STR-DH820 setup issues

[RobGuest]

Hello.  This is my first post on this forum, hopefully someone can answer my no doubt easy questions.

Yesterday I purchased an STR-DH820 AV reveiver.  My setup is very simple: A Sky HD+ box connected via HDMI to the reveiver.  I then have simple front left and front right speakers installed.  The HDMI out on the receiver is connected to a Samsung 50" Plasma screen (PS50C680).  Please note, I have more kit to connect to the receiver but I wanted to make sure it would work in the most basic setup first.

1. Video upscaling

Both the product information on the website and the manual state that the receiver upscales video from the HDMI inputs to 1080p and outputs it to the HDMI out.  Regardless of whether I set the output on the Sky HD+ box to 1080i, 720p, or 576, no upscaling takes place.  The TV shows what signal is being received and it is always exactly the same as what I select on the Sky HD+ box.  I cannot see where to turn on the upscaling function within the menus.

2. Sound via HDMI or Optical

At present the receiver is stating that the sound is LPCM.  I'm guessing that this is by default what is outputted via HDMI on the Sky HD+ box?  I've read that I will get better sound quality if I use the optical out on the Sky HD+ box.  My question is simply whether if I add the optical cable to the setup, when I want to watch Sky with the reveicer in standby (i.e. use the HDMI pass through), will it pass through both the video and sound?  If not, adding the optical cable means I always have to use the receiver and can never just bypass it.

I hope all that makes sense, and that someone can help.

Many thanks,

Rob

Message was edited by: RobGuest

Message was edited by: RobGuest

[Bravia55HX · Accepted solution]

Hi,

all that is quite a mouthful!, and i wont go into upscaling as i dont have sky.

as for sound, its a good idea to leave the sound from your sky box through your HDMI as your main soarce, if you connect a Blu Ray player you can connect that the same way with HDMI pass through to the second input on your tv. and save the optical connection for better sound from your tv through your reciever.

you really need to get all your speakers wired to the amp to save on set up issues in audio set up, otherwise as it is, just using front left and right channels you will have to "downmix" to 2 channel audio.

stick the reciever on auto format decode to help you out till you get the hang of it.

as for which cable is best HDMI, Digital Optical, or Digital Coaxial, well, if you can use all HDMI thats the best way to go, the other two options will come down to cable length on short runs either one is fine (i prefer coaxial) but its been said that long runs and im talking over 3 meters its said Coaxial is best.

[raveydavey1]

Rob, I have just bought this unit and like you I was puzzled to find that the upscaling doesn't work. As you say, the information on the website gives no clue that there might be a problem. But take a look at the diagram on page 31 of the manual. This seems to imply that the upscaling only works on analogue inputs, not HDMI, which is no use to me at all.

I chose the unit specifically to upscale Sky+ HD to 1080p. Since this doesn't work, I am going to reject the unit and return it under the 7 day rule (distance selling). Hopefully you will be able to do the same.

[Bravia55HX]

Hi,

i do not believe you can change the native resolution of sky's 1080i to 1080p with upscaling, facts about upscaling in the link below.

http://hometheater.about.com/od/hometheatervideobasics/qt/dvdvidupscale.htm

[raveydavey1]

Well, obviously there is no resolution change in going from 1080i to 1080p. Using a scaler with a Sky+ HD box is done for 2 reasons:

1. To upscale the Sky output on SD channels (576p) to 1080p and do it better than the TV can do it

2. To deinterlace the Sky output on HD channels (1080i) to 1080p and do it better than the TV can do it.