[PS3Confused]

I hope someone can help me. I've posted on other forums and not getting anywhere.
 
I am on my 2nd PS3 slim in 3 weeks and each have the same issue. Blu-Ray dialogue is incredibly soft. I am connected via HDMI to my tv's 2 speakers. I did 'automatic setup' via HDMI and the setup detected two possible output settings: 2-channel Linear PCM 44.1 and 2-channel Linear PCM 48. 5.1 is NOT selected.
 
HOWEVER, when playing Blu-Rays, I push SELECT on the PS3 controller and it says it's playing 5.1 sound. This despite the fact that only 2-channel is selected in the PS3 settings.
 
What gives?? Why is it outputting 5.1 when that's not even selected in the audio settings? Hearing Blu-Ray dialogue is pretty much impossible. I am at my wit's end....

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I hope someone can help me. I've posted on other forums and not getting anywhere.
I am on my 2nd PS3 slim in 3 weeks and each have the same issue. Blu-Ray dialogue is incredibly soft. I am connected via HDMI to my TV's 2 speakers. I did 'automatic setup' via HDMI and the setup detected two possible output settings: 2-channel Linear PCM 44.1 and 2-channel Linear PCM 48. 5.1 is NOT selected.
HOWEVER, when playing Blu-Rays, I push SELECT on the PS3 controller and it says it's playing 5.1 sound. This despite the fact that only 2-channel is selected in the PS3 settings.
What gives?? Why is it outputting 5.1 when that's not even selected in the audio settings? Hearing Blu-Ray dialogue is pretty much impossible. I am at my wit's end....

Should not the PS3 be outputting 5.1 thru the HDMI cable and then the TV can downscale the 5.1 to 2-channel stereo?

 

[PS3Confused]

  Should not the PS3 be outputting 5.1 thru the HDMI cable and then the TV can downscale the 5.1 to 2-channel stereo?

I was under the impression that if you selected only 2-channel Linear PCM in the PS3's settings, that is what the PS3 would output via HDMI. I don't even have 5.1 selected, so why would the PS3 try to output 5.1? When I push SELECT on the PS3 controller during a Blu-Ray movie, it says 5.1, not 2-channel. This has been the case for two straight PS3's.

 

[Seegs108]

Does it say its outputting at 5.1 or playing/decoding a 5.1 audio track? There's a big difference there. My guess is that it's using the 5.1 audio and displays that it's the audio that it's decoding, but if you have stereo 2 channel audio selected in the menu it should be downmixing the audio and outputting as such. Also, your TV can't accept and downmix audio? If there is truly a problem with the output from the PS3, typically most TVs have the capability to downmix audio from source equipment. Play around with the settings on your TV to see if you can fix the issue there.

 

[PS3Confused]

  Does it say its outputting at 5.1 or playing/decoding a 5.1 audio track? There's a big difference there. My guess is that it's using the 5.1 audio and displays that it's the audio that it's decoding, but if you have stereo 2 channel audio selected in the menu it should be downmixing the audio and outputting as such. Also, your TV can't accept and downmix audio? If there is truly a problem with the output from the PS3, typically most TVs have the capability to downmix audio from source equipment. Play around with the settings on your TV to see if you can fix the issue there.

To answer your question....I truly don't know if the PS3 display means its outputting 5.1 or decoding it. I don't know if pushing SELECT on the PS3 and bringing up the info bar gives the information it's getting from the disc or OUTPUTTING to the tv. I called up Sony Tech Support and they didn't even know. Can't find any information on it online either, so I have been unable to get a definitive answer.
 
All I know is that I am selecting 2-channel in the PS3's Blu-Ray Sound Output settings and the resulting Blu-Ray dialogue is at a whisper level, even when raising the volume on the tv. The only workaround I have discovered is to go into the TV's sound options and tinker with the EQ, bring up various high range levels, and to activate "Auto Volume", which equalizes the sounds somewhat.
 
On my old PS3 FAT system (before it died), Blu-Ray sound and dialogue was more or less fine, on the exact same tv. It was somewhat low, but always audible....not like now. It never required any tinkering in sound settings on my part.