Boost output volume on hdmi or optical

[snowdog]

Hello,

I like listening to music at high volumes.

My pc setup used to be :

PC>A/V>TV all though HDMI. This provided a nice signal to my A/V receiver, A Sony DA2400ES.
I upgraded my TV, to a 4K tv (Phillips 43PUS6101/12 ), since my AV amp doesn't support 4k it goes :
PC>TV>A/V, with audio going through optical from tv to a/v receiver (but originally though HDMI).

However, this somehow offers a significantly lower signal than directly though HDMI.

How do I boost the audio output, I have to put my a/v receiver significantly louder, to the point I have quite loud hissing to reach the volume levens I'm used to.

I looked though all the TV's settings but can't find a way to boost Optical volume.

I know it can output it at higher volumes, because when my pc is playing audio, my A/V receiver is already on, and I turn on my TV, the audio volume is very shortly (eg. half a second) quite loud, before it becomes much more silent.

Any ideas how to boost my TV's optical output? I tried using the TV's ARC to the A/V through, but no video means no audio output .

Using hdmi like in my old situation, so passing the video through the receiver, rather than audio through the TV, boosts audio volume significantly and thus reduces noise when I have the volume like I want, but, obviously, my A/V amp doesn't support 4k, and at 43'', 1080p is to little to use as monitor.

 

[Rroff]

Optical out is a digital signal and as such "should" be locked at the max "volume" when sent to the receiver hence often no ability to control it.

EDIT: Google suggests that the headphone volume level also controls the optical output level but not sure on that.

 

[james.miller]

PC > optical > Receiver

or

PC > HDMI > Receiver using extended display mode


Take the tv out of the audio chain entirely. Also check what's causing that hiss - even at reference level the av amp should be near silent when it's not playing audio unless something else is introducing hiss (money's on the tv)

 

[snowdog]

PC > optical > Receiver

I'd need to buy a longer optical cable, and use Realtek HD audio instead of Nvidia HD audio.
Is this generally a good link, the last time I tried optical it was ages ago and didn't work ideally.

or

PC > HDMI > Receiver using extended display mode


Take the tv out of the audio chain entirely. Also check what's causing that hiss - even at reference level the av amp should be near silent when it's not playing audio unless something else is introducing hiss (money's on the tv)

Is there an easy way to extend the display, without actually creating desktop space on that screen (and me possibly losing my mouse on a non existent screen) ? I use already use 2 screens...

Now that you say it, I think the easiest way would be to add a 3rd fhd hdmi screen, that way I can output audio to that hdmi port, and have actual extra desktop space.

Hiss is from A/V receiver, From around vol - 11.5, at -5.0 it becomes annoying.
To reach the same volume as I used to on -25.0, I now have to use vol 0.0 or similar.
-40.0 is now around -17.0
-60 used to be my normal ''night'' volume level where audio wasn't audible in the next room, now it's barely audible in my own room.

Vol range is +23.0 to - 92.0

Optical out is a digital signal and as such "should" be locked at the max "volume" when sent to the receiver hence often no ability to control it.

EDIT: Google suggests that the headphone volume level also controls the optical output level but not sure on that.

Well it doesn't, clear switch in volume between first second and after.
I already boosted hf volume to max.

 

[hornetstinger]

Optical out is a digital signal and as such "should" be locked at the max "volume" when sent to the receiver hence often no ability to control it.

EDIT: Google suggests that the headphone volume level also controls the optical output level but not sure on that.

Not always. For the devices I use, Squeezebox, Sumvision media player, PC, and Sky box are volume controllable optical output.
Check your sources (optical out) are set to 100%.

 

[snowdog]

For now I added a hdmi cable between my A/V receiver and a free displayport, now extended by desktop to my ''3rd'' screen (a/v amp).

Is there a way to clone my 2nd 1280x1024 screen to my a/v amp, but those 2 being an extention of my desktop compared to my 3rd screen?

Basically, I don't want to have extra desktop space I can't use.

//a lot of swearing further, because it didn't work at first due to a defective hdmi cable

Least I have normal audio back .

 

[jpaul]

Have you checked on the PC that sound output format is not changing between connecting a/v and tv, ie. different EDID's the devices expose to PC

somewhat related :
- what is the player you are using on the PC ?
if it were mpc-hc then this has a volume boost options.
I usually disable all the sound 'correction' options in windows and also allow exclusive access.
-I am not sure if you can also use SPDIF drivers with HDMI/optical PC output which cuts out any windows O/S volume interaction

 

[snowdog]

Have you checked on the PC that sound output format is not changing between connecting a/v and tv, ie. different EDID's the devices expose to PC

somewhat related :
- what is the player you are using on the PC ?
if it were mpc-hc then this has a volume boost options.
I usually disable all the sound 'correction' options in windows and also allow exclusive access.
-I am not sure if you can also use SPDIF drivers with HDMI/optical PC output which cuts out any windows O/S volume interaction

I just use Spotify for music.
The main problem wasn't even the music, the main problem were more silent youtube videos.

You can have any amount of audio devices you want and switch them on the go:

I still have my ''old'' chain in place, at the same volume on the receiver, the audio is louder when than when it goes through my tv.



The main annoyance now is that when i switch my a/v receiver to a different input, it changes the resolution on my 2nd screen as it effectively ''disconnects'' that hdmi output .

EDIT 2: Cloned screen 2 and ''screen'' (receiver) 3 now, so no more annoying invisible desktop space.

Stupid A/V receiver though that disabled the HDMI port if it's not selected as input.