mhl audio using Xperia z

[Damian3716]

Can anybody help? I have recently purchased an mhl adapter for use with my Xperia z. I have connected it up to my Samsung tv (which is quite new) and it works fine. However, when connectivity my older Sony bravia tv in the bedroom, there is no sound. I cab get sound through the phones Jack, but not through the hdmi
All the information I can find on the web suggests that with an mhl adapter, you can get video and audio on any tv with hdmi input. Is this not the case. Do older tv's lack the comparability for sound thorough hdmi via mhl?

 

[sauce_a_poutine]

o older tv's lack the comparability for sound thorough hdmi via mhl?

I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

I run MHL to an old 32" Bravia (KDL32S5100) with a plain BestBuy MHL Adapter. I also use it on through my old Harman Kardon AVR3600, and cheapie (Old tech inside, with cheap display panel) 24" 720P Dynex TV I purchased 3 years ago for the bedroom.

One thing, though, if the sound of your file is encoded in DTS, you need a device capable of decoding it, like a AV receiver for home theaters, like the Harman Kardon unit I use. Typically, though, if the sound plays through your TV's headset port, it should play on the speakers. Regular sounds like music from your music player and video software should play on everything.

Do you get an audio output on speakers playing Youtube videos ? If you do, try using VLC for your other files., see what happens.

Edit: Just a few more questions.... Have you checked your software player's audio out options ? Have you tried multiple software to play the files ? What software did you use ?

 

[Damian3716]

I'm not trying to play back specific files on specific software. My understanding us that mhl should mirror your phones display and sound, whether it be a game app, internet stream, video playback etc. When I hooked up to the Samsung tv, I ran a game and sound came through instantly. It's very frustrating so hopefully somebody will have the answer.

 

[sauce_a_poutine]

mhl should mirror your phones display and sound

In principle, but there are a few caveats. Sound support depends on a few variables. Sound transmission between the devices depends on 3 factors: The source file encoding, the software's sound output type, and target device's support of signal type. Whatever media you are using, and the type of encoding of said media, be it game, music or a video, the rendering software has a few possible modes of transmission for the sound stream: If your TV does not support this mode, like a DTS bitstream, then you have to either get the phone to send an analog signal to your TV, or pass it through a device capable of decoding that sound.

Typical sound transports possible:

- Decoded to a Stereo Analog output over HDMI (Stereo PCM). - Supported by just about any audio/video device out there.

- Digital, as is: Encoding remains unchanged, and is passed-through. - This requires the right decoder at the other end.
- Dolby Digital. Requires a decoder, a large proportion of modern digital devices support it, including many, but not all, plain TVs.
- DTS. Requires a decoder, typically, a home theater Audio/video receiver is required. Few TV are equipped with this decoder. Though now quite common, DTS only became really widespread with HD formats like HD DVD and BluRay. Because DVDs' standard audio was Dolby, practically all devices support it. Many low end devices and TVs still force you to rely on Dolby because DTS adds an extra license cost to it, an Dolby is already present anyway.

So, testing your sound using different files, and different players, you might find something that works. Check your player, or even your phone's sound options to see if, somewhere, you have an options to send the sound as an Analog PCM signal. I'm pretty your problem stems for the sound transport being digital. Perhaps, also your TV has an option to enable bitstream (Digital) decoding, so you should comb though it's options..

 

[Damian3716]

Thank you for your advice, but I really feel this is over complicating things. At first I thought maybe the tv wasn't compatible with Audi through an mhl device, however, whilst playing around with it for the 50th time (I can't even remember exactly what I did) I suddenly got audio through the tv. I'm not even sure. The fiddling was the course of This or just a coincidence. I then unplugged the adapter and plugged it back in and still had audio. I thought I'd cracked it! Unfortunately, whenever I have connected it since, I'm back to square one, NO AUDIO!!! And I can't recreate whatever I did to make it work. Now I know the tv is capable, it's even more frustrating! HELP!!!

 

[sauce_a_poutine]

Have you used the "throw" feature to set the output ?

 

[Damian3716]

I don't have any device options when I go into throw settings. I don't have a screen similar to your screenshot.

 

[Damian3716]

Hang on...hang on...Just updated android and it's working!!!!! Let's just hope it keeps working. Thanks for your suggestions. :-D.

 

[sauce_a_poutine]

To quote the poet: "Ah, Wick-tory !".

Once you toyed a bit more with your phone connected to a TV, you should drop over at "MHL Adapter - Best things to do" and list what you like to do using MHL.