A20 Audio Problem

[Jester217300]

So I bought a refurb HD-A20 on eBay and got it this week. I tried to set it up today and I have absolutely no audio when I play an HD-DVD. I get button sounds fine but nothing else. Right now I have it hooked up to a Samsung 61" HLT6187SAX via HDMI (no receiver or anything). I've read through both of my instruction manuals and adjusted my HDMI cable to the HDMI3/DVI connection on my TV and used an analog cable to connect my A20 and TV and still don't have any sound (this was suggested in the A20 manual). My audio settings on the A20 are:

Digital Out SPDIF: PCM
Digital Out HDMI: Downmixed PCM
Dynamic Range Control: Off
Dialog Enhancement: Off

I don't know if I don't have it set up right or if the refurb is defective. My A3 played audio fine through HDMI. Also there is something loose inside the player (never a good sign). It sounds like a bead rolling around on the inside, but if it works I don't care about that. Thanks for any help

[CochiseGuy]

The audio settings look right. I'm confused by "adjusted my HDMI cable to the HDMI3/DVI connection on my TV" - that TV has HDMI inputs, right? No DVI? DVI is the older digital connection that only carries video, no audio.

And when you say "used an analog cable to connect my A20" - that's the red & white RCA jack stereo cable, right? Do you need to switch your TV to that input?

But, from what I could find on your model TV, it has HDMI input and that Downmixed PCM setting for HDMI should work. It's sounding like you got a bum unit, but do you have a buddy with an HDMI receiver you could hook it up to test? That should clarify if it is a bum unit with no audio.

[Jester217300]

I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just plugging stuff in In the A20 owners manual it says that depending on your TV audio output over HDMI may not work. I think it should work because my A3 plays audio fine over HDMI. So the manual says to set the player as I have it and if you still can't get any audio you will have to use analog output (the red/white cable). The only HDMI port that will accept HDMI and analog input on my TV is the HDMI3/DVI port. I'm not actually using DVI cables or connections I just wanted to see if using an analog cable would fix the problem and that was the only way to do so.

I think I got a bum unit based on my experience with my new A3. Should I contact Toshiba or the seller?

Of my friends I think I'm the only one that even knows what a receiver is, so I really don't have any other way of testing it out.

[Jester217300]

Hooked it up with a composite cable and I got video but no audio so I'd say it's 100% busted (kinda feel stupid that I didn't think of that earlier). Hopefully I'll get a new one out of it

[CochiseGuy]

Originally Posted by Jester217300

Hooked it up with a composite cable and I got video but no audio so I'd say it's 100% busted (kinda feel stupid that I didn't think of that earlier). Hopefully I'll get a new one out of it

Oh yeah, I didn't think of that one either.

Does the unit have a sticker on the back that says "Refurbished", and in the manual does the manual have "Void" stamped in big red letters on the Warranty page in the back? If so, it's an authentic refurb from Toshiba with a 90 day factory warranty. If not, the eBay seller might have scammed you with a used unit he may or may not have know had f*cked audio.

If it is covered by warranty & you send it in (and hopefully get a new unit) I would still contact the seller & request compensation for the hassle.

[Jester217300]

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

Does the unit have a sticker on the back that says "Refurbished", and in the manual does the manual have "Void" stamped in big red letters on the Warranty page in the back?

Yeah it has both of those. Came in a Toshiba box marked "refurbished" and had a pink sheet of paper explaining my 90 day limited warranty. I don't know if I should be happy or sad. Happy at the prospect of getting a new A-20 for $90 or sad that I won't have a 1080p player for a couple more weeks.