Home Theater Issue

Xaviar

Okay guys, I've been redoing my home theater, and the way I had it set up before, my ps3 ran optical out to my surround sound, so I had surround on that and on my dvds (reciever has a built in dvd player).

Got a new TV.
Sony Bravia kdl-46ex400
It has an optical audio out, and several HDMI ins.

The plan was to run everything HDMI to the TV, let it act as a reciever of sorts, and optical out it back to the surround sound. I was hoping with this setup I could get 5.1 out of the ps3, 360, and computer as well (via HDMI)

However with this setup, it seems that the audio coming back out of the TV (via optical) is not 5.1.
Hooked my computer up with HDMI to run a speaker check, and it says there are only 2 channels available.

What am I doing wrong? Is this setup workable? Or am I going to have to fall back on my old setup and only get 5.1 out the playstation, and leave the pc and 360 just run stereo through the tv?

Surround sound is a samsung ht-x50 by the way. Any thoughts?

[edit]

Little bit of extra info:
I am getting sound to the surround sound, from all input sources, so the TV is working as a receiver, but the surround sound only seems to be getting stereo, and it drops into the dolby "fake surround sound" options, instead of the mode it goes into when it gets an actual 5.1 signal..

Improvolone

Your TV is being fed the information for surround sound, but your TV doesn't know how to process surround sound, so it turns it into stereo (which it understands). Then, using an optical out, you are sending the now stereo signal to your receiver. Your receiver is taking the stereo signal its being fed and matrixing it into surround sound, which is how you've told it to treat stereo signals (or signals from that input).
The only problem is your equipment isn't acting how you want it to, but it is working how its supposed to.

If your receiver doesn't have enough inputs for everything (hint: buy a new receiver, you need more inputs and well made receivers that do a good job don't come with built in DVD players) you could probably buy an HDMI switcher and do what you want.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=hdmi+switch&x=0&y=0

edit:

This is the back of your receiver? Okay. No video inputs. Yea. I'd make your next purchase a new receiver. Onkyo has great budget units.

mkissin

Many TVs won't ever output 5.1 surround from the HDMI inputs to the optical audio output. They downmix to 2 channel instead. I know my Samsung does this, even though it is capable to outputting 5.1 via the optical (as the inbuilt tuner will output 5.1 over optical). I suspect it's as a copy protection thing, since the optical pathway can't be encrypted like the HDMI can.

Thus, your only real option is to get a better receiver, as Improvolone suggested.

Improvolone

And I am highly suggesting it.

Xaviar

SIGH
I guess I'll look into it. Was hoping to put some more money into my computer next, but to be honest, my receiver is a .. silly goose, and I've had it in the back of my head to get a new one for a while..

InkSplat

One additional thing--you'll probably need a new subwoofer as well if your current one connects via speaker wire. That is the case with a lot of HTiBs, and something real receivers generally don't support.

Improvolone

And any speakers that came with that receiver are probably crap too...

Unknown

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