Surround sound bitstream output over HDMI INSTEAD of over TOSLINK

I just bought the wd tv live plus and i try playing MKVs with surround sound (both DD or DTS) and it will not output the sound bitstream.  I played around with the audio setting and switch it from stereo to digital to digital without hdmi audio and they all dont work.

 this is my set up:

wd tv live plus ----- (via HDMI) --------> Samsung TV ------- (optical toslink on audio out of tv) --------> Onkyo txsr 304.

I do know for a fact that that the TV can output the DD or DTS signal because my PS3 is able to send the signal to the tv and the tv can send it to the receiver.

Do I have a bad unit or am i doing something wrong?

Do you have the AUDIO mode set to DIGITAL?

Does the TV give you any sound on any videos?

you need to conncet wdtv to receiver directly via hdmi, TV can only output 2 channels from optical

yeah it is set to DIGITAL.  the tv wont give me sound when in digital mode meaning that the device is not outputing the surround sound.

the tv is able to output 5.1 with toslink cuz it works with the cable and ps3 when hooked up the same way.

discozone wrote:

yeah it is set to DIGITAL.  the tv wont give me sound when in digital mode meaning that the device is not outputing the surround sound.

but what about 2 Channel audio? does that work?

if the video is in 2 channel then it works but if the video is DD or DTS then no.

discozone wrote:

I just bought the wd tv live plus and i try playing MKVs with surround sound (both DD or DTS) and it will not output the sound bitstream.  I played around with the audio setting and switch it from stereo to digital to digital without hdmi audio and they all dont work.

 this is my set up:

 

wd tv live plus ----- (via HDMI) --------> Samsung TV ------- (optical toslink on audio out of tv) --------> Onkyo txsr 304.

 

I do know for a fact that that the TV can output the DD or DTS signal because my PS3 is able to send the signal to the tv and the tv can send it to the receiver.

 

Do I have a bad unit or am i doing something wrong?

Just out of interest have you tried connecting from the optical output on the WDTV to your Onkyo. Does that work?

“Just out of interest have you tried connecting from the optical output on the WDTV to your Onkyo. Does that work?”

yes it works that way but it should just work with the HDMI.

I’m having the same problem – the optical audio works, but the HDMI does not. I’ve tried different HDMI cables and every possible HDMI input on my receiver. Nada.

This is my second Live Plus – the first one was so defective it wouldn’t even power-up! This one won’t send audio via HDMI and it seems it also won’t stream the video portion of NetFLIX. YouTube works beautifully, streamed video from within my home network is fine, but no NetFLIX.

I’m waiting for a response from WD…

@ Kerbe

I know it ■■■■■.  all i can get over hdmi is stereo but i want surround sound over hdmi.

This definitely needs fixing.

I can’t get proper audio sync outputting straight from wdtvlive to speakers, so the logical option would be to output from the tv spdif instead… however with no way of getting an optical signal to the tv, it all falls apart…

So am left with out of sync digital sound, or surround upmixed by my receiver which I don’t really want.

Fix it please WD

As long as the DVD ISO has DD 5.1 and not DD 2.0 it will with the proper encoder to make a portable file or if the DVD ISO has it it to use. I get DD 5.1 surround through HDMI with almost all my videos.