HDMI to DVI Problem

2440 Views 22 Replies 9 Participants Last post by dspilatro, Jul 10, 2008

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · Jul 8, 2008

this is probably the wrong forum, but i need HELP!

my dvr (HR20-700) is connected via HDMI to my audio receiver (sony strdg820), which is connected via HDMI to DVI cable to my tv (sony KF-50WE610). when i hook up the HDMI to DVI cable to my tv the audio is cancelled from the audio receiver to it's speakers. disconnect the cable, and audio is feed to the speakers.

i know that HDCP is probably the issue, but does anyone know of a solution? HELP!

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Stuart Sweet

· #2 · Jul 8, 2008

The easy solution would be to run optical audio to the receiver. There is no practical difference in quality.

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 8, 2008

Stuart Sweet said:
The easy solution would be to run optical audio to the receiver. There is no practical difference in quality.

i'll give that a shot. i'm not near the system right now. thanks.

tcusta00

· #4 · Jul 8, 2008

Someone else reported the same issue a few weeks ago - doing what Stuart suggested fixed it for him, IIRC. If you don't have an optical cable you can also use a digital coaxial cable.

mcbeevee

· #5 · Jul 8, 2008

You will have to use the optical audio out, since the digital coax audio out is not available on the HR20-700. It was not added until the HR20-100 model was released.

tcusta00

· #6 · Jul 8, 2008

mcbeevee said:
You will have to use the optical audio out, since the digital coax audio out is not available on the HR20-700. It was not added until the HR20-100 model was released.

Ah, attention to detail... I like it!

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 9, 2008

Stuart Sweet said:
The easy solution would be to run optical audio to the receiver. There is no practical difference in quality.

i just tried this suggestion, and there's still a problem. the sony receiver (str-dg820) has an Auto Audio Input Mode - "HDMI audio signals have priority over COAXIAL and OPTICAL audio signals." so, as soon as i plug in the HDMI connector, the OPTICAL input is bypassed.

is this just an issue with sony receivers?

CCarncross

· #8 · Jul 9, 2008

Its an issue with you going from HDMI to DVI. Check on your Sony if there is a way you can tell it to not use audio over HDMI, and it "should" give you digital audio again.

mcbeevee

· #9 · Jul 9, 2008

dspilatro said:
i just tried this suggestion, and there's still a problem. the sony receiver (str-dg820) has an Auto Audio Input Mode - "HDMI audio signals have priority over COAXIAL and OPTICAL audio signals." so, as soon as i plug in the HDMI connector, the OPTICAL input is bypassed.
is this just an issue with sony receivers?

You could bypass the receiver with the video signal. Just take the HDMI cable straight from the HR20 to the tv's HDMI/DVI connector. Then connect the optical cable between the HR20 and the Sony receiver, and you should be all set.

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 9, 2008

mcbeevee said:
You could bypass the receiver with the video signal. Just take the HDMI cable straight from the HR20 to the tv's HDMI/DVI connector. Then connect the optical cable between the HR20 and the Sony receiver, and you should be all set.

yes that would work, but i purchased the sony receiver because i also have a BluRay player. and my tv has only one (DVI) input. i would like to rout all my hdmi signals thru the receiver, or some similar device. and sent the output to the tv.

speaking with a sony cr/tech, it looks like all of sony's receivers have this AUTO mode. does anyone know of another manufacturer who would allow a HDMI & OPTICAL AUDIO combination?

mcbeevee

· #11 · Jul 9, 2008

dspilatro said:
yes that would work, but i purchased the sony receiver because i also have a BluRay player. and my tv has only one (DVI) input. i would like to rout all my hdmi signals thru the receiver, or some similar device. and sent the output to the tv.

The cheapest solution might be a standalone hdmi switch. Then you would use HDMI cables everywhere and convert to DVI at the tv after the hdmi switch. Here is a 2x1 switch for $21 and a 3x1 switch for $31:

Monoprice 2x1 hdmi switch
Monoprice 3x1 hdmi switch

Redlinetire

· #12 · Jul 9, 2008

mcbeevee said:
The cheapest solution might be a standalone hdmi switch. Then you would use HDMI cables everywhere and convert to DVI at the tv after the hdmi switch.

Except those switches don't pass audio. DVI has no audio component and thus the need for the separate audio pass through.

I've seen switchers that will take in HDMI and output DVI+Audio:
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3939

But it wouldn't work for my old TV since it requires the old RCA type audio inputs for the DVI connection. It may work in your case however.

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 9, 2008

mcbeevee said:
The cheapest solution might be a standalone hdmi switch. Then you would use HDMI cables everywhere and convert to DVI at the tv after the hdmi switch. Here is a 2x1 switch for $21 and a 3x1 switch for $31:

Monoprice 2x1 hdmi switch
Monoprice 3x1 hdmi switch

thanks. i like this option. hopefully my harmony remote can control the switch's remote.

mcbeevee

· #14 · Jul 9, 2008

Redlinetire said:
Except those switches don't pass audio. DVI has no audio component and thus the need for the separate audio pass through.

I've seen switchers that will take in HDMI and output DVI+Audio:
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3939

But it wouldn't work for my old TV since it requires the old RCA type audio inputs for the DVI connection. It may work in your case however.

I think it would be worth the $270 savings to just use the Sony receiver for switching the optical audio signals and the hdmi switcher for switching video signals.

Redlinetire

· #15 · Jul 9, 2008

mcbeevee said:
I think it would be worth the $270 savings to just use the Sony receiver for switching the optical audio signals and the hdmi switcher for switching video signals.

Except that according to the OP: "as soon as i plug in the HDMI connector, the OPTICAL input is bypassed"

So how would he pass 'optical only' from the BluRay to the sony receiver? Is that possible?

dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 9, 2008

Redlinetire said:
Except that according to the OP: "as soon as i plug in the HDMI connector, the OPTICAL input is bypassed"

So how would he pass 'optical only' from the BluRay to the sony receiver? Is that possible?

i wouldn't send the hdmi to the receiver. just the optical. i would use the hdmi switcher for picture.

thekochs

· #17 · Jul 9, 2008

Take the outputs of your devices (HRxx, BR, etc.) and run HDMI (as video only) to this switch (http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TMDS61). In parallel run optical audio from your devices to this switch. Run the HDMI/DVI output cable from switch to TV directly (bypass Sony)....and output of switch audio to Sony A/V unit. In your remote you only need to load the switch IR....since the Sony A/V unit is only getting one audio feed that is already switched...so you can leave this on same setting. This Sony A/V Receiver nevers see HDMI to auto set.

Cheaper ($15) way to go but manual would be just the audio switch: http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-Digital-Selector-Connections/dp/B000812QC6

Somewhere in the middle in expense but only 2-ports: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2616

Bingo....still $179 but four ports audio: http://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/1177A/Switcher/5/1

You sure your Sony A/v can't turn off the "auto" sense ?

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dspilatro

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 9, 2008

thekochs said:
Take the outputs of your devices (HRxx, BR, etc.) and run HDMI (as video only) to this switch (http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TMDS61). In parallel run optical audio from your devices to this switch. Run the HDMI/DVI output cable from switch to TV directly (bypass Sony)....and output of switch audio to Sony A/V unit. In your remote you only need to load the switch IR....since the Sony A/V unit is only getting one audio feed that is already switched...so you can leave this on same setting. This Sony A/V Receiver nevers see HDMI to auto set.

Cheaper ($15) way to go but manual would be just the audio switch: http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-Digital-Selector-Connections/dp/B000812QC6

Somewhere in the middle in expense but only 2-ports: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2616

Bingo....still $179 but four ports audio: http://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/1177A/Switcher/5/1

You sure your Sony A/v can't turn off the "auto" sense ?

those solutions are good, but i think i'll stick with the simple hdmi switcher.
as for "You sure your Sony A/v can't turn off the "auto" sense ?" yes i'm sure. there isn't any menu item. and the manual clearly indicates the AUTO HDMI Priority.

thanks for you help.

thekochs

· #19 · Jul 9, 2008

dspilatro said:
those solutions are good, but i think i'll stick with the simple hdmi switcher. as for "You sure your Sony A/v can't turn off the "auto" sense ?" yes i'm sure. there isn't any menu item. and the manual clearly indicates the AUTO HDMI Priority.

thanks for you help.

Ohhh....didn't see the Monoprice HDMI switch...good price of $38.....hopefully PQ is OK. At this price level it may be noisy. HDMI is speced at 15ft.....hopefully you aren't driving beyond this....you can but with cheap switch like this I'd would look out for pixelation and other evidence of cheap electronics within this unit.

One other thing to try...perhaps the Sony detects audio on the HDMI not the HDMI connection itself. By that I mean I wonder if you fed it a HDMI input that doesn't have audio would it still auto-detect ?. Simple way to do this would be to use your HDMI to DVI cable out of the HRxx and on the DVI connector going into the Sony just put a DVI-to-HDMI convertor (need female DVI to male HDMI). Others can confirm but since DVI does not carry audio then this would be stripped off thru this convertor ? May be worth a try for $3. http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10419&cs_id=1041902&p_id=2080&seq=1&format=2

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mcbeevee

· #20 · Jul 9, 2008

Redlinetire said:
Except that according to the OP: "as soon as i plug in the HDMI connector, the OPTICAL input is bypassed"
So how would he pass 'optical only' from the BluRay to the sony receiver? Is that possible?

The Blu-Ray has the optical and digital coax audio outputs, so they could be separate from the video/hdmi. You would not be able to get the TrueHD audio, but you could still get the regular Dolby Digital audio.

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