HDMI. The most frustrating and stupid connection ever?

Gripe time: I have a Blu-Ray equipped notebook coming with the intention of outputting HDMI to an HD display with optical audio from the display to a receiver. Well, lucky me I find out that doesn't work.

So I start looking for an HDMI audio splitter kind of thing: doesn't exist. How about a control box with optical out? $200. Well for that kind of money, I need to upgrade my A/V receiver anyway so I'll get one with HDMI switching. Oh wait, back to square one as only the super expensive ones read the HDMI audio before passing it on.

Can anyone explain to me the point of having HDMI for anything? Most people who want to use HDMI will want to use their digital surround receivers. Unfortunately, it's basically impossible to get that audio to your receiver without a $200+ switching box or a $700+ receiver. Am I missing something or is this the stupidest connection type ever?

So I order an HDMI switchable receiver because I need a better receiver anyway. I read the manual (online. It's in shipment right now) and it inputs 2 HDMI sources but DOESN'T READ THE AUDIO. wtf is the point? Why would I want to run my HDMI through a receiver to a display if I didn't want the receiver to output the audio? It just means I have to buy another HDMI cable when I could have plugged it directly into the TV! Yes I know this way I have 2 inputs (woohoo) but really, is that worth making it a feature of the receiver? I just don't understand sending video through a receiver when you could just send it to the display with less cables.

All right if you've made it this far, help me decide what to do with my miserable choices.

1) Receive incoming notebook and forget about Blu-Ray on the big screen. (lame)
2) Receive incoming notebook, open it up to check out and then return it because $200 for Blu-Ray on a notebook is a little silly.
3) Decline shipment at point of delivery and let it go back to Sony. Not sure if this even works.
4) Buy the $200 switcher box thing and refuse receiver shipment.
5) Use someone's amazing miracle of a find to get audio from HDMI to a receiver.
6) Maybe I should just buy a Blu-Ray player? Somehow that feels more expensive even though it's the same cost.

And I guess I should refuse shipment of the lame ass fancy receiver I ordered too. Anyone with experience refusing shipments from Amazon or Sony?

Thanks!

 

The best thing to do is option 3.Do not open the box and sent it back to sony and ask for replacement.Check your version of your HDMI on your laptop.If you want DTS DD outpout to av receiver via HDMI i thing you need HDMI v1.3 otherwise it downmix to 2CH.I read somewhere about that.check it

 

According to the user manual, this $299 Sony receiver will play the sound on attached speakers as well as pass it through to the HDMI output. http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665061595

 

You're saying the instructions for the receiver you ordered claim that you can't pass the audio through the HDMI input? What receiver is this?

 

LoL Rick-
Thanks for finding that. I usually only like Sony for VAIOs, TVs, and DVD/Blu-Ray but I'll have to look into this one.


RatATatTatt-
Sorry for the confusion, it will pass audio but won't output it to attached speakers. So you can pass it all to your TV but you can't play audio through the receiver. There is no point in doing this last time I checked when you could just hook up the HDMI source straight to the TV and save yourself a cable. A lot of receivers seem to have this same setup.


So I'm returning the receiver, keeping the VAIO, and maybe when I get my tax return I might buy an Onkyo receiver or a standalone Blu-Ray player or something. Unless polished mosaic keyboard sucks and then I'll return the VAIO too.

 

i got confused reading this... so is it possible to get audio with the following setup?

Sony FZ -> Blu-Ray - > HDMI -> 1080p LCD -> Optical SPDIF -> External speaker set?

I've been doing this on my Acer for a while now, but it has HD-DVD which is as you probably aware now obsolete, so I am looking to upgrade to Sony with BluRay and continue HD Playback

 

Transfer - I posted my latest round-a-bout with Sony esupport on this issue at the "Vaio FZ283 no HDMI 5.1 output" thread. Take a look at what I have discoverd to date.

 

In theory yes, however most (all?) HDTVs do not output optical audio for anything other than the digital tuner from antenna.

 

My HDTV does pass 5.1 from the stand alone DVD to AV R as well as any other device EXCEPT the FZ. The FZ still in any case ony outputs 2 channel.

 

What's your audio input connection type to the TV? Also, what's your TV?

 

FZ - HDMI - Sharp LC46D62U - Optical - Sony A VR

I have 2 DVD players, 1 DVR, and old VCR and an old Nintendo 64 that all allow the sharp to pass optical to my A VR, I just confirmed, the Nintedo 64 is even going out of the HDTV via optical. The FZ is the only problem.

 

I don't know what you are talking about I had 2 TVs that I used in that setup except no 5.1 from 5920G either. Although I don't have 5.1 speakers anyway, I use Sharp S10 2.1 Virtual Surround.

Previously I had 46" D62 Sharp now I have 42lx177 Toshiba, both have optical out that I used to output to external speaker set Sharp S10

btw, this little unit ( http://www.istarhd.com/) just replaced my laptop media center computer, it plays all latest formats (HD-DVD, BluRay rips, 1080p mkvs etc...) and it tiny, it has optical out with 5.1 or via HDMI. UI I think sucks compared to MCE, but I am trying to get over it. I'll use future FZ laptop with BluRay to playback movies via this player.

 

I sent an email to Sony eSupport:

EDIT: and quick response!
Booya. http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/autoresponsev4.asp?id=460767
I'm ordering that HDMI Sony receiver now. STR-DG810

 

Hooked up the new receiver and yay 2.1 sound. I've done everything their instructions tell me. At least I'm getting 2.1 good audio and no longer 2.0 TV speakers. Back to Sony support I go...

 

Can I assume you already have av receiver with optical in and that your laptop has optical out.

Then why cant you just
Sony> hdmi cable > TV hdmi in
Sony > optical cable > av receiver optical in

IMO, no matter how nice the tv is, the sound is crap compared to nice av-r or z-5500 aux speakers

 

No optical out. That's the problem. So I've got HDMI--> Sony STR-DG810 --> TV. Audio for 5.1/6.1 is grayed out in WinDVD/BD but Sony support says it should be an option if you are connected to a correct 5.1 source. haha I say.

BTW, once setting color and contrast, Blu-Ray on the big screen is sweeeeet.

 

Tranfer - Been trying to point this one out for some time now. I'm also keeping the other thread "Vaio FZ283 no HDMI 5.1 output" updated as things unfold.

I Use my HDMI cable fron the Vaio to the TV and connect the TVs L/R audio outputs to my AV receiver. I've been doing this for a while but expect Sony to correct the problem...still waiting...have not heard back from them, emailed and he said he would check on it but still waiting.

 

Has anyone tried hooking the HDMI to another AVR and then to the TV......if this works fine then its not the laptops problem at all. This would be the recommend way of connecting everything anyway. It seems like someone would have done this and it works.

 

Howarmat - Transfer had just tried that, even went out and bought a new Sony AVR just for that it sounded like. Same problem, only 2 channel or 2.1 as he put it.

 

Yeah I thought I would try to hit them up on it too. I guess it's a lost cause. They keep sending me links that don't help.

howarmat-
That's how I'm connected. 2.1 sound all the way.


On the minus side, my dog was doing his doggy craziness and rolled into my new receiver (open entertainment center, receiver at ground level), breaking off one of the smaller knobs. He's only 30 lbs but apparently the knobs are attached with plastic that is the width of a tootsie-pop stick. Nice quality Sony. At least I don't really need that knob I guess.

 

I guess fortunately for me they have not been sending me on a wild 5.1 goose chase. I’m still waiting to hear back from the Sony engineering department. The tech I spent a lot of time on the phone with was getting very frustrated also when I let him remote assist (not something I’m keen on but clean installed it after anyway). Seriously, I think the user community just needs to keep pressing for the proper solution (fix).

 

There really is no excuse to this either. They advertise it and it is HDMI for poop's sake. It's made for 5.1/6.1/7.1.

 

I realize that Transfer has done this, but there has to be some other that has tried this....i mean HDMI receivers are pretty regular now, the last 3 i have owned in the past 2 years have had them. There has to be away to do this otherwise the HDMI port is useless IMO. Hell this would probably make me look into the XPS 1530 even more now.

 

howarmat - I have yet to this point had anybody that owns a Sony confirm that HDMI actually puts out anything but 2 channel even though Sony claims it does. I've been asking and looking, being somewhat of and audio buff, I take this one to heart. I have been frustrated from the start, it's one of the main reasons I bought this FZ.

 

I have my AR51 connected to my tv directly through HDMI and then optical from tv to receiver. I have the same issue with WinDVD - no option for 5.1 in my sound control panel or WinDVD, but it does play 5.1 when setting up Windows Media Center, and it also plays 5.1 when playing iTunes videos (at least it sounds like it does as sound comes out of the rear channels). Any update on this issue?

 

I just got a Sony Vaio AR825E and am very interesting in how this issue resolves.

I have two goals, in this order:

1. get audio over HDMI in any form. right now my options for enabling HDMI or toslink are grayed out in the winDVD set up menu.

2. get 5.1 DTS or DD core streams over HDMI (lossy). I understand that lossless codecs are not yet supported by the winDVD driver, and I'll only use my laptop this way occasionally so it's not the end of the world just yet.

BTW, anything other than winDVD than can do it? Is this a hardware or a software limitation???

 

reading about this here, i read through the following pages: http://esupport.sony.com/perl/support-info.pl?info_id=22

but they only write about the missing support of the new truehd and dtshd formats.

have you checked the connection options for hdmi as mentioned on the support page? it looks like you would have to tell the driver that your reciever/tv supports dts/dd input.

i myself was very disappointed with hdmi too. i am a fan of all digitial connections though i bought a ati 3870 with audio over hdmi only to read the neither do the support proper audio streams nor did recievers by the time. the all needed an extra pair of audio cables - wft? as is with the hdmi specs they mention? whats with calling it 1.3a based on the hardware knowing no software will provide multichannel audio throughput.

but new onkyo recievers have become very affordable and the now do support hdmi1.3 with audio over hdmi in a price range of ~450€ ( SR-606 ). denon is not far behind with the '09 lineup supporting this, if i remember correctly.

i will wait for reports on the vaio z series hdmi capabilities. stereo is a no go. dd/dts 5.1 a must and truehd ... would realy be nice.

 

I still think it's Sony's limiting of the SigmaTel audio drivers, not hardware.

 

so get a receiver with hdmi input and output