Play 5.1 encoded files over stereo audio cables?

[Subiklim]

I know I won't get 5.1 from the speakers if I do this, but as it stands right now, I get NO sound.

I encoded most of my films with visualhub and 5.1 audio, but for some reason the tv doesn't work with my new TV's HDMI port (it's not the TV... xbox and cable both work on it). So I have to use the component cables, and stereo audio. I don't have any optical audio inputs, so I can't use that. How do I get some sound out of these files using this setup?

Or better yet, if someone has a reason why HDMI isn't working on the tv with this TV (and just this particular model). The picture flashes in and out when using HDMI.

 

[cohibadad]

turn off the surround sound option on TV to force audio through the stereo cables. HDMI sounds like you might have snapped the port in the TV and it's intermittently transmitting. Easy to do. My biggest beef with HDMI/USB connections.

 

[Subiklim]

turn off the surround sound option on TV to force audio through the stereo cables. HDMI sounds like you might have snapped the port in the TV and it's intermittently transmitting. Easy to do. My biggest beef with HDMI/USB connections.

I tried that, still no sound!

That's what I thought, but then I got a new tv from apple, and I had the same issue. Maybe different HDMI versions on the tv and tv?

 

[Cave Man]

It's not going to work.

When you do a transcode with Visual hub using the Apple TV 5.1 preset, you only get one audio track - the native AC3. Your Apple TV cannot decode this track, it can only pass it to a device that can read it, such as a Dolby Digital-capable receiver.

The reason you're not getting sound through your HDMI port is because your TV cannot decode DD from a source other than its ATSC tuner. See the first post of this thread for the details.

Your options are (1) buy a receiver with an optical input, (2) buy a receiver with an HDMI input, or (3) re-encode your videos with both AC3 (5.1) and AAC (analog 5-channel) audio.