Sky+ HD Dolby digital - what am I doing wrong?

Turbo-G

Turbo-G

Turbo-G

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Hi all, I'm having a few problems getting dolby digital output through my amp.

I have a Sky+ HD box connected via hdmi to the hdmi3 in port, with an optical cable from the sky box into the optical input1 port on the amp.

On the amp the digital audio is set to opt1 and the Dolby digital out is turned on within the sky settings. This seems ok to me, although I still don't get DD on DD broadcasts.

I discovered a different menu tonight from the 'Audio' button on the remote, and the audio select was set to hdmi. If I change this to 'opt' I lose sound completely. Signal format is currently set to 'all channel set' also.

What am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance, Grant.
 
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Firestar_3x said:
Unplug the optical cable from the amp and see if the end is glowing red.
Click to expand...

can be a bit of a red herring, just because the cable is lit doesnt mean its passing correct data.

my hd+ box lights the cable up but my amp doesnt recognise it as a valid signal, tried multiple cables etc with no joy. put it down to dodgy optical hardware in the sky box.

i switched to coax in the end and works flawless.
 
The amp has both an LCD screen and an overlay menu for hdmi inputs so no probs for seeing the options in theory.

Where do you set the sky box to output digital sound over optical? Can only find an option to output DD or stereo basically.

Cable seems to be carrying the laser, but no idea whether it is carrying any signal. I had this same prob on my none hd box but thought sod it as I'll be upgrading to HD :s

Coax could be an option I guess to rule out either the opt out on the sky box, or the opt in on the amp (both inputs don't seem to work so doubt it's the amp).
 
What amp? How many optical in ports does the amp have, just one?

Since you say the same problem occurred on your previous box then I'd say either the cable or the optical in on your amp is faulty.

PS is there an HMDI override setting on your Sky box?
 
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What amp is this? IIRC on my onkyo I had to bind the optical to a video input (in a menu) to get it to replace the sound correctly.
 
Sorry, thought I had said in the OP, its an Onkyo HT-S308 Amp, 2 opt in, 1 coax in, 3 hdmi in 1 out.

I've ordered a cheapo coax cable off the net, will give it a try to rule out the opt in ports on the amp. I'm inclined to think that its sw config, on either the sky box or my amp rather than the hardware itself, but we'll see.

So how do you configure the sky box to output its sound over optical rather than HDMI?
 
This is just plain annoying, a quick google reveals im not alone. Why can't Sky just output digital audio over HDMI :s

Anyway, does it matter which mode the 'signal format' is set to on the amp? Will DD broadcasts over optical still work if the amp is set to 'all ch set'?

Blue-ray player and Apple TV all work over HDMI no problems, just this Sky box! :(
 
You are just plain annoying.

God I hate it when people ask a question then totally ignore the answers. Even if the answers are wrong, you could at least rule them out so that other people can give other possibilities.

For the third time...IS THERE AN HDMI OVERRIDE SETTING ON YOUR SKY BOX AND HAVE YOU ENABLED IT???

Or can you just not read?
 
Robbie G said:
You are just plain annoying.

God I hate it when people ask a question then totally ignore the answers. Even if the answers are wrong, you could at least rule them out so that other people can give other possibilities.

For the third time...IS THERE AN HDMI OVERRIDE SETTING ON YOUR SKY BOX AND HAVE YOU ENABLED IT???

Or can you just not read?
Click to expand...

How rude are you?!

Anyway, I do not think the Sky box has a HDMI override. At least not in the visible menus.
 
Turbo-G said:
How rude are you?!
Click to expand...

What's rude is asking questions then ignoring the answers.

What happens when you plug the HDMI cable from the Sky+ box straight into the TV (mute the TV) rather than the amp and leave the optical connected to the amp?

Alternatively you'll have to use component for your video.
 
I'll try hdmi direct to tv later if I get chance. My coax cable should arrive tomorrow also so that's something else to try. Cheers.
 
The Sky box doesn't have a HDMI override. if possible only plug the Optical into the amp and see if you get 5.1. Try a movie from anytime (TV Guide, red button) as they nearly all have 5.1 and see what lights up on your amp.
 
First off, sky only does 5.1 over digital out and won't do it over HDMI - that's it. No if's or buts and no point in being uphappy as the fix is a 2 quid cable. Connect the HDMI and the optical lead up (note which optical number you use on the back of the onkyo)

In Sky settings make sure you have "Digital Audio Output" to Dolby D and you'll probably need to change the audio output to 5.1 assuming you havn't done it.

Assuming nothing changed that much from the 307 to 308.... I checked the 307 manual which i have and basically you have to set it up based on the input. Assuming you already assigned the HDMI-in from sky to the CBL/SAT in the onkyo:
Press reciever, then setup
Find "Digital Audio" - press enter
Use up/down to find the right input you want to link the audio to
Press left / right to switch the audio source (guessing you want OPT-1)
Press setup again.

This should link the hdmi video signal to your optical signal and all will be good.

Edit: If you have set the hdmi input to cable/sat already it _should_ default to opt-1 anyway but it's a bit funny sometimes and it's probably still trying to find it over the hdmi. assuming you set the signal source encoding to auto the onkyo box will auto switch depending on signal type and has a red "DD" logo shown when it's receiving DD5.1. You can also press "display" and it will show you what the source is.
 
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Thanks for the comprehensive guide. The cabling is essentially as I have mine already. I am yet to try opt only to the amp removing the hdmi so I'll try that.

My sky box is set to output Dolby digital, although I can't recall whether it is set to 5:1 - I'll need to check when I'm home.

With regards to setting the signal encoding on the amp to auto, Im unsure whether that is set tbh, I know that the signal source is currency set to 'all channel set' however I suspect the two are different things. Ill check tomorrow when I'm home.

Thanks,

Grant
 
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