622/722 Audio output via HDMI

[EricBskiVT]

A guy on the AVS forum asked why he couldn't get Dolby Digital 5.1 from his 722 with the HDMI going to his AVR. I read my 622 manual and it looks to me like DD/PCM are output on the toslink and only PCM is output via HDMI. I'm using component/toslink to my AVR for surround sound and HDMI from the 622 to my TV for watching without the receiver so I have no problem. Are my assumptions correct about the sound from the 622/722?

 

[Jim S.]

My manual doesn't say anything whatsoever about the audio format carried via the HDMI connector.

My 622 does output DD via HDMI for those programs which are broadcast in DD (sadly, hardly any of the SD channels are.) Programs which are broadcast in 2-channel PCM are not transcoded to DD.

I think the last time this issue came up on here, someone said that the 622 didn't originally provide DD via HDMI, but it was upgraded. I had assumed it was a firmware upgrade rather than a hardware upgrade, but maybe I'm wrong. For what it's worth, my 622 has a "B" serial number, which is far from current, but I believe it's a refurbished "B" because my manual appeared to be well-used and my HDMI port hasn't died.

 

[lakebum431]

Correct, when the 622s first came out they did not do 5.1 DD over HDMI, but this has long since been fixed with a firmware upgrade. The 722's have always done DD 5.1 over HDMI (as they were released later).