Optical from TV help needed

[Paulauryn]

Hi, I have a question I hope someone more tech savvy than me can answer. My TV is. Vizio V755. My receiver is a Yamaha RX-V385. I have everything connected and working with no issues except one thing, the Optical audio. We want to be able to use the surround sound when watching streaming video such as Netflix. My optical cable From the TV shows the red light on the tip that connects into the receiver. I have scoured Vizio and Yamaha but cannot get the audio through the surround.speakers and I am stumped. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I am at the point of searching for adapters that might convert the optical audio signal to HDMI or Coax I could run through the receiver but would just rather use the Optical out as intended. I am stumped. Thanks

 

[lovinthehd]

Did you check the input assignment in the avr? Did you make appropriate settings in the tv for audio output?

 

[Paulauryn]

Yes, Vizio advises to change audio to Dolby which I did, no luck. I also did that and turned off TV speakers, no luck. I then ran through every option, no luck. On the receiver the optical in is the AV1 default, no luck. I then went through all the options, no luck. I am stumped.

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you tried a different optical cable? Not sure what you mean the optical is in the AV1 default.....does that mean you verified in the AV1 input assignment it is set for optical? I'd think it's automatic, but..... Likewise, did you check for other settings needed in the tv other than turning off tv speakers and setting to Dolby (i.e. what are those various options mentioned)? I haven't checked your manuals yet myself fwiw. Might even try a soft reset of the avr and tv (unplug them for a while).

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi, I have a question I hope someone more tech savvy than me can answer. My TV is. Vizio V755. My receiver is a Yamaha RX-V385. I have everything connected and working with no issues except one thing, the Optical audio. We want to be able to use the surround sound when watching streaming video such as Netflix. My optical cable From the TV shows the red light on the tip that connects into the receiver. I have scoured Vizio and Yamaha but cannot get the audio through the surround.speakers and I am stumped. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I am at the point of searching for adapters that might convert the optical audio signal to HDMI or Coax I could run through the receiver but would just rather use the Optical out as intended. I am stumped. Thanks

The manual of your Vizio TV is not very good. It is silent on what it outputs from the audio optical out. I suspect it does not output multi channel audio over optical, only 2 channel. A lot of TVs are that way.

However both your TV and receiver support HMDI return. This will allow you to take advantage of the lossless codecs. That is a better connection. I would bet that is the only connection that will allow you to do what you want.

 

[Paulauryn]

I upgrdated firmware one both devices. I also tried each of the audio options including the auto setting.

 

[Paulauryn]

Thank you. I really appreciate the help. At the risk of sounding clueless how do I set Up the HDMI return from TV to receiver? Would I use an HDMI splitter on the back of the TV?

 

[TLS Guy]

Thank you. I really appreciate the help. At the risk of sounding clueless how do I set Up the HDMI return from TV to receiver? Would I use an HDMI splitter on the back of the TV?

No your TV and receiver support HDMI return. There will be a port on your TV and receiver labelled HDMI ARC. You connect your receiver to the TV using those HDMI ports. Then you select TV audio on your remote to hear your TV through your system. HDMI ARC is a two way connection.

 

[Paulauryn]

Thank you. I will give it a try in the morning and post the results.

 

[lovinthehd]

The manual of your Vizio TV is not very good. It is silent on what it outputs from the audio optical out. I suspect it does not output multi channel audio over optical, only 2 channel. A lot of TVs are that way.

However both your TV and receiver support HMDI return. This will allow you to take advantage of the lossless codecs. That is a better connection. I would bet that is the only connection that will allow you to do what you want.

No, ARC in his units do not support lossless multich codecs (nor do tv apps have such). ARC is something to try, though. Even if the optical only output 2.0 rather than 5.1, he should still be able to get audio. The only thing HDMI ARC may pass that optical won't currently is the Atmos metadata in some streaming services.

Thank you. I really appreciate the help. At the risk of sounding clueless how do I set Up the HDMI return from TV to receiver? Would I use an HDMI splitter on the back of the TV?

In order to use ARC you'll have to enable such settings in tv/avr (usually in the video/hdmi menus) as well as use the appropriate hdmi cable.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

No, ARC in his units do not support lossless multich codecs (nor do tv apps have such). ARC is something to try, though. Even if the optical only output 2.0 rather than 5.1, he should still be able to get audio. The only thing HDMI ARC may pass that optical won't currently is the Atmos metadata in some streaming services.


In order to use ARC you'll have to enable such settings in tv/avr (usually in the video/hdmi menus) as well as use the appropriate hdmi cable.

Just to add, I believe this is correct. In some cases, you can use the lossless codecs but ARC only allows lossy transmission. I think ARC is a ways from being sorted out, but in this case might be worth a try.

 

[lovinthehd]

Just to add, I believe this is correct. In some cases, you can use the lossless codecs but ARC only allows lossy transmission. I think ARC is a ways from being sorted out, but in this case might be worth a try.

I modified my original comments re lossless to more reflect multich audio (like Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus) and I can't think of any multich audio via a tv (either via app or hdmi input from other devices) that is lossless. I suppose some 2ch is lossless (altho Dolby 2.0 wouldn't be). Latest HDMI update is starting to address this but the content and hardware needed hasn't really arrived yet.

 

[lovinthehd]

Looking at the tv manual pg 21 says about digital audio output:

Digital Audio Out — Changes the type of processing for digital audio out and HDMI ARC output when connected to a home theater audio system . Select Auto, PCM, Dolby D or Bitstream .- To hear talk back when Talk Back function is enabled, digital audio out must be set to PCM .•

TIP: You must select Bitstream for audio with more than two channels (e .g ., 3 .0, 5 .0, or 5 .1) .

Was wondering what settings other than Dolby D you've tried now. Wonder what Talk Back is and also that it doesn't even mention optical....

 

[TLS Guy]

Looking at the tv manual pg 21 says about digital audio output:

Digital Audio Out — Changes the type of processing for digital audio out and HDMI ARC output when connected to a home theater audio system . Select Auto, PCM, Dolby D or Bitstream .- To hear talk back when Talk Back function is enabled, digital audio out must be set to PCM .•

TIP: You must select Bitstream for audio with more than two channels (e .g ., 3 .0, 5 .0, or 5 .1) .

Was wondering what settings other than Dolby D you've tried now. Wonder what Talk Back is and also that it doesn't even mention optical....

He has a 4K TV and 4K receiver.

This is what his receiver can handle.

• HDMI® with HDCP 2.3 (4 in/1 out)
• 4K Ultra HD support, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma and BT.2020

It has HDMI eARC.

Even though his TV is 4K I'm not sure it has eARC. If not then it will only transmit lossy codecs. I had thought that 4K TVs had eARC but apparently not.

Anyhow I was never happy with ARC on 2K rigs and did not use it and still don't.

However eARC on my 4K rig was easy to set up and it seems to me it has finally been developed to the point that it actually works like it should.

 

[Paulauryn]

Still no luck with optical. Vizio said to change digital out setting to PCM and turn off surround on TV. No dice. The HDMI route sounds like a fix but here is the issue, I think. Currently I run my DirectV box with HDMI from the box to the receiver and then the receiver to the TV. DirectV runs off of HDMI 1. How would I get the audio signal from TV to receiver if DirectTV uses that feed? I truly appreciate the help from everyone.

 

[Trebdp83]

It seems that you simply have a bad optical cable. Do not get confused by the TV audio. Think of the HDMI cable going from your receiver to your TV as being a two way street. One lane carries information(audio/video) to the TV and one carries information(audio) back to the receiver. A Smart TV is actually a 3 in 1 device. It is a streaming device, an OTA tuner and a monitor all in one. So, you do not need to do anything except making sure that the HDMI cable going from your receiver's MONITOR OUT(ARC) input is going into the input on the TV that also has the (ARC) label. Make sure HDMI control is set to ON in the TV and in the receiver. Make sure TV AUDIO INPUT setting in the receiver is set to (ARC). I hope you work it out, good luck.

 

[Paulauryn]

Understood but at the risk of being difficult I have a question - the HDMI our from Directv box goes into the ARC terminal on the receiver. I then ran HDMI to TV ARC HDMI. On the receiver as shown in picture the HDMI 1 is labeled BD/DVD but I have the Directv feed into that one and my BluRay in HDMI 2. Should I switch those. Does that change the equation?

 

[TLS Guy]

Understood but at the risk of being difficult I have a question - the HDMI our from Directv box goes into the ARC terminal on the receiver. I then ran HDMI to TV ARC HDMI. On the receiver as shown in picture the HDMI 1 is labeled BD/DVD but I have the Directv feed into that one and my BluRay in HDMI 2. Should I switch those. Does that change the equation?

You do not have the hang of this. The receiver HDMI inputs are never audio return inputs, as you would never send audio back to a Direct TV unit or a BD player. So it does not matter which HDMI inputs you use on the receiver. So it is only the outputs that go to TVs that are audio return. All you have to do is make sure the cable from your receiver to TV is connected to an ARC input at both ends.

 

[Paulauryn]

I know, for some reason I am really struggling with this. Last question, I hope - on my receiver when I want to play TV what function or setting should it be on?

 

[TLS Guy]

I know, for some reason I am really struggling with this. Last question, I hope - on my receiver when I want to play TV what function or setting should it be on?

It should be on TV audio or whatever term Yamaha uses. That is what Marantz calls the button,