sort of flickering. That being said I currently use an older 34" 1080i/480p Panny tube and never have to deal with 720p (bad for older games like Motorstorm, I get bumped down to 480p) but I've never seen any sort of flickering at all. It really sounds like your Sharp has an issue with how the PS3 routes the audio. Seeing as how we're responding to a year old post I doubt we'll hear anything about it but have you contacted Sharp about the issue?

Well it's been a year and many many firmware revisions to the PS3. As of writing this, latest firmware is 2.42 and there still is a HDMI flickering problem if you use HDMI and setup the sound settings to output through an optical cable. (HDMI for video, Optical for sound). Unfortunately Sony has not fixed this, and the only way to stop PS3 games from flickering is to NOT USE THE OPTICAL OUTPUT ON THE PS3. :(

Excellent synopsis of the problem. My experience with the D43U was exactly the same and I came to the same workarounds. I sometimes found myself resetting the TV 2 or 3 times a night as the sound would randomly drop-out. My kid even knows how to go into the AV Settings and switch from Linear PCM -> Bitstream just to 'reboot' the audio stream.

I did test my PS3 on different televisions, and tested other PS3s on my D43U and everything points to that TV being the source of the problem.

I didn't give Sharp a call, but I'd be curious as to their response on this.

I purchased my D43U at Costco, so after one particularly frustrating day with it I packed the whole thing up and exchanged for an Aquos 37GP1U (the "gaming" model) and have to say that it exhibits zero of the problems I had with the D43U.

If you do decide to call Sharp on this, please post back to the forum with your results!

I've had the Sharp for 2 years now, I believe it's out of warranty but I'd have to double check. There isn't any point to contact Sharp though, the D43U series is not firmware upgradeable and I think the HDMI ports are ver 1.2.

I feel this problem could be fixed in the PS3. If Sony adds the option to allow BOTH optical and HDMI audio output simultaneously it might fix the problem. For some reason, enabling Dolby Digital output on the optical output of the PS3 makes the HDMI connection on my TV flicker like crazy, but only when playing a PS3 GAME. XMB, DVD, Blu-Ray all work well, but whatever signal protection DRM crap is on the HDMI cable for games causes the flicker if you turn off HDMI audio and have optical out with dolby digital enabled.

I've had the Sharp for 2 years now, I believe it's out of warranty but I'd have to double check. There isn't any point to contact Sharp though, the D43U series is not firmware upgradeable and I think the HDMI ports are ver 1.2.

I feel this problem could be fixed in the PS3. If Sony adds the option to allow BOTH optical and HDMI audio output simultaneously it might fix the problem. For some reason, enabling Dolby Digital output on the optical output of the PS3 makes the HDMI connection on my TV flicker like crazy, but only when playing a PS3 GAME. XMB, DVD, Blu-Ray all work well, but whatever signal protection DRM crap is on the HDMI cable for games causes the flicker if you turn off HDMI audio and have optical out with dolby digital enabled.

The 43U isn't firmware upgradeable by the end user, but you're stating that a technician cannot perform an upgrade on these televisions?

I still say calling Sharp can't hurt, but it's whatever you're willing to live with I guess, since your setup (and my previous setup) sort of works/worked.

if it was my TV I'd expect it fixed in or out of warranty - sounds like a design flaw to me if no other TV is affected

The 43U isn't firmware upgradeable by the end user, but you're stating that a technician cannot perform an upgrade on these televisions?

I still say calling Sharp can't hurt, but it's whatever you're willing to live with I guess, since your setup (and my previous setup) sort of works/worked.

Well it's been a year and many many firmware revisions to the PS3. As of writing this, latest firmware is 2.42 and there still is a HDMI flickering problem if you use HDMI and setup the sound settings to output through an optical cable. (HDMI for video, Optical for sound). Unfortunately Sony has not fixed this, and the only way to stop PS3 games from flickering is to NOT USE THE OPTICAL OUTPUT ON THE PS3. :(

The workaround on a Sharp LC37D43U is use Input 5 (which has HDMI audio passthrough support) and use the optical output on the TV. As the previous people have written, this works, but isn't perfect. The TV sometimes doesn't detect the audio signal and it will not output sound. Only fix for that is to reset the TV when you have no audio. Usually a TV power cycle allows the TV to detect the audio stream.

This is my setup.
PS3 to HDMI 1.3a cable into HDMI on Sharp LC37D43U passthrough optical out to Z-5500 receiver.

Sharp HDMI settings for Input 5
HDMI auto view - OFF
HDMI audio - Dolby Digital

PS3 settings
BD/DVD settings - Optical and HDMI audio output - BITSTREAM
Sound Settings - HDMI > Manual > Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, AAC, Linear PCM 2 channel 44.1khz and 48khz.

NOTE** I was able to sucessfully send a DTS signal from the PS3 HDMI, through the TV out optical to my reciever ONLY after enabling AAC support. I don't know why, but it works. Tested DTS on DVD, DTS ES on DVD, DTS HD Master Audio on Blu-Ray. The Z-5500 receiver detected a DTS signal on all formats. :)

NOTE2.. I know I'm not getting actual DTS HD, but even regular DTS sounds better IMO than Dolby Digital.


Thanks a lot for that post! I was going crazy about this today and about to send my PS3 over to Sony. I'm going to see if the that DTS part works for me. I can't seem to get a DTS running through the TV. I also posted about the problem over at the ps3forums.

I have an Aquos LC37D43U, and I get the flickering as well when I run HDMI to the TV and optical to the receiver AND have DD/DTS enabled.

What works for me is to run HDMI (audio & video) to the TV, then connect the TV's optical OUTPUT to the receiver, using the TV as the passthru. No more flickering.

The TV still complains sometimes about unrecognized audio signals, but it still seems to work (albeit a little buggily).

So much for plug and play...

I have my PS3 set up this way to my 65" Mitsubishi DLP and a Panasonic digital receiver. Lately I've seen a little flicker when I play Call of Duty: World at War. It might just be the HDMI cable or something because it's never really done it before. Any ideas?

Well it's been a year and many many firmware revisions to the PS3. As of writing this, latest firmware is 2.42 and there still is a HDMI flickering problem if you use HDMI and setup the sound settings to output through an optical cable. (HDMI for video, Optical for sound). Unfortunately Sony has not fixed this, and the only way to stop PS3 games from flickering is to NOT USE THE OPTICAL OUTPUT ON THE PS3. :(

The workaround on a Sharp LC37D43U is use Input 5 (which has HDMI audio passthrough support) and use the optical output on the TV. As the previous people have written, this works, but isn't perfect. The TV sometimes doesn't detect the audio signal and it will not output sound. Only fix for that is to reset the TV when you have no audio. Usually a TV power cycle allows the TV to detect the audio stream.

This is my setup.
PS3 to HDMI 1.3a cable into HDMI on Sharp LC37D43U passthrough optical out to Z-5500 receiver.

Sharp HDMI settings for Input 5
HDMI auto view - OFF
HDMI audio - Dolby Digital

PS3 settings
BD/DVD settings - Optical and HDMI audio output - BITSTREAM
Sound Settings - HDMI > Manual > Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, AAC, Linear PCM 2 channel 44.1khz and 48khz.

NOTE** I was able to sucessfully send a DTS signal from the PS3 HDMI, through the TV out optical to my reciever ONLY after enabling AAC support. I don't know why, but it works. Tested DTS on DVD, DTS ES on DVD, DTS HD Master Audio on Blu-Ray. The Z-5500 receiver detected a DTS signal on all formats. :)

NOTE2.. I know I'm not getting actual DTS HD, but even regular DTS sounds better IMO than Dolby Digital.

These settings worked for me too!
I did everything exactly the same as above, except I used Input 4 instead of Input 5.
I also had to follow the same steps posted elsewhere, where you must turn on your devices in the correct order.
1. PS3 first (to establish audio signal)
2. TV (decides whether or not to enable digital only on power up, based on signal)
3. Receiver

My hardware:
PS3 --HDMI--> LC37D43U --Digital_Output--> Ear Force X4 Wireless Headphones

Thanks Netcruzer.

The workaround on a Sharp LC37D43U is use Input 5 (which has HDMI audio passthrough support) and use the optical output on the TV. As the previous people have written, this works, but isn't perfect. The TV sometimes doesn't detect the audio signal and it will not output sound. Only fix for that is to reset the TV when you have no audio. Usually a TV power cycle allows the TV to detect the audio stream.

This is my setup.
PS3 to HDMI 1.3a cable into HDMI on Sharp LC37D43U passthrough optical out to Z-5500 receiver.

Sharp HDMI settings for Input 5
HDMI auto view - OFF
HDMI audio - Dolby Digital

PS3 settings
BD/DVD settings - Optical and HDMI audio output - BITSTREAM
Sound Settings - HDMI > Manual > Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, AAC, Linear PCM 2 channel 44.1khz and 48khz.

NOTE** I was able to sucessfully send a DTS signal from the PS3 HDMI, through the TV out optical to my reciever ONLY after enabling AAC support. I don't know why, but it works. Tested DTS on DVD, DTS ES on DVD, DTS HD Master Audio on Blu-Ray. The Z-5500 receiver detected a DTS signal on all formats. :)


You are a life saver my friend, I have almost the exact same hardware and ofcurse the same issue, the only difference is that my aquos is 32".

And that´s probably why I wasn´t able to get DTS on my Z-5500 receiver with your setup suggestion, I guess I´ll have to settle down with Dolby Digital untill I am able to affort a new TV (hopfuly 1080p) that doesn´t give me this much trouble.

Anyways, thank you very much and keep up the hard work! :D

Just chiming in to say that I have the exact same problem with my Sharp LC37D43U and my PS3. Unfortunately I didn't realize the TV was the issue until after I'd had my 2-month-old PS3 replaced with another unit through Sony warranty.

I tried, briefly, to do the optical passthrough via the TV but after not being able to get anything but stereo sound I went out and bought the Sony PS3 component cables (on blowout sale for only $9.95!) and wired the PS3 directly to my receiver with the optical cable. Everything works great and I really can't see much of a difference with the video quality over HDMI; text in the XMB isn't quite as sharp but that's about all I've noticed.

So I've been having the same problem with my PS3 and found that disabling the optical out fixes the HDMI feed problems, but I'm having a difficulty passing the audio signal through the TV. I'm using Input 5, but I don't see the 'digital setup' tab on the menu. I do see it on the TV and the non-HDMI Input 1 & 2. Is there a way around this, or should I spring for component cables?

I had a similar issue and came to a resolution. I returned my PS3, 2 weeks old, then returned the HDMI cable I just purchased. The newer PS3 flickered one time, usually during the PS3 root menue, so I then exchanged the HDMI cable. After that it hasn't happened agian. ::knock on wood::

I TOO am using a Optical cable for my audio feed directly to my receiver. I would put my money on the HDMI cable that isn't quite snug on either your receiver and or TV over the Display/PS3 honetly.

Exchange all your HDMI cables and try that first, they weigh less than a TV. ;)

So a change in HDMI cable did the trick? What brand?

one thing to try and it seems to be working for me now with the latest 3.01 firmware is set it to output as Optical but turn on multiple audio out for the PS3, it will only do stereo for HDMI but my TV doesn't seem to be having any issues anymore. also as I have the 32inch model it looks like the audio passthru on the HDMI was not enabled, it would have been nice as I have to many digital Audio devices and not enough ports on my onkyo 605.

I'm having this flickering problem as well, though it doesn't seem to happen when playing a movie or game on a disc.

Equipment other than PS3 is Denon 4810 and Samsung LN-4671 LCD. I'm not using optical out for anything. I'm purely running HDMI from PS3 to receiver to LCD. If I go straight from PS3 to LCD via HDMI, I don't have a problem.

Heck, I even ran to Best Buy today and bought another PS3 to rule out a defective unit. Same problem, though I'm kind of relieved that I don't have to buy another one!

I've switched out HDMI cables and used different HDMI ports on my Denon...doesn't make a difference. I had assumed it was a video issue, but most people seem to be talking about audio signal issues here. I did notice that when the Denon freaks (causing the whole screen to go on and off at times) it does seem to indicate that it's losing all audio input signals.

I'm at a complete loss here, but am beginning to conclude that none of my equipment is defective. Rather, there's some other issue I'm not figuring out....:(

^i am having the exact same probelm with my denon/samsung plasma/ps3 setup. It only flickers for dvd's and the menu. Blurays play flawlessly. I have tried to change out the stock HDMI cable to a cheap one from a local electronics store with no luck. I have also tried to plug the ps3 into different ports to no avail. My last resort is to pick up an hdmi cable from monoprice to see if that will do the trick. There is a little play in both ends of the hdmi cables...they are not snug. I can wiggle the hdmi cable from the back of the avr and from the back of the ps3.

azula - Check out this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1176040&highlight=). The solution may be to set the video output on your PS3 or (in my case) the Denon.

^thanks houseofg, i will try what you suggested. seems like we are having the exact same issue.