Digital Optical Question

[NOYB111]

Samsung HLR5067WAX/XAA DLP
Samsung HT-Q40 Surround Sound
Samsung BD-P3600 Blu-ray

1. This TV only does 1080i so will this Blu-ray even make a difference? It appears to me that the video actually looks worse when not watching a Blu-ray disc.

2. I am trying to get digital 5.1 working from the blu-ray player. I only have one digital optical connection into the surround sound and I also have a DVR that uses it. The TV has an DIGITAL OUT connection so I thought that if I connect the HDMI from the DVR and from the blu-ray directly to the TV and then use the DIGITAL OUT from the TV INTO the surround sound. It appears that the TV is only passing along stereo sound. I am not getting surround sound from the DVR or the blu-ray. Is there anyway to get the Samsung HLR5067 to pass HDMI digital audio out the digital out connection? :nono2:

Thanks

[wilbur_the_goose]

I have a fantastic 1080i TV, and Blu-Ray looks like 35mm film (in other words, incredible!)

For question 2 - buy a new receiver if you can. You needn't spend a lot, and you can get very good used stuff on eBay.

[mutelight]

Many TVs will only output a AC3 (Dolby Digital) signal when using an over the air tuner. When feeding the TV a 5.1 audio stream (bitstream) the TV will downmix the audio to two channels and not pass along the encoded (bitstream) signal. You are going to want to run an optical cable from the Blu-ray player directly to your receiver.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=1419&seq=1&format=2

If the sound system you are using only has one optical (toslink) input and you want more than one source being fed to the system via optical, you can get a splitter as well.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042301&p_id=966&seq=1&format=2

[wilbur_the_goose]

mutelight is 100% correct. Sorry, I forgot about splitters.

[Grentz]

Also check to see if there is a pass through mode on your TV menus or a ignore display device settings type mode on the bluray player. Sometimes you can force a surround sound signal to a TV and it will pass it through still.

For example, on my Panny S1 Plasma, I use the optical out to my receiver. If I have my Xbox set to automatically detect the display settings, it will only send stereo through HDMI. But there is an ignore setting where I can force 5.1 and it passes through my TV just fine.

[mutelight]

For example, on my Panny S1 Plasma, I use the optical out to my receiver. If I have my Xbox set to automatically detect the display settings, it will only send stereo through HDMI. But there is an ignore setting where I can force 5.1 and it passes through my TV just fine.

Really, where is that setting? I have been looking for that setting on the V10 in the bedroom for my headphones but had no luck finding it.

[HDJulie]

I have a Sony KDL-55V5100 LCD TV, a Sony BDV-E500W Home Theater (with Blu-Ray), & a two DirecTV HDDVR's. The Home Theater & one DVR connect to the TV using HDMI. The other DVR connects using component (it connects to another TV using HDMI). I have the TV connected to the Home Theater using Digital Optical. Should I connect the DVR's to the Home Theater receiver directly using Digital Optical (and a splitter since there is only one digital input on the receiver) instead? And if so, then nothing would go from the TV to the receiver as far as output, right? Or, is my current setup ok & am I getting Dolby Digital 5.1. Sorry -- very inexperienced person here :-).

[wilbur_the_goose]

Julie,
I'd think you would want to connect both DVRs to the Sony receiver.

I'm pretty sure you are not getting 5.1 audio from anything but your BluRay player.

[HDJulie]

Thanks for the response. Guess I'll be placing an order with monoprice for some cables & a splitter :-).

[Grentz]

Really, where is that setting? I have been looking for that setting on the V10 in the bedroom for my headphones but had no luck finding it.

Sorry, I missed your reply.

It was in the System Options on the Dashboard under Audio I believe, or it might have been under the TV/Display settings there. It was in the System Options though on the Xbox.