[BDP9600/12] No Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrouth to Philips TV

[Toengel]

Hi,

today I'm the one who needs help ;-)

As stated by Philips - Thomas, Philips TVs should be able to passthrough Dolby Digital 5.1. See clarification 3) in this post: http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...ll=1#post10943

I have the following setup:

BDP (with a standard DVD movie with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound) -> HDMI -> TV (Cinema 21:9 58PFL9955, 2010 model) -> SPDIF -> Sony Receiver.

When I'm pressing the "option key" on my TV remote and choose "status" I can see the video and audio configuration. Video is e.g. 1080p. But audio ist ALWAYS "Digital Stereo". Consequently, I'm not able to passthrough the Dolby Digital 5.1 signal to my Receiver via SPDIF from my TV.

I tried different audio settings in the BDP configuration, but still I never get 5.1 from my TV and the status is always "Digital Stereo".

What I'm doing wrong?

Who has this configuration working? Or who can test it?

Toengel@Alex

[Toengel]

Hi,

I did some tests with a notebook connected via HDMI to the Philips TV:

Notebook (playing DVD with Dolby Digital 5.1) -> HDMI -> TV -> SPDIF -> Receiver

And this setup works without problems. The receiver recognizes DD 5.1.

I also checked the status page via option key: also here the audio status is Dolby Digital 3/2 (5.1).

So the TV works perfectly and the problem must be the BDP9600!

@Philips BDP support

Can you please test my setup? Or at least connect the BDP to a Philips TV and check the status page on the TV (via option key) while playing a Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD!

Toengel@Alex

[Pacman]

Hi Toengel,

Looks you are right. I have tried also and seems I have the issue. I will try again later and keep you
up to date. Tested on my BDP9600 and my 7696....

Bye

[Oscar]

What are the audio settings you set up in your BDP´s. Maybe it is just a set up

[Toengel]

Hi,

I tried different ones (for the HDMI audio output there are not many options)... nothing works: I always get "Digital Stereo".

Toengel@Alex

[Lucky Kameleon]

Hi Toengel,

I think it is your BDP indeed. I've tested it with my BDP7600 and my TV passes through Dolby Digital just fine. For the record: I'm using a 37PFL7606, so both hardware appliences are 2011 models. My BDP7600 is connected with HDMI to my TV and with SPDIF (Optical) to my NAD receiver (which has no HDMI connections). I've also connected my TV with SPDIF (Optical) to my NAD receiver. I therefor have the possibility for redirecting TV sound and BDP sound tot my NAD receiver, depending wich selection I make on the receiver.

BDP7600 -> HDMI -> TV -> SPDIF -> HTS (DD works)
BDP7600 -> SPDIF - HTS (DD/DTS works)

. But as you stated in your post, your TV is able to detect Dolby Digital when you connect your laptop via HDMI, so it seems that the problem is your BDP9500. [edit: sorry, your BDP9600)

[Toengel]

Hi,

I hope that some Philips technicans at BDP support will test this. Please!

I also hope that other BDP9600 users could test this! Maybe it's an error for that specific device series...

Toengel@Alex

[Toengel]

Hi,

just tested firmware 1.60 - same result: playing a DVD with 5.1 on my BDP results in "Digital Stereo" on my BDP9600.

Please Philips, take a look at it.

Toengel@Alex

[Pacman]

Indeed looked again but found this what makes sence to me......You will not get 5.1 audio out of the optical or coaxial jack of your HDTV. The HDCP restrictions don't allow a TV to output the original digital content. The TV will downgrade it to 3.1 or 2 channel stereo. This is a Hollywood issue and the manufacturers want you to buy an HDMI capable surround sound receiver to route the signal thru. In this world there are sources, repeaters, and displays. Due to the copyright crap your HDTV can not act as a repeater, only a display. However, an HDMI surround receiver can act as a repeater for the video but it can only use the audio for speaker output. It cannot pass the audio on to the TV. The only way around this is to get a optical audio switch so you can select the optical from whatever source you are watching. And use the TV just for selecting the video source you want. If you want to throw out a pile of cash, you can buy the HDMI receiver and 2 HDMI cables and run it the way the Hollywood bunch and the manufacturers want you to......

.............do not think this is a BDP issue nor a TV one...just is not going to happen

[Toengel]

Hi Pacman,

thanks for thinking again.

BUT - what I do not understand is, why can I connect my notebook and play the DVD and it passes the DD 5.1 to my TV (I can check on my TV what video and what audio is received). If the notebook is connected I got 5.1 (3/2 is displayed). If the BDP is connected I got "digital stereo".

I my initial post I linked a post where Philips says that DD should be able to be passthroughed. But even at the beginning no DD5.1 is received.

It would be a shame if some restrictions are in the protocol.

@Philips
Can you please make an official statement?

Toengel@Alex

[Oscar]

Isn´t that since not all content is proteted with/by HDCP when using a Notebook??

[Sofus]

I have the same problem with bdp7500 and pfl9705. Other sources are fine (PS3, Samsung DVD etc). If I want it fixed on warranty I am afraid I will get nowhere and have to pay. Unless the two are checked together. I am going to test my 7500 with a hdmi-receiver and with another TV. I guess the first will do multichannel just fine but the other is unclear unless the tv has hdmi ARC (like the 9705). Anyway I am glad my bdplayer and TV are same brand. Philips should fix this or offer another player.

[Sofus]

Just confirmed that PFL9705 passes through 5.1 from BDP7600 (but not from 7500) to receiver via coax!

[Toengel]

Hi,

so: it's a BDP9600 or 2010 BDP bug...

Toengel@Alex

[Sofus]

I guess it's a 2010/11 bug in both some TVs (eg 9705) and BDPs (eg 7500 and 9600), but it seems to appear only in Philips TV/BDP-combinations... Huh