No Dolby Digital over HDMI on Panasonic DMP-MS10EB-K Streamer

Jon Weaver

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Several months ago, I picked up the Panasonic DMP-MS10EB-K Streamer when it was reduced on Amazon.. I never got around to using it, but figured that one day I might install it on a TV somewhere in the house so I could stream to it.

For day to day Streaming, I use my PS3 which works well.. But since its got fans, and the UI is a bit long winded, I wondered whether the Panasonic would do a better job.

It seems to work OK, and even though the UI is basic, it works.. But I can't for the life of me get Dolby Digital (Over HDMI) to work..

My Amp (Yamaha) always shows "Prologic II" and it never switches to DD.. I have checked the limited settings on the Streamer and tried PCM and Bitstream.. And I also tried a file on a USB stick as well as streaming.

I noticed that when I am playing from the memory stick, the status even shows "Dolby 3/2" or something like that.. But the amp is still stereo.

Just to confirm, the same files on my PS3 plays in Dolby Digital and to prove there is nothing wrong with my amp or cables, I swapped the inputs over.. The PS3 was streaming in DD, and when I connected it to the input used by the Panasonic, it was still DD. Where as in reverse, the Streamer was still stereo irrespective of which input I used.

My thought is that the Streamer is simply poor (as the reviews would suggest).. But I find it hard to believe that something which has settings for Dolby Digital can't actually output this and I am convinced there is a solution.

Does anyone have any experience with this streamer and thoughts as to how to get Dolby Output working?

Right now I am on the verge of just cutting my losses and going for a WD TV Live instead.. But it would be nice to give the Panasonic a chance!

Jon
 
I have an ST60 Panasonic TV and the Panny streamer is really the guts of their smart TV platform from 2013 or 2012, anyway they will only give you 5.1 over say SPDIF optical when playing from a file over USB but wont with anything else plugged into the TV. Even when HDMI-CEC is enabled and the internal TV sound system is disabled it still gives nothing.

Panasonics software development is shockingly poor. I wouldn't have put it past them to ship a broken device like that.

The only suggestion I can make is have HDMI-CEC enabled, bitstream set to on and see if that does anything but I doubt it will.

There is a firmware update available a v1.09 that you could try.
 
Many thanks for your reply.. My gut feel is that this is simply an undeveloped/flawed product!

Every time I switch on and tried to connect to my DNLA server, it says that I am not connected to the Network and I have to set it up... So even if I got Dolby working, i don't think I could live with it anyway.

As for your suggestions, no luck I am afraid:

Firmware: Already at 1.09
HDMI-CEC = On
Dolby Set to Bitstream

It did cross my mind that it would only run Dolby Digital from a USB source, rather than DNLA, but I am playing a VOB from a stick and its still only Pro Logic.

I think I am giving up and will buy a WDTV instead......

Cheers

Jon
 
Yeah the WDTV is the better idea.

Panasonic are in a bubble oblivious to the world around them, probably why their TV/AV business is going down the drain. Good hardware but appalling software, a simple rule would do Panasonic a lot of good, "would Apple ship that" and the answer is "hell no" to anything Panasonic is churning out.

Edit: One other tip I've seen out there is if there is a setting on the Panasonic that controls secondary audio channel/track ? that must be set to off as well.
 
Yeah the WDTV is the better idea.

Panasonic are in a bubble oblivious to the world around them, probably why their TV/AV business is going down the drain. Good hardware but appalling software, a simple rule would do Panasonic a lot of good, "would Apple ship that" and the answer is "hell no" to anything Panasonic is churning out.

Edit: One other tip I've seen out there is if there is a setting on the Panasonic that controls secondary audio channel/track ? that must be set to off as well.

Indeed. Its a bit of a joke to be honest.. This box has only one task to do.. How can it not output digital audio??

I have look at every setting on the box and there is nothing else related to "sound" and certainly nothing about a Secondary Audio Channel/Track.. So perhaps this relates to other Panasonic products?

It crossed my mind that perhaps the box will only output DD when streaming from "official" sources (ie Netflix). Perhaps there is no support for DD when streaming from local files?

I have given up now and gone for a WDTV.. I just hope that will do what I want/need

Cheers

Jon
 
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