[todd_j_derr]

I just got a new receiver (Denon AVR-X2000) and was a bit surprised that the HDMI output (connected to the TV) does not appear to pass any audio. I could have sworn I'd done this with my other receiver (Onkyo TX-NR709), but it appears I was mistaken - I just tried it there and no audio either. Is this a "feature" of HDMI? I tried searching for an answer but if one is out there it's buried in millions of other results about other HDMI audio issues. Is this some kind of HDCP thing, where the receiver "terminates" the audio so it's not permitted to send it downstream?


I know it is not a cabling or other issue because if I enable the Standby pass-through and then turn the receiver off, then it passes audio to the TV just fine.


I'm not sure I have a long-term use for this configuration but I was trying to A/B the receiver & speakers vs a Sonos soundbar and this makes doing that difficult... but it definitely makes me curious why it doesn't work.

 

[kikkenit2]

Designed that way. Connect the source to the tv and use arc to send the audio to the stereo.

 

[todd_j_derr]

Yeah, I thought about that, but didn't really want to re-wire everything... I'm just trying to compare the two so I can decide which system I like better and which one gets sent back. I ended up doing a lot of A/B tests with music (getting the playback reasonably synced wasn't that difficult) which I guess is more important to me anyways.


I'm still curious as to *why* it behaves that way, is it a HDMI/HDCP requirement?

 

[BIslander]

I would ignore that recommendation to connect the devices to the TV and to use ARC to feed audio to the receiver. You'll likely be limited to stereo if you do that as most TVs still not pass encoded multichannel sound from HDMI inputs.


Most receivers have an HDMI setting that controls whether sound is sent to a TV. Denon usually calls it something like AMP or AMP + TV.

 

[kikkenit2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander  /t/1521812/no-audio-on-hdmi-output-from-receiver-working-as-intended#post_24462054


I would ignore that recommendation to connect the devices to the TV and to use ARC to feed audio to the receiver. You'll likely be limited to stereo if you do that as most TVs still not pass encoded multichannel sound from HDMI inputs.


Most receivers have an HDMI setting that controls whether sound is sent to a TV. Denon usually calls it something like AMP or AMP + TV.

I agree your way is better. Never use tv speakers so forgot about that setting.

Page 137 of manual. HDMI audio out. It is not a simple back and forth, but can be done.

 

[todd_j_derr]

Yeah, I did find the setting (it was on the same menu where you configure passthrough but I missed it) - it can be set to either "AVR" or "TV" but not both. So, it's definitely a deliberate decision to restrict it. But, that allows me to accomplish the A/B with only a short dropout when I switch, not too bad.

 

[afrogt]



Quote:
Originally Posted by todd_j_derr  /t/1521812/no-audio-on-hdmi-output-from-receiver-working-as-intended#post_24461651


Yeah, I thought about that, but didn't really want to re-wire everything... I'm just trying to compare the two so I can decide which system I like better and which one gets sent back. I ended up doing a lot of A/B tests with music (getting the playback reasonably synced wasn't that difficult) which I guess is more important to me anyways.


I'm still curious as to *why* it behaves that way, is it a HDMI/HDCP requirement?

Why would you want to listen to the TV speakers if you have a sound system?

 

[BIslander]



Quote:
Originally Posted by todd_j_derr  /t/1521812/no-audio-on-hdmi-output-from-receiver-working-as-intended#post_24466479


Yeah, I did find the setting (it was on the same menu where you configure passthrough but I missed it) - it can be set to either "AVR" or "TV" but not both. So, it's definitely a deliberate decision to restrict it. But, that allows me to accomplish the A/B with only a short dropout when I switch, not too bad.

That's a useful setting as sometimes the HDMI handshake with a TV, a 2 channel device, forces a stereo output from the source device. Disabling the HDMI audio connection prevents that part of the handshake.

 

[todd_j_derr]



Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt  /t/1521812/no-audio-on-hdmi-output-from-receiver-working-as-intended#post_24466579


Why would you want to listen to the TV speakers if you have a sound system?

I bought a Sonos Playbar - it sounds decent, but given the price and lack of any sort of switching, I thought I'd try the receiver route, and I wanted to A/B them before I made my final decision. I thought the easiest way to do this was to send the sound to the Sonos via the TV (since the Sonos only has optical in and the receiver has no optical out).


Although, in my old house I used to use the TV speakers often, mostly because the TV room was unfortunately right below the master bedroom so when my wide was asleep the lack of bass from the TV speakers was a feature. But, that was pre-HDMI, before the entertainment industry made doing simple things difficult.

 

[todd_j_derr]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander  /t/1521812/no-audio-on-hdmi-output-from-receiver-working-as-intended#post_24466663


That's a useful setting as sometimes the HDMI handshake with a TV, a 2 channel device, forces a stereo output from the source device. Disabling the HDMI audio connection prevents that part of the handshake.

Thanks, that explanation makes sense - I could see ways they could work around that but it's added complication for something that's probably not generally that useful.