HDMI and 5.1

[scarlac]

Hi

I was just wondering if a HDMI-cable transfers 5.1 sound or just stereo.

thanks

[pandy]

range for supported formats depend from version of the HDMI. But generally speaking HDMI is capable to transmit compressed AC-3, DTS, AAC, PCM, LPCM from mono to multichannel formats (ie it can transmit Dolby Digital - AC5.1 or for example PCM 5.1 - both multichannel), newer HDMI adding support for newer audio compression formats like E-AC3 or DTS-HD)

[scarlac]

Good to know that.

I'm using HDMI ports and cables with v1.3

Here is my following problem. When i'm using a device with no optical out, but I have a HDMI-port on that device.
When I connect this device with HDMI to my TV, and my TV with optical to my surround, will I have Surround sound.
Or will it be downmixed.

I can't test it for the moment. I'm taking my information before I jump on it.

[pandy]

You need to verify settings on your source - audio shall be passed to the HDMI without decoding and downmixing (ie compressed multichannel can be decoded and passed as a normal multichannel PCM in my opinion this is similar to decoding made by AV receiver).

Also verify that your AV receiver is capable to receive and decode compressed audio (ie receiver accept for example AC-3 at the HDMI - but most if not all modern AV receiver shall decode at least AC-3 and maybe DTS, many newer AV receivers, mostly with 7.1 and HDMI 1.3 usually accept all compression formats even rare like multichannel AAC or multichannel MPEG 1/2 layer I and II)

Cables for HDMI up to the 1.3 are the same, only HDMI 1.4 introduce new signals, also if cable allow to video transmission without errors ie normal video is visible then it is completelly transparent to video and audio due of their digital nature - to be onest all that gold mabojumbo cables for HDMI is only marketing - from technical point of view HDMI is very similar to the DVI so any cable that fulfill electrical characteristic for cable is exactly the same as the "gold cable"

Maybe You need also to change configuration for the TV ie enable that digital (compressed) audio is transparently passed to the optical output of the TV.


btw
Also TV shall be capable to receive multichannel audio - source and receiver (in your case TV) at the begining of transmission establish common (ie supported for both devices) formats for video and audio ie for example source can send by HDMI various formats (video and audio) but receiver can support only 2 channel audio formats then source will send downmixed audio (so important is proper configuration for the TV in your case - TV shall not limit source)

[edDV]

Good to know that.

I'm using HDMI ports and cables with v1.3

Here is my following problem. When i'm using a device with no optical out, but I have a HDMI-port on that device.
When I connect this device with HDMI to my TV, and my TV with optical to my surround, will I have Surround sound.
Or will it be downmixed.

I can't test it for the moment. I'm taking my information before I jump on it.

Most HDTV sets simply pass the digital audio to the optical output. In this case your receiver can decode the 5.1 audio.

Some HDTV sets decode the incoming digital audio to a stereo mix and pass that to the optical out.

[scarlac]

Ok that's some good information, I wil look and test.

My audio system is pretty old, it's a Bose lifestyle 12 series. I know for sure it doesn't decode DTS and other recent audio-formats. I know it decodes AC3. That's why I encode all my DVD's with the AC3 audio-format and DTS if available. So in the future I can use DTS. But for the moment it's only AC3.

Why the HDMI-cable. I'm looking to buy a mac-mini. I heard that this year we will have a new version with bluray and HDMI, but still no SP/DIF. That's the main reason why I would transfer my audio to my TV with HDMI, and from TV to audio-system with SP/DIF.

[pandy]

HDMI allow to transmit audio data with higher bitrates than S/PDIF (36.86mbps vs 1.7mbps for most optical S/PDIF implementations) so going to the HDMI is right choice.

[scarlac]

bad luck,

I just found this on the net, i have a samsung led tv

"Unfortunately, digital audio output does not pass through multi-channel audio from HDMI inputs. You need to run extra digital audio cables from your DVD player and other components to your AV receiver if you'd like Dolby Digital or DTS sound."

see this link: http://reviews.us.samsung.com/7463/UN46B8500XFXZA/un46b8500-46-1080p-led-hdtv-2009-mod...ws/reviews.htm

so I can forget this option. I will need a correct audio-output from my mac-mini

[pandy]

OR You should raise this as a problem to solve by Samsung - contact Samsung technical support and describe issue - this issue seems quite easy to solve by newer (more functional) version of the firmware in the TV (maybe even such firmware already exist then you need only to download firmware to the USB stick and reprogram TV)

[edDV]

Most late model Mac-Mini (Intel CPU models) have the S/PDIF available on the mini combo audio out jack. You use an adapter like this.

[scarlac]

do you mean i can have 5,1 sound from a mac-mini

[pandy]

Accordingly to the http://www.apple.com/macmini/specs.html


"Audio

• Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack)
• Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack)"

[edDV]

Under "About this Mac", select Audio and confirm whether your Mac has S/PDIF in/out.

This is a Mac Mini

[jagabo]

bad luck,

I just found this on the net, i have a samsung led tv

"Unfortunately, digital audio output does not pass through multi-channel audio from HDMI inputs. You need to run extra digital audio cables from your DVD player and other components to your AV receiver if you'd like Dolby Digital or DTS sound."

In my experience that is the rule, not the exception. Digital audio output from the TV is not simple passthrough, it's downmixed to stereo.

[MOVIEGEEK]

In my experience that is the rule, not the exception. Digital audio output from the TV is not simple passthrough, it's downmixed to stereo.

Mine also, it's best to run optical or coaxial from your player to your older receiver. Most modern AVR can use HDMI to decode then pass the signal to your tv.
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1064

[joytimeday]

I come across the same problem here . Thanks for posting this !