Decoder and HDMI to HDMI Audio Extractor, SPDIF and analog 5.1

In this article I talk about the Decoder and HDMI to HDMI Audio Extractor, SPDIF and analog 5.1, that supports Dolby Digital AC3, DTS and LPCM. It was acquired in AliExpress the store Damsel Apparel & Accessories Store.

Motivation

The idea was to use it in conjunction with my Smart TV Panasonic Viera TC-40 "-40DS600B, decoding the Dolby Digital audio from Sky, Since the TV is not able to do it like they do the Sony TVs.

Of course I could configure the Sky decoder to send audio LPCM Stereo only, but with this my main point, where is my Receiver Yamaha RX-A830, also would be limited to stereo audio, without being able to take advantage of Dolby Digital audio 5.1 of some channels.

How It Works

The description of the Decoder and Audio Extractor, I figured he would be able to decode the Dolby Digital HDMI input and pass it as LPCM on HDMI output. But in practice that's not what happens.

The fact is that the switch Decoder and Audio Extractor only serves to configure the EDID that will be passed to the source. BY-PASS mode it passes directly the EDID of own TV, and in 2CH and 5.1 CH it replaces the EDID for your own.

According to the EDID received, the source can spend only the signal that your TV supports. But in practice the Sky decoder, or my splitter HDMI, ignores the EDID. And even if you ignore that wouldn't be a good idea, because fall again on the problem of leaving the main point only with stereo sound.

So, in my tests the outputs of the Decoder and Audio Extractor effectively made the following:

• On HDMI output exactly the same signal on HDMI input, be it LPCM or Dolby Digital AC3, No decoding, only one pass-thru.
• The SPDIF output also have exactly the same audio signal on HDMI input, be it LPCM or Dolby Digital, in other words, He acts only as audio extractor. DTS I have not tested. Also not tested LPCM 5.1, but it certainly does not pass because the bandwidth of the SPDIF does not allow.
• The VGA output I also haven't tested.
• In the analog outputs have effectively the decoded analog audio, the source LPCM, Dolby Digital 2.0 or Dolby Digital 5.1. Is the only way where there are effectively audio decoding. If the stereo sound, It will signal the two corresponding outputs.

Unpacking and testing

The Decoder and Audio Extractor came packaged in a foam only, accompanied by source and instruction manual.

At first he simply hasn't called. I decided to then open it and remove the plate from the inside of the metal case he went on to work. Apparently the Assembly caused some short, I had some work to get mounts it to continue working.

To view the Board also noticed a curious: integrated circuits are with the inscriptions scraped, so that it is not possible to identify them. Seems to be a way that the Chinese found to protect this project, Since it is common to put out a clone everything is possible there.

Also check out the video of the unboxing from the Decoder and Audio Extractor:

Installation

Once it became clear as the Decoder and Audio Extractor works, I even tried to use the decoded sound of analog outputs, Once the Smart TV Panasonic Viera TC-40 "-40DS600B has analog audio stereo inputs and allows you to add the stereo analog audio to digital HDMI input image.

Thus, the signal that comes from the Sky by HDMI Extender enters the Decoder and Audio Extractor, where an HDMI cable and a dual RCA cable to the TV.

This setting lets you watch perfectly canals with LPCM audio 2.0 and Dolby Digital 2.0 from Sky. But, in the channels that offer Dolby Digital audio 5.1, We have no central channels, surround left and right and subwoofer. This is bad. In movies, for example, most of the dialogues are in the central channel and are absent in this configuration, as can be seen in the following video.

Final Considerations

I ended up concluding that the Decoder and Audio Extractor It is useless to the point that I was seeking. Your advertisement is somewhat misleading, as it decodes only for analog outputs, the digital outputs are mere extractors.

Furthermore, He is not capable of converting audio 5.1 to 2.0 in no event shall. Its use is, therefore, limited to the extractor, for which there are other cheaper solutions, and to the decoder 5.1 for amplified speaker sets that do decoding, as is common in various models intended for PCs.

I reported the problems to the seller and entered into an agreement where he repaid $ 10,00 and I was with the equipment for some future use, avoiding having to return the equipment.

As for the problem of TV, I ended up opting to use an old receiver the Onkyo, an integrated kit Onkyo HT HTS5400. I had retired this receiver When he started to give problems in the HDMI inputs. Kept his boxes, but replace the receiver by Yamaha RX-V675, and then by Yamaha RX-A830. Recently, the Onkyo receiver was fixed, with the changing of the HDMI Board, but it was unused for lack of boxes.

I came to consider buying a set of small boxes, like JBL Cinema 610, that's a good size for an Office. But, I thought I'd invest in best boxes for the room and bring the Onkyo boxes back to the Onkyo.

So I was with audio 7.1 at the Office and decided the problem of decoding of Dolby Digital. The boxes were a bit big and the positioning was not ideal, but like the result.

Check out the tracking information package:

Data	Local	Situation
06/10/2016 18:10	CSD [Removed]	Delivery Effected
06/10/2016 10:57	[Removed]	Out for delivery to the recipient
16/09/2016 10:48	CEINT CURITIBA – CURITIBA/PR	Routed
	In transit to RFB – Released without taxation / BR
01/09/2016 14:20	INTERNATIONAL UNIT CURITIBA – CURITIBA/PR	Awarded
	Received / Brazil
24/08/2016 11:11	CHINA – CHINA/CN	Routed
	In transit to International Treatment Unit – BRAZIL / BR
23/08/2016 16:25	CHINA – CHINA/CN	Posted

And the purchase summary table:

Product Name:	Decoder and HDMI to HDMI Audio Extractor, SPDIF and analog 5.1
Name Original:	Pro HDMI to HDMI + Audio Decoder HDMI Splitter Extractor to SPDIF Digital Optical/Analog 5.1 Support Dolby Digital AC3, DTS,LPCM
Store:	AliExpress | Store: Damsel Apparel & Accessories Store
Value:	US$
Current value:	US$ 36,30
Payment Method:	Credit Card Visa International
Shipping Type:	China Post Registered Air Mail
Shipping Fee:	Free
Package Home Country:	China
Purchase Data:	21/08/2016
Submission Date:	23/08/2016
Data Delivery:	06/10/2016
Time in Transit:	44 days
Declared content:	18745163 HDMI…
Type Marked Content:	-
Declared Value:	US$ 17
Taxed:	Not
Taxable Value:	-
Tax Value:	-

And I'm ending here the article on Decoder and HDMI to HDMI Audio Extractor, SPDIF and analog 5.1, with a negative recommendation to the product and to the store Damsel Apparel & Accessories Store, because the product has very little practical use, came with defect that I had to fix, and the description is misleading. Share this article with your friends if you liked ;). If you also want to shop in AliExpress, directly from Hong Kong, click here and good shopping.