New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

post #1 of 11
1/4/09 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone!

I recently purchased a Mitsubishi WD-65736 DLP television. The picture looks very good to me, but I have a concern with the digital audio output from the television.

I cannot get Dolby Digital 5.1 to pass through the television over HDMI. I am not using the internal speakers on the TV. I am instead using a Sony surround sound receiver for sound. The TV just acts as a digital audio multiplexer of sorts because my surround sound receiver is not HDMI capable.

Example... DVD Player -> HDMI cable -> WD-65736 -> Digital Output (coaxial) -> Sony AVR

It does seem, however, that the TV is decoding the 5.1, mixing it down, and sending it to my receiver as stereo PCM.

I have tried getting 5.1 piped through the TV with several different HDMI sources. I have tried my Sony 400-disc DVD changer, an XBox 360, and a Samsung HDTV tuner... all of which have HDMI outputs and are capable of digital 5.1 output. When I hook the dedicated digital output of each device directly to the AVR, I can get 5.1 surround.

I know the simple solution is to keep audio and video separate, but my TV can switch more digital sources than my receiver.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Reply
post #2 of 11
1/5/09 at 8:13pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

After speaking with Mitsubishi today about this issue, it has come to my attention that this (and apparently other similar Mitsu TVs) cannot pass through Dolby Digital 5.1 from an HDMI source. It can only output stereo PCM. It can, however, output Dolby Digital 5.1 to the digital output if the source from the internal ATSC tuners.

I must now use optical & coaxial cables to connect my 5.1 sources directly to my AVR. This takes nearly all the convenience away from using HDMI interconnects.

Can anyone think of a reason why Mitsubishi incorporates this "feature"? Do other manufacturers do this as well?
Reply
post #3 of 11
3/12/09 at 10:57am

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

This thread is rather old so I am not sure if you will get this response.

I too just purchased that same TV. The picture is beautiful, but the speakers built into the thing are complete garbage.

I just got off the phone with Mitsu and they tried to tell me the same thing, that the TV's speaker cannot handle 5.1 so they do not process it. After demanding to speak to an engineer though I got an answer that may make sense. They told me that if you go into the audio settings and change the "speaker" setting to External or AVR the it will simply pass the signal through, since the TV is no longer processing the audio. That speaker option only becomes available when you have a receiver plugged into the digital audio out on the TV.

I will try this when I get home and post the results. If this work it could be the perfect solution, because then the TV would work the way the HDMI specification was intended!
Reply
post #4 of 11
3/12/09 at 4:45pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

I do recall trying that when I first started troubleshooting the issue with a Mitsubishi support tech. If I remember correctly, it did not work. It seemed like the TV was decoding the 5.1, mixing it down to stereo, and putting out PCM only from the Digital Output on the back for all HDMI sources.

I have since resorted to plugging and unplugging devices from my receiver to get the 5.1 routed where I need it.

I am, however, working on a 12-input (6 coax & 6 optical) remote controlled S/P-DIF switch to handle all my current (and future) digital inputs. I've lost a little steam on that project since I started... but someday I hope to get frustrated enough with manually switching cables that I gain some steam back.

If you do find that their solution works... I would be VERY interested in knowing!
Reply
post #5 of 11
3/12/09 at 9:15pm

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

Thanks for the reply, since I don't have many posts my replies are taking a while for them to moderate.

I have tried that setting as they suggested, with no love. I have a few other things to try. We recently moved and I have not had time to hang my rear channels yet, so I am thinking *possibly* the stereo wont go into surround until it see resistance on those ports. I will hook the Xbox straight in and see if I get the surround input then.

It's not looking good for Mitsubishi atm... I love them but, I will be calling back tomorrow and bugging them again until a I get a good answer. Maybe a firmware upgrade could fix this. I don't know.. But honestly I bought this TV because I was sick of being outdated, and if this TV wont do one of the KEY features of HDMI I think it is going back..
Reply
post #6 of 11
3/13/09 at 5:51am

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

Ideally you should have a receiver with HDMI, and connect everything to that first, then connect the receiver's output to the TV. If you want to use the TV's tuner, hook the output for that into the receiver.
Reply
post #7 of 11
3/13/09 at 6:04am
Thread Starter 

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

Thanks for your input Jesse. I understand that your scenario would be ideal, but I do not have a receiver with HDMI I/O and I am assuming Mr. Reese does not either... hence the reason for the issue in the first place.
Reply
post #8 of 11
3/13/09 at 6:23am
Thread Starter 

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

I decided to look at the Mitsubishi manual a little close to see what it says. (http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/pdf/735-736-835_OG.pdf)

On page 6, under the 'HDMI Inputs' heading, it refers to 'PCM digital stereo signals'. There is no mention of Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS coming in over HDMI.

Also, on page 9, it says 'Analog audio from analog channels and devices and HDMI devices is converted by the TV to PCM digital audio.'

Page 10: 'The HDMI inputs support uncompressed standard and high-definition digital video formats and PCM digital stereo audio.'

Mitsubishi needs to get with the game and route any and all audio out of the digital output.
Reply
post #9 of 11
3/13/09 at 3:05pm

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

I agree this is rather frustrating for me. My receiver does not has HDMI in as Jesse suggested, even Mitsu suggested that. Even if it did it would not be an option imho because it would require the surround sound receiver to be on even I was just watching My Name is Earl in stereo.

According to Mitsu, the TV is considered the last end-point by them which is why they do not pass Dolby Digital through. The confusing things, way even pass any audio through in the first place?! The TV will decode Dolby Digital "over the air" on the tuner and pass that out the digital out, so why not do the same for HDMI.

At this point I have a decision to make. The audio from the TV's built speakers is unacceptable to me, especially coming from the beautiful sound on my old Medallion Platinum Mitsu rear projection. Tethered with this issue of the no digital audio out of the DIGITAL OUT on the TV, is this really worth it?

I know I can run direct digital audio to the receiver the way I used to, but now that I am using the HDMI on the cable box, I have to navigate several screen on the cable box to turn off the HDMI audio and make it output to the digital out on the box.

I put this out to the community, does anybody know of a 65 inch or greater DLP that WILL pass-through the digital audio from the HDMI to a digital out on the TV for hook-up to a surround sound reciever?
Reply
post #10 of 11
3/17/09 at 11:34am

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

My good old Y657 Mitsu will not pass HDMI through to the audio out. None of last year's Mitsus will do so..... that output is clearly meant only for the on-air audio. Sigh.
Reply
post #11 of 11
3/17/09 at 12:48pm

Re: Problem with Mitsubishi WD-65736

While I sympathize with your dilemmae I feel that I ought to tell you all that this inability to pass incoming HDMI audio out of the digital audio output unmolested is not unique to these Mits sets. All tv mfgs do the same thing.

The obvious solution is to run digital cables directly from the source device to the receiver in addition to the HDMI to the set, though this does create a bit of inconvenience unless one has a Harmony remote to simplify all the switching necessary.

In the case of the cable box it should only be necessary to turn off the HDMI audio once, not every time you turn on the box?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home