I have a SA 8300 HD DVR box LG 42 plasma tv and I am using hdmi cables the video works with all the channels and the audio works with most of them except for the basic cable channels ex. usa tbs mtv I called cablevison they said they do not support hdmi even though its on there box and they could not help me the only way that everything works is with component video and analog audio cables can someone please help me figure out how to get audio from all the channels with hdmi
yeah, sorry to say, it really doesnt sound good... you'll probably just have to take what you can get. Funny thing is, im sure the tv only has 2 speakers built in... I dont really see the advantage of HDMI audio over analog. I guess HDMI you get a true digital sound which SHOULD sound better, but in reality I wonder if you can really hear the difference. There should be a way you can configure your tv to accept video over hdmi and audio over analog. You might have to set the hdmi setting to dvi mode (hdmi is basicaly dvi with added audio) If it thinks you are using a dvi-hdmi cable it wont look for the audio signal there and you should be able to specify different audio connections for your hdmi input.
The question of digital HDMI transmission in digital vs. regular analog is not so much a sound quality issue. That is and will be debatable for a while to come at least as far as regular music is concerned. You are right that if you are going to a 2 speaker TV it won't make much difference at all. However if you are going through a 5.1 receiver where in HDMI or any other digital mode, the sound can get distributed to the right speakers, that will make a big difference when watching TV or movies etc.
I guess the biggest thing I have a hard time understanding is this: HDMI sends digital video and audio to the SAME device. So, in most circumstances, that would be your TV... What is the advantage of Digital sound coming in to your TV. I think I see where you are going with this though, if you ran HDMI from the cable box to the receiver and from there to the TV.. That would clear up cable clutter and get digital video and audio to both the receiver and the TV.
Only thing is most affordable receivers dont have HDMI inputs. At the moment the easiest thing is to run HDMI to the tv and optical to the receiver.
Remember Adam that HDMI's lack of clutter may be the only advantage given to the consumer. Otherwise it simply works better for the content providers because it is secured digital transmission that doesn't allow copying. In other words it is not a technology that makes our experience that much better.
Also the receiver vendors were a bit behind in accepting this technology than the TV and DVD manufacturers. Mostly, I assume, because they have to do so much more with it in terms of signal detection and routing and upgrade of analog signals among other issues.
I got rid of the hdmi cable and ran component and analog audio no diferance in picture or sound quality but at least everything works now I just cannot understand the hype over hdmi everyone seems to have a problem with it. I also tried to use it on my other display with my receiver and guess what there was a problem there too. I'm glad I only spent $35 for the cable from blue jeans. all of my components have hdmi but I still would of bought them anyway If they didnt
HDMI is being hyped by "the man" because it's "the answer" to the "copying problem" (As a digital signal, they can put enforcable copyright protection on content). I see a lot of devices like DVD players that tout 720P upconverting but only work through HDMI (there is no physical reason for this, just their way of making you use HDMI). As a person who wouldn't dream of having High Def with crappy tv-speaker stereo, I think HDMI is a waste, but it's still funny to watch people buy HDMI and an audio cable.
What I am waiting to come out is a 50in+ TV with no speakers... Why would anyone who buys a tv like this want speakers in them anyway to take up even more room... How many people with the Plasma/LCD/DLP TVs actually do NOT have a 5.1+ set-up?
You can find plasma and LCD HD Monitors, with no speakers on them. I remember seing some at BB. They dont usualy dont have tuners in them, and in hindsight, I kinda wish we had went with something like that. It is nice though to have the versitility. I know if our AV Receiver goes we have backup until it gets repaired.
I wish I would have read this post a week ago. I bought an inexpensive HDMI cable (10% of what a major local retail outlet wants) but I have the exact same problem. I have the SA 8300 HD box and LG 42" plasma. I only have sound on 3 channels below 100 and all above 100 except one. It's a very strange problem and I don't see a technical explanation for this behavior. It's frustrating that the technology doesn't work for me, but at least I didn't spend a lot.
In my case, don't think it is the cable company but something with the combination of the SA 8300 HD and the LG 42" Plasma. A buddy of mine has the same setup, but a Philips LCD and has no problems with audio or video.
I was playing around with my ht system switching between hdmi and component and optical and guess what I noticed no differance in picture quality but the optical did sound better for audio just a little bit when I cranked my system up way too many problems with hdmi I'll stick to the component and optical audio anyone want to buy an hdmi cable lol