New Sharp LCD digital audio out limitations

[rocks911]

I just purchased a new Sharp LC-52D82U LCD and while I'm enjoying the picture the audio is a bit of a problem.

My audio/surround system:
Preamp: Parasound 2500u (a little old but a solid performer)
Amp: Sunfire @200 Watts channel

The preamp accepts several digital audio input types to include two Toslink fiber optic cables. The Sharp LCD has 3 HDMI inputs which is handy.

So I connect an Oppo DVD player directly to the Sharp LCD through a HDMI cable and I also connect my Verizon settop box through a HDMI cable. The Sharp LCD has a digital audio output that seemed to really simplify the process of managing surround sound, except it didn't.

The audio from the settop box works just fine. The audio from the DVD player not so much. I played a regular 480i DVD in the player which by the way loos great on the LCD but there was no center channel sound, which is to say there was no dialog channel whatsoever.

I received this e-mail a response from Sharp:

Thank you for contacting Sharp Electronics Corporation.
The digital audio output on the television doesn't work with any HDMI inputs. It only works with composite, component, and S-video inputs, where the cable have separate audio and video. HDMI cables contain both audio and video. Sorry for any inconveniences.

Now to take advantage of the HD capabilities of the LCD sources must be connected through the HDMI input, however the digital audio is useless.

Is this typical?

Thoughts, questions, suggestions?

[kelsci]

You have a damm good question. What Sharp is saying is that if you are feeding analogue audio throu composite, component and S-video audio inputs, it will be converted to a digital feed out of the optical output of the television set yet the set does not offer a digital pass-thru from the hdmi cable thru thru the televisions optical output. Whether this occurs on other sets is a good question. My brother has a Samsung 5054 plasma, but he has not hooked up a optical cable to his Marantz receiver so unfortunately I cannot answer your question. Sorry.

[musicman1999]

But you said the set top box works fine? I would connect to your preamp from each source by coax digital directly, nothing good can come from running digital audio through a tv on the way to your pre. You won't have a problem until you get a Bluray but even then you can use the 5.1 analog inputs.

bill

[bobsticks]

But you said the set top box works fine? I would connect to your preamp from each source by coax digital directly, nothing good can come from running digital audio through a tv on the way to your pre. You won't have a problem until you get a Bluray but even then you can use the 5.1 analog inputs.

bill

As usual, bill is spot on. In virtually all things audio the best solution is a straight line. Accordingly, avoid the loop.

[rocks911]

Thanks for the replies.

It's true that the best course is directly out from each source to the preamp to be sure, but for the sake of shedding the noodle factory and the ease of operation/explanation for the wife I had hoped the optical out would solve my problems.

My preamp has four coaxial digital inputs and one 5.1 analog input so options aren't a problem.

Bill you said that I won't have a problem until BluRay and I was wondering why that is?
Also you mentioned that the problem will be solved by my 5.1 analog which leads me to wonder which is the better input, the coaxial digital or the 5.1 analog (assuming that the source machine offers either option) and why is/will BluRay be a problem

Thanks all for your time and experience.

For what it's worth this appears to be a fairly uninformed question I've asked because as Bill alludes to, the Sharp T.V., or for that matter apparently any of the newer HDTV's arent really equipped with significant decoders to provide a good signal. I was hoping though.

[rocks911]

Oh and by the way Bill I see you have a Harmony remote, do you like it?

[musicman1999]

Bobsticks
Thanks for the kind words.

Rocks
First off i have the Harmony 880 and love it, if you are looking for a universal remote it is the best i have tried and i tried a few.
Second what i meant by Bluray being a problem is that you need to be careful which player you buy because not all will output audio on the 5.1 analog, some require HDMI if you want the new audio formats.Me, i was in the same position as you, i have a nice pre-pro(Anthem AVM-30) but it has no HDMI so i run my Bluray player(Sony s-300)by 5.1 analog and this gets me uncompressed PCM and that is way better than DD or DTS.You want a player however that will output all the new formats over analog.Your option here is to go with a new receiver that will decode the new formats over HDMI but frankly the overall sound quality won't be as good as your Parasound when all the sources are taken into account. Bluray is a worthy format should you want to take the plunge and with careful component selection it will not cause a problem.
I tried out one of the new Denon bluray players and it was very nice, great picture.


bill

[musicman1999]

Hey that was post 1,000.

bill

[skyers]

You have a damm good question. What Sharp is saying is that if you are feeding analogue audio throu composite, component and S-video audio inputs, it will be converted to a digital feed out of the optical output of the television set yet the set does not offer a digital pass-thru from the hdmi cable thru thru the televisions optical output. Whether this occurs on other sets is a good question. My brother has a Samsung 5054 plasma, but he has not hooked up a optical cable to his Marantz receiver so unfortunately I cannot answer your question. Sorry.

I have the same problem as the orig post, with a small difference that throws a wrench into the answer given by Sharp.
I can play Divx files from my DVD player (from Disc or USB).
I get normal digital pass-thru from the DVD HDMI into the Sharp LCD then Digital Optical out to my Reciver for Audio when I play Divx Files from Disc or USB but when I play a DVD I get no Optical out from the Sharp.
Does this make any sense?? How can the TV decide what audio signal to pass thru and what signal to not.

[musicman1999]

You should never run audio through your television, always connect direct from player to receiver.

bill