HDMI & audio

admin_exported

New member
Aug 10, 2019
2,556
4
0
Visit site
I have connected up a Denon DVD1930 to my Sony STR1200ES with a Denon HDMI cable, but cannot get full surround sound on my speakers (KEF iQ5, 1 & 2C). The guy that suplied the KEFs has said I need to use a digital coaxial cable in addition to the HDMI, and that for better audio CD playback I should also use a pair of analogue coaxial cables from the DVD to the amp. Does this sound right as I thought HDMI was a one-cable do-it-all?
 

Andrew Everard

New member
May 30, 2007
1,878
2
0
Visit site
HDMI is 'the magic cable' in that it is capable of carrying all this information - picture, sound and control (oh, and 5V DC power) - but what happens to it is down to what the equipment at each end can do.

In the case of the Sony, the HDMI switching is of the 'pass through' kind, in that it can allow a signal through, and indeed switch HDMI from two inputs so that they're output from the single HDMI output it has, but the receiver can't extract any of the information travelling down the cable. To do that you'd need to look to the next model up the Sony ES range, the STR-DA3200ES, or to the new STR-DG910, along with some rival products.

In the STR-DA1200ES the HDMI pass-through is merely a convenience feature.

So yes, for audio you do need a standard digital connection from player to amp. That will deliver surround sound from DVDs, as well as stereo from CDs.

The bit about analogue cables from player to amp is based in the assumption that the player's onboard digital to analogue conversion is better than that in the receiver. In all honesty I should think you could skip those and just use the digital link for CDs, too. Otherwise you're going to be into another £30-50 for some decent analogue interconnects - I'd rather spend the money on a good but sensibly-priced digital cable, such as Atlas Element, Black Rhodium Rhythm or Ixos XHD-608-100, which are all in the £30-50 range.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for the clear explanation, Andrew. This has been driving my wife mad as the digital audio cables (QED Qunex P75) here in Thailand are 60 pounds and up, as are the HDMI cables. I hadn't realised from the reviews of the STR1200ES that the HDMI switching was 'pass through' and doesn't allow the amp to extract the HDMI info. Now that's clear we are both a bit happier, 'though I wish I had thought ahead and bought the cables last time I was in the UK!

There's one other question I hope you may be able to help me with re. the Denon DVD1930. When I go into DVD Setup, Audio Settings, 'Audio Mode' is set to 'HDMI' as default and 'HDMI Audio'' is set to 2 Channel' as default. If I change 'HDMI Audio' from '2 Channel' to 'Multi Channel', I can get into 'Speaker Setting for HDMI Audio' and 'Speaker Configuration', but the DVD does not detect my Centre, Rear L & R speakers or Subwoofer. I can only set the size of the front speakers. The Centre and Rears are set to 'None' and I am unable to change this. Also setting the Sub has a choice of 'Yes' or 'No' and I cannot change from 'No' to 'Yes'. I am not sure whether this is a problem, something, or I should be concerned about or not related to the explanation of the HDMI 'pass through' above - it just seems odd that the manual tells you that you can change these settings, but I am unable to.
 

Andrew Everard

New member
May 30, 2007
1,878
2
0
Visit site
Yes, its related to the fact you can't actually get the extra channels out of the player and into the amp in this configuration. I guess the HDMI multichannel configuraton screen would let you set the channel sizes and levels in a suitable set-up, buit at the DVD level HDMI offers no quality advantages in audio terms over standard SPDIF digital - the best you'll ever get is standard Dolby Digital/DTS surround.

It's only when you move up to HD DVD or Blu-ray, and have a suitable receiver at the other end, that the audio quality advantages of HDMI kick in.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks again, Andrew. I guess I'll have to wait a while until I can move to HD DVD . . . and convince my wife!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hi,

I have just bought the sony av based upon your magazines recommendations. Does this mean then that this AV receiver will not be able to take advantage of the latest audio via HDMI if I were to connect a Blu-ray or HD-DVD? ... and that it will simply forward on the video signal to the TV?

Thanks

Jeff.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for your response.

... do you know if I can connect component from my dvd player directly to my TV and connect a coax from the DVD player to the AV receiver - will the AV receiver play the audio without having to send the video signal as well.

I'm just thinking I can save on the cost of another component cable!

Thanks again.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
So, basically the HDMI ports are only of use on this receiver if your TV has only 1 HDMI socket ... in other words only useful as a HDMI switcher? ... If the TV has 2 or more ports then it is best to connect the HDMI cable directly to the TV from the source?
 

Andrew Everard

New member
May 30, 2007
1,878
2
0
Visit site
Indeed. The terminology gets a bit confusing because I would say that this configuration, which merely switches the HDMI signals rather than actively doing anything with them is indeed just a switcher, but it seems that 'switcher' means a full HDMI implementation to some companies, who prefer to refer to it as a 'pass-through'.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
It doesn't help when the specs of HDMI allows for this selective implementation. Although not many receivers implement switching only, the few (Pioneer 1016, I think is another) that do creates confusion in consumers. And if they. do this information should be made clear upfront by the marketing (literature) and salespeople (not buried in page 40 of the manual) so that people know not to buy there crippled HDMI receivers.

Graham:
to take advantage of the great DVD-Audio and SACD capabilities of your Denon 1930 you will have to connect the 5.1 multichannel anlaog outputs.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I understand that the PS3 can output multichannel Linear PCM audio for playback of DVDs and BDs, since this would not require decoding in the Receiver, I assume that the STR-DA1200ES can just take that Linear PCM through the HDMI and just send it straight to it's amp and out to the speakers?

I have the STR-DA1200ES but have not been able to plug speakers in yet since they are being delivered today and for simplicity would like to have the Audio going through HDMI.

Also, if I can't output the Audio through HDMI, then does this cause problems for the HDCP compatibility of the reciever?

Thanks,
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts