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No Dolby Digital if HDMI-CEC is on (PCM still works) - QN95A

(Topic created on: 17-03-2022 04:08 PM)
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scrollek
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Just purchased QN95A (with One Connect Box) and noticed the following behaviour:

When using HDMI-CEC functionality, TV is not sending Dolby Digital audio via either HDMI-ARC or Optical. It is simply dead quiet. PCM audio format works fine. Sometimes there is loud click when audio formats are switched before audio goes silent - like digital noise for a fraction of a second.

When HDMI-CEC is disabled, then I get both PCM and Dolby Digital audio formats via optical cable, HDMI cable in that case is not available for audio at all. The issue exists when HDMI-CEC is enabled on both AVR and TV (This is required to enable swicthing and volume control using TV remote).

Receiver is Yamaha RX-V473 (it suports HDMI-CEC, HDMI-ARC and audio formats ie. PCM, DD, DD+). Everything works without any issues with 2 year old Q80R.

Already tried: 6 various HDMI cables, resets, cold reboots, disconnecting power, etc. TV is on the latest firmware.

There are many posts regarding HDMI-CEC and ARC issues with Samsung TV but I didn't find anything about losing only Dolby Digital while PCM would still be working.

Obviously using only PCM audio format or disabling HDMI-CEC on brand new TV is not an option to me.

Any advice welcome.

26 REPLIES 26
Pugs1957
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scrollek
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Thanks, but it does not help.

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Pugs1957
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It should do because it confirms what you are trying to achieve will not work, regardless of brand.
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scrollek
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Samsung Support connected remotely to my TV and reset HDMI ports and also hard reset TV - no improvement.

I also reset Yamaha receiver - no improvement.

Interestingly, it seems that some workaround could be possible in future if Samsung TV was a bit smarter. When I enable HDMI-CEC and disable HDMI-ARC on AVR and then plug HDMI cable to non-ARC port on TV (ie. HDMI1), then my assumption is that HDMI-CEC should work, while audio would be send back to AVR via optical cable. Well, this is not the case - when HDMI cable is plugged to HDMI1 port, TV complains that it should be plugged to HDMI3-ARC port and TV automatically set audio output to HDMI !!! (WHY!!! There is NO CABLE PLUGGED into HDMI3-ARC !!!). In that scenario, Yamaha AVR recognizes PCM and DD formats via optical cable, but there is no sound from TV via optical cable - so looks like protocol is correct, just TV is not sending audio via optical (even when selecting Optical as sound output) when there is HDMI cable connected to any port and when HDMI-CEC is enabled in TV.

Definitely there is something messed up in Samsung TV firmware when it comes to various settings of HDMI and CEC.

Issue has been escalated and I am expecting Samsung Support to contact me.

scrollek
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Could you elaborate what exactly will not work, as I had it working for the last 2 years between Samsung Q80R and Yamaha RX-V473 ?

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Pugs1957
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Sure, Have a look at this article, in particular the table which shows what set ups deliver HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: everything you need to know | What Hi-Fi? (whathifi.com)

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scrollek
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I am sorry to be frank but please stop posting if you are not able to help. You simply point out to the same generic article without actually providing any details/steps to resolve the issue.

Let me reiterate:

1. I have HDMI-CEC and HDMI-ARC compatible Yamaha receiver. I also have Samsung Q80R (2019) and QN95A (2021) TVs.

2. When HDMI-CEC and HDMI-ARC are enabled in AVR and Q80R then via HDMI cable I can control volume, switch off/on devices and, of course, sound is transmitted from TV to AVR via HDMI using PCM and DD, DD+ formats. Everything works fine.

3. Above does not work with new TV QN95A - only PCM sound format is transmitted via HDMI, DD+ format is not working. DD works via optical cable but only when HDMI-CEC is off (sometimes HDMI cable must be disconnected to get DD over Optical cable). When HDMI-CEC is on, then only PCM audio format is working. The issue is that DD should also work as it works with older TV.

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Pugs1957
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I'll be equally as frank. The second article is from a different source. If you actually read it you will see what you are trying to achieve is not possible as eARC-HDMI ie HDMI 2.1 is required.

Thanks for telling me not to post and not bothering to read the links. It makes it truly fulfilling using my spare time to help people who are seemingly ungrateful.

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scrollek
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Based on the table you pointed to, both ARC and eARC support compressed 5.1 audio which I believe is DolbyDigital. I assume my 10 year old receiver is ARC and not eARC. Summarizing, DD over HDMI-ARC is possible (proof: it works in my old setup) and HDMI 1.4 interface is sufficient.

Samsung QN95A has an option do disable eARC but this has no impact on missing DD format issue in my case.

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