Only HD Optical sound

[Richchad]

I have just bought a Humax 2000T recorder and after connecting up, noticed I only get optical audio on the HD channels, nothing from SD channels...

Sound works through HDMI lead all okay but not optical output.

Taking back to Richer Sounds tomorrow for them to check it out.

Just wondered if I have missed something in the settings?

 

[Brian]

Do you have the Humax volume control turned down?

What do you have set for Digital Audio Output? this should be Stereo for SD channels.

 

[Richchad]

Do you have the Humax volume control turned down?

What do you have set for Digital Audio Output?

Yes have Humax volume turned off as will send audio through TV, (HD sound works okay like this)

I have tried both Multi-channel and Stereo settings, no difference....

Have tried a default reset... no difference

At one point I lost the optical audio from HD channels as well, until I did a default reset again, so am thinking I must have a dodgy unit..

 

[Brian]

That is probably the problem. Try turning up the Humax volume.

With many TV's, the sound from HD channels is fixed, but the SD sound is variable depending on the Humax volume control setting.

 

[Black Hole]

Yes have Humax volume turned off as will send audio through TV, (HD sound works okay like this)

Based on experience with HDR-FOX (which we know is very similar in many respects), the Humax volume needs to be turned up, not down. It is only a bug in some TVs (or perhaps an unimplemented feature of HDMI) that causes the HiDef sound (when set to multi-channel) not to be controlled by the volume setting.

For the best reproduction all points in the audio chain should be set to maximum and only limit the final volume at the last link in the chain. If you need to turn the sound off at the TV to stop it conflicting with an amp and speakers, mute the TV.

 

[Richchad]

That is probably the problem. Try turning up the Humax volume.

If I turn up the volume, it will only increase audio via HDMI to TV and not via the Optical output.
The unit is working on HD now with volume on unit turned down and sound coming via optical output okay.
If I switch to a non HD channel sound disappears, which it shouldn't.

So the problem can't be the unit volume control turned down...

When I spoke to Richer Sounds the guy thought it was an odd one...
Looks like I will just have to take it back and see what they find......

 

[Richchad]

Based on experience with HDR-FOX (which we know is very similar in many respects), the Humax volume needs to be turned up, not down. It is only a bug in some TVs (or perhaps an unimplemented feature of HDMI) that causes the HiDef sound (when set to multi-channel) not to be controlled by the volume setting.

For the best reproduction all points in the audio chain should be set to maximum and only limit the final volume at the last link in the chain. If you need to turn the sound off at the TV to stop it conflicting with an amp and speakers, mute the TV.

Will have another dabble, but if I have to mute TV, think it will continually show a muted symbol on screen, which isn't great....

 

[Black Hole]

...or turn the TV sound level to zero! I should think most modern TVs would consider the possibility of having an AV amp connected, there may be a sound option in the menus.

 

[Richchad]

Okay, right have turned volume on Humax to max, muted TV volume and yes it does send audio to amp, it was the fact it worked okay with Humax volume turned off in HD but not in SD that threw me.

I don't really understand why it is like this, and no mention in the manual to help either, so do you guys think my unit is okay and just a bug in the software, that perhaps maybe fixed at some point?

BTW I really appreciate all your help guys.

 

[Brian]

If I turn up the volume, it will only increase audio via HDMI to TV and not via the Optical output.
The unit is working on HD now with volume on unit turned down and sound coming via optical output okay.
If I switch to a non HD channel sound disappears, which it shouldn't.

So the problem can't be the unit volume control turned down...

Try turning your TV volume off, then setting the Humax to Stereo output, then turn up the Humax volume, and select an SD channel. Do you now get sound through your optical output?

 

[Brian]

Okay, right have turned volume on Humax to max, muted TV volume and yes it does send audio to amp, it was the fact it worked okay with Humax volume turned off in HD but not in SD that threw me.

I don't really understand why it is like this, and no mention in the manual to help either, so do you guys think my unit is okay and just a bug in the software, that perhaps maybe fixed at some point?

BTW I really appreciate all your help guys.

Posts crossed.

That is how it has always worked on the HDR-FOX T2.

 

[Ezra Pound]

so do you guys think my unit is okay and just a bug in the software, that perhaps maybe fixed at some point?

I don't think your 2000T has a hardware fault or a software bug, It's just how it works, what I am saying is, a replacement unit will work the same and Humax are not likely to change how it works

 

[Richchad]

Posts crossed.

That is how it has always worked on the HDR-FOX T2.

Well I guess that is reassuring, pity it isn't made clearer in manual and also so much for help from Richer Sounds, both guys I spoke to never came up with anything about the volume control, or maybe the just assumed I had it turned up.. lol

 

[Richchad]

I don't think your 2000T has a hardware fault or a software bug, It's just how it works, what I am saying is, a replacement unit will work the same and Humax are not likely to change how it works

Thanks Ezra, now I know, feel a lot happier with the unit, I am also thinking of dumping my Sky and going for the Humax HDR 1000S Freesat unit, does anyone know if that operates the same way, also is the EPG similar to the Humax 2000T?

 

[Black Hole]

I don't really understand why it is like this, and no mention in the manual to help either, so do you guys think my unit is okay and just a bug in the software, that perhaps maybe fixed at some point?

We've been discussing this for at least three years on the HDR-FOX section of the forum (I'll add a link later). As far as I have been able to understand:

Stereo sound is sent as PCM (ie raw data) with the volume applied at source, and this also applies to HiDef sound when set to "stereo" rather than "multi-channel". All the receiver has to do is convert the data to an analogue waveform.

Multichannel sound is encoded (compressed) data, and for good reason encoded at full volume. The desired output volume is sent as additional data, and the receiver should decode the (several) sound channels and then apply the volume level to each of them - but some receivers fail to do that and just output the decoded sound channels as they are.

The conclusion is that it is not the Humax at fault, just a mis-match between the expectations of the Humax and the capability of the receiver.