[mcarni]

Guys,

my current setup is a raspberry pi with openelec connected to my samsung tv via HDMI cable.

I would like to enjoy some 5.1 sound so I was thinking of buying a home theatre

unfortunately I found out that my TV cannot output 5.1 (it can do that only for the internal receiver/decoder...)

I assume that the only way to bypass this problem is to send the two signals separately, video to the TV and audio to the home theatre.
I searched the internet for some cable that could take the video signal to the TV set and the audio signal to the home theatre, but I could find only hdmi splitter/converters which generally have several inputs/outputs.

I understand that the splitters/converters could work, but I was wondering, since I have no need for multiple hdmi inputs, if there is anything simpler available on the market.

sorry for the noob question, I am not even sure this is the right place where to post, I just hope that there is someone else with a similar setup and some possible ideas...

Thanks a lot

M

[rikardo1979]

there are some spliters which can send the HDMI and extract audio and out it onto SPDIF of optical.
Dont have the link handy but I guess if you do a search you going to find it, I think is even here somewhere as I was discussing this with soe users but cant remember now
if I find it I will update this post

[mcarni]

there are some spliters which can send the HDMI and extract audio and out it onto SPDIF of optical.
Dont have the link handy but I guess if you do a search you going to find it, I think is even here somewhere as I was discussing this with soe users but cant remember now
if I find it I will update this post

Thanks Rikardo1979,

i searched more the forum, but I couldn't find any link...
anyway I guess today I was luckier and I found something through google:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produc...cification

do you reckon it could work if I hook up the TV set to output 1 and the home theatre to oputput 2?
I am not sure how not to pass audio to the TV. i experimented with the hdmi 1 slot on the tv (the one with DVI between brackets) but still I could have audio form the tv speakers...

thanks a lot

m

[Ned Scott]

The vast majority of audio receivers will have an HDMI port out for the TV.

[mcarni]

Thanks Ned,

i didn't know, feel a bit silly now for asking, I am sorry for the noob question, i will mark this as "solved"


M

[philhu]

there are some spliters which can send the HDMI and extract audio and out it onto SPDIF of optical.
Dont have the link handy but I guess if you do a search you going to find it, I think is even here somewhere as I was discussing this with soe users but cant remember now
if I find it I will update this post

Thanks Rikardo1979,

i searched more the forum, but I couldn't find any link...
anyway I guess today I was luckier and I found something through google:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produc...cification

do you reckon it could work if I hook up the TV set to output 1 and the home theatre to oputput 2?
I am not sure how not to pass audio to the TV. i experimented with the hdmi 1 slot on the tv (the one with DVI between brackets) but still I could have audio form the tv speakers...

thanks a lot

m

Yes, there normally arent many hdmi splitter that break out sound and video, as that breaks the HDMI / HDCP spec. That would give you a non-protected digital audio out. I have seen a few with analog sound outs, even one with 7.1 analog outs, but SPDIF would be against the rules.

Saying that, most modern receiver have hdmi inputs and an hdmi output that goes to your tv.

Most modern TV can turn off their speakers so they do not report on the HDMI 'network' that their sound is stereo 2.0 only. That is where alot of people make a mistake. HDMI will use the least common denominator sound quality, so if a device reports 2.0 sound, ALL devices receive 2.0 sound. In newer sets, if you turn speakers off, then it doesnt report any sound capability, and your receiver can report its glorious 5.1 or 7.1 sound capability.

There is also a way by modifying the profiles in tv/receivers/etc using an EDID modifier, which forces sound reports greater than a devices capability, like for an older set that cannot stop reporting it's sound capability, the EDID box can force the TV to report 5.1. This works most of the time, but does risk that if you one day DO try to listen to sound off the tv, it won't make any, since it could receive a 5.1 signal and not know how to decode it.

I hope this makes sense.

[mcarni]

Yes, there normally arent many hdmi splitter that break out sound and video, as that breaks the HDMI / HDCP spec. That would give you a non-protected digital audio out. I have seen a few with analog sound outs, even one with 7.1 analog outs, but SPDIF would be against the rules.

Saying that, most modern receiver have hdmi inputs and an hdmi output that goes to your tv.

Most modern TV can turn off their speakers so they do not report on the HDMI 'network' that their sound is stereo 2.0 only. That is where alot of people make a mistake. HDMI will use the least common denominator sound quality, so if a device reports 2.0 sound, ALL devices receive 2.0 sound. In newer sets, if you turn speakers off, then it doesnt report any sound capability, and your receiver can report its glorious 5.1 or 7.1 sound capability.

There is also a way by modifying the profiles in tv/receivers/etc using an EDID modifier, which forces sound reports greater than a devices capability, like for an older set that cannot stop reporting it's sound capability, the EDID box can force the TV to report 5.1. This works most of the time, but does risk that if you one day DO try to listen to sound off the tv, it won't make any, since it could receive a 5.1 signal and not know how to decode it.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks a lot, it was very informative, I think I understand how it works now....now I just need to get the purchase of the amplifier/receiver approved by the wife...

Thanks

m

[Ned Scott]

Thanks Ned,

i didn't know, feel a bit silly now for asking, I am sorry for the noob question, i will mark this as "solved"


M

No worries, it's not really the kind of thing one needs to know in daily life :)

[gcleaves]

Beware Onkyo receivers. Some of their HDMI daughterboards are poorly designed and cause HDMI switching to fail. This happened to me. It takes about 7 minutes for the Onkyo to send my video signal to the TV. Sometimes less, sometimes more.