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Question

Silly behavior of Samsung TV Toslink output

Apr 30, 2017 11:04PM PDT

I have been always connecting my Samsung TV (LE32C450) to a couple of Behringer monitors via Toslink. As a source, I had only used the TV itself or the internal Media Player, which plays audio or video from an external drive connected to the TV's USB connection.

A few days ago I connected a sat receiver to my TV through HDMI and I was amazed in hearing no audio from the Behringer monitors.

I browse the manual to discover that this configuration was perfectly right: the only limitation was the 5.1 audio would have been reduced to 2-way audio.

"When the source is a digital component such as a DVD / Blu-ray player / cable box / STB (Set-Top-Box) satellite receiver and is connected to the TV via HDMI, only 2 CH audio will be heard from the home theatre receiver."

Instead, I hear no audio at all.

Any suggestions?

Daniele

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Sorry but HDMI has HDCP
May 1, 2017 8:01AM PDT

And what that means is with rare exceptions no HD content shall pass.

On top of that, not all 5.1 audio gets reduced to stereo (bug or limitation.) I will not debate why this is but head to how I fix these. I either recable the setup to run audio direct from the source to the audio system or set the source to send stereo.

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HDCP plus bad 5.1 to stereo reduction...
May 1, 2017 10:25AM PDT

...is quite interesting, thank you. I will definitely try to set the STB to send stereo.
Only, I am having the same problems when the source is a Chromecast instead of the satellite STB. Is also Chromecast sending 5.1 audio with all the apps I have tried (incl. Spotify, Netflix, Youtube, Google Play, you name it) ? In case, should it be possible to set it to send stereo ?

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I know folk have asked that about the Chromecast.
May 1, 2017 10:31AM PDT

Just to be clear, I would google that about the Chromecast to save delays in my replies.

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Already done thanks.
May 1, 2017 11:43AM PDT

No solution yet though, and it does seem a Samsung related issue.

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Or is it?
May 1, 2017 12:18PM PDT

HDMI means HDCP which means (most of the time) no passing of HD video or HD audio. Downconversion is not a sure thing either so is it Samsung or the industry?