Getting audio out of TV speakers from non-HDMI inputs on Sony STR-DN1000 Receiver (1 Viewer)

[Adinga]

Hi friends!

I've been setting up my partner's theater system for her new house, and am having some trouble with the audio from her DVD player.

Setup is as follows:

TV:
-Phillips 55" 4K TV 55PFL5402

Receiver:
-Sony STR-DN1000 Receiver (HDMI out goes to the TV's HDMI 1 ARC)

Inputs:
-Fire Stick (plugged into HDMI 1 on the receiver)
-Insignia NS-HDVD18 DVD Player (video plugged into Component 1 on the receiver, audio plugged from Coaxial on the player into Coaxial DVD in on the receiver)

Speakers:
-TV speakers
-2 ceiling-installed rear speakers, plugged into the surround/left and surround/right outputs on the receiver

So it's a 4.0 2/2 speaker setup. Because she has no front standalone speakers, we use the TV speakers as her front speakers. When the receiver's input is set to HDMI1 and we play anything from the firestick, this works. The surround sound settings (A.F.D. Auto & Neural - THX) are applied correctly, so front sound comes from the TV speakers and rear comes from the ceiling.

But when I switch the input on the receiver to DVD, sound only comes out of the rear speakers, not the TV. This happens regardless of how I set the surround setting on the receiver for the DVD input. In fact, if I set it to simple stereo, there's no sound at all. If I set it to Multi Stereo, you still only get sound from the ceiling. I tried using dual RCA audio and sending it to the CD channel instead; this makes the multi stereo setting send the FULL stereo signal to the ceiling, but still leaves the tv speakers silent, and gives the same full silence on a simple stereo setting.

It seems like the receiver just doesn't send any sound from its coaxial and analog inputs to its HDMI out. Why is this, and can it be fixed?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

HDMI is a fully digital protocol for both video and audio. Component video is an analog video standard.

The problem is that the Sony receiver cannot “upgrade” component video and coaxial digital to a HDMI signal.

Basically, your friend will need to get a DVD player with an HDMI output, and then everything will work as you expect.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Adinga]

It sends the video signal from the player through the component input to the tv via the hdmi out port just fine though... and coaxial audio IS digital.

 

[Adinga]

Is the issue that it just can't send both?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Yes. Most systems do not readily accommodate mixing HDMI and non-HDMI equipment.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[John Dirk]

-Insignia NS-HDVD18 DVD Player (video plugged into Component 1 on the receiver, audio plugged from Coaxial on the player into Coaxial DVD in on the receiver)

Right. The audio chain is completely unaware of the TV as you have a direct connection from the DVD player to the receiver that excludes it. HDMI simplifies all of this so your best bet would be to spring for a DVD player that includes it. They're pretty affordable these days.

 

[Adinga]

Got it. Might spring for plugging the player directly into the TV then, and then running audio out from the ARC port to the receiver (though I'm not sure what input you'd select to play audio from the ARC port coming into the receiver's HDMI out)... or from the optical port on the TV to one of the optical ins on the receiver to keep it simpler. Just until she can pick up a better player. Thanks guys!

 

[John Dirk]

Got it. Might spring for plugging the player directly into the TV then, and then running audio out from the ARC port to the receiver (though I'm not sure what input you'd select to play audio from the ARC port coming into the receiver's HDMI out)... or from the optical port on the TV to one of the optical ins on the receiver to keep it simpler. Just until she can pick up a better player. Thanks guys!

Happy to help but, as @Wayne A. Pflughaupt already pointed out, ARC is a HDMI protocol. Unless the DVD player can be connected that way [has an HDMI port] it will not be able to utilize ARC.

 

[David Willow]

Instead of buying 'a better player' why not invest in a couple decent bookshelf speakers. The sound will be better and you won't have to manipulate things so much to get sound out of the TV speakers.

 

[Adinga]

Instead of buying 'a better player' why not invest in a couple decent bookshelf speakers. The sound will be better and you won't have to manipulate things so much to get sound out of the TV speakers.

because it's not my house, and she doesn't want to spend that much. believe me, i've tried to push her in that direction lol. a bluray player costs significantly less than decent front speakers though

 

[JohnRice]

As I think about it, I don't think you can accomplish what you want with what you have. The receiver simply isn't designed to use the TV's speakers for the front. Equipment simply isn't designed to be used in this combination.