Onkyo 9300THX AV Rec Output 5.1 channels for 7.1 channels bluray audio input (1 Viewer)

[pinkjosh]

I have been using my Onkyo 9300THX HTiB (7.1 channels) with Sony Bluray player and Epson 720p home theater projector. the combination provides utmost satisfaction and I have been having no issues at all. Recently I watched a bluray with 7.1 channels output. I used the "display" button from Onkyo remote and observed that input information dispalyed was "1920x1080p video and 7.1 channels DTS Master Audio" whereas output information was "1920x1080p 5.1 channels DTS Master Audio" . I got surprised to see why Onkyo A/V receiver is taking 7.1 ch input and producing only 5.1 channel output. I ran following tests to make sure: 1. I observed audio information from bluray player (using the bluray player remote's display button) and it was showing as "1080p 7.1 channels DTS Master Audio". 2. Later I checked and verified that all the 7.1 channels speaers are properly hard wired to the back of A/V receiver. I even ran Audyssey setup and it could successfully recognize all the 7.1 channels speakers connected to A/V receiver. This is kind of weird. I request any help from experts in this forum to let me know if there is something wrong with A/V receiver about why it takes 7.1 ch and output 5.1 ch. Is there something like reciever settings that I need to do 7.1 channel output. Please note that I have Surround speakers as the 6th and 7th channel and did not opt Front High setup when asked during Audyssey setup. Since then I watched couple of more bluray with 5.1 channel Dolby TrueHD audio and the AV receiver shows 5.1 chan input and 5.1 ch output as expected. Every response is appreciated and am thankful for the same. Thanks Again! Vishal

 

[Jason Charlton]

Which Blu-ray title were you watching? Does this happen with all 7.1-encoded titles, or is this the first time this has happened?

 

[Ed Moxley]

Surround speakers are the side speakers, in a 7.1 setup. The 6th and 7th speakers are labelled as "Surround Back" speakers in a 7.1 setup, when not using them for height etc....... The surrounds are the rears in a 5.1 setup.

 

[pinkjosh]

the bluray title was Wrong Turn 5 . The bluray player (SONY BDP590) displays 7.1 channels output for this title and the Onkyo AV receiver displays 5.1 channel output for a 7.1 channel input audio signals from SONY BD player. The surprising thing about this bluray title is that Netflix shows 5.1 channel DTS HD audio for this title. However my BD player does not think the so and says its 7.1 channels audio DTS HD input. I am all lost. I think it is happening first time with this title but I am not sure because I have never noticed output signal from AV receiver for other titles that I watched and had 7.1 channel audio.

 

[pinkjosh]

My bad Ed. actually I meant SBL and SBR only when I mentioned 6th and 7th channels as surround speakers. I am sorry for the confusion. However for 5.1 channels , I consider surround channels and not surround back. This is so because I follow THX recommendations.

 

[Jason Charlton]

According to all sources online, the audio track for that title is DTS 5.1, not 7.1.
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/7320/wrong_turn5.html
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Wrong-Turn-5-Bloodlines-Blu-ray/47704/
It sounds as though you have your Blu-ray player connected to your receiver using the multichannel analog outputs (one RCA cable for each channel of audio, so a total of 8 cables connecting the two).
It's possible that when your Blu-ray player is set to output audio via the 7.1 analog outputs, the front display simply denotes "7.1" to indicate that the analog outs are in use.
Regardless, your reciever is "getting" a 5.1 audio stream and is handling it correctly.
Have you tried playing back any actual 7.1-encoded Blu-ray titles to make sure that your receiver handles true 7.1 correctly?
Here are the search results at blu-ray.com for titles with 7.1 audio tracks (wow! the list is growing):
Try one of these and see what happens.