Loud distorted noise using DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1

[Sam Remp]

I am currently using a LG B370 blu-ray player and have it feeding directly into my Samsung PN50A760 tv. I then use a set of Bose Companion system stereo speakers fed from the TV. I have never had a problem watching movies on this system in my limited space but when I watch a blu-ray with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 as the audio track I get loud garbled noises through my speakers. I first checked firmware updates yadda yadda then I checked the manual for the settings on the blu-ray player. It confirmed that I had them set correctly at PCM Stereo for the configuration I have them in and have everything set as low as possible. This did nothing to help and I went so far as to completely disconnect my speakers and just try to watch it through my TV but I still get the same problem. My manual for the blu-ray player says this noise is because I cannot decode the codec so if I am reading this right then that would mean that unless I go out and buy either a new tv or use a different home theater then I cannot watch any blu-rays recorded in this format. Does this sound like a valid assumption or am I missing something?

[MrBoylan]

I am currently using a LG B370 blu-ray player and have it feeding directly into my Samsung PN50A760 tv. I then use a set of Bose Companion system stereo speakers fed from the TV. I have never had a problem watching movies on this system in my limited space but when I watch a blu-ray with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 as the audio track I get loud garbled noises through my speakers. I first checked firmware updates yadda yadda then I checked the manual for the settings on the blu-ray player. It confirmed that I had them set correctly at PCM Stereo for the configuration I have them in and have everything set as low as possible. This did nothing to help and I went so far as to completely disconnect my speakers and just try to watch it through my TV but I still get the same problem. My manual for the blu-ray player says this noise is because I cannot decode the codec so if I am reading this right then that would mean that unless I go out and buy either a new tv or use a different home theater then I cannot watch any blu-rays recorded in this format. Does this sound like a valid assumption or am I missing something?

First make sure it is not a disc-specific (title-specific) problem. Do you have other DTS-HD Blu-rays you can test? If so, how does the TV perform with DTS-HD 5.1 or other DTS-HD 7.1 recordings?

It sounds to me like a problem with the player decoding DTS-HD 7.1 tracks to PCM. If the player is set to PCM output over HDMI, then the player should detect that the TV is a two-channel device during the HDMI/EDID handshake and you should get sound.

Your other option would be to try using the player's analog outputs (2-ch) and plug these into the TV. One of the TV's HDMI inputs (HDMI 2) can accept an analog audio input. They do it this way so that the TV can accept a signal from a laptop with a DVI/HDMI output that has no audio. Hook the player's HDMI output up to HDMI 2 on the TV and plug a standard analog cable (white and red RCA cable) into the audio input next to it. Check your user manual to see how to enable that audio input.

But frankly, if the player is at fault here, then you may still hear the buzzing sound over the analog outputs of the player as well.

If the player does create noise from DTS-HD 7.1 Blu-rays via the analog outputs, then it is clearly a player defect and you need to contact LG to report the problem to them.

-CB

[cbx4evr]

Searching the net for a possible solution to my issue landed me here. This sounds similar to the problems I am experiencing.

Have a LD BD350 connected to a Pioneer amp. Up until now I have never had an issue with sound. Still don't except for 7.1. Just bought Sound of Music Blu-Ray in 7.1. When it came on in 7.1 it nearly blasted me out of my seat with the loud static/wind noise coming out of the speakers. Checked all my settings and updated the firmware on the DVD player none of which helped. Settings were all correct.

My son comes over a week later with a couple different disks. New Disney Fantasia in 7.1. Same result. Then tried Narnia-Prince Caspian. Played perfectly with excellent sound out of all the speakers.

So am I to assume that the other two disks are faulty or .....?????

[MrBoylan]

Searching the net for a possible solution to my issue landed me here. This sounds similar to the problems I am experiencing.

Have a LD BD350 connected to a Pioneer amp. Up until now I have never had an issue with sound. Still don't except for 7.1. Just bought Sound of Music Blu-Ray in 7.1. When it came on in 7.1 it nearly blasted me out of my seat with the loud static/wind noise coming out of the speakers. Checked all my settings and updated the firmware on the DVD player none of which helped. Settings were all correct.

My son comes over a week later with a couple different disks. New Disney Fantasia in 7.1. Same result. Then tried Narnia-Prince Caspian. Played perfectly with excellent sound out of all the speakers.

So am I to assume that the other two disks are faulty or .....?????

Unlikely to be a problem with the discs themselves as Blu-rays are very rarely defective. Most likely a player/compatibility problem, receiver issue or a set-up problem. I've played "Sound of Music" with no problems on a couple of different players including the BD390 which is the same generation LG player as yours. So it's either your specific player or receiver that is most likely to blame.

If you post the details of how you are connecting (HDMI from player to receiver and then HDMI again from receiver to TV?), and also exactly what receiver you are using (model number), as well as what audio settings you have selected on the player (HDMI PCM, or primary passthrough?), we might be able to help you debug the problem. The OP never replied with details so we have no idea what was the cause of his problem.

Questions:

• How are you connecting to the receiver? HDMI or something else?
• Does the noise come out of all speakers or only the rear surrounds?
• How have you set up the audio on your player? PCM, Primary Passthru or something else?
• What model Pioneer receiver are you using?

That should narrow things down a bit.

-CB

[cbx4evr]

Thank you for the response. I just found it odd that it played one disk fine and the others not.

I have to admit thought that the technology is passing me by. I will review and record all my settings and answer your questions to me tomorrow. Thanks for the assistance.

Nick

[cbx4evr]

Questions:

• How are you connecting to the receiver? HDMI or something else?
  
  HDMI from DVD to Receiver to TV
  
• Does the noise come out of all speakers or only the rear surrounds?
  
  No actually. Nothing comes out of the rear speakers.
  
• How have you set up the audio on your player? PCM, Primary Passthru or something else?
  
  Audio on player is set at PCM Multi-Channel
  
• What model Pioneer receiver are you using?
  
  Pioneer Model VSX-1018AH
  

So further to those answers. For the heck of it I changed the DVD player audio setting to Pass-Thru and my Sound of Music disk played perfectly. So did I solve my own problem???

The instructions for my unit are:

[PCM Multi-Ch] (HDMI only) – Select if you connect this unit’s HDMI OUT jack to a device with multi-channel digital decoder.

[DTS Re-Encode] – Select if you connect this unit’s HDMI OUT or DIGITAL AUDIO OUT jack to a device with DTS decoder.

[Primary Pass-Thru] – Select if you connect this unit’s DIGITAL AUDIO OUT and HDMI OUT jack to a device with LPCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS-HD decoder.



The reason I didn't choose Pass-Thru as the setting is because of that little word and in the instructions. The Digital Audio Out is a co-ax connection that I am not using.

I think that about sums it up. The technology is passing me by. I'm now realizing how my Dad felt 25 years ago.

Thanks for the advice.

[MrBoylan]

So further to those answers. For the heck of it I changed the DVD player audio setting to Pass-Thru and my Sound of Music disk played perfectly. So did I solve my own problem???

The instructions for my unit are:

[PCM Multi-Ch] (HDMI only) – Select if you connect this unit’s HDMI OUT jack to a device with multi-channel digital decoder.

[DTS Re-Encode] – Select if you connect this unit’s HDMI OUT or DIGITAL AUDIO OUT jack to a device with DTS decoder.

[Primary Pass-Thru] – Select if you connect this unit’s DIGITAL AUDIO OUT and HDMI OUT jack to a device with LPCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS-HD decoder.



The reason I didn't choose Pass-Thru as the setting is because of that little word and in the instructions. The Digital Audio Out is a co-ax connection that I am not using.

I think that about sums it up. The technology is passing me by. I'm now realizing how my Dad felt 25 years ago.

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, you did solve your problem. Since your receiver can decode the new lossless surround codecs coming in via HDMI, setting the HDMI audio output to primary passthrough is the best way to go as it will send those raw bitstreams to your receiver for decoding. It is likely that your player is having a problem converting DTS-HD 7.1 sound to multi-channel PCM internally which is why you are getting noise from DTS-HD MA 7.1 tracks when you use the player to decode those to multi-channel PCM. But it's also possible that your receiver has a problem with 7.1 channel PCM signals.

In any case, setting the player to bitstream will work for *almost* everything. The only time you will need to change this setting is if you watch a Blu-ray with Bonus View content - usually a PiP commentary window that overlays the main movie. With the audio set to primary pass-through, you will most likely not be able to hear the audio of a BonusView PiP commentary track. Setting it back to PCM or DTS re-encode should allow you to hear these tracks if/when you want to.

Regards,

-Chris

[cbx4evr]

Thanks for the assistance and explanation Chris.

Odd thing through all this is that I was able to play Prince Caspian with the PCM setting. MAybe it's not as sound intensive as Sound of Music or Fantasia - if that makes sense.?

[MrBoylan]

Thanks for the assistance and explanation Chris.

Odd thing through all this is that I was able to play Prince Caspian with the PCM setting. MAybe it's not as sound intensive as Sound of Music or Fantasia - if that makes sense.?

From what I've seen on the stats sites, the sampling rate is the same on all three titles (48 KHz) so it doesn't seem like Caspian should be any easier than the others to decode. It may be that it lacks menu sound effects and/or BonusView content, which is something that kicks in the BD Secondary audio mixing/decoding on all players in PCM mode. I'd guess that it's a combination of the DTS-HD 7.1 soundtrack and the secondary sound effects that are causing the player to choke when trying to decode to PCM. But this is really just a SWAG (Scientific Wild Assed Guess).

Glad you've got your sound back anyway.

-CB

[diego medina]

hi, i have the same problems wiht tangled and tron legacy, only setting my lg blu home teather player off hdmi sound settings, can i hear the sound, sorry for my english, not native speaker.
Dont have problem with 5.1 but 7.1 sometimes make my player freezes.
Its the audio?
Thanks