Home Cinema and HDMI Connection Query

[trustysteed]

I have a Virgin Media Cable TV box connected to a Pioneer HD Plasma via a HDMI cable. Pictures on the HD channels are excellent.

I also have a Sony home cinema system that is connected to the audio line out sockets on the Cable TV box via the standard double redwhite cable plugs. (not sure what they are called). I have noticed that when I change from a normal channel, say BBC1, to BBC HD, the sound level actually drops down and is quieter, and I have to turn the volume up on the home cinema system.

This doesn't make sense to me, I would have assumed the sound would be louder and clearer on the HD channels. So I guess I have either connected it incorrectly, i.e. missed something obvious, or I need to connect different cables, possibly redgreenblue component cables instead?.

As a matter of interest, does an HDMI cable carry audio as well as video?

How does everybody else wire their cable tvHDTVHome cinema systems for audio and video?

 

[marinyork]

You haven't got HDMI overide switched off and it's still outputting stereo have you?

HOME/SETTINGS/etc

P.S. yes of course you can get 5.1 through HDMI.

 

[trustysteed]

i'll check later, thanks!

thinking about getting an optical cable to replace the red/white cable as well.

 

[rsvdaz]

i think its pretty normal..the hd channels on sky are somewaht quieter than the SD channels

i have an amp which has hdmi pass though..so i have hdmi cables into the amp from sky hd/ps3/xbox360 and component from the wii..and only 1 hdmi cable from the amp to the tv.
skyhd has sound through optical though

 

[ianrauk]

Yep agree with that, it's the same with Virgin Media.

i think its pretty normal..the hd channels on sky are somewaht quieter than the SD channels

 

[trustysteed]

ah, ok, thought it was just my setup that was wrong.

 

[Jezston]

HD channels are broadcast with the sound having a higher dynamic range (i.e. bigger difference between quiet and loud) than SD, so they will seem generally quieter as the sound isn't squished up to the max as much.

Overall, this is a GOOD thing.

However I can see it being annoying when going between channels. It would be easy to say lower the volume of SD channels to compensate but that would be a bigger deal than you could possibly imagine, believe me. (used to work in broadcast)

 

[marinyork]

ah, ok, thought it was just my setup that was wrong.

I don't have a surround system, I just know how to set it up on virgin media - overide on and you have the option of HDMI or optical to get 5.1. The quietness thing is the same switching between other tracks too.

 

[Joe54]

Try AV.com forums for a more informed response.

 

[marinyork]

Try AV.com forums for a more informed response.

Not too many virgin media customers there although there are some very helpful stuff on sound set up on vm elsewhere. P.S. what's uninformed about point out that unlike sky one can get 5.1 through virgin through hdmi, 'coz not a lot of people know that.