DTS-HD and Dolby True HD on Denon AVC

[Stewart.Snow]

Hi All,
Apologies if this has been asked before, I've looked around the forum here but cannot find an obvious answer.

I have the latest firmware, and am just trying to play originally purchased BluRay discs through my C-200 and get the full blown multi-channel audio out of my amp, and failing.

I've tried a variety of blu rays including ToyStory3, Tron, Terminator Salvation, Rango. They all play fine but my Denon AVC-3311 amp does not show either the DTS-HD or DolbyTrueHD soundtrack, and instead show either just plain DTS or Dolby Digital. Surround back channel sound is coming out of the surround side channels instead.

In each case I ensure that I've selected the appropriate audio channel / soundtrack on the disc, but it keeps on being downgraded somehow to vanilla DTS or DD.

The setup of the C-200 is passthrough for all forms of digital audio, and the the video output is set to 1080P 24hz.

When I try the exact same discs using my PS3, I get proper 7-channel audio playing through the amp.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here?

Many Thanks in advance.

Stewart

[megalive]

Well in short a few questions

Which Receiver is it ? (some older receiver have just hdmi 1.2 or older)

you use hdmi or a coax / glassfibre cable ?


PS3 supports multi channel PCM.... (decodes it internal)

[Stewart.Snow]

Thanks megalive,
The reciever is a Denon AVC-3311 (HDMI 1.4)
and I'm connecting the C-200 to the amp with HDMI, via an HDMI matrix switch (Octava switch & HDMI 1.3 compatible).

I'd understood that HDMI was the only way to get full 7.1 channel sound, as other options could only deliver up to 5.1

In short...
Presumably what I am trying to do should work fine, shouldn't it?

Thanks

[megalive]

Well all devices (including your television / beamer) should be HDMI 1.3 or higher... (else it could give issues)


So first keep it simpel.

Did you try too play a bluray and have just a television and your receiver connect ?
Do you have the correct effects in that condition ?

If that works you can put the hdmi matrix switch back and try it again...

for what are you using the matrix switch ? i guess a television and a beamer ?

[Stewart.Snow]

I have four different zones in my house and four different sources, so I use the matrix switch so that any source can play to any TV/Zone.

I must admit I have not yet tried connecting the C-200 directly to the receiver and bypassing the switch - will try it tonight. As the PS3 had worked without probably I'd generally ignored this aspect so far.

Can the quality of the HDMI cable make any real difference to this at all?

Thanks
Stewart

[megalive]

I personally expect it has something todo with HDMI1.2 and HDMI1.3 difference. (that is TrueHD / DTS Master Audio)

Why do i expect this

PS3 works fine (ps3 can decode Master Audio and TrueHD too multi channel pcm and you have good quality audio) this works on hdmi 1.2
The popcorn hour c200 can not decode too multi audio pcm. so it requires hdmi 1.3 complaint components.

Can you be more specific about the matrix switch the type and manifacture. and a link too a site where it stands. (so i can read about it)

[Stewart.Snow]

Thanks very much.

It is an Octava 4x4 HDMI matrix switch:

http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20matrix%2...204x4.html

The specification for it says it is full HDMI v1.3 compatible.

[megalive]

is it connected likt C200 - MAtrix - receiver - television ?

or it is like C200 - Receiver - Matrix - television

[Stewart.Snow]

C200 - Matrix - Receiver - Television

[megalive]

Well if am right about the hdmi protocol (not sure here)

the C200 uses hdmi encryption

for the encryption it is required that all possible targets and mand in the middle devices combine the encryption.
If this is not the case it would mean that if you switch an television too the c200 everything switches too black and then the visual comes back.

Because of this it also means the c200 can send audio too any television connected and i think there is atleast one televison connected too your matrix that is just hdmi 1.2

so if you changed it like c200 - receiver - matrix - television
i guess you have master audio or true hd.

[Stewart.Snow]

Yes, I see what you mean. I think you're right about the matrix, there is something about it degrading in terms of video resolution to the lowest connected device. Although fairly sure I've discovered this whilst having all other sources and attached TV's switched off.

I will experiment with the connectivity to see what makes a difference.

Thanks very much for your help!

Stewart

[chris57]

Also make sure that your AVR has been set correctly, we see quite a few with audio problems that are fixed after a good read of the AVR manual and a corrected setting. Seem to remember 'direct source' or similar being the most usual setting that causes problems. It needs to be selected from memory.

[Bytec]

Do you have the latest C-200 firmware?

There was a problem with PiP function in C-200. Try turning it off.

I also have a Denon AVR and could not get lossless audio to work properly. AVR was receiving PCM. Turning PiP off solved that. I believe this bug has been fixed since then.

[gvera]

With the PS3 you're getting 7.1 but it's ouput is not a DTS-MA or TRUHD bitstream, the PS3 converts everything to 7.1 PCM and then sends it to the AVR, so maybe your Denon configuration is not OK or the matrix switcher is blocking the stream.

I am using the C-200 with a Denon 1911 and it recognizes MA and TrueHD without any problem, I'm using the HDMI cable that came with the PCH.

[Martien]

The 200 series rely on the information that is received from the connected "sink"
In this information, called EDID, all A/V capabilities are shown to the C200.
As from august 2010, this info also controls the audio output setting for HDMI, it overrules any setting the display/avr cannot handle.
This is not like the PS3, you can manually set any output, even if it is not supported.

Maybe you now see the problem. What info is obtained from the HDMI switch. As it has 4 sinks connected, what info does the 200 get??
There is no general rule for that. It could be any of the connected sinks, it could be the one with the least capabilities, it could be a fixed EDID, could be a "spoofed" EDID.

But you can find out if you want. To do so you need a computer / laptop with a HDMI or DVI output.
If connected to the switch, replacing the 200, you can run the free "Moninfo" utility.
Moninfo will translate all the EDID info into plain english.
In the log you will see something like this:

Quote:CE audio data (formats supported)
LPCM 8-channel, 16/20/24 bit depths at 32/44/48/88/96/176/192 kHz
DTS 6-channel, 1536k max. bit rate at 44/48/88/96 kHz
AC-3 6-channel, 640k max. bit rate at 32/44/48 kHz
DTS-HD 8-channel, 16-bit at 44/48/88/96/176/192 kHz
DD+ 8-channel at 44/48 kHz
DVD-A 6-channel at 44/48/88/96/176/192 kHz
DVD-A 8-channel at 44/48/88/96 kHz
SACD 6-channel at 44 kHz

DVD-A stands for Dolby HD. If the HD audio entrees are missing, the 200 series will not playout HD audio, but the 5.1 core instead.