Freeview HD and no 5.1 sound

[scene]

One of the selling points of Freeview HD, beyond the obvious HD picture, is the quality of its sound. That is the ability to receive 5.1 surround sound - the "cinematic surround sound" [sic] that the Freeview website promotes - click. However, I've been reading an article stating that UK broadcasters are mostly using the AAC codec for surround sound, which is supported in the Freeview HD spec, but most box manufacturers seem to have assumed Dolby Digital would be used so don't have any transcoding ability for AAC to Dolby. The result, stereo sound in most cases.

Is this the case? If I buy a Freeview HD box to get HD picture and 5.1 surround sound, will I only get stereo sound, no matter what the Freeview website says?

 

[Clare Newsome]

It's not as simple as that (new tech rarely is!

) Andrew's response in this similar thread explains all...

 

[scene]

Thanks for that Clare - yes that does all make sense. So I either need an AV amp capable of taking LPCM over HDMI or I have to wait until April 2011 when the Freeview HD spec mandates that m/c sound must be output over SPDIF (which I assume means DTS will be used), or find out which boxes transcode.

In any case, this is a bit of a minefield and maybe WHFS&V could help by including what surround sound output options are available for a Freeview HD box in their online reviews? E.g. 5.1 surround - only LPCM over HDMI?

 

[Clare Newsome]

The reviewers are briefed!

 

[scene]

Clare Newsome:The reviewers are briefed!

 

[professorhat]

Just to add, I have the Philips HDT8520 box and it currently doesn't output 5.1 over the HDMI port, though it states in the manual a firmware update is due to correct this.

From what I've read elsewhere, none of the currently available Freeview HD TVs / external boxes pass LPCM over HDMI or transcode to DD / DTS over the optical / coaxial outputs, apart from possibly the Sony KDL-503 series of TV's, but there still seems to be doubt about this. It's a bit of a mess I think!

 

[professorhat]

Blog from the BBC concerning this.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Yep, an interesting - and at times incredibly frustrating - piece....

And the Sony KDL-46EX503 we have here (review in latest issue) works fine, BTW

 

[Andy Clough]

What a minefield. Feel some extra research needed here.

 

[scene]

Andy Clough:What a minefield. Feel some extra research needed here.

Yes, that was my feeling and it's putting me off buying a Freeview HD box to go with our older (albeit only HD-ready) 32" Sony that's about to get moved to the family room. I don't want to get a box that won't supply 5.1 to an amp in a usable format.

I also fear that there might be a lot of backlash against Freeview HD if a lot of people buying STBs find they can't get surround sound...

 

[Anonymous]

Of the eight boxes I've looked at so far, only two provide surround via S/PDIF, and a lot of TVs don't manage any better.

The BBC blog is informative, but to a large extent only really confirms what some people have known for a while; there's definitely a lot more research needed on this and it's proving pretty hard to get information. And a lot of people are going to be quite upset, especially since the Freeview HD website touts surround as one of the benefits.

EDITED BY MODS - House Rules

 

[The_Lhc]

scene:I also fear that there might be a lot of backlash against Freeview HD if a lot of people buying STBs find they can't get surround sound...

Given the number of people here who don't seem to notice that they're only getting stereo from their blu-ray players I somewhat doubt it...

 

[professorhat]

Clare Newsome:And the Sony KDL-46EX503 we have here (review in latest issue) works fine, BTW

Hi Clare - can I ask if that was using the optical output or via HDMI feedback to a compatible amp? (or both?

)

 

[Clare Newsome]

the_lhc:

scene:I also fear that there
might be a lot of backlash against Freeview HD if a lot of people
buying STBs find they can't get surround sound...

Given
the number of people here who don't seem to notice that they're only
getting stereo from their blu-ray players I somewhat doubt it...

Or indeed their Sky+HD boxes, because they've only got them connected to their receiver via HDMI....

 

[Anonymous]

Also worth bearing in mind that, in fact, there's very little broadcast at present that does have a 5.1 audio track. Today on BBC HD there's one of the kids programmes, then A Little Later at 2230.

Tomorrow there's Dr Who (1840), Dr Who Confidential (1930), two episodes of Robin Hood (2315, 0000) and two A Little Later (0045 and 0100).

So while the current situation is not ideal, right now you're not missing out on that much surround, either.

 

[Clare Newsome]

professorhat:
Clare Newsome:And the Sony KDL-46EX503 we have here (review in latest issue) works fine, BTW

Hi Clare - can I ask if that was using the optical output or via HDMI feedback to a compatible amp? (or both?

)

Optical - thought that was best to test as it's most relevant to more surround systems (including home cinema in a box systems as well as receivers).

 

[professorhat]

Clare Newsome:professorhat:
Clare Newsome:And the Sony KDL-46EX503 we have here (review in latest issue) works fine, BTW

Hi Clare - can I ask if that was using the optical output or via HDMI feedback to a compatible amp? (or both?

)

Optical - thought that was best to test as it's most relevant to more surround systems (including home cinema in a box systems as well as receivers).

Agreed - many thanks!