Dolby digital 5.1 with a Panasonic TX-P42GT20B tv

[Stunsworth]

Hi, I'm sorry to start my posting here with a question, but I'm hoping someone can help - or at least tell me what I want to do isn't possible.

I've just taken delivery of a Panasonic TX-P42GT20B tv - it's the bundle with a Blu-Ray player that Currys are offering. I was hoping to use the optical digital output from the TV to feed my Cambridge AV receiver. That works fine, but I can only get Pro-Logic output, it doesn't provide Dolby 5.1 as I was hoping.

I realise with Freeview HD not all programs will be broadcast with a 5.1 soundtrack, but even if I play a Blu-Ray or DVD disc with a suitable soundtrack the amp only 'sees' the Pro-Logic signal.

My suspicion is that the TV only outputs a stereo digital feed. Can anyone confirm that? Better still has anyone successfully used this output and got a 5.1 signal passed to the amp?

For what it's worth the player is connected to the TV with a HDMI cable, and in the TV's sound setting I selected the digital output to be auto - the only other choice is PCM. The amp correctly decodes DVDs fed directly via my DVD players optical out.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions - at the moment I'm thinking of connected the player via HDMI and feeding the optical output of the player directly to my amp, but I'm hoping there's a more elegant solution than that.

 

[alsina]

Hi, I'm sorry to start my posting here with a question, but I'm hoping someone can help - or at least tell me what I want to do isn't possible.

I've just taken delivery of a Panasonic TX-P42GT20B tv - it's the bundle with a Blu-Ray player that Currys are offering. I was hoping to use the optical digital output from the TV to feed my Cambridge AV receiver. That works fine, but I can only get Pro-Logic output, it doesn't provide Dolby 5.1 as I was hoping.

I realise with Freeview HD not all programs will be broadcast with a 5.1 soundtrack, but even if I play a Blu-Ray or DVD disc with a suitable soundtrack the amp only 'sees' the Pro-Logic signal.

My suspicion is that the TV only outputs a stereo digital feed. Can anyone confirm that? Better still has anyone successfully used this output and got a 5.1 signal passed to the amp?

For what it's worth the player is connected to the TV with a HDMI cable, and in the TV's sound setting I selected the digital output to be auto - the only other choice is PCM. The amp correctly decodes DVDs fed directly via my DVD players optical out.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions - at the moment I'm thinking of connected the player via HDMI and feeding the optical output of the player directly to my amp, but I'm hoping there's a more elegant solution than that.

I'm afraid the short answer is that there isn't.

 

[Deleted member 432728]

Thread moved to the Plasma forums.

 

[Stunsworth]

I'm afraid the short answer is that there isn't.

Thanks for taking the time to confirm my suspicions. Not what I'd hoped for, but hardly a show stopper.

 

[paulr2006]

The only 5.1 output you will get out of the TV from optical comes from Freesat HD, the current Panasonics are unable to decode Freeview HD sound & do not pass through 5.1 from external sources.

 

[Stunsworth]

Paul, thanks for the additional information. It seems odd that they don't decode Freeview, or pass the original signal through, but if that's what they do then there's not a lot that can be done about it.

It's also a bit annoying that the Cambridge receiver that I have will perform HDMI switching, but doesn't decode the sound signal. That means I have to use the optical output from the various devices.

Virgin V+ box arriving on Friday, I'm looking forward to the additional HD channels that will give me.

I played a couple of Blu-Ray discs yesterday and was very impressed with the picture and sound quality. Lots of fun to come!

Steve

 

[paulr2006]

Paul, thanks for the additional information. It seems odd that they don't decode Freeview, or pass the original signal through, but if that's what they do then there's not a lot that can be done about it.

It's also a bit annoying that the Cambridge receiver that I have will perform HDMI switching, but doesn't decode the sound signal. That means I have to use the optical output from the various devices.

Virgin V+ box arriving on Friday, I'm looking forward to the additional HD channels that will give me.

I played a couple of Blu-Ray discs yesterday and was very impressed with the picture and sound quality. Lots of fun to come!

Steve

I think the reason it does not pass through 5.1 is to do with licensing, at least that's what I recall? This might help to explain the Freeview sound issue a little Here