Why can't i get sound on my TV from certain sources?

[Big Worm 1]

I've just moved into a new house which for some reason doesn't have an external TV aerial. There is however a sky dish, so i bought a cheap satellite box so i can watch TV. As well as this, i have my TV connected to my PC so i can watch stuff i have downloaded.

If i watch stuff on my PC using VLC player, everything is fine. If i try and use XBMC, i have no sound.
If i watch SD terrestrial channels through my satellite box, i have picture and sound. If i try and watch HD terrestrial channels, i have a picture but no sound.

The TV is a Panasonic TX-P50ST30B.

I'm guessing that the TV doesn't support certain audio formats, but is there anything i can do about it apart from buying an amp and external speakers?

Any ideas?

Thanks

[OldSkoolRS]

I would see if there is an option in your satellite box to change the audio output. The HD channels may be outputing in Dolby Digital (various channel combinations from 2.0 to 5.1). You may have to change the setting from 'Bitstream' to 'PCM' or perhaps just 'stereo' (I've no idea what the options are for a satellite box, so I'm just going on my BluRayand player and Freeview PVR options.

I had similar issues when I recently changed my AV amp, though it was a setting in the amp in my case that allowed sound for SD channels (HD ones worked so the opposite issue to yours).

[Big Worm 1]

You are a genius sir! I changed the audio setting on the satellite box from Dolby to PCM and I now have sound!

[probedb]

Just to tag on there maybe similar downmix options for XBMC to downmix to stereo only.

Just remember to change them back for listening through your AVR

[OldSkoolRS]

Big Worm 1 said:

You are a genius sir! I changed the audio setting on the satellite box from Dolby to PCM and I now have sound!

Glad it's sorted, though I'm hardly a genius, just a lucky guess.

[NH1]

In XBMC its in system>settings>system>audio output. IF its just a bog standard TV then set it to analogue and not HDMI. HDMI is for pasthrough of the sound in its original format, which your TV wont be able to decode. Also make sure your TV is the one listed near the bottom of the page.

Have you got muchmoviesHD and mashup on XBMC yet? good channels.