Nvidia Shield to Minidsp Flex?

[spudger]

Hi,

I have a minidsp flex and plan to get an nvidia shield TV pro.
There seem to be a few connection options, is USB audio (with a USB 2.0 Type A to B Cable) the best way to go?

Thanks

 

[voodooless]

From what I can see, the USB seems to work fine. Anything else would be vastly more complex. You'd need an HDMI audio extractor and connect the Flex using toslink.

 

[Harryharryharry]

I'm assuming usb wouldn't decode the Dolby sound formats? Would it just be 2 channel PCM

 

[voodooless]

I'm assuming usb wouldn't decode the Dolby sound formats? Would it just be 2 channel PCM

It would be 2 channel audio regardless of the connection. The Flex is inherently a stereo device.

As long as the Shield can decode the Dolby formats in software and downmix to stereo, you can still use it as such.

 

[spudger]

Excellent, I should have mentioned that the Flex is connected to one SVS SB1000 and a pair of genelec G Threes.
Thanks for the info.

 

[keff]

I have Minidsp Flex Balanced and Nvidia Shield Pro connected via USB. When I unplug the Flex from the power supply it loses connection to the Shield. I have to unplug the USB cable from the Flex, turn it completely off and on and then plug in the USB cable. Sometimes I have to repeat this a second time.

It rarely happens that there is a power outage or that I have to unplug the Flex from the power, but it is frustrating nonetheless.

Anyone have the same thing?

 

[TurtlePaul]

I connect my MiniDSP via toslink to my TV. You can do the same with a receiver if you use that for input switching. Anything playing visually on my TV gets sent to the MiniDSP. I set the output of the TV to external speaker and PCM audio, pretty straightforward.

 

[spudger]

I connect my MiniDSP via toslink to my TV. You can do the same with a receiver if you use that for input switching. Anything playing visually on my TV gets sent to the MiniDSP. I set the output of the TV to external speaker and PCM audio, pretty straightforward.

This is how I have configured it now, it works well, thanks.

I noticed there's a hotfix now that adds: "Match audio content resolution feature when using a USB DAC"

First HotFix (33.2.0.201 deployed 7/6/2023) :

Resolves issue with choppy video playback after FFWD/RWD operations
Resolves issue where remote stops respondiung for 60 seconds after wake from sleep
Resolves issue with SHIELD waking from lock screen without a button press
Resolves issue with large file transfer to NAS (Operation not permitted error)
Resolves issue with Google signin flow stuck in a loop
Resolves issue with stutters in Bose/Sony headsets while connected to 2.4Ghz WiFi.
Resolves audio stutter in apt-x supported headsets
Resolves AV sync issues when Dolby Processing is enabled
Resolves crash on volume change
Resolves issue with Apple Music corruption during casting
Resolves Spotify empty playback when Match Audio Content resolution is enabled with Stereo Upmix
Resolves issue with Google Assitant not starting after Google GMS update
Resolves full screen SHIELD Rewards notifcation issue
Resolves issue with WiFi log filling up storage
Add support for Match audio content resolution feature when using a USB DAC

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/shield-tv/9/522242/shield-experience-upgrade-911-hotfix-image/3438473/

 

[TurtlePaul]

Excellent, I should have mentioned that the Flex is connected to one SVS SB1000 and a pair of genelec G Threes.
Thanks for the info.

That sounds like a really good setup - what do you use for crossover frequency and slopes? Are you using any delay/time alignment between the sub and mains?

 

[Sharok]

I connect my MiniDSP via toslink to my TV. You can do the same with a receiver if you use that for input switching. Anything playing visually on my TV gets sent to the MiniDSP. I set the output of the TV to external speaker and PCM audio, pretty straightforward.

Can I connect my HDMI sources to TV (Nvidia Shield, Zidoo, and a Mac Mini for music) and use optical output (not eARC) to pass the sound to minidsp Flex HTx?

Thanks

 

[antcollinet]

Can I connect my HDMI sources to TV (Nvidia Shield, Zidoo, and a Mac Mini for music) and use optical output (not eARC) to pass the sound to minidsp Flex HTx?

Thanks

It depends on the TV. But with modern TVs normally yes.

 

[Sharok]

It depends on the TV. But with modern TVs normally yes.

Does minidsp Flex HTx accept multichannel through optical?
if an HDMI input to the TV is 7.1, where/how does it get down-mix to 5.1 (my system is 5.1)?

 

[Mort]

Does minidsp Flex HTx accept multichannel through optical?
if an HDMI input to the TV is 7.1, where/how does it get down-mix to 5.1 (my system is 5.1)?

1) No. Only HDMI
2) it doesn't . you just won't get the extra 2 channels.

 

[Sharok]

Would I lose the extra two channel information or does Flex HTx combine them with the two surrounds?

 

[Mort]

Would I lose the extra two channel information or does Flex HTx combine them with the two surrounds?

You can mix them back in yourself, yes. By default you lose them.

 

[Sharok]

You can mix them back in yourself, yes. By default you lose them.

How can I down-mix 7.1 to 5.1 relative to HTx, so I wont lose the two channels?

 

[Mort]

How can I down-mix 7.1 to 5.1 relative to HTx, so I wont lose the two channels?

You do it in the MiniDsp software. The 'mixer'

 

[antcollinet]

Does minidsp Flex HTx accept multichannel through optical?
if an HDMI input to the TV is 7.1, where/how does it get down-mix to 5.1 (my system is 5.1)?

For the cost of the Flex HTX, you can get a Denon 3800 - which will also do all the decoding, EQ and Amplification, with more channels available for the future.

I'm not sure of the value proposition for the HTX.