# Can't get digital signal out of optical output Philips 60PFL9607



## Nessdufrat

Hi!
I own a Philips 60PFL9607s TV, with an optical output, and a somewhat "old" Sony amplifier, which doesn't have any HDMI input, but does have Coaxial and optical input.
As per Philips user manual, I plugged all my things using the HDMI connectors to my TV, and my TV to my amplifier using an optical cable.
I'm getting Prologic sound and no dolby digital sound...
On the TV, audio is set to mutlichannel, internal speakers are set to "off". I looked everywhere on the forums but I can't find somebody else with the same issue.
I do no want to buy a new amplifier, since it's a very good amplifier both for home theater and for music.
I've tried connecting the optical cable directly from the DVD player to the amplifier -> dolby digital sound.
So the problem is indeed with the TV output and not with the cable.
I bought an optical to coaxial converter, which I should be receiving in a few days, thinking that it might be the issue, but now I'm pretty sure I wasted my money because it's not going to change anything.
Is there a special parameter I haven't found on my TV which will magically turn this optical output into a REAL optical output?
Of course, I also checked the DVDs to be sure they had a DD channel, and like I said, plugging the optical cable directly from the DVD player to the amplifier does give me DD sound.
Something is happening when the TV is outputting the sound channel.
Thanks a lot for your suggestions!
(I can get the DD sound when watching DVDs since I used a coaxial cable between the DVD player and the amplifier, but I also own a WD TV Live, and VOD on my TV suffer from the same "no DD sound" problem)


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## JimE

Most TV's will not pass DD surround from an optical port. They will typically pass stereo only.

If you read the *notes in the User Manual, it will likely say something like "DD audio support for broadcast channels only". In other words, the TV will only output DD audio from channels tuned by the TV tuner.

EDIT: Maybe I missed it, but I only see an optical port on the side of the TV. If so, that port is labeled: Audio Out L/R — display synchronised (optical)


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## Nessdufrat

It's supposed to be digital. The only label I have on the port is "Audio out optical".
Here's the part regarding the optical connection on the manual : 

" Audio Out - Optical 
Audio Out - Optical is a high quality sound connection. This optical connection can carry 5.1 audio channels. If your audio device, typically a Home Theatre System (HTS), has no HDMI ARC connection, you can connect this sound cable to an Audio In - Optical connection on the HTS. This Audio cable will send the sound of the TV to the HTS. 

"

Which is exactly what I did, and it didn't work. 
Do you think a HDMI to optical converter could do the trick?

I also saw that there are some unofficial firmwares out there, supposedly improving the optical out multichannel audio (PHILIPS TELEVISION (9xx7) - Unofficial Firmware Mirror). Should I try that?

Thanks!


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## yustr

It's probably that your amp cannot decode the type signal that the TV is currently sending. From the manual:



> You can set the type of the audio out signal to fit the audio
> capabilities of your Home Theatre System.
> In Help, press * List and look up Audio Out settings for
> more information.
> 
> If the sound does not match the video on screen, you can
> adjust the audio to video synchronization.
> In Help, press * List and look up Audio to video sync for
> more information.


Go through them one at a time until you find one that works.


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## Nessdufrat

It was quick, there are only two settings : multichannel (the one I selected) and stereo. I already tried stereo just to be sure, and it was... stereo.
So I'm actually doing everything I'm supposed to and the TV doesn't output the digital signal.


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## Nessdufrat

Since there was a new firmware update available 6 days ago, I installed it. It didn't fix the problem 
I ordered some more optical cables and a 3 to 1 optical switch, I'll end up connecting everything directly through optical cables to the amplifier. Too bad about the optical output on the TV, it was really supposed to convey a digital signal and it didn't deliver. I don't know if it affects only my TV or if owners of the same model have experienced the same thing. I guess most people just plug the hdmi cable into their amplifier...
Maybe it is indeed that my amplifier can't decode the output signal. It does decode the signal from the DVD player, though. I'm getting a bluray player later this week, I hope I won't face the problem of my amplifier not recognizing it either  Then, I would really have to buy a new amplifier, but the one I have is just awesome and I can connect my hifi speakers and my home theater speakers at the same time, so it's good for music AND for movies.


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## JimE

Nessdufrat said:


> . This Audio cable will send the sound of the TV to the HTS. [/FONT]
> !


As noted in the manual, "the sound of the TV". Which I'm sure means the audio decoded by the TV (ie: tuner).

As noted, most TV's do not pass through digital audio. They receive it and decode it for playback.


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## Nessdufrat

I ended up doing a few tweaks on the media player (western digital tv live) and I think the TV actually DOES output a digital signal, but yustr was right, it's a format my amplifier can't decode.
After some thoughts, I'm getting a new amplifier. I ended up not buying the blu-ray player but borrowing my neighbor's playstation. I connected it directly to the optical input of my amplifier and I got the awful prologic sound and no dolby digital or anything.
I'm dropping the blu-ray idea for the moment (especially since I don't own any BR and I wanted to get it only to have a way to read my DVDs that would provide good upscaling) and buying an amplifier instead.
I'm getting it on Monday. I'll test the optical output of the TV with the new amplifier just to provide an answer for people who might have the same question about it and I'll come back here with my answer!
Thanks a lot!


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## nirawan

typically DD on optical out on a tv is only available from tv tuner sources but the signal is not being passed through from another source. also you have to set the ouput correctly so the tv will allow the DD signal as standard (not PCM). hope you did not buy another receiver just because of this as it should really work. DD is a defined format and having S/PDIF optical out (TOSLINK9 without DD/5.1 simply makes no sense for a manufacturer.

I have connected my 60pfl9607 via hdmi but I can test optical out for you if you want.


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