STR-DA5300ES won't drive my streaming hearing aids

[geoffjames]

HI

I have a Sony multi-media AMP (STR-DA5300ES),  It is way over spec'd and over complicated for what I do with it - but it works really well.

The current set-up is simple.  I have a number of HDMI sources (cable TV, blueray, Amazon stick and laptop).  The Sony Amp lets me easily select a source, and that source is then output on HDMI to the TV and the surround sound speakers.

But I am going deaf and now have hearing aids.  I have just bought a new gadget for the hearing aids (https://www.signia-hearing.co.uk/streamline-tv/).  This box sits with the TV/Sony Amp and receives a sound channel (phono or Toslink)  it will then bluetooth the sound directly to my hearing aids.

Objective:-  Have the Sony AMP ALSO output the selected sound source to phono connectors (or a toslink). The idea is then that the family can set the sound level that they want on the speakers, and I can set the sound that I want using the mobile app for my hearing aids. 

So far:

1) I have tried many things on the SONY AMP - nothing works to produce a phono or toslink output of the HDMI source.  The manual (page 101-105) suggests that I enable Zone 3 and route "source" to Zone 3.  The error display on Streamlink TV simply says there is no sound or it is too quiet.  I have also tried many other phono connectors on the back.   I see the back of the Sony Amp as a complicated wall of connectors.

2)  I have a DAB radio with phono output and the Streamlive TV/hearing aids work perfectly on this.

So the requirement appears to be "have the Sony Amp "copy" the sound for the selected HDMI source to one fo the many phono outputs on the back.

Thank you in advance

Geoff

[Win_88]

Hi

I checked the manual and found on pages 102 through 104 some instructions on connecting the Streamline box to as well as the settings to change afterwards.

Not sure if it supports outputting to 2 zones at the same time though.

[geoffjames]

Thanks - But, I have tried this on Zone 3.  I enabled zone 3 and set the output to "source" as per pages 101-105.  The hearing aids device provides an error that says the volume on its input is either not present or too quiet.  

Given the options available, it looks like the multi-zone feature will only route analogue signals.

My other hopeful ideas that have failed:-

• Use the toslink output to a data recorder - appears to be no data 
• Use the pre-amp sockets - but I am not sure these are phono compatible.

[Win_88]

Some TVs output audio from multiple source at once, perhaps you can check if yours does that?

[geoffjames]

Thanks - an interesting idea.

I have today tested the LR and phono outputs on the TV when it is connected to the AMP.  I have a  Sony TV.  unfortunately there is "ZERO signal" when the surround sound (AMP) is enabled. thwarted....

[geoffjames]

Hi

To cut through many of the variables - I purchased a HDMI passthough box that will split off the sound and present it as "Phono".  It is a neoteck from Amazon.  The idea is that this neoteck device can sit on the HDMI from the Sony AMP to the TV.  Then whatever HDMI is seleted on the AMP is sent to the TV and I can have surround sound and the sound on my hearing aids - simples......

On testing it is clear that there is absolutely no HDMI sound on the HDMI output from the Sony AMP (to the TV) .  So the Sony AMP strips the HDMI sound from the HDMI source before passing the HDMI it to the TV. FAIL!

The only half solution is to insert the Neoteck device on the input side of the AMP.  So I inserted it between the Amazon stick and the AMP.  Now, whenever we watch something on the stick, my wife has surround sound and I have sound at the volume I choose direct to my ears. My ears then work perfectly for the one HDMI source, but it is not workable for any other HDMI source unless I re-wire the Neoteck every time I switch HDMI on the AMP.   

For such an expensive and over spec'd peice of kit it is very frustrating that this Sony AMP can't solve what should be a very trivial use-case.  It just thwarts every "obvious" solution for how it can work.

Regards

Geoff

[geoffjames]

Hi

But the Sony AMP is NOT sending sound to the TV.  It does not matter if the TV can support multiple concurrent outputs - there is no sound arriving at the TV for it to output.  

What we need is for the SONY AMP to support multiple current sound outputs.  On the face of it, this AMP should do this no problem and there are a least three ways this it WILL obviously work.

i) AMP Maintains sound on the HDMI output (to my TV) - Use the TV phono sockets. 

ii) Enable Zone 3 and direct the "source" sound to Zone 3 - use the Zone 3 phono sockets

iii) Link to the DAT Recording output and let the AMP think I want to record the "source" - the MCDAT phono of fiber connections.

Needless to say, none of the above work when the input to the Sony AMP is HDMI.

Regards

Geoff

[EUSupport_EN]

@geoffjames

The standard use for an amp of this kind is to actually separate the audio from video signals so the TV would display the picture, and then the audio would be amplified and sent through your speakers, or other audio system if you have one connected to the receiver.

Maybe you can connect your different inputs to the TV, then have the TV send the audio signal to the AMP using ARC?

[geoffjames]

Interesting

I have re-configured the set-up as you suggest - the various HDMIs now go direct to the TV, and the TV out (optical link) goes to the  Sony Amp.

This does work - the Amp will provide sound for whatever HDMI is selected on the TV - AND the phono's on the TV have sound that is routed to my hearing aids. - WELL DONE and thank you.

The only down sides of this config are:-

1) I am one HDMI connection short on the TV - I need 5 inputs

2) The TV provides a far less friendly process to switch between the HDMI inputs

3) I now have wires sticking out from the side of the TV - visually it looks untidy.

But it works.  Basically suggests that the Sony AMP is the wrong AMP for me.  I should have bought a much lesser spec (and cheaper) amp.