[John Winn]

I need some help and/or advice please.

I have a sony HDTV which has a DVI connector on it and on that I have an HDMI to DVI adapter. I have had it connected to a HDMI switching box with my cable box, Blue ray and Roku netflix box attached. I bought a new amp, the Sony STR-DG820 to clean up my HDMI connections and switching, but when I connect the Sony TV to the amp, it kills the sound outputted to the surround speakers. I worked on it for hours and called Sony support. He told me it was because of the HDMI-DVI adapter on the TV..He was right, if I pulled the HDMI connection from the TV, the sound would come on. I then got out my 19" Samsung TV which does have HDMI connections and it worked..This really seems stupid since I have the amp set to NOT send audio to the TV..He mentioned "maybe" an HDMI to DVI converter "might" make it work..Surely there is a cost effective way to fix this? I don't want to upgrade my perfectly good 50" Sony yet..Has anyone else had this issue and figured out a way around it, without replacing the TV, or buying a 300.00 converter? The picture is beautiful, just kills the audio..

Thanks,


John

 

[Foxbat121]

It's clearly either a bug or misconfiguration iof your SONY AVR. There is nothing wrong with your adapter. Maybe you should post in DG820 owner thread to get proper help.

 

[Vinny Aquilino]

You only will get video.You need to connect your componets(sat,cable,blu ray players,dvd players)Digital outputs coaxial or toslink to your amp for sound.Dvi is an video connection only.

 

[John Winn]

I am not trying to pass audio to the tv. I am only using it as a monitor, but as soon as I connect the HDMI cable to the DVI connector on the TV, I loose all audio. Somehow, something is killing the audio in the connection to the TV..I can pull the plug from the DVI connector, and plug it directly into the Samsung and everything works (sound from surround speakers) go back to the DVI adapter and I get a beautiful picture on the Sony, but no sound from the surround speakers..

 

[natchie]

I think Vinny is right...as soon as you use HDMI => DVI to the television, it carries only video signals...are you connecting anything else for audio? Coaxial or Toslink or even RCA for audio to receiver? OR no receiver is used?

 

[John Winn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by natchie /forum/post/15526601


I think Vinny is right...as soon as you use HDMI => DVI to the television, it carries only video signals...are you connecting anything else for audio? Coaxial or Toslink or even RCA for audio to receiver? OR no receiver is used?

Hi there..

Nope..Totally HDMI..With the HDMI connected to the DVI adapter, on the back of the sony I get no sound. Pull the connection off the TV, and sound resumes. I tried just plugging the HDMI cable into the adapter to see if it's that but the sound is fine until I plug the DVI connector to the TV. When I plug the same HDMI cable outputted from the amp to the smaller, new TV with HDMI, the sound stops for a second like it is re-syncing , then the picture and sound resume (sound from the surround speakers)

So some how, the HDMI to DVI adapter to the TV is taking the sound out even though it's not supposed to be sending sound..I don't understand it either..Just the simple action of pulling the connection off the sony TV brings the sound back..Oddly the sound works fine with the HDMi cable not connected to anything. It almost seems if you knew which wires in the cable carried the sound, if you could disconnect them it would work. I have always heard that HDMI to DVI could cause video issues but my picture is flawless...

John

 

[Foxbat121]

Usually HDMI AVRs have some setting that allow you to either pass sound to TV or not. If you set your AVR to pass sound out to TV, it will check your TV's audio capability to decide audio output format. Since DVI does not carry sound, your AVR may incorrectly mute itself instead. If you have full surround setup, you should not enable this setting (the name varies by brand).


Like I said, you have to call Sony support to figure it out. Or just return the AVR and buy other more popular and capable brand.

 

[John Winn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxbat121 /forum/post/15528327


Usually HDMI AVRs have some setting that allow you to either pass sound to TV or not. If you set your AVR to pass sound out to TV, it will check your TV's audio capability to decide audio output format. Since DVI does not carry sound, your AVR may incorrectly mute itself instead. If you have full surround setup, you should not enable this setting (the name varies by brand).


Like I said, you have to call Sony support to figure it out. Or just return the AVR and buy other more popular and capable brand.

More popular than Sony? I figured they were pretty main stream..I think by returning it and trying others, I would just risk making a list of returns until I found one that worked..But I did find a device which I am hoping might work. It's a HDMI to DVI-D converter that claims to split the audio stream out of the HDMI connection..Says it is specifically designed to connect DVI displays to HDMI home theatre equipment. It's made by Startech and I found one for 139.99. (part number HDMI2DVI if anyone wants to know)

Figured it was worth a try. I did call Sony, and the guy and I went through several settings and options and nothing worked aside going to analog sound..What's the point. He did refer me to a page in the manual that recommends you don't do a DVI to HDMI converter :-( He said even though you choose not to send the audio to the TV, it still somehow has to check the circuit..

But it appears the device I ordered splits out the audio and sends it to a SPDIF connection so you can connect it to the amp (I won't be using that) but as long as the amp plays well with it, the video part should work..I will post my findings once I get it in case someone else has this same issue.


John

 

[Randy Mathis]

The HDMI to DVI adapter works from my Onkyo 805 to my Sanyo Z2 just fine so it can be done.


I'm guessing that this is a model specific problem.


It seems like every model has something weird about it.

 

[John Winn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Randy Mathis /forum/post/15532272


The HDMI to DVI adapter works from my Onkyo 805 to my Sanyo Z2 just fine so it can be done.


I'm guessing that this is a model specific problem.


It seems like every model has something weird about it.

That seems so true..And in my case, going from Sony to Sony, you would think my odds would be good!


John

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

What model is the Sony set? It has a DVI input, but is it HDCP compliant? Either way, I think I'd try a different AVR before I paid $140 for a HDMI-DVI adapter to fix the problem.

 

[phipp01]

Do you have "audio out" in the receiver menu set to "amp"? Also why not get a cable like this

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

 

[ChrisWiggles]



Quote:
Originally Posted by John Winn /forum/post/15526876


Hi there..

Nope..Totally HDMI..With the HDMI connected to the DVI adapter, on the back of the sony I get no sound. Pull the connection off the TV, and sound resumes. I tried just plugging the HDMI cable into the adapter to see if it's that but the sound is fine until I plug the DVI connector to the TV. When I plug the same HDMI cable outputted from the amp to the smaller, new TV with HDMI, the sound stops for a second like it is re-syncing , then the picture and sound resume (sound from the surround speakers)

So some how, the HDMI to DVI adapter to the TV is taking the sound out even though it's not supposed to be sending sound..I don't understand it either..Just the simple action of pulling the connection off the sony TV brings the sound back..Oddly the sound works fine with the HDMi cable not connected to anything. It almost seems if you knew which wires in the cable carried the sound, if you could disconnect them it would work. I have always heard that HDMI to DVI could cause video issues but my picture is flawless...

John

What he's saying is that because the TV is DVI, it is telling the source that it is video-only, and no sound is being output. Check the receiver settings.

 

[thebland]



Quote:
Originally Posted by John Winn /forum/post/15526876


Hi there..

Nope..Totally HDMI..With the HDMI connected to the DVI adapter, on the back of the sony I get no sound. Pull the connection off the TV, and sound resumes. I tried just plugging the HDMI cable into the adapter to see if it's that but the sound is fine until I plug the DVI connector to the TV. When I plug the same HDMI cable outputted from the amp to the smaller, new TV with HDMI, the sound stops for a second like it is re-syncing , then the picture and sound resume (sound from the surround speakers)

So some how, the HDMI to DVI adapter to the TV is taking the sound out even though it's not supposed to be sending sound..I don't understand it either..Just the simple action of pulling the connection off the sony TV brings the sound back..Oddly the sound works fine with the HDMi cable not connected to anything. It almost seems if you knew which wires in the cable carried the sound, if you could disconnect them it would work. I have always heard that HDMI to DVI could cause video issues but my picture is flawless...

John

This sounds like an HDCP issue. The service guy from Sony is correct.. For sound, some components require the monitor to be a 'sync' for the HDMI multi-channel sound. The HDMI output from your receiver has to have a sync (the display) attached to it for the audio to pass so multi-channel sound can be played. DVI can eliminate this 'sync' so your receiver is not seeing a sync and HDCP forces it to cut off audio..


Running component may be the most cost effective solution.

 

[phipp01]



Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland /forum/post/15532655


This sounds like an HDCP issue. The service guy from Sony is correct.. For sound, some components require the monitor to be a 'sync' for the HDMI multi-channel sound. The HDMI output from your receiver has to have a sync (the display) attached to it for the audio to pass so multi-channel sound can be played. DVI can eliminate this 'sync' so your receiver is not seeing a sync and HDCP forces it to cut off audio..


Running component may be the most cost effective solution.

OK now I understand. Thats why on page 24 of the manual I DL'ed it says it doesnt recommend an HDMI to DVI converter cable to the DVI-D component. Great explanation thebland. I hope it helps the OP.

 

[John Winn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by phipp01 /forum/post/15532751


OK now I understand. Thats why on page 24 of the manual I DL'ed it says it doesnt recommend an HDMI to DVI converter cable to the DVI-D component. Great explanation thebland. I hope it helps the OP.

That's what I am thinking it's trying to do..I am hoping the HDMI to DVI converter will give the amp the sync it's looking for, then pass the DVI video off to my TV..It appears that is what it's intended to do and must be why it costs so much more than a simple adapter..Will be worth it as I plan to keep this set for a few more years, I just replaced the bulb in it..


John

 

[thebland]



Quote:
Originally Posted by John Winn /forum/post/15533446


That's what I am thinking it's trying to do..I am hoping the HDMI to DVI converter will give the amp the sync it's looking for, then pass the DVI video off to my TV..It appears that is what it's intended to do and must be why it costs so much more than a simple adapter..Will be worth it as I plan to keep this set for a few more years, I just replaced the bulb in it..


John

Likely there will be no difference in using a HDMI-DVI cable versus a HDMI-DVI converter.

If it is a DVI TV, then it likely cannot accept 1080P24. Sending component video should give a very similar picture to your DVI picture.

 

[Foxbat121]

Sony DVI TVs support HDCP without problem. HDMI to DVI converter contains no electronics and only converts one physical connector (HDMI) to another (DVI) with all the wires straight pass through. The problem is a DVI TV does not accept audio via DVI port. So, if the AVR is not designed properly to handle this situation, it will cut off its audio as well when it shouldn't. I'd bet most AVRs handle this just fine. Your Sony AVR, a medicore AVR at best, just doesn't work for your setup.


EDIT: I saw you mentioned only surround speakers don't have sound when you connected to your TV. Does front speakers have sound all the time?

 

[Easyaspie]

John, I wouldn't go spending any money on a converter. This sounds like a bug with the AVR. The new Rotel 15 series have this bug too. Maybe a firmware update can fix it.

 

[dsmith901]

DVI, even HDCP compliant, will not pass audio, only video.