Sharp BD-HP20/Onkyo TX-SR805 and HD audio confusion!

[JeffB]

First off, apologies that this may have been asked previously. I've searched the forum, Googled and read 100's of posts and articles about outputting Dolby True HD via an HDMI connection, and I'm totally and utterly confused.

I have read that the Sharp player cannot output HD audio via HDMI, but can use it's internal decoder to output the audio via HDMI as a pcm signal.

So, does this mean that I will not be able to connect the (soon to be delivered) Onkyo 805 to the Sharp via HDMI and expect to hear HD audio? Or will the onboard decoder of the Onkyo allow this (via HDMI)?

Now further confusion arises for me when I read a reveiw of the Sharp, part of which states "The connection line-up includes an HDMI 1.3 output, capable of outputting video up to 1080p at 24 frames per second plus 7.1-channel audio bitstreams."

I do not want to use the analogue outputs of the Sharp, so I have to ask whether with this player/receiver combination, I can get HD audio via HDMI or not?

To me (at least) the whole HD/SD audio issue is a tangled mess.

Go easy on me please, my head is spinning!!

[jon1]

Originally Posted by JeffB

First off, apologies that this may have been asked previously. I've searched the forum, Googled and read 100's of posts and articles about outputting Dolby True HD via an HDMI connection, and I'm totally and utterly confused.

I have read that the Sharp player cannot output HD audio via HDMI, but can use it's internal decoder to output the audio via HDMI as a pcm signal.

So, does this mean that I will not be able to connect the (soon to be delivered) Onkyo 805 to the Sharp via HDMI and expect to hear HD audio? Or will the onboard decoder of the Onkyo allow this (via HDMI)?

Now further confusion arises for me when I read a review of the Sharp, part of which states "The connection line-up includes an HDMI 1.3 output, capable of outputting video up to 1080p at 24 frames per second plus 7.1-channel audio bitstreams."

I do not want to use the analogue outputs of the Sharp, so I have to ask whether with this player/receiver combination, I can get HD audio via HDMI or not?

Go easy on me please, my head is spinning!!

Stop panickingThe player will send the hd sound formats over the HDMI as LPCM in to the amp ..That's it in nut shell glorious hd sound..BTW nice ampSet the player to output PCM in the menu...Then the amp will display multichan



Jon

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by JeffB

I do not want to use the analogue outputs of the Sharp, so I have to ask whether with this player/receiver combination, I can get HD audio via HDMI or not?

To me (at least) the whole HD/SD audio issue is a tangled mess.

Go easy on me please, my head is spinning!!

Hi JeffB
As jon 2 has already said no need to worry,your get your HD audio via HDMI no worries.

[JeffB]

Thanks Jon.

Panic attack subsiding but slight confusion remains!

So, as you describe it, the player decodes the data and sends the True HD signal to the amp as LPCM (via HDMI) for amplifying the signal only?

The amps converters are not used in this instance?

[Lee]

The amps on board True HD decoders are not used as you suggest.

You need a DB player that can output bitstream HD sound formats for the amp to decode it locally.

Originally Posted by JeffB

Thanks Jon.

Panic attack subsiding but slight confusion remains!

So, as you describe it, the player decodes the data and sends the True HD signal to the amp as LPCM (via HDMI) for amplifying the signal only?

The amps converters are not used in this instance?

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by JeffB

Thanks Jon.

Panic attack subsiding but slight confusion remains!

So, as you describe it, the player decodes the data and sends the True HD signal to the amp as LPCM (via HDMI) for amplifying the signal only?

?

Hi mate. :
Yep your amp receives the TrueHD already decoded and ready to blast out of your speakers.

[jon1]

Originally Posted by JeffB

Thanks Jon.

Panic attack subsiding but slight confusion remains!

So, as you describe it, the player decodes the data and sends the True HD signal to the amp as LPCM (via HDMI) for amplifying the signal only?

The amps converters are not used in this instance?

.YES CORRECT........With the gear you have all bases are coveredsettle down and ENJOY!!!!!!



JON

[JeffB]

Many thanks to everyone.

This forum is a Godsend. In all the time I've been a member, I've not needed to ask too many questions (usually the search facility has turned up info I needed).

However, there are many knowledgeable members here, and for that I'm truly grateful.

Long may this forum exist.

[jon1]

Originally Posted by JeffB

Many thanks to everyone.

This forum is a Godsend. In all the time I've been a member, I've not needed to ask too many questions (usually the search facility has turned up info I needed).

However, there are many knowledgeable members here, and for that I'm truly grateful.

Long may this forum exist.

JON

[mpd98]

Thank God for this thread. I'm a total Newbie here, and I too have been searching for ages about this topic.

I'm still a little confused. I have a similar setup (I have the 605 amp, not the 805). Should I leave the Sharp output over HDMI as PCM as suggested above, or should I change it to the recomended 'auto' setting for normal dvd's or dvd's with DD 5.1? Because wouldn't the amp be better at decoding DD 5.1 & EX stuff etc etc?

I'm so confused I'm not even sure that question makes any sense. Sorry, but somebody please, please help, or point me in the right direction!

Many thanks.

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by mpd98

Thank God for this thread. I'm a total Newbie here, and I too have been searching for ages about this topic.

I'm still a little confused. I have a similar setup (I have the 605 amp, not the 805). Should I leave the Sharp output over HDMI as PCM as suggested above, or should I change it to the recomended 'auto' setting for normal dvd's or dvd's with DD 5.1? Because wouldn't the amp be better at decoding DD 5.1 & EX stuff etc etc?

I'm so confused I'm not even sure that question makes any sense. Sorry, but somebody please, please help, or point me in the right direction!

Many thanks.

Hi mpd98
Yiou will need the player set to PCM (HDMI) so your get your HD audio but this AUTO setting is this in the audio Sharps menu?
If it is,the Sharp will switch to Bitstream for regular DVD.Set it to AUTO and play a DVD and DD should be on your amp,play a BD disc and PCM (or MULTI) should be on your amp.
All the best.

[mpd98]

Hi kingfats,
Thanks for your reply! I think I'm ok posting in this thread, given the title. Sorry if not!

I have my Sharp blu ray connected to my amp via HDMI. The two options the sharp gives for outputting sound over HDMI are 'Auto' [The manual says to select this when connecting to HDMI equipment with a built in decoder for Dolby Digital etc] and 'PCM (Surround) [selct this when connecting to multi-channel HDMI equipment, it will output by Linear PCM]. Should I change between the two depending on what I'm watching? I think when i tried the 'PCM (Surround) option the amp read 'multichannel'....I think. The fundamental problem here is that I don't understand the difference between the different formats. I want to be able to get the best from both the player and the amp every time, and I don't think I am at the moment. I have one blu-ray with 7.1, some with tru HD audio, some DD EX content, lots of 'normal' dvd's......I'm so confused. Any help or advice you could give would be great, really appreciate it.

And don't get me started on what setting or 'listening mode' to use on the Onkyo...

Thanks.

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by mpd98

Hi kingfats,
Thanks for your reply! I think I'm ok posting in this thread, given the title. Sorry if not!

I have my Sharp blu ray connected to my amp via HDMI. The two options the sharp gives for outputting sound over HDMI are 'Auto' [The manual says to select this when connecting to HDMI equipment with a built in decoder for Dolby Digital etc] and 'PCM (Surround) [selct this when connecting to multi-channel HDMI equipment, it will output by Linear PCM]. Should I change between the two depending on what I'm watching? I think when i tried the 'PCM (Surround) option the amp read 'multichannel'....I think. The fundamental problem here is that I don't understand the difference between the different formats. I want to be able to get the best from both the player and the amp every time, and I don't think I am at the moment. I have one blu-ray with 7.1, some with tru HD audio, some DD EX content, lots of 'normal' dvd's......I'm so confused. Any help or advice you could give would be great, really appreciate it.

And don't get me started on what setting or 'listening mode' to use on the Onkyo...

Thanks.

Hi mpd98
While watching a Blu-ray disc and the amp reads MULTI-CH this is correct your getting HD audio.
Try the AUTO settingg with a BD disc,if it still reads MULTI that's fine then bung in a DVD and it should read DD/DTS.
Post back if this is not the case.

[jon1]

Originally Posted by mpd98

Hi kingfats,
Thanks for your reply! I think I'm ok posting in this thread, given the title. Sorry if not!

I have my Sharp blu ray connected to my amp via HDMI. The two options the sharp gives for outputting sound over HDMI are 'Auto' [The manual says to select this when connecting to HDMI equipment with a built in decoder for Dolby Digital etc] and 'PCM (Surround) [select this when connecting to multi-channel HDMI equipment, it will output by Linear PCM]. Should I change between the two depending on what I'm watching? I think when i tried the 'PCM (Surround) option the amp read 'multichannel'....I think. The fundamental problem here is that I don't understand the difference between the different formats. I want to be able to get the best from both the player and the amp every time, and I don't think I am at the moment. I have one blu-ray with 7.1, some with true HD audio, some DD EX content, lots of 'normal' dvds......I'm so confused. Any help or advice you could give would be great, really appreciate it.

And don't get me started on what setting or 'listening mode' to use on the Onkyo...

Thanks.

Try it on auto as kf as stated,,if that dose not work try PCM...in the end only you can be the judge on the sq



jon

[mpd98]

Hi guys,
I did what has been suggested and ran a couple of 'tests' at the same time. Here's what I found....

Puto Sharp on 'Auto', played the film Shoot 'em up which is in 7.1 DTS-HD (can the Sharp actually decode that, or is it another form of 7.1 it can cope with?), the amp showed 'DTS'. With the listening mode 'Dolby D EX' selected, there appeared to be 7.1. Listening to the 'Pure Audio' option (which cuts all amp interference and just outputs what it is given), there was no sound from the back surrounds, i.e. no 7.1.

Put the Sharp on 'PCM (Surround)' option, the amp read 'PCM MULTICH HDMI', (as you said it would kingfats!). This time there was no DTS signal on the amp, and there was no sound again from the back speakers, no 7.1.

Next up was a normal dvd, which has a dolby digital 5.1 soundtrack. 'Auto' option on the Sharp gave a reading on the amp of 'Dolby D'. 'Pure Audio' gave no back surround (which I assume is correct as it's only 5.1), but the Dolby D EX listening mode did, so I assume this is some kind of pseudo 7.1 mode. Switching the Sharp to 'PCM (Surround)', again the amp reads multichannel.

Finally, Spiderman 3 blu-ray, which has a True HD 5.1 and a PCM 5.1 soundtrack (which of these is supposed to be better?) Again, what I found before was true here as well.

So why no 7.1 on Shoot 'em up? I think I remember reading somewhere that the Sharp would only decode a certain type of 7.1, and maybe the DTS-HD type isn't it. So I guess the best option is to leave it set to 'Auto' and set the amp to 'Dolby D EX' listening mode for the pseudo 7.1 effect.

The question is, will I be doing the right thing and will I be getting the best sound?

Thanks for all your help in this.

Matt.