5.1 through HDMI

So I connected my M14X to a TV through the HDMI port.

The TV is connected to a Sony BDV-E370, also through HDMI.

M14X > (HDMI) > TV > (HDMI) > BDV E370

All TV audio comes through the 5.1 speakers - when the TV detects the audio system being switched on, TV speakers are automatically switched off and everything comes through the audio system. Recorders, PS3, Blu-Ray players all deliver 5.1 flawlessly through the current setup.

BUT, I can't get 5.1 from the laptop through the audio system. The nVidia control panel for audio just redirects you to the default Windows sound settings.

The TV is detected but only has the option for stereo playback - 5.1 isn't selectable. I'm guessing this is because nVidia is only detecting the stereo TV speakers and not the audio system. It seems to be a problem with nVidia - there are threads going back to 2010 and they still haven't fixed the issue. The threads are all dead ends with no proper responses from nVidia.

What's even more annoying is that the stereo audio is being played through the audio system!

Has anyone get any fixes or workarounds? Experienced anything similar?

It kind of beggars belief that you can't connect (through no fault of Dell, I guess) such a capable laptop through an HDMI cable for 1080p and 5.1 audio.

 

i have the same setup, and i have found it only switches to 5.1 when there is a 5.1 input source ( like a dvd or movie) havent gotten the 5.1 to work with any games yet though.

 

Somewhat related...
I used to connect my xbox to a Samsung TV. I could either use component and 5.1 surround through the TOSLINK cable, or HDMI and stereo sound. When I chatted with their support, the tech said that due to the setup of the card on the TV, it can only accept one digital source.
Your TV might have some similar setup. I'm not really sure.. that's all I remember though.

 

I got it to work you have to do it from the control panel with the default audio control application.

 

I tried playing a DVD as well and no luck. It just won't give me an option for 5.1.

Yeah, according to some threads on the NVIDIA forums it detects the EDID from the TV and so will only let you do stereo - there's no option to override. People have been complaining about this for two years as well.

No 5.1 option appears when I'm connected via HDMI though. I can enable 5.1 for the laptop itself, but there doesn't seem to be a way to do it through HDMI.

 

I remember having the same problem, the 5.1 in CP is only for analog, or the 3 ports on the side, the hdmi digital one is different. i remember having to change a value in the registry to bypass or spoof the edid in windows, i can't exactly remember, but once i get my R2 i am gonna be going back, and looking in to this. But i DID solve it, i know that, i just forget how lol.

 

I've been looking how to do it and I haven't found anything useful so far.

Part of me thinks there isn't even any point if it won't even work with games

 

some good info here
EDID Overrides to solve bitstreaming issues for ATI 5xxx's - AVS Forum

but whatt you have to do ( see links below on how to do this):

basically its involves going to registry editor and modifying this key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\DISPLAY\[Monitor]\[PnPID]\Device Parameters\EDID

and in the hex value it involves changing the last value to 0 or something like that, but read the threads below to be sure as i havent done this in awhile.


I found the thread that i think fix my issue, try giving this a try: http://techreport.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69105#p984049


also this thread may be of help too:

http://forums.astrogaming.com/showthread.php?4718-Get-Xbox-360-DD5-1-out-of-your-TV-s-OPT-OUT

 

Thanks for the help, but it looks like I've solved the problem.

With the BDV-E370, only LPCM 2Ch is supported through the TV digital input - even though it supports LPCM 5.1/7.1 for Blu-Ray and DVD played straight off the disc.

So, seeing as the games all ouput LPCM 5.1/7.1 and it's connected through the TV digital in, it just won't play ball.

Looks like I'll have to get an external soundcard which will encode it to Dolby Digital first. What's even more a kick in the teeth is that the R2 comes with a 5.1 soundcard (not just the analogue retask) as default and I bet that takes care of this problem.

 

i have a sony 5.1 htib as well, and im pretty sure mine says it supports that too, but i did get it to output through to 5.1, and i knew i could do it because my ps3 is hooked up the SAME way, and it will output 5.1 through the hdmi ->tv->optical->reciever..

 

PS3 is different then windows. So even if all other devices work through the device[hdmi]tv[hdmi]5.1 HT works , it wont work on pc. Nvidia detects the sound channel on output device, which is TV in this case. and they usually have 2.0 sound system. They dont look beyond that. They are tons of people having this problem but there is no hard fix for it yet. atleast not the one that i know!

 

yes that is why you have to go into the registry, and remove the bit from the edid key. i explain that a couple posts back.