Sony BDP 360 and STR 360 set up not so perfect?

[admin_exported]

I bought this combo thinking this Sony Bluray and surround amp/ speakers would be a budget match made in heaven, only to have spent this weekend in hell trying to connect them as surely they should be. The problem arises from the seeming lack of opt/coax connections to enable to output PCM from the Bluray to let the amp performs its full magic. The 3 digital audio inputs are assigned to TV, SAT, and Video 2. Only SAT allows for preference for optical input rather than HDMI. When plugging Bluray optical out in to SAT I can experience the the receiver doing it's full multichannel best -only the picture is that from the SAT. I feel I'm missing an optical for the bluray, particularly as AV sync is an issue with my Bravia 37/5500 and AV offset only functions with digital audio inputs. I've scoured the manuals and tried all sorts of settings. Im I missing something or should I just be happy with the Bluray player doing all the decoding? Thanks!

 

[d4v3pum4]

Hi, Welcome to the forum. What is an STR 360? I can't find it by google. Please post a link. If it is the HT-SS360 system from Sony, then you don't need to use an additional digital audio cable e.g. optical or digi-coax. It should accept the lossy formats via bitstream and the HD audio formats in LPCM format i.e. utilsing your player's decoding. If you want HD audio, then you need to set the player to do the decoding and output as LPCM over HDMI, it's as simple as that. You will only get lossy formats e.g. DD5.1 and DTS over optical or digi-coax, which although are great, lossless HD audio should in theory sound better, so I'm not sure why you think that using optical will be of any benefit over HDMI.

How is everything connected?

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply. Although the unit is marked on the front panel STR-KS360S, the manual states HT-SF(orSS)360. My main issue with the set up is not being able to control the delay for AV sync, as (according to the manual) only be achieved by using the digital sound inputs. As far as the surround sound, I was under the impression it was best to output the PCM sound from the Bluray and let the amp do the decoding? I shall attempt to describe my settings tomorrow, as tonight I've gone right up my own posterior and now can't seem to output anything by two channels from Bluray player and can't for the life of me get it to output 5.1 like it had. Can you recommend a back issue that covers this topic, as someone who always regarded himself as pretty tech savvi, I feel a complete dumdum?! Many thanks. Antony

 

[Anonymous]

Okay here I go again! I can get 5.1 surround from this set up by setting the Bluray player's Audio Out priority to HDMI and Output Type to Auto. BUT this means I cannot control the AV sync issues and the AMP is not doing any decoding work. If I keep Audio Out priority to HDMI but change output type to PCM the Amp's Auto Format detect always shows 2 Channels no matter how I change the Downmix setting on the Bluray player. The AMP has all these lovely displays for Dolby Digital and DTS but they never light up, only the Dolby PL does. Please help anybody.I feel such a dope! Thanks in advance.

 

[Sorreltiger]

To emphasise the advice given above: the amp will not decode the HD sound formats. This needs to be done by your Blu-ray player and the signal sent as PCM. In this case you do not want the DD or DTS lights on - these are inferior sound formats.

Your problem is that the amp is only seeing a stereo input and converting it via Dolby Prologic.

Is your BD player now connected via HDMI to your Home Cinema System with NO optical cable? Is that the problem? You then connect the Home Cinema System to the TV via another HDMI cable. There really shouldn't be any need to adjust audio synch with blu-ray discs.

In p.37 of the Home Cinema System manual look at the sound field instructions. You need to select A.F.D. STD so that the amp reproduces whatever signal it receives.

As for the BD player, the instructions are on pp 44-45, although there is a handy summary table on p 63. Audio should be 'Auto', and BD Audio 'Direct'.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all very much for your help. I have learned to trust my ears and not be distracted by which flashing lights should be lighting up. I have learned a lot from your tips, but would really like to master all these different formats. Any recommendations for articles / books would be welcome. All the best, Antony

 

[Sorreltiger]

I hope you're now enjoying your new system! To be honest, I don't think there's a book as such, but there is a huge amount of material on here and the other specialist forums. You will soon discover that many others have (and continue to have) similar problems to yours and you can learn form the expertise of those in the trade and those who are just enthusiasts. Beware, though - it does get addictive!!

 

[Anonymous]

aydeeman:I bought this combo thinking this Sony Bluray and surround amp/ speakers would be a budget match made in heaven, only to have spent this weekend in hell trying to connect them as surely they should be. The problem arises from the seeming lack of opt/coax connections to enable to output PCM from the Bluray to let the amp performs its full magic. The 3 digital audio inputs are assigned to TV, SAT, and Video 2. Only SAT allows for preference for optical input rather than HDMI. When plugging Bluray optical out in to SAT I can experience the the receiver doing it's full multichannel best -only the picture is that from the SAT. I feel I'm missing an optical for the bluray, particularly as AV sync is an issue with my Bravia 37/5500 and AV offset only functions with digital audio inputs. I've scoured the manuals and tried all sorts of settings. Im I missing something or should I just be happy with the Bluray player doing all the decoding? Thanks!