No surround sound from tv input - any ideas?

Quadro4nic

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Hello

I'm new to the forum and relatively new to the whole concept of home cinema so please be patient with my basic questioning.

I have just purchased a 47inch LG47LH5000 LCD TV and a Sony DAVDZ280 5.1 DVD Home cinema system which I have set up for the time being using freeview from a digital outside aerial. My sky box is currently in another room and I intend to add this at a later date.

I have cabled the coaxial from the wall into the back of the TV and then run an HDMI from TV to the DVD/Receiver. I was also sold an optical cable by the man in Currys as he said I would need it, but there is no optical socket in the back of the DVD so this has not yet been used.

All works fine (Dig TV and DVD) but I cannot get any sound through the suround sound speakers (not even through 2 or 3 of them) when watching freeview TV (it works fine when playing a DVD). It will only play through the TV's own speakers. I have set the input mode to TV on the DVD as advised in the manual but still no joy. (I did try connecting a scart lead from dvd to tv but again no joy so disconnected it).

So my questions are:

1. What is the optical cable for? (a skybox?)
2. Why can't I play the tv programmes through the surround speakers?

I would be very grateful for any suggestions anyone may have.

Thanks in advance.
 
First of all I would complain to Currys that they sold you a cable you don't need!

From a quick google I can see that this system does not have any audio inputs - neither optical nor analogue. I presume though that you must be able to get the ** audio through HDMI?

It may be that you need to go into the system settings (and ** too maybe) to enable audio over HDMI. Have a look in the manuals which should tell you if this is possible:)
 
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Are you getting sound through your system speakers when using the tv's onboard tuner? Some tvs will not relay digital sound from an external source although that is usually when trying to use optical out on a tv.
Your manual suggests this is all possible.
 
First of all I would complain to Currys that they sold you a cable you don't need!

From a quick google I can see that this system does not have any audio inputs - neither optical nor analogue. I presume though that you must be able to get the ** audio through HDMI?

It may be that you need to go into the system settings (and ** too maybe) to enable audio over HDMI. Have a look in the manuals which should tell you if this is possible:)

Yes, I'll be seeking out that particular salesman for a refund. I may even go for a refund on the Sony if it doesn't do what I want it to do. I was very specific about wanting to watch sky HD (or Virgin HD if I make the switch) with sound coming through the 5.1. I realise that it isn't necessarily braodcast in 5.1 but that it would at least play through the system albeit in a compromised way.

So more questions I'm afraid:

What do you mean by **audio?
When you say 'system settings' do you mean in the TV or the Sony?'

I'll have a look through the manuals as you say.

Thanks for the response. :)
 
Yes, I'll be seeking out that particular salesman for a refund. I may even go for a refund on the Sony if it doesn't do what I want it to do. I was very specific about wanting to watch sky HD (or Virgin HD if I make the switch) with sound coming through the 5.1. I realise that it isn't necessarily braodcast in 5.1 but that it would at least play through the system albeit in a compromised way.

So more questions I'm afraid:

What do you mean by **audio?
When you say 'system settings' do you mean in the TV or the Sony?'

I'll have a look through the manuals as you say.

Thanks for the response. :)

** should say TV - dont know how that happened!!

I meant the Sony settings but you may need to check the TV settings too.
 
Are you getting sound through your system speakers when using the tv's onboard tuner? Some tvs will not relay digital sound from an external source although that is usually when trying to use optical out on a tv.
Your manual suggests this is all possible.


Sorry for being stupid but I don't understand what you mean? The problem is when I try to watch a freeview or analogue TV program and I switch the Sony input to TV. Does that mean I'm using the TV's onboard tuner? I presume so but not really sure what you mean.

Can you explain please?
 
Return the Sony 280, and buy one with at least 1 optical input on it.
then you can connect skyHD/virginHD to the surround system and get 5.1 from them, through the speakers.
the 280 is low entry level, as it has no inputs, and really is only designed for playing movies on its built in drive, not for connectivity.
 
Return the Sony 280, and buy one with at least 1 optical input on it.
then you can connect skyHD/virginHD to the surround system and get 5.1 from them, through the speakers.
the 280 is low entry level, as it has no inputs, and really is only designed for playing movies on its built in drive, not for connectivity.

I am starting to think that might be the solution. I have just managed to get the sound through this evening by changing the scart socket on the TV from AV1 to AV2 although I have no idea why that would make a difference - a scart socket is a scart socket isn't it? Or could it be because AV1 is also marked as RGB?

Anyway back to your suggestion. Is the only way to get 5.1 sound from skyHD/virginHD through optical? And assuming I manage to create enough noise in Currys about being sold a system not fit for (my) purpose, are optical connections reasonably common or are we talking about a lot more money for such a feature?

Its amazing how much I've learnt in just a few days about a subject I knew nothing about last week. For instance I didn't understand why on earth you had to by a DVD player with every surround system - I now know that you don't but why don't Currys tell you that? Maybe I should totally rethink my setup?

As always though its down to cost.
 
Yes, I'll be seeking out that particular salesman for a refund. I may even go for a refund on the Sony if it doesn't do what I want it to do. I was very specific about wanting to watch sky HD (or Virgin HD if I make the switch) with sound coming through the 5.1. I realise that it isn't necessarily braodcast in 5.1 but that it would at least play through the system albeit in a compromised way.

So more questions I'm afraid:

What do you mean by **audio?
When you say 'system settings' do you mean in the TV or the Sony?'

I'll have a look through the manuals as you say.

Thanks for the response. :)
RottenFox is correct.
Return the system as you were mis-sold it. It will never serve you to give DTS 5.1 from Sky as you requested. You need an optical input and a system that decodes 5.1 received on that input. Beware of Panasonic allinones that play 5.1 from their own DVD or Blu-ray player but do not decode 5.1 from an external source.
 
Beware of Panasonic allinones that play 5.1 from their own DVD or Blu-ray player but do not decode 5.1 from an external source.

Just to clarify that statement, its DTS they don't decode from external sources, Dolby Digital is fine with panasonic systems.

For information, when virgin or sky broadcast 5.1 they use dolby digital.
 
RottenFox is correct.
Return the system as you were mis-sold it. It will never serve you to give DTS 5.1 from Sky as you requested. You need an optical input and a system that decodes 5.1 received on that input. Beware of Panasonic allinones that play 5.1 from their own DVD or Blu-ray player but do not decode 5.1 from an external source.

Thanks for your input. I've decided that's what I'm going to do. Why do places like Currys employ these ill-informed people? There are some pretty fundamental points I've picked up here, which these salesmen are just clueless about. Last week I knew nothing about this subject but after a few hours on the net I think I could run rings round this guy. And he was the in-store TV/Audio expert! :mad:

I've been doing some research and possible alternatives are:

1. Panasonic SC-BT200 (this has 2 optical inputs) but I don't know if it addresses the decoding problem you refer to. This is with blu-ray so a step-up in spec/price.

2. Sony HT-SS360 (amp with speakers and lots of input options) and I'll then just use my son's PS3 (he wants an X-box now) or if he decides to keep the PS3 I could go for the Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray player which seems to sit well with the amp. I presume I could also add a dvd recorder at a later date?

I know I'm going up a level in price but I've saved money on the TV because I was originally going down the LED route, but couldn't see £800 worth of extra benefit over the LG Lcd which I think is great.

If I can rake up the cash I would like to for option 2. What do you think? Can you see any drawbacks or can you think of any lower priced alternatives? :)
 
Thanks for your input. I've decided that's what I'm going to do. Why do places like Currys employ these ill-informed people? There are some pretty fundamental points I've picked up here, which these salesmen are just clueless about. Last week I knew nothing about this subject but after a few hours on the net I think I could run rings round this guy. And he was the in-store TV/Audio expert! :mad:

I've been doing some research and possible alternatives are:

1. Panasonic SC-BT200 (this has 2 optical inputs) but I don't know if it addresses the decoding problem you refer to. This is with blu-ray so a step-up in spec/price.

2. Sony HT-SS360 (amp with speakers and lots of input options) and I'll then just use my son's PS3 (he wants an X-box now) or if he decides to keep the PS3 I could go for the Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray player which seems to sit well with the amp. I presume I could also add a dvd recorder at a later date?

I know I'm going up a level in price but I've saved money on the TV because I was originally going down the LED route, but couldn't see £800 worth of extra benefit over the LG Lcd which I think is great.

If I can rake up the cash I would like to for option 2. What do you think? Can you see any drawbacks or can you think of any lower priced alternatives? :)
Hi
I have doubts about the Panasonic decoding an external 5.1 track but I think the Sony is okay. It will work well with PS3 or S360 in my opinion.
 
Is "pro-logic" a stereo sound which emulates full 5.1?

The reason I ask is that to get the Sony 280 to work in TV mode through all speakers of the surround system (once I'd got the right scart socket) I set the mode to pro-logic. I presumed that although there is only stereo coming from the TV, the Sony converts it to sound like 5.1.

Or am I completely off-track here?
 
Is "pro-logic" a stereo sound which emulates full 5.1?

The reason I ask is that to get the Sony 280 to work in TV mode through all speakers of the surround system (once I'd got the right scart socket) I set the mode to pro-logic. I presumed that although there is only stereo coming from the TV, the Sony converts it to sound like 5.1.

Or am I completely off-track here?
Without checking all the definitions I think that is about right.
 
go with the HT-SS360, it will do what you want, and more, and i doubt you would be disappointed.
 

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