DVD player sound output

[Inchiquin]

I have a Panasonic DMR-PWT550EB Freeview/HDD/DVD box and I want to output the sound to an Audiolab 8000A amplifier. The only output on the Panasonic is HDMI - no Scart, SPDIF or RCA - and the only inputs on the Audiolab are stereo RCA. I have an HDMI/sound splitter which works fine with an old Foehn & Hirsch DVD player but I can't get any sound from the Panasonic via the splitter (video output is fine).

In the Panasonic Sound settings I've set Downmix to Stereo rather than Surround Encoded, and both the DolbyD and DTS to PCM rather that Bitstream. The splitter has Pass, 2CH and 5.1 options so I've set it to 2CH.

I'm guessing the Panasonic is sending sound in a format not recognised by the splitter. The splitter does have a SPDIF output, so would that work with a SPDIF->RCA converter? If so, can you point me to one that will do the trick. I don't have a lot of spare cash so I can't afford to try things and then discard them if they don't work, unless they're inexpensive.

Many thanks, Alan

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I feed my amp direct from the TV. So only one input required on the amp no matter what the source is.

 

[Rodders53]

Make and model of hdmi splitter/audio extractor? (For the user manual/specs).

Panny set to stereo should be 48 kHz PCM out and any device should be able to decode that to stereo analogue for the RCAs... Presumably the TV still gets sound over the main hdmi out OK?

Why not use the TV to output sound to the amp... more likely to get lip sync correct... but many TVs don't have analogue outs nowadays... so TV make and model may be needed. Most have optical spdif out though, so then that could be a use for a spdif decoder.

An expert I respect on Panny recorders resides over on AVForums (if all else fails on here).

 

[Inchiquin]

The splitter is an unbranded Chinese model. I've considered that I might need a better one but as I said, it does work with my other DVD player.

I've considered taking the sound from the TV but it doesn't have RCA output, only Scart and SPDIF. I've tried the Scart via an audio converter but get no sound from that. If I use the SPDIF I'm in the same situation as with the splitter - I will need to convert it to RCA and I want to be sure that anything I buy will work.

Alan

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A scart to RCA output should definitely work, that's exactly how I used to get sound to the amp years ago. Think I might even have it still in a box somewhere.

 

[Lucid]

I've considered taking the sound from the TV but it doesn't have RCA output, only Scart and SPDIF. I've tried the Scart via an audio converter but get no sound from that. If I use the SPDIF I'm in the same situation as with the splitter - I will need to convert it to RCA and I want to be sure that anything I buy will work.

SCART was designed to be a two-way connection, even if it wasn't always fully used. That caused no end of problems with SCART to RCA leads because it was too easy to buy a one-way wired lead, or try to get audio out from RCAs designed to send sound to the TV. The switched SCART adapters helped here. If there was no signal when you knew it should be there, flicking the switch to the other setting fixed it most times.

The other wrinkle with TV SCART is that audio out only worked for the TV tuner. Now, admittedly, that was a long time ago, well before Freeview and HDMI sockets on TVs. However, it's still worth checking if you're determined to go down the SCART route.

I think optical is a safer bet. Get an optical to RCA analogue convertor. These often require powered from a TV USB socket. If your TV doesn't have that, make sure to buy a 5 volt wall wart USB power supply.

You'll need to check some TV audio settings. Digital audio out needs to be set to PCM rather than Dolby or Auto. This stuff will be in the TV manual.