New Tivo HD - No Sound with HDMI

[masonfl]

I just set up a new Tivo HD and everything went smoothly including installing the cable card myself...except for one problem. The video looks good but I have no sound. I'm not an expert at home theater set-up so I'm at a bit of a loss on what to do. The HDMI cable is pluggled firmly into the back of the Tivo as is the cable. What else might be causing this problem?

Thx.

[jrm01]

I just set up a new Tivo HD and everything went smoothly including installing the cable card myself...except for one problem. The video looks good but I have no sound. I'm not an expert at home theater set-up so I'm at a bit of a loss on what to do. The HDMI cable is pluggled firmly into the back of the Tivo as is the cable. What else might be causing this problem?

Thx.

You mention that the hdmi is plugged into the TiVo, but you didn't say what the other end is plugged into. Your TV/ An AV Receiver?

If you are using hdmi from tivo directly to the TV you should go into the audio settings under SETTINGS and change the audio to Dolby Digital > PCM.

[masonfl]

You mention that the hdmi is plugged into the TiVo, but you didn't say what the other end is plugged into. Your TV/ An AV Receiver?

If you are using hdmi from tivo directly to the TV you should go into the audio settings under SETTINGS and change the audio to Dolby Digital > PCM.

Hmm... Good question. The HDMI plugs directly into the TV. I changed from Dolby to PCM and...still no audio. One challenge is my set-up does not make it easy to see the back of my AV/Receiver so it's possible something is disconnected. If you have any other ideas I'd appreciate it.

[Chips N Guac]

The HDMI plugs directly into the TV.

If this is the case then the sound should be going through your TV.

... back of my AV/Receiver

If you have an AV/Receiver then you are contradicting yourself... You either need to run a separate audio feed from the TiVo to your receiver if thats where you want the sound to come from... or use the speakers on your TV.

I have a similar set up, although I use component instead of HDMI. My video goes from the TiVo to the TV, and then I use an optical cable from the TiVo to the receiver.

[masonfl]

If this is the case then the sound should be going through your TV.



If you have an AV/Receiver then you are contradicting yourself... You either need to run a separate audio feed from the TiVo to your receiver if thats where you want the sound to come from... or use the speakers on your TV.

I have a similar set up, although I use component instead of HDMI. My video goes from the TiVo to the TV, and then I use an optical cable from the TiVo to the receiver.

I'm learning...

When I removed my Comcast-provided DVR there was a cable that went from the Cable box output SPDIF to a digital input on my receiver. But of course the Tivo doesn't have the SPDIF output. So...I'm guessing the fact that that cable is sitting there unused has something to do with my problem. Does this mean I just need to go in and change a setting in my receiver?

[bkdtv]

When I removed my Comcast-provided DVR there was a cable that went from the Cable box output SPDIF to a digital input on my receiver. But of course the Tivo doesn't have the SPDIF output. So...I'm guessing the fact that that cable is sitting there unused has something to do with my problem. Does this mean I just need to go in and change a setting in my receiver?The TivoHD has a toslink (optical) output.

If your A/V receiver supports HDMI audio, you can use HDMI to your A/V receiver and then HDMI from A/V receiver to TV. If your A/V receiver doesn't support HDMI audio, then you need to run toslink (optical) to it.

Once you connect the TivoHD to your A/V receiver with toslink or HDMI, you may need to enter the setup menu on your A/V receiver to set it to use that connection.

If your A/V receiver doesn't have available HDMI or toslink (optical) inputs, then you can buy a toslink->spdif converter (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2) ($11) at Monoprice.com.

[netringer]

I'm learning...

When I removed my Comcast-provided DVR there was a cable that went from the Cable box output SPDIF to a digital input on my receiver. But of course the Tivo doesn't have the SPDIF output. So...I'm guessing the fact that that cable is sitting there unused has something to do with my problem. Does this mean I just need to go in and change a setting in my receiver?

The TivoHD has a toslink (optical) output.

If your A/V receiver supports HDMI audio, you can use HDMI to your A/V receiver and then HDMI from A/V receiver to TV. If your A/V receiver doesn't support HDMI audio, then you need to run toslink (optical) to it.

Once you connect the TivoHD to your A/V receiver with toslink or HDMI, you may need to enter the setup menu on your A/V receiver to set it to use that connection.

If your A/V receiver doesn't have available HDMI or toslink (optical) inputs, then you can buy a toslink->spdif converter (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2) ($11) at Monoprice.com. That converter is for optical to coax.

I think he's optical. AFAIK, SPDIF is TOSLINK.

The TiVo shoudl connect exactly the same way that the Comcast DVR did. I know for a fact that;'s the case with the Moto 6412,.

Just plug the cable on the input on the receiver into the D-shaped optical port on the TiVo.

[Chips N Guac]

I'm learning...

When I removed my Comcast-provided DVR there was a cable that went from the Cable box output SPDIF to a digital input on my receiver. But of course the Tivo doesn't have the SPDIF output. So...I'm guessing the fact that that cable is sitting there unused has something to do with my problem. Does this mean I just need to go in and change a setting in my receiver?


Yes, it should just plug into the back of the TiVo the same way it did on the Comcast dvr.

[masonfl]

Yes, it should just plug into the back of the TiVo the same way it did on the Comcast dvr.

The SPDIF cable/input for my Comcast DVR is a component cable, not an optical cable so there's no such input on the Tivo. Do I need to replace that cable with an optical cable?

I thought the whole point of HDMI was that it carries vidoe and audio in one cable so why would I need both?

Folks - I REALLY appreciate your help with this. I'll try to pay it forward. ;)

[Chips N Guac]

Do I need to replace that cable with an optical cable?

Yes.

I thought the whole point of HDMI was that it carries vidoe and audio in one cable so why would I need both?

Yes, that is the point of an HDMI cable, however you are trying to run your audio through a device separate from the video, therefore you need a separate cable for audio unless your A/V receiver is specifically designed for HDMI then you can plug the HDMI into the receiver and then use HDMI from the receiver to the TV. As of right now your sound will only work through the TV.

[wileyheather]

You mention that the hdmi is plugged into the TiVo, but you didn't say what the other end is plugged into. Your TV/ An AV Receiver?

If you are using hdmi from tivo directly to the TV you should go into the audio settings under SETTINGS and change the audio to Dolby Digital > PCM.
Thank you so much for posting this. We were wracking our brains trying to figure out what was happening with our TV and actually brought it back to Best Buy to return it, but it worked when they hooked it up to Blu Ray.

Changing Dolby to "Dolby to PCM" worked perfectly!

[RonC]

The OP could also just run cables from the audio out of the TV to his receiver's input.