BluRay and usb players with audio out

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Peter Copestake
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BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by Peter Copestake »

With more members wanting to bring films on USB sticks we are looking for a device that will play from DVD, Bluray and USB and have audio out to amplifier as well as HDMI to the projector.
Most seem to be just HDMI, fine for TVs with their own audio out connections but our Mitshubishi projector doesn't have these.
Maplin sell a HDMI splitter that separates audio out for £50. Is that the best option with a cheap but very good LG player?
Or other suggestions, please.
Peter Copestake
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John Roberts
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Re: BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by John Roberts »

Hi Peter, I have heard of sync issues with cheap HDMI splitters, resulting in audio not being in sync with video. I haven't had any experience with these but I believe other forum members have, so they might be able to tell you more.

If you try an HDMI splitter (from a reputable shop such as Maplin) make sure you can take it back if it is not 'fit for purpose' i.e. goes out of sync. What multimedia players have you been looking at Peter? As an option, if you have a player that has a headphone output this can be used - not ideal but it will work :-)

John
Peter Copestake
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Location: Colne, Lancashire

Re: BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by Peter Copestake »

Thanks for your interest, John.
A member has an LG and Argos had one for£49.00 Too cheap? Perhaps but others have found LG very good so why spend more. Our home Sony has the same problem except has a PCM coax out but we're not sure what would go between that and an amplifier.
Afraid I've taken the easy option of asking the practical IAC experts rather than doin more of my own research! There is an over the top pro deck with multiple sockets and costing multiple hundreds but for use a couple of dozen times a year is not sensible.
Peter Copestake
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John Roberts
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Re: BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by John Roberts »

Hi Peter,

I've used an LG Blu-Ray burner for years, and my main monitor is LG and have no issues with them (although I did have an LG TV which I thought was awful!). All my Blu-Ray players (computer mounted and standalone) require occasional firmware updates to keep track of the ever-changing Blu-Ray standards, so there should be a way of doing this with the Argos LG, possibly via a file downloaded from the internet and uploaded to the player via a memory stick in the USB port. Failure to periodically update might result in its failure to play the latest discs.

I've had a quick scout around and I can see no 'budget' players with any form of analogue audio output, which is quite normal these days. So, unless your projector has the necessary audio output connections, your only option would be to use an HDMI splitter.

Other forum members might be able to advise on any makes/models to try or avoid. Sorry I can't be of more help, Peter :)

John
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by Dave Watterson »

Many BluRay players have in their setup menus an option to modify the delay in sending sound out.
Peter Copestake
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Location: Colne, Lancashire

Re: BluRay and usb players with audio out

Post by Peter Copestake »

Just to let you know we have returned the LG, but have had a couple of 'trying to be helpful' mails from LG.
They realise that the trouble is that things are made to fit in with contemporary models of other things as though one were always setting up from scratch which is where the market preumably is and not made to be backwards compatible. That this is known as forced redundancy as mentioned in another thread is not a satisfactory answer. Unless we are all going to drown in a sea of rubbish we, as a society, need to get to grips with this problem NOW.
We have found that our second unit's USB connection does take video perfectly so we'll swap them over as the second unit goes out on shows when we show from DVDs or Bluray, and the club nights will be served by the newer Sony player so people can bring part finished work etc or fully finished if they don't want to distribute the result.
We are also getting a modest USB player as a standby as these seem more or less certain to play all formats that can be made to USB.
Thanks for all help.
Peter Copestake
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