Lack of audio from PS3

by wallyg17 Jul 7, 2008 10:02AM PDT

I have a PS3 hooked up to my Philips 42PF7320A/37 TV via HDMI cable (also have my cable settop box doing the same). I'm then running optical audio from my tv into my Harmon Kardon AVR110 receiver, so that all audio comes through the same channel passing through the TV.

When I play DVD's or games on the PS3, the audio and video both work fine (ditto for cable). However, any downloaded content on the PS3 or CD's yield no audio. If I try downloading a trailer on the PS3, I get video but no audio. If I play a CD, it recognizes it, shows me the tracklist, and the visualizer reacts, but there's no audio.

I've gone through all the troubleshooting I can imagine and checked all the settings multiple times. Anyone have any suggestions?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -

I am not really sure why exactly ...

by stuntman_mike Jul 7, 2008 3:10PM PDT

you would get audio for certain things and not for others.

I can tell you that you are best served by running an optical audio from the PS3 directly to your receiver and also one from the cable box to the receiver as well.

Chances are that you are not getting surround sound from your setup now as almost all TVs will not output 5.1 audio.

If you hook up your equipment separately using an optical cable for each, you will not only actually get surround sound, but my guess is that you would fix your audio issues as well. Just make sure that you set the PS3 to output audio via optical in the settings menu.

Not familiar with your AVR. I can only assume that you have chosen to hook your equipment up this way because you only have one optical audio in. I can tell you one thing for sure though, the way you have it set up is far from ideal. That's why receivers have multiple optical and coaxial audio ins.

Good luck

- Collapse -

far from ideal

by wallyg17 Jul 7, 2008 9:13PM PDT

I actually have two optical inputs on the receiver (one of which I'm using for a standalone CD player, which I hardly ever use). But I did it this way because I wanted to use HDMI for the PS3 and cable into the tv. Could I still do that and the optical cables? I'm pretty sure I'm getting 5.1 through the tv.

- Collapse -

The dreaded PS3 audio dilemma

by Dan Filice Jul 7, 2008 3:30PM PDT

I own a PS3 and I have it hooked to my TV with HDMI. For 5.1, I have my PS3 hooked to my Yamaha receive with Optical cable. (My Yamaha is pre-HDMI.) The stupid PS3 does not push audio out simultaneously from both HDMI and Optical. You need to go into the Settings menu on the PS3, go to Sound then choose Optical or HDMI Audio Out. What does this have to do with your problem? I'm not sure except that maybe the PS3's audio is attempting to use the Optical-Out or it's processed in such a way that the PS3 recognizes certain media and stops it's Audio-Out processing because of it's screwed up inability to output audio from both methods. I would do as Mike suggested and plug your Optical from your PS3 directly into your receiver (as I do) and then you will be fine. You will simply need to go back into the PS3 Settings and choose either HDMI Audio (for your TV speakers) or Optical Audio for your receiver. I complained to Sony about this, but they have no answer. Someone at Sony wasn't thinking when they made the PS3. Funny how all stand-alone DVD players (Blu-ray included) will output audio using both HDMI and Optical at the same time, but the PS3 won't. I hope they fix this with a Firmware upgrade. But on the bright side, I bought the PS3 Bluetooth remote and it made living with the audio quirk livable.

- Collapse -

one or the other

by swiggins Jul 9, 2008 1:14PM PDT

BINGO!.........you can use HDMI or optical, used together they cancel each other out

- Collapse -

so which one?

by wallyg17 Jul 9, 2008 1:25PM PDT

so what do you recommend if i want to take advantage of hdmi video to the tv?

- Collapse -

Surround sound

by ldonal Jul 11, 2008 8:26AM PDT

As stuntman said, you are best served by running an optical audio cable from the PS3 directly to your receiver and also one from the cable box to the receiver as well. That is how I have my ps3 and hd dvr connected to my receiver. Many tv's do not "sync" with receivers unless if the tv and receiver are made by the same company. This set up will change as I am trying to upgrade to a receiver that has hdmi inputs.

- Collapse -

and still...

by wallyg17 Jul 13, 2008 10:45AM PDT

run HDMI to my tv for video?

- Collapse -

Surround sound

by ldonal Jul 13, 2008 11:29AM PDT

Yes, run your HDMI cable to the tv and an optical cable to your receiver. You should be fine.

- Collapse -

only one optical audio in

by Uncle_Woody Oct 2, 2008 10:35PM PDT

Is there any type of combiner for multiple optical sources? My receiver only has 1 optical cable input.

- Collapse -

Sorry

by Uncle_Woody Oct 2, 2008 11:28PM PDT

I was confusing the different video inputs. My receiver does have 3 optical and 1 coaxial input.

But I do have a quastion: Do you have to use a Sony PS3 optical audio cable, or will any optical cable work?

- Collapse -

Optical cable

by Dan Filice Oct 3, 2008 1:05AM PDT

Any optical cable will work. I've got a variety of optical cables and I've tried them all with my PS3 and they all work...and the cables all came from different companies. I think the optical cables and connections are standard on all devices, thankfully. Sony has a terrible habit of making USB cable connections on their cameras different than anyone else's.

- Collapse -

YAY!

by Uncle_Woody Oct 3, 2008 2:41AM PDT

Yes, I bought an optical cable, and it works perfectly! Thank you!

Lack of audio from PS3

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info