New Sony HD AV receivers - the definitive guide!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.

Reading the previous posts from the few that have the 2400 (on this forum and other forums) it doesn't sound like the Sky HD 5.1 audio is unsuable when connecting via a HDMI connection (and the new Sky HD boxes don't have component out) but I guess you guys will prove this when you do your review !

So from you're comment I take it you are very impressed with the 2400 ie. build and sound quality ?

 

[Andrew Everard]

P007:

So from you're comment I take it you are very impressed with the 2400 ie. build and sound quality ?

Not at all what I said - only commented that it is built on an entirely different platform.

And we're calling the 820 back to check the specific functionality under discussion, and will report back as soon as we have done so.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok thanks.

Will be interesting to see if this works on the 820.

Personally I have the 2400 on pre-order and this whole issue is going to determine wether or not I cancel that (hopefully your review will be out before I get the amp delivered).

 

[Andy Grange]

From what I've read of people who have the 820/2400ES the current workaround for Sky HD is to use a component cable to run your video to the receiver. This allows you to assign optical/coaxial sound from the HD box without overriding like the HDMI does. The only downside is that apparently some of the newer Sky HD boxes don't have component out.

Just thought I'd keep everyone up to date.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi What Hi-Fi Team,

Is the new Denon 2809 scheduled to be reviewed anytime soon? What about the older Yamaha 1800? Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

The point of having the 4 hdmi though is to use them for all your sources and as the 820 doesn''t upscale -connecting by component is not really on - .

Also as pointed out -eventually there wont be component on sky hd boxes -rendering this useless!!

Not really a proper solution !

Mine is definately going back !

 

[Andrew Everard]

seakingadvice:Hi What Hi-Fi Team,

Is the new Denon 2809 scheduled to be reviewed anytime soon? What about the older Yamaha 1800? Thanks.

As far as I can tell from the contents lists I have in front of me, not before the Awards issue, no.

 

[trapster]

going off track a little here but as i have said in other posts on this topic i have a 2400es on pre-order and i have the kef 3005se speaker package which i believe are 8ohm speakers.

i see that the sony amp specs are 100w at 8ohms

the other amp i am looking at

onkyo 875 shows as 200w but at 6ohms

can someone explain this to me,are the kef speakers going to be better with a 8ohm amp ? or is there little difference

 

[Anonymous]

I've hit exactly the same issues you have with my STR-DG820. I have Sky HD, PS3, and a Toshiba HD-EP35, all of which I hooked up through HDMI with an additional optical cable for Sky. My TV is a Fujitsu Siemens plasma with one DVI port, it does support HDCP, and is connected to the amp with a HDMI - DVI cable. Picture displays fine but no sound at all with any of the devices, unplug the TV cable and the sound works fine. Confirmed all the settings were correct on each device but no luck. I thought no problem, i'll just use Optical until I get round to replacing my TV. As a result I hit the audio priority issue you mentioned where hdmi audio overrides optical.

Completely fed up, I went down the road to my local shop and picked up an Onkyo TX-SR606 and hooked it up exactly the same way the Sony had been. Powered it up and everything was working right from the word go - sound, picture, HD decoding. The Onkyo has been fantastic and I've arranged an RMA for the Sony.

cliffai:

Yes there was signal on the optical output (I was using this before anyway into the A2) - I checked this again by removing all the HDMI connections, leaving just the optical connection from the Sky HD box. Like that I got the 5.1 DD audio. Seems crazy to me that they should leave out such a simple option as being able to force select the alternate digital audio inputs for the particular digital video input.

It's packed up back in it's box now awaiting an RMA number.

I really would appreciate the feedback on the 2400ES DVI-D inter-op when you have it. Like wise if there is anyone else reading this using HDMI HD audio from a PS3 with a receiver in conjunction with a DVI-D based TV/Monitor I'd be keen to know their experiences.

As a matter of interest I just found this other forum post http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1015512 where someone had exactly the same issue as me with the STR-DG720.

 

[Anonymous]

I am looking to get the Sky HD, STR-DG820, PS3 and a 42" Panasonic Z81 and tanny SFX 5.1 speakers, the issues regarding the Sky HD sound seem to be when going to TV with a DVI port, can i take it that the sound from the SKY HD would be OK through the system i have mentioned or is there an issue with the Shy HD itself. Also can anyone see any shortfalls in the above system, i'm not too fussy about the audio side for music as using an IPOD but would like HD audio for the films and Sky when they are put out.

 

[Anonymous]

The Sky HD and DVI issues are separate.

The Sky HD issue is that the Sky HD box will only output 2 channel PCM over HDMI so you need to use an optical cable from the Sky box to the amp to get the 5.1 Dolby Digital to work. With most amps that would be fine as you can set them up to display the video from the HDMI connection and the audio from Optical. Unfortunately with the STR-DG820, the HDMI audio will always take preference over optical so all you can get is the 2 channel PCM.

The DVI issue is where the STR-DG820 will not output audio from any HDMI device when connected to a TV using a HDMI - DVI cable.

swampydrill:I am looking to get the Sky HD, STR-DG820, PS3 and a 42" Panasonic Z81 and tanny SFX 5.1 speakers, the issues regarding the Sky HD sound seem to be when going to TV with a DVI port, can i take it that the sound from the SKY HD would be OK through the system i have mentioned or is there an issue with the Shy HD itself. Also can anyone see any shortfalls in the above system, i'm not too fussy about the audio side for music as using an IPOD but would like HD audio for the films and Sky when they are put out.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, thanks for that, surely that must mean that the Sky HD has to have an optical out port. Sounds like the team are going to test this issue so i will wait and see the outcome before buying the Sony.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi "dfua82"

Thanks for the confirmation that you didn't have any issue with the Onkyo, I'm toying with the idea of splashing out on one of the 875's and it's good to know that that should most likely operate as expected - not sure if I can justify it though.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Can confirm without any doubt that the 875 works just as it should, as am watching Sky on mine right now with DD 5.1 sound

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew, when do you expect to complete the test on the 820 regarding the Sky HD issue.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew - it was the compatability with a DVI-D Panel, that I was most concerened with and that appears to be OK too. If I go for the 875, I'm hoping that should future proof me for a while - I don't chop and change components now as much as I would in the past. Regards Cliff

 

[Andrew Everard]

swampydrill:Andrew, when do you expect to complete the test on the 820 regarding the Sky HD issue.

Not me doing it but some of the other guys - I expect in the next few (working) days.

 

[Andrew Everard]

cliffai:Thanks Andrew - it was the compatability with a DVI-D Panel, that I was most concerened with

Well my Fujitsu 50in is very much a pre-HDMI panel...

 

[Anonymous]

Well, my Sony 820 is boxed and ready to be collected to go back Monday now - will be in a fix using component as when Sky stop putting them on the Hd boxes -what happens then - back to connecting to TV !

Waste of time having a receiver and still having to connect to tv !!

 

[Andrew Everard]

OK, so here's where we're at:

Official statement coming from Sony at some point very soon, but the state of play is that no, you can't set either the 820 or 2400 to override HDMI and play sound from optical input. The HDMI has priority..

It's going to be fixed in a software upgrade, which will probably be a return to dealer or return to Sony fix, and all Sony customer service people will have been briefed by the end of today so they are aware of the situation.

The fix will also be implemented in production of the 820 and 2400, so future supplies will work correctly out of the box.

More details - and that official statement - when we have them.

 

[Gort1951]

Interesting news from Sony. Now it will be the same situation as the str-da5300es where you had to check your serial number to see if you had a faulty unit.

In the USA Sony do an "Advanced Exchange" where they send you a new amp and then you sent back the old at Sony's expense.

In the UK it's going to be hard work. Pity about the lack of the serial port on the UK str-da2400es as in the USA it will probably be used to update the firmware since the advanced exchange would have cost Sony a lot of dollars on the str-da5300es.

Anyone know if the str-da3400es will be free from this?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Since the 3400 and 5400 receivers haven't been launched in the UK yet, I'm sure Sony will be ensuring they're sorted before they go on sale.

 

[Gort1951]

Good point. What a big mistake especially with What HiFi group test coming up.

Looking forward to the Oct issue.

 

[Anonymous]

Great - should have checked them properly first -now another £15 out of pocket for returning mine !

 

[Anonymous]

And here's the official statement from Sony, given to us just a few minutes ago...

"When using a Sky box with an STR-DG820 or STR-DA2400ES receiver via HDMI, it's not possible to achieve surround sound, as the Sky box only delivers stereo audio from the HDMI connection. You need to use a separate optical cable between the Sky box and the AV receiver - HDMI for video and the optical cable for surround sound. The issue will be resolved via a software update implemented at the factory. For the current STR-DG820's in the marketplace, a free update will be available please contact Sony CIC 08705 111999."