KDL-40HX723

[videophile]

I have recently added the 40HX723 to my home cinema set-up - and whilst aghast with the lack of a proper manual or documentation from Sony (PDF or otherwise - the iManual is generally hopeless) - I'm otherwise pretty happy with the panel.  Other than the known problem with dynamic 1080i/1080p format switching on BBC-HD (the "workaround" requires that the TV is permanently configured to "optimise" for text & graphics), I do have one annoying issue that I've been completely unable to resolve, namely the audio level for HDTV-channels (LCN 50-54) is substantially lower than other sources.

In summary, when watching HDTV channels, you have to considerably increase the volume; when re-selecting SD channels or other HDMI input, the volume must be greatly reduced to avoid very loud audio! 

Non-HDTV channels (i.e., SD) from the internal tuner and inputs from HDMI have evenly matched audio levels. Only HDTV from the internal tuner appears affected by significantly lower audio levels.

By contrast, audio levels for both HD and SD TV channels from an attached Sony HDT-1000 PVR (over HDMI) have correctly matched audio levels.  From this, I conclude the issue with differing levels from the internal tuner is a not a broadcast issue.  Unfortunately, I can't find any settings for the TV that allow manual calibration of HDTV audio level.

Audio/video for the entire setup is routed via a Sony 5400ES AV-Amp over HDMI; being HDMI v1.3, audio return from the TV to the Amp is via Optical (TOSLINK).  Blu-ray and PVR feed into the AV-Amp, and in turn to HDMI1 of the TV.  To re-iterate, audio from SD channels over Optical is the correct (matched) audio level for the system.

Does anyone have any idea at all about how to fix this issue?  I suspect the problem could be fixed by firmware tweak.  

[KDL-CX520]

Hello videophile,

Thank you for the ckear description about the problem

Could you check under the menu and sound setting if you have something called Advanced auto level which keeps the sound level almost even between different channels on the same selected input source

This may be improve the problem occurrence

Regards

[Bravia55HX]

videophile,

this may also be called Volume offset and can be found in your sound settings in the menu.

its worth noting also that you can do away with the optical (Toslink) cable by using the new HDMI 1.4 cable from your TV to your AMP as this has ARC thus reducing cable clutter, if your devices can support ARC.

Message was edited by: Bravia55HX923

Message was edited by: Bravia55HX923

[KDL-CX520 · Accepted solution]

I think  - volume offset - is to adjust sound level evenly between different input sources (ex. tv channel compared to blu ray to ps3...etc.)

While - Advanced auto level - is to adjust sound level within the same input source such as in this complaint case the HDTV channels against SD chls.

There is also on factor may affecting this problem , which is the sound signal sent from HDTV channels are Dolby while not all SD channel using Dolby . Dolby processing in general reduce the sound level a little ( i am not sure 100%)

[Bravia55HX]

stand corrected!

[videophile]

Thanks all for your various comments and observations.  In reply to your various comments - in no particular order:

The "Sound" menu is disabled when the AV-amp is selected; the Sound menu is only available when "TV Speakers" are selected :smileysad:.

The sound "offset" level can be adjusted for each source-input (i.e., each of the individual TV HDMI inputs can be adjusted seperately, as can the internal TV tuner), however, the internal tuner is a single source.  Increasing the level for HD-channels also increases the level for SD channels; SD and HD are not independent of eachother - and as such the relative difference between SD and HD is maitained regardless of the offset setting :smileysad:.

As  originally indicated, the externally attached Sony HDT1000 PVR produces matched audio levels for SD and HD programs; the internal TV tuner does not.  As the PVR is capable of providing matched audio levels for its own tuner, its reasonable to expect that the TV costing five-times as much should be able to do the same :smileyangry:.

As originally indicated, I have to use the optical TOSLINK for audio-return to the Sony 5400ES AV-Amp.  Whilst the TV and all HDMI cables are all HDMI v1.4 compliant, the AV-Amp is HDMI v1.3.  Consequently, the Amp is not capable of receiving audio via ARC from TV HDMI1.