Denon 2803 owners, I have a question.... (1 Viewer)

[Vincent_S]

I just got one of these but won't be able to hook it up until the weekend. I was reading the Denon products list online and noticed that it says it does Dolby Digital EX but it does not mention matrix 6.1 except on DTS ES. On DTS ES it actually says it does discrete and matrix. Does it have a "matrix" mode for regular Dolby Digital movies?

 

[EricSm]

Correct me if I'm wrong someone, but as far as I know DD-EX is a matrixed rear channel as it is. There is no specific DD 6.1 discrete format from home theaters, only DTS-ES. Somehow in the encoding of DVDS they are able to put specific information for that extra matrixed 6.1 channel, however. I'm not really sure how it all works out, but evidently it does...

 

[Vincent_S]

Could this be why a put in a "regular" Dolby Digital dvd and it said "DD EX" on the display?

 

[EricSm]

I have the 1803 and my experience is that if I have the "surround back" on(where the little red light is on the unit), then any DD/DTS title I put in the DVD player will have the extra 6th channel matrixed. So, say, you put in your Loch Ness Monster vs Freddy dvd and it's only in 5.1 if you have the "surround back" button pushed it will matrix an extra 6th rear channel.

The auto-sensing doesn't quite work how you think it should. It's great if you intentionally want to matrix the sound into the extra rears, but for people who just want the player to sense "ex" information it kind of stinks.

What I do is turn off the rears via the "surround back" button for movies I don't want that channel on and then turn it for movies that have the proper encoding.

To answer your question, though, you are right. It is saying DD EX because it is matrixing a rear channel, but the DVD itself doesn't have the proper flag to direct specific information to that channel so you are leaving it up to the receiver to determine what is played out of the rears.