Sony STR DN 1040 HDMI passthrough function not working

[Chaudax]

I bought a STR DN1040 AV receiver on 29/12 and the HDMI pass through function is not working. I have control for HDMI set to ON and pass through Auto. There is no ON option only Off or auto! When I switch the receiver off the picture and sound from the TV comes through but after 20 secs there is a clicking noise from the receiver and the screen goes blank and also no sound. I called Sony and reset the receiver but still the same problem. I called back Sony and they said return the amp and get a new one. I did this but I still have exactly the same problem with the new receiver. I have checked and even changed the HDMI cables and changed the TV but the problem is still there. I have the latest firmware after an update. I am now seriously thinking of returning the amp and getting my money back. Does anyone have any ideas what the problem could be?. Thanks

[ribrigg29]

Hi Chadudax

I came across this when searching the US site, it may help some,

terms "Anynet+" 

Anynet+ = On

Auto Turn Off = No

Receiver = Off

HDMI from HDMI A running to the ARC HDMI port on the Samsung. In my case thats HDMI 2

On the Amp I have the following 

Control for HDMI = On

Pass Through = Auto

Audio Out = TV + AMP

I think i did try this (my TV is a three year old Samsung 3d) but i am not 100% sure,

as i was also trying to get the TVs steaming function to pass sound to the amp, which i achieved but the result is that because there is no screen for the amp to use in this mode i couldn't tweak the settings unless i came out of streaming, so i had lost patience by this time.

Yes i am also certain that the issue lies with the way Sony have configured the pass through protocol, i have used other amps with older TVs that didn't have CEC and have had no problems with pass through, which as i said about my other receiver's working perfectly with my current setup.

Unfortunately I think the lack of any proper tech support/feedback is down to the age old multi national company being so big and slow to respond to anything other than a major bombshell, like a few hundred receiver's bursting into flames and the resulting law suits, before it ***** up its ears to a problem.

[Macrobus]

For all those pulling their hair out I can confirm the above works. I set the menu options as described in the previous post on the TV (Samsung D8000) and THEN DEPOWERED (unplugged) the TV for 30 seconds. Did the same for the AMP switched everything back on and BINGO IT WORKED!!!! Oh HAPPY DAY :))) When the amp is switched back on it is in "TV" so needs to be set to "SAT/CATV".

This cured the issue of HDMI THRU working for about 30 seconds and then the dreaded "click" from the amp and loss of picture. I am appalled at Sony's lack of a fix for what is a hugely documented global issue. Rubbish customer service.

Apart from the above issue, so far the amp sound is a significant improvement on my Onkyo TX-NR609.....and AirPlay is a real bonus.

Hope this helps.

[nitroushhh]

I bought a strdn1040 3 weeks ago and it worked fine for a few days then I got the failure on passthrough.

The shop swapped it and the new one did exactly the same thing immediatelly.

Phoned sony who said return it for another one but I have to wait until next week before they have one in.

I've tried the voodoo spells above with no luck, but thanks to all for their help.

I've spent hours messing about with this. Sony owes me about 12 hours of my life back.  

To save others some time, here are some combinations I tried but didn't help.

If you're torn between this amp and another maybe this stress will help you chose 🙂

Samsung 50inch smart tv about 1 year old.  Basically using as a monitor.  Not using as a source of video.

Virgin tivo box.

New Sony Blueray disc player, cheap.

Sony ps3.  

Ouya.

Switched off all hdmi control on tvs and sources.  All 'power save'  auto standby etc all off.

Amp set passthrough to auto (only other option is NO).  This also sets hdmi control to yes.

Tried with all 3 hdmi inputs on the TV labelled as follows....

hdmi1(arc)

hdmi2(dvi)

hdmi3

Tried with all 4 sources connected, got failure with each selected as source when entering stand-by.

Tried each source connected on its own.  Also failed.

Tried with an older samsung tv (about 8 years old) also failed.

There are no hdmi switches in the setup.  

Tried switching sources and tvs into and out of standby before and after standby selected for the amp.

Also after the dreaded click.

Hoping an awakening would prompt the amp to route a signal.  But no luck.

Tried hdmi output of amp  and amp+tv.  No luck but +tv meant I had 2 days with stereo only until I worked out that putting it back to amp gave me back multi channel.

The shop today has asked me to check the speaker cables for shorts.  But they all make good sound.

I'll try without speakers attached. 

As the blueray is new and from sony, I think I'll try it in all the hdmi inputs and then I think I'm done.

Things that may have moved me from working to not.

1)  Over the air software update.

2)  Early on I had 5.1 speakers connected but the amp setup was the the out of the box 7.1.  I then set it to 5.1 with the extra terminal not in use.  (no bi amping etc.)

For reference I spent much of the first 2 days working out that hdmi control with the above hardware will drive you crazy.  At one point I considered connecting things one at a time to the tv with analogue cables until they were all set to 'do not control'  'do not be controlled'.

Hope this helps someone.  And hopefully Sony will consider looking into these issues.

I think I'm going to swap it for something usuable as this unit is not.   

I'm looking at a Pioneer class D amp.  But I might need to extend the house.  🙂

[Harrywillis]

I've just bought the STR-DN840 and have exactly the same problem. Been up most of the night trying to get pass through to work. All Sony equipment, even though the TV is older, it should still work.

Have tried with just one Sony DVD player connected and it still does not pass through HDMI for more than 30sec after putting amp to standby - dreaded click and off it goes.

UK model, so no "On" option in the pass through menu. Back to the shop......

[Harrywillis]

UPDATE - tried amp in shop and HDMI Passthrough worked there. Newer TV than mine (Panasonic). Sony Blue Ray input. Different HDMI cables? Back home, no HDMI Passthrough. Seems like I need a new TV to get Passthrough to work, and HDMI control to work??.

[MK_Slinky]

Same problem here although I can confirm that my Panasonic Viera TV does not have 'Pass Through'. Struggled to get my head around this problem for a few days and then noticed in the user manual that Sony recommends connecting the audio out of the TV via phonos to the TV input on the receiver to get around this problem.

It may not be an ideal workaround as it means connecting 2 more cables but if you have no pass through or pass through simply doesn't work then this does at least solve the problem. I can now watch and hear TV without my receiver on. 

This may help - Page 28 (GB Manual)

To enjoy the TV broadcast

If you want to select an audio signal using other than an
HDMI cable (e.g., via an optical digital cord or an audio cord),

switch the audio input mode using INPUT MODE (page 80).

**If your TV is not compatible with the ARC
function, connect C or D.

The manual also makes the following statement:

To listen to the sound from the TV

If your TV does not support System Audio
Control function, set the “Audio Out” to
“TV+AMP” in the HDMI Settings menu
(page 94).

I tried the above setting 'TV+Amp' but discovered that no Dolby Decoding is performed and all audio is output as PCM on the front display. It sounded okay and to be honest I didn't give it a second thought but then after swapping the 'Audio Out' to just 'AMP' I was blown away by the difference. My receiver now sounds a million times better than it did previously.

[Harrywillis]

Is your post related to the STR DN1040 or the STR DN840? Mine is the 840 and maybe the manual is different, but for the sake of completion, on my manual (page 24) it says "If your TV is not compatible with the ARC function, connect A or B". Based on the diagram, that means either the optical connection A, or the phone connection to TV Audio in B.

Also, my 840 receiver / amp has better sound quality ( Dolby Digital etc) when a Audio out is set to use Amp, and not TV&Amp. I don't even think it has the option to select TV only.

[MK_Slinky]

Hi Harry,

No my post relates solely to the STR DN 1040, I guess your 840 may be similar although I suspect there will be subtle differences in connections.

I don't know if this is of any help but as far as my connections go I have a HDMI lead connected to the HDMI-A out on the receiver which is connected to my Panasonic Viera TV. With this connection I do have video pass through but not audio, hence why I have also connected 2 x phonos from the audio out on the TV back to the TV 'in' on the receiver.

Also I have tried connecting a HDMI lead to the HDMI-B output on the receiver to my TV but this method results in no video or audio.

Yes I agree the audio does sound much better if your receiver audio output is set to 'AMP' as opposed to 'TV&AMP' hence my previous post. I mentioned there that I was only getting PCM output using that setting whereas setting the receiver to just 'AMP' does give full Dolby decoding.

My appology, I have just edited my last post. The mention of setting the output to just 'TV' was a typo, it should have read as above: 'AMP'

[Harrywillis]

Thanks for the update. There might be some confusion over the term "Passthrough" here. The original post made reference to when to amp is put into standby, such as when it is switched off. What I understand is supposed to happen is, the amp effectively goes to sleep, but still allows the video signal through to the TV, but the sound comes from the TV. This is useful when watching TV such as the news, where surround sound is not needed. What the original post, and my follow up referred to, is a problem where when the amp is switched off, the video Passthrough happens, but only for 20 - 30 seconds, before the picture vanishes and there is a click from the amp as if something has stopped the Passthrough.

Your latest post says "With this connection I do have video pass through but not audio", but I think that is exactly what is supposed to happen. You get the video passed through, but the audio is supposed to come from the TV. As the problem we were discussing related to the failure of Passthrough after 20 - 30 seconds, I suspect we are discussing different issues?

[Harrywillis]

I understand that the Passthrough option "ON" is not on European models because of power saving rules in the EU. However, I think it should be an optional option, if you see what I mean. Surely we are intelligent enough to decide if for the sake of our own setup, we might want the (slight?) overhead of higher power consumption with the ON setting, if it means that the HDMI Passthrough in standby works?

I would like Sony to consider this an offer the feature as a firmware upgrade.

Do Sony support staff see this?