Sharp Aquos and 5.1 Surround

[LoTech]

Last year I got a new Aquos 55 inch HDTV to replace my old set. At the time I didn't have room to reconnect my RCA RT2360 surround amplifier. This year I got a new media cabinet, and I decided to reconnect my surround system. I was dismayed that the TOSLink output on the TV only outputs Pro Logic and not 5.1 and my surround amp doesn't have an HDMI input, so I hooked the TOSLink straight to my Dish 722 receiver. Great sound, but the picture is out of sync with the sound.

After some reading, I determined that the Aquos took a few milliseconds to decode the digital video signal; throwing it out of sync with the source audio. The RCA surround has very limited sound delay capabilities (not enough to re-sync the sound). I really like the old RCA setup, and I don't want to spend another few hundred dollars on a new surround system. Does anyone have any ideas that I can use to help solve my problem?

 

[teachsac]

99% of TVs only output stereo from external sources. TVs only output 5.1 from internal sources. This is not unique to Sharp. SInce your receiver doesn't have HDMI, run HDMI to your TV when you don't want to use surround sound. Then run Component and optical to the receiver and out to your TV when you do use surround sound. Anytime you split the source, you are likely to end up with sync issues. You won't lose anything since nothing, except PPV, is 1080p.

S~

 

[LoTech]

After digging some more I think that I may have a $40 solution. ViewHD makes a HDMI to HDMI + SPDIF(PCM 5.1) converter/extractor. Since the HDMI out on the back of the TV should have the Video and Audio in sync, I should be able to split this with the converter and run it to the input on the surround. Anyone foresee a problem with this?

 

[teachsac]

What model? I have never seen an HDMI out from the TV.

S~

 

[LoTech]

Sorry, I misread the instruction manual. What I was referring to was an HDMI port with an audio return channel. I don't think it will work with this device. I'll try the component and optical approach above to see what happens.

 

[teachsac]

Nope, You need an HDMI receiver with ARC and I don't believe the 722 supports ARC, either. Best setup is the one I posted above. Similar to what I do, except opposite. I run Component and Optical to my TV when I don't need Surround. I run HDMI through my receiver and out to the TV for when I do.

S~

 

[LoTech]

I really thought that running component outputs to the TV and TOSlink to the surround would work, but it has the same video delay as before. Apparently, regardless of whether I use HDMI, component, or composite I still get the video delay and the audio is out of sync too much for my surround receiver to compensate for (the only sound delay setting is to set the speaker distance .9 m to 12 m). I guess my only options are to live with prologic from the tv-out to surround, or to buy a new surround system that can delay the audio.

 

[teachsac]

Run it like I suggested. Run the Component and the toslink through the receiver and then to the TV. Only run the HDMI cable to the TV for when you don't want surround.

S~

 

[LoTech]

I held off on trying this because the video inputs/outputs on the surround are composite only, but when I tried it I got the same result. The audio from the surround speakers are about a half second ahead of the video. The video processing must take a really long time on this TV.

 

[teachsac]

OK. Didn't know you had no HD ins/outs. Might be time to upgrade the receiver. Tons of great deals right now.

S~

 

[LoTech]

Thanks for all the ideas and help. I'll continue to tinker around and see what I can do. The system worked perfect with my old analog tv. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I turn off all the processing features on the tv in user mode, I may reduce the delay enough to compensate for the difference with the surround amp. I'll post back with my results.

 

[JimK2]

My av amp has an audio sync delay which I had to set to 200ms to correct hd video audio synchronization problem where before the audio was lagging.

 

[teachsac]

I have everything turned off in my Sharp.

S~

 

[LoTech]

I never could get everything to sync up. Even running composite through the surround amp to the TV. I finally gave up and found an Onkyo HT-RC430 on sale for $148 through Amazon with free shipping. I've read good reviews on this device, and it has an Audio Return Channel HDMI Port so it should sync up to my TV's ARC port. If not it has the ability to set an audio delay through the amp.