Dolby Digital BDV N590

[djpenguin]

I've just set up my new all in one BDV N590 home cinema system and on the whole I am happy with it. However, it does not seem to be detecting Dolby Digital 5.1 streams over HDMI from either my Xbox or TiVo cable box. It either detects the audio streams as DD 2.0 or DD 8.0, the latter of which is obviously incorrect.

If I set the "Surround Setting" to off so that the amp decodes only what it receives, rather than applying Prologic to the stream, then the surround speakers output the correct sound channels. However, this means the if I watch channels that don't transmit in DD5.1, I can't take advantage of Streams encoded with Pro-logic.

Is this a known issue? Is this simply a display problem, I.e. is the system simply labelling the stream as DD2.0/8.0, but really outputting DD5.1; or it the system actually trying to apply Pro-logic to a DD5.1 stream?

Thanks in advance for any help

[RowandM]

Hi there,

I have exactly the same issue with the system. Whatever I connect to HDMI 1 or HDMI 2, it will not output multichannel DD or DTS. When I watch TV using my digital receiver connected to the BDV N590 in HDMI in, with DD 5.1 stream, the system displays DD 2.0. When I play a movie from my mediaplayer, which is set correctly to output DTS or even Dolby HD or DTS-MA through HDMI, the Sony system will always show it is DTS 2.0. It seems to be a clear bug in the BDV N 590.

My solution now for streaming with my mediaplayer is using the optical cable, and connect the mediaplayer directly to my tv using the HDMI cable. The difference is staggering as I now clearly get DTS 5.1 or 6.1 sound. However, it SHOULD be working using the HDMI cable, even according to the manual.

I have contacted Sony Support Amsterdam about this issue and I'm waiting for a reply. I did a little google research and came across a German forum where this exact same discussion is ongoing and these guys also do not have a solution (yet).

http://www.hifi-forum.de/viewthread-115-21684.html

Can you tell me, what do you see in your display when you turn the Surrond Setting to off as you just described? Is it still DD2.0? or DTS 2.0?

It looks to me Sony is clearly at fault here and they should fix this through either a big firmware upgrade or else a 100% refund OR a substitute which works 100%.

Thanks in advance for your help.

BTW my setup is as follows:

TV: Samsung UE40D6200TS

Mediaplayer: Eminent HD7180 (outputs all audio formats through HDMI)

Digital Receiver: UPC Cisco HD-DVR (outputs DD 5.1 through HDMI if available)

[RowandM]

Yes you are right, after trying a few things it seems that indeed when you turn the SOUND MODE to OFF under AUDIO OPTIONS you get correct DD5.1 or DTS5.1 sound.

The only bug is in the display software, it will show DTS2.0 or DD2.0 all the time. This info is obviously incorrect, but the sound itself is good. Very good actually. Now with the correct settings you can enjoy whatever media you push trough HDMI 1 and 2 in crystal clear multichannel sound. As I said now the system really comes to life and brings a smile to your face whenever a helicopter flies through te screen or a bom explodes on the subway.

Sony could and should fix this issue quickly trough a simple softwaretweak.