Bryston SP3, Manual

Page: 28 / 72

HDMI Notes, Part 1 Page 2 of 4
Selecting HDMI inputs on SP3
Normally, HDMI inputs are associated with the corresponding source selector buttons on
the front panel, from left to right. DVD button is associated with HDMI input1,
CBL/SAT button with HDMI 2, ... BAL-2 with HDMI 8. For each of the first 8 source
selector buttons there are 3 alternative inputs sockets to chose from: DIGITAL
3
, HDMI
or analog
4
. Selecting of a different source button causes the previous HDMI input to be
disabled and the new associated HDMI input to be automatically selected and enabled for
video and audio pass-through on that input
5
, even if the HDMI button is not selected. If
the new HDMI input is selected then the video is passed-though while audio is
intercepted by the SP3. This behaviour can be modified in the firmware revision 2012.08
or later, with the introduction of HDMI INPUT STICKY option in MISCELLANEOUS
menu
6
. When the "STICKY" selection is made then the last selected HDMI input
remains selected and active even after switching to a different source, for as long as the
new source selection does not select HDMI explicitly. It persists through power downs.
It allows displaying video image from one source player, while playing audio from
another.
HDMI multi-channel 7.1, 5.1 or two-channel formats.
The signal source determines the channel format. If the number of channels being played
is not as expected, for example 2 instead of 5.1 or 7.1 then the SP3 and the player may
have to re-handshake the communication protocol through HDMI in order to reset the
proper status. Certain media (DVD, BD) revert to a 2 channel audio format during
menus and then switch to multichannel when playing a selected contents. Some media
contents may be originally recorded as 2 audio channels, in this case one can use the
surround synthesis
7
feature in the SP3 to re-create 5.1 or 7.1, for example select Dolby
Prologic IIx Movie etc .
A player (the HDMI "source") will communicate ("handshake") with the SP3 (the
"repeater") and the TV screen (the HDMI "sink"), trying to set itself up to output the
3
Pressing DIGITAL button selects one of the following seven digital inputs: SPDIF1,2,3,4 or Toslink 1,2
or 3. The specific assignment determining which of the seven inputs is used, can be configured in the
SYSTEM SETUP-->DIGITAL SOURCES submenu..
4
Analog inputs are selected when neither DIGITAL nor HDMI LED are lit. Analog input has two modes
of operation: normal when the signal goes through A/D, DSP and D/A with all the surround processing
available, and 2 channel bypass mode selected by 2 CH.BYPASS button, when the signal bypasses the
digitization stage, while only going through analog the volume control stage.
5
Video passes through from one selected HDMI inputs 1 to 8 to both HDMI output sockets 1 and 2,
operating in-parallel. It is possible to drive two TV screens simultaneously.
6
The screen is locked, to unlock it scroll down to the 3-rd MISC screen down from the top and press
ZONE,DVD and TAPE buttons in a sequence in this order.
7
This is often referred to under the term “re-creation” mode that is creating the extra audio channels out of
the stereo feed. Use surround left and right arrow keys to select among several surround modes. Those
selections are not applicable when the original content is 7.1, and only a limited selection is applicable with
the original 5.1 stream when 7.1 has to be synthesized out of the 5.1.
APPENDIX D: HDMI NOTES continued