HDMI Passthrough and Audio

[haushausman]

Hello,

For Christmas I am setting my parents up with a basic Samsung 5.1 surround system (HT-TQ85) and a PS3. It has HMDI passthough that supports 1080i which is great because their HDTV is 1080i.

My question is, should I use the HDMI passthough for the audio? Will the HDMI passthough support Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, etc.?

Any information regarding this is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[haushausman]

I know this question is pretty newb, but I want to double check before looking stupid Christmas day.

Any info is much appreciated

[BrahmaBull]

Originally Posted by haushausman

I know this question is pretty newb, but I want to double check before looking stupid Christmas day.

Any info is much appreciated

According to samsung.com theres a HT-TQ85XAA and XAC model.

not sure the diff, but the XAA's remote has an HDMI Audio button. But the description is a little scary:

What is HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)?
This device transmits DVD video signal digitally without the process of converting to analog.
You can get sharper digital pictures by connecting the video to your TV using an HDMI connection
cable.
HDMI Function
HDMI Audio ON/OFF function
• The audio signals transmitted over the HDMI Cable can be toggled
ON/OFF.
Press the HDMI AUDIO button on the remote control.
• This toggles between “AUDIO ON” and “AUDIO OFF” on the display.
• AUDIO ON : Both video and audio signals are transmitted over the
HDMI connection cable, and audio is output is through your TV speakers
only.
• AUDIO OFF : Video is transmitted over the HDMI connection cable only,
and audio is output through the home theater speakers only.
• The default setting value of this product is HDMI AUDIO OFF.
• HDMI AUDIO is automatically down-mixed to 2ch for TV speakers.
• If you turn the unit off and on, or switch functions when the HDMI
AUDIO is set to ON, the HDMI AUDIO is automatically set to OFF.

looks like its passthru for audio and video.

so if you need to input like a PS3, youre just gonna get whatever audio the TV supports via hdmi. Most likely 2ch PCM.

[clyon]

Originally Posted by haushausman

Hello,

For Christmas I am setting my parents up with a basic Samsung 5.1 surround system (HT-TQ85) and a PS3. It has HMDI passthough that supports 1080i which is great because their HDTV is 1080i.

My question is, should I use the HDMI passthough for the audio? Will the HDMI passthough support Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, etc.?

Any information regarding this is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

If it says 'passthought' pass on the reciever, passthought does not carry audio.

from cent review:

'The one curious thing we noticed was that in order to hear audio over the system's tallboy speakers when using HDMI, the HT-TQ85's HDMI Audio On/Off selector must be set to Off. The On setting routes the audio through your TV's speakers. Luckily, the factory default setting is Off, but the labeling makes no sense to us--why not call it HDMI Pass-Through instead?'

[BrahmaBull]

Originally Posted by clyon

If it says 'passthought' pass on the reciever, passthought does not carry audio.

from cent review:

'The one curious thing we noticed was that in order to hear audio over the system's tallboy speakers when using HDMI, the HT-TQ85's HDMI Audio On/Off selector must be set to Off. The On setting routes the audio through your TV's speakers. Luckily, the factory default setting is Off, but the labeling makes no sense to us--why not call it HDMI Pass-Through instead?'

it carries audio, but doesnt do anything to the signal.

It will push the audio to an HDMI TV.

[haushausman]

Many thanks for the detailed info! I'm going to give it a shot and mess with the HDMI audio on/off setting if it doesn't work.

Thanks again! By far the most helpful forum out there.

[moviefan]

Pass on the "pass Thru"!
I don't know who came up with this dumb idea, but it defeats the benefit of HDMI audio.
I just bought my daughter a new Sony STR-DG810 for $300 online.
It has full HDMI video and audio, 2 in and one out. The ins are already labeled sat/cbl and DVD, and switched correctly right out of the box.

A year ago you had to spend $1,000 + to get HDMI switching.

We also got the Boston Acoustics MDS100 5.1 speaker system for about $350. It includes some very nice sounding satellites and even a signal-sensing subwoofer, wires included!

[haushausman]

Originally Posted by moviefan

Pass on the "pass Thru"!
I don't know who came up with this dumb idea, but it defeats the benefit of HDMI audio.

I think I'll just do HDMI for video and TOSLINK for audio. That recent PS3 update gives Dolby 5.1 via Digital Optical.

Or should I go component for audio? Little bit confused again..

[moviefan]

Why bother with HDMI then?
Go component/toslink OR HDMI.
HDMI is the future!

[haushausman]

Originally Posted by moviefan

Why bother with HDMI then?
Go component/toslink OR HDMI.
HDMI is the future!

so the HDMI passthorugh will deliver 5.1 Dolby Digital for audio? this is what I am trying to confirm.

[NJMetsFan]

Originally Posted by haushausman

so the HDMI passthorugh will deliver 5.1 Dolby Digital for audio? this is what I am trying to confirm.

HDMI delivers the best possible audio signal. A HDMI passthrough does nothing with that audio signal. The receive will not decode that audio since it will pass it to the TV. The signal will just go in and back out and the receiver did nothing to it. You should look into getting a receiver that in "NOT PASS THROUGH".

[BrahmaBull]

Originally Posted by haushausman

I think I'll just do HDMI for video and TOSLINK for audio. That recent PS3 update gives Dolby 5.1 via Digital Optical.

Or should I go component for audio? Little bit confused again..

The PS3 could do DD 5.1 via optical fromt the beginning...

[BrahmaBull]

Originally Posted by moviefan

Why bother with HDMI then?
Go component/toslink OR HDMI.
HDMI is the future!

I have to agree. That model is basically an HDMI extension cord. Get something that can do something with HDMI audio and not just pass it on.

OR

take the component/toslink route as suggested above.

[haushausman]

TOSLINK it is. Loving that last update. Thanks again everyone for all your help.

[Ex Accountant]

Forget freakin passthrough. I posted a similar question and got similar responses: That passthrough sucks arse.

Here's the thread: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=24798

[Ex Accountant]

So now I'm confused. Earlier, I was told that I wouldn't be able to hear audio through an HDMI Pass Through receiver, which seemed correct since at the time I wasn't able to hear anything through the receiver. Today, I just figured out that I had to adjust the cable box's settings to Audio: HDMI Out and now I can hear it fine via HDMI. So what the hell is the difference between HDMI pass through and HDMI?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Ex Accountant

So now I'm confused. Earlier, I was told that I wouldn't be able to hear audio through an HDMI Pass Through receiver, which seemed correct since at the time I wasn't able to hear anything through the receiver. Today, I just figured out that I had to adjust the cable box's settings to Audio: HDMI Out and now I can hear it fine via HDMI. So what the hell is the difference between HDMI pass through and HDMI?

HDMI passthrough means that the signal is being passed directly from the source, AS IS, through the receiver and to the output source. In terms of video, a 1080p signal can sometimes be handled by the receiver and downscaled in order to make it through the technology inside. Once the signal reaches the HDMI output on the receiver, it then gets upscaled back to 1080p before heading to the TV. Much is the same with the audio. If it is passthrough, it is a pure signal from the source without interruption from the receiver. If it's not passthrough, the receiver downscales it and then upconverts the signal before it's output to its destination.

The trick is that some receiver will only passthrough a video signal at full resolution. That's where it gets tricky with receivers and making sure that you go as deep as you can before making decisions on home electronics.

[Tulsa]

When I first got my 1080p set and PS3 for blu-ray movies, I upgraded my older Sony receiver and got sucked into the pass-thru on the new Sony receiver. Then I found this place (wish I'd found it first) and realized what I had and purchased the 605.

Now I'm stuck with a brand new Sony piece of crap but some lessons in life you have to pay for...

[Ex Accountant]

HDMI passthrough means that the signal is being passed directly from the source, AS IS, through the receiver and to the output source. In terms of video, a 1080p signal can sometimes be handled by the receiver and downscaled in order to make it through the technology inside. Once the signal reaches the HDMI output on the receiver, it then gets upscaled back to 1080p before heading to the TV. Much is the same with the audio. If it is passthrough, it is a pure signal from the source without interruption from the receiver. If it's not passthrough, the receiver downscales it and then upconverts the signal before it's output to its destination.

The trick is that some receiver will only passthrough a video signal at full resolution. That's where it gets tricky with receivers and making sure that you go as deep as you can before making decisions on home electronics.

Thank you for this info. I appreciate it. I do have one more, related NOOB question. Is it best to stay away from "pass though" and just get a regular HDMI receiver?