Updating FreeviewHD boxes for surround sound

One of the obvious questions raised by the way surround sound is broadcast on Freeview HD is whether or not existing boxes can be updated to add the transcoding functionality that’s needed to make existing home cinema equipment produce proper 5.1 surround. If you’ve not been paying attention at the back, you should start with this article.

The good news is that it appears it will be possible, at least on some. For example, on the day my roundup of boxes was published at RegHardware, Humax subsequently confirmed to me that they will be adding transcoding in an update to the HD-FOX T2. When I hear about other boxes, I shall add appropriate notes in my list of transcoding Freeview HD receivers.

How is this possible? I think it’s probably because a lot of these receivers will have been designed with a European perspective, so that the same core design can be used in several countries. In many European countries HE-AAC transcoding is required, so it’s likely the boxes will include appropriate chips. The Dolby MS10 design, for example, is used in some digital TV chipsets, and can handle all the formats used on Freeview HD, as well as converting them all to Dolby Digital.

However, many manufacturers seem to have been under the impression that surround would be using Dolby Digital plus on Freeview and that, together with the fact that transcoding is not a mandatory requirement in the UK, means that they may not have added the appropriate options to transcode, and to provide settings in the user interface to enable it.

Clearly, in the case of the Humax it will be something along those lines, since they’ll be adding transcoding in their update. There may be other boxes where it isn’t possible to do an update, but that’s still an area that I’m looking into, so stay tuned.

FreeviewHD receivers tested

My test of Freeview HD receivers has just been published on Register Hardware. Here are some links to take you directly to the key parts:

• Introduction
• Buyer’s guide
• Bush DVB680
• Goodmans GDB300HD
• Humax HD-FOX T2
• i-Can EasyHD 2851T
• Icecrypt T2200
• Philips DTR5520
• Sharp TU-T2
• Best buys

Transcoding surround sound for FreeviewHD

As you can read here, surround sound on Freeview HD isn’t quite as straightforward as on some other digital television services. Unless you have incredibly up to date surround equipment, then you really need to make sure that the Freeview HD receiver you buy is able to transcode from the HE-AAC format to Dolby Digital, so that your existing equipment will be able to understand it, and produce proper 5.1 surround, rather than just stereo.

(For a basic introduction to surround sound, click here).

As part of my testing of Freeview HD boxes, I’ve checked them to see whether or not they do transcode; testing was conducted by connecting the S/PDIF output of the box to an input of my Yamaha DSP-E800 surround decoder. If the display on the decoder indicates that it’s receiving Dolby Digital, then the box is transcoding.

When it comes to televisions, I think you can fairly safely  assume that the audio functionality on different screen sizes in a particular range is going to be the same; it would be most unusual if, for example, a 32 inch set transcoded, but a 42 inch model in the same range didn’t. Note that you should compare model ranges carefully – for example, the Sony KDL-46EX403 and KDL-32EX403 are both the same range, but the Samsung LE40C650 and LE40B650 are not. And, if in doubt, specify to the retailer that this is a required feature when you purchase, so that you are within your rights to reject a product if it doesn’t transcode. I cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.

I shall try to keep this page up to date, based on my own tests and reports from other people. Originally published on 20th May 2010. Updated 17th April 2011.

Equipment confirmed to transcode

• Bush DVB680; transcoding via optical digital output (note 1)
• DigitalStream DHR8203U, DHR8205U, DHR8206U (twin tuner recorders); transcoding via optical digital output (note 2)
• Humax HDR Fox-T2 (twin tuner recorder); transcoding via optical digital output and HDMI
• LG 42LE5900 (Freeview HD TV); transcoding via optical digital output
• Philips DTR5520; transcoding via co-axial digital output, NB only two channels.
• Samsung LE40C650 (Freeview HD TV); transcoding via optical digital output
• Sharp LC46LE821 (Freeview HD TV); transcoding via optical digital output
• Sony KDL-46EX403 (Freeview HD TV); transcoding via optical digital output
• Toshiba 40RV653 (Freeview HD TV); transcoding via optical digital output
• TVonics DTR-Z500HD (twin tuner recorder); transcoding with firmware V1.2.A1615.D300.F100

Reported as transcoding by other people:

• Humax HD-Fox T2 (with firmware update)
• Samsung PS63C7000 (Freeview HD TV)
• Sony KDL-46EX503 (Freeview HD TV)
• Sony KDL-40HX703 (Freeview HD TV)

Equipment confirmed not to transcode at present

• Goodmans GDB300HD
• i-Can EasyHD 2851T (to be added in an update, according to ADB)
• Icecrypt T2200
• Icecrypt T2400 (twin tuner PVR)
• Panasonic DMR-XW380 (twin tuner DVD recorder)
• Panasonic 2010 Freeview HD TV sets (all models)
• SagemCom RTI-90-320 (twin tuner recorder)
• Sharp TU-T2

Notes

1. The Bush model is actually made by Vestel and is their T8300. Generally, the features do not differ between the differently branded versions of this unit, and so it is a fairly safe assumption that all the other T8300 products also produce a Dolby Digital output. Here are the other names by which the box is known.

2. Transcoding to Dolby Digital was added to the Digital Stream models in a firmware update. All three models are identical save for their disk size (320Gb, 500GB, 1TB respectively). You need at least version 3.51r5849. Download updates here.