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Home Theater help.

post #1 of 11
10/9/12 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, i need some help with my new home theater system. I have this. »www.amazon.com/Sony-BDVN790W-Blu···duct_top. My problem is getting 5.1 surround sound. The way i have it configured is HDMI from the motorola qip 7100 p2 stb to the HDMI input on the home theater system then HDMI from the systems output to the HDMI 1 port on my tv. I have read problems with getting 5.1 over HDMI.

So i bought this digital optical cable. »www.walmart.com/ip/GE-HD-Fiber-O···16561363. I hooked it from the back of the stb to the back of the system but it still says 2.0 dolby digital no matter what channel i tune to. I know the cable works because if i turn the home theater system to the tv input i hear the audio. If unplug the optical cable the audio stops. I assume the audio coming through the tv input is 5.1 but i can't say for sure since there's no video for me to click display and find out and there's no way that i know of to get video from the cable box using hdmi to the tv input. Is there another way i can set this up?
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post #2 of 11
10/9/12 at 8:32pm
Try connecting the stb directly to the tv via the coax input. That runs the signal thru the tv's ATSC tuner, out the optical cable, and into the avr. That's what I do for OTA tv and I get discrete 5.1 (when broadcast) perfectly. My blu-ray player and AppleTV2 are connected to the avr via HDMI and a single HDMI out to the tv. The tv's speakers are always off so blu-ray movies and anything streamed has it's audio played thru the avr via the HDMI connections, and tv has it's audio played thru the ATSC tuner and out to the avr via optical. I use a Harmony remote to control the system and it's components with a single push of a button to switch between inputs.
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post #3 of 11
10/9/12 at 9:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto Pylot View Post

Try connecting the stb directly to the tv via the coax input. That runs the signal thru the tv's ATSC tuner, out the optical cable, and into the avr. That's what I do for OTA tv and I get discrete 5.1 (when broadcast) perfectly. My blu-ray player and AppleTV2 are connected to the avr via HDMI and a single HDMI out to the tv. The tv's speakers are always off so blu-ray movies and anything streamed has it's audio played thru the avr via the HDMI connections, and tv has it's audio played thru the ATSC tuner and out to the avr via optical. I use a Harmony remote to control the system and it's components with a single push of a button to switch between inputs.

Won't that degrade my picture quality for HD?
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post #4 of 11
10/10/12 at 8:51am
No. My HDTV is connected via a coax from the antenna on the roof to the ANT/CABLE input of my tv. PQ is great! You may have to make some adjustments with your cable/sat box but that shouldn't be an issue.
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post #5 of 11
10/10/12 at 10:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy31 View Post

Won't that degrade my picture quality for HD?

Yes it probably would because if you use coax out from a STB it likely only outputs SD video. In order to get HD video, you MUST use either HDMI or component out from the STB. Otto Pylot is using an antenna, not a STB, which is why the coax is right for him.

Your original connection should be the correct one. HDMI out from the STB to HDMI in on the receiver, then HDMI out from receiver to HDMI in on TV. There should be no issues whatever with 5.1 audio because HDMI is the best connection method. You shouldn't need optical at all. Debugging steps: Try switching/using different HDMI cables. Check your audio settings on the STB. Check your settings on the receiver. Make sure you're selecting the correct input. Make sure the program you're watching has DD5.1 audio.
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post #6 of 11
10/10/12 at 1:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possumgirl View Post

Yes it probably would because if you use coax out from a STB it likely only outputs SD video. In order to get HD video, you MUST use either HDMI or component out from the STB. Otto Pylot is using an antenna, not a STB, which is why the coax is right for him.
Your original connection should be the correct one. HDMI out from the STB to HDMI in on the receiver, then HDMI out from receiver to HDMI in on TV. There should be no issues whatever with 5.1 audio because HDMI is the best connection method. You shouldn't need optical at all. Debugging steps: Try switching/using different HDMI cables. Check your audio settings on the STB. Check your settings on the receiver. Make sure you're selecting the correct input. Make sure the program you're watching has DD5.1 audio.

Good points Possumgirl. I'd try certified High Speed HDMI cables as well. The optical cable was confusing because it sounded like he was trying to push 5.1 audio via HDMI to his tv and then back out via optical which won't work because of the tv limitations and the optical limitations. The tv should be receiving and processing the video signal and not the audio.
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post #7 of 11
10/10/12 at 1:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possumgirl View Post

Yes it probably would because if you use coax out from a STB it likely only outputs SD video. In order to get HD video, you MUST use either HDMI or component out from the STB. Otto Pylot is using an antenna, not a STB, which is why the coax is right for him.
Your original connection should be the correct one. HDMI out from the STB to HDMI in on the receiver, then HDMI out from receiver to HDMI in on TV. There should be no issues whatever with 5.1 audio because HDMI is the best connection method. You shouldn't need optical at all. Debugging steps: Try switching/using different HDMI cables. Check your audio settings on the STB. Check your settings on the receiver. Make sure you're selecting the correct input. Make sure the program you're watching has DD5.1 audio.

I think i've solved the issue. Someone over at dslreports found a review of this particular system where the system in some cases can display on the tv incorrectly as 2.0 dolby digital when it in fact is 5.1. When i'm watching something i know is in 5.1 it appears to work correctly. Dialogue is from the center channel and every other sound from the other 4 speakers.
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post #8 of 11
10/10/12 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto Pylot View Post

Good points Possumgirl. I'd try certified High Speed HDMI cables as well. The optical cable was confusing because it sounded like he was trying to push 5.1 audio via HDMI to his tv and then back out via optical which won't work because of the tv limitations and the optical limitations. The tv should be receiving and processing the video signal and not the audio.

The optical cable i have from the stb to the home theater system. I read one review of this system that 5.1 only works if you use the optical cable from the stb to the home theater unit.
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post #9 of 11
10/10/12 at 2:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy31 View Post

The optical cable i have from the stb to the home theater system. I read one review of this system that 5.1 only works if you use the optical cable from the stb to the home theater unit.

Glad to read that your issues seem to be resolved. If it is true that the HTIB can't process 5.1 from HDMI, that is one very strange receiver!!! eek.gif
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post #10 of 11
10/10/12 at 2:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possumgirl View Post

Glad to read that your issues seem to be resolved. If it is true that the HTIB can't process 5.1 from HDMI, that is one very strange receiver!!! eek.gif

Very strange indeed that it seems to need that and that it also displays the incorrect audio output on the tv when you push display on the HTIB's remote. Since i plugged in the optical cable i have noticed the audio bitrate will change from 384kbps to 448k on tbs right now for the MLB playoffs. It briefly went to 1.5mbps last night. I also thought the issue might be my tv not supporting ARC but i think that only applies if you are hooking it up to the tv directly and not through the stb like i have it. Obviously sony made a few mistakes with this which is a bit annoying but those two things aside i really like it the audio sounds great. The internet apps are very nice too. I did read that the netflix app crashes but i was watching Doctor Who on it last night and had no such problems. I haven't watched a bluray yet so i can't comment on how that looks and sounds yet.
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post #11 of 11
12/6/12 at 7:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy31 View Post

Very strange indeed that it seems to need that and that it also displays the incorrect audio output on the tv when you push display on the HTIB's remote. Since i plugged in the optical cable i have noticed the audio bitrate will change from 384kbps to 448k on tbs right now for the MLB playoffs. It briefly went to 1.5mbps last night. I also thought the issue might be my tv not supporting ARC but i think that only applies if you are hooking it up to the tv directly and not through the stb like i have it. Obviously sony made a few mistakes with this which is a bit annoying but those two things aside i really like it the audio sounds great. The internet apps are very nice too. I did read that the netflix app crashes but i was watching Doctor Who on it last night and had no such problems. I haven't watched a bluray yet so i can't comment on how that looks and sounds yet.

Life saver thread if indeed that is the correct answer smile.gif, I spent last 5 days struggling with exactly the same issues on this reciever @

http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/298999-Hopper-not-outputting-5-1-Dolby-Digital

Man that was helpful, why would Sony still not fix it though, i am seeing LPCM 5.1 being displayed when hooked up using my laptop and playing vlc
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