Onkyo DVD setup (1 Viewer)

[EricTut]

Hi Guys-

I need some reassurance on my setup.

I had an old fisher dvd player that finally just gave out. I got myself a new onkyo 6 disc changer, the 701, to go with my 601 reciever. (also have the 5.1 onkyo speaker package, the ht-500)

So I finally have 5.1 sound! Yay!

Except, my DVD player says it is pushing dolby digital 3/2.1 - reciever confirms this. Am I boneheading something in the setup on the DVD player? I have everything set to digital, no analog or PCM, although I have to admit I dont really understand PCM quite yet.

I am testing this out on Star Wars Episode 2. I tried the THX optimizer audio tests, and that is working. When it plays the surround left/rights they go out of the appropo speaker, surround rears are being mixed together. Is that right?

Nevertheless, I am blown away. My 8" sub I thought was weenie, just didnt have a good signal. It shakes the floorboards! Excellent...

Anyhow, check my setup. I am setting the DVD itself to play the english 5.1 track, dont know why the DVD player and AMP arent following suit.

Thanks, EricT

 

[EricTut]

forgot to tag for email notification... whoops!

 

[John S]

If your hooked up through a digital audio connection. You must have the PCM/Bitstreem setting in the DVD player wrong.

For Dolby DD, Bitstream is the proper setting. PCM is for playing CD's mostly, and is two channel pro-logic, or more like DD 2.0......

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

How is this connected (dvd to receiver)? How do you know they're mixed (getting signal from both speakers? Are you sure?) All processing modes on the receiver off?(EX, DPL, etc.)

-vince

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Vince,

I reread his post 2 or 3 times and I think he has it set correctly. He says the DVD player says "Dolby Digital 3/2.1". So far so good. He says the THX opti gives discrete through the "L/R surrounds" and mixes the "surround rears". I read this to say the THX opti for Star Wars (remember, it is DD-EX) is sending the L/R side surrounds correctly and when he playes the rear surround (DD-EX rear) tones it is combining them and outputting them to the side surrounds because he does not have a 6.1 system. This is what it should do for a 5.1 system, should it not??

 

[EricTut]

Hey guys-

I figured I would leave out some key info. Sorry about that!

DVD to reciever is optical cable.

Now, I am getting digital sound on the system. It just says its dolby digital 3/2.1 - And I thought I should say 5.1 - I have another DVD I could try. My amp does both DD and DTS, DTS ex, etc. The DVD player confirms that it is sending over DD3/2.1 sound. I just thought it would say 5.1

Now mind that it sounds great. The rears sound fine. So I am not complaining about the sound! Just trying to make sure I have it in the right mode. When the DVD player is playing a movie, I cannot change setup options on the DVD, and I cannot turn on any effects on the amp. For instance, I haev my sattelite feed input over RCA in analog, and I have it processed as DTS:Neo which does a pretty good job at post surround effecting, even if it is a fake job, so to speak.

Just trying to make sure I have it set up correctly. I have everything on the dvd player forced to digital. Reciever is set to auto for everything, multichannel yes. Althoug multi:no doesnt do anything there. I am pretty sure if there is an issue, its in the DVD player setup. And if not, well, then I am just being silly.

So there you have it. Should you want/need more info, I will provide it gladly.

Eric

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

If you're getting a mono surround on the test tones, then something is wrong. make sure the tone is not the EX mode's rear center (which will go to both). I would also make sure, 100% by placing your ear to the speakers, that when it says LEFT surround, you're getting sound in BOTH speakers.

-V

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I think you have it set up correctly. Double check to make sure you have the amp set for 5.1 output, not 6.1. If the tones for the rear surrounds play in both your side surrounds, you probably have it set correct (otherwise, they would output to your rear surround speaker outs, which are hopefully not connected).

As Vince said 3/2.1 is just (3+2).1 = 5.1. Just another Dolby Digital notation that lets you see more detail of which speakers are actually playing (i.e 3/1.1 would mean L,R, Center, mono surrounds and .1 LFE). Same thing as 5.1 in this case.

 

[EricTut]

Hey Jeff-

Thanks a ton. Both the DVD player and the reciever state that the input is DD3/2.1

To clarify the test tone thing-

I am doing the THX audio test, which is on both my Episode2 SW DVD and Finding Nemo. All of the forward tones (center, FL, FR, sub) play fine.

Now the THX optimizer shows 2 sets of surrounds- LR on the side, and LR on the rear- 4 speakers. I only have 2, a right and left rear.

Now- when the test tones play for the side speakers, L and R, they come out of my corresponding rears. Seperatly. Now, when the test tones play for the rearmost left and rights per the optimizer diagram, the tones are mixed into both my rear speakers at once. This is the part I find odd.

Now, my reciever is 6.1 capable. That said, I have no rear center channel speaker, and it is turned off in my reciever setup.

Would be nice to have one, but I cannot find a matching setup. Perhaps I will sell my ht-500s on ebay someday and purchase the HT-510 setup just to get that extra speaker, since I cannot find it seperatly. But for now I am fine, and broke anyhow dumping cash into some home renovations as it is.

I hope that clarifies everything. I apologize for not being clearer before, however, I dont eat sleep and breathe the HT lingo enough to know what to say. Thanks to everyone for being so helpful.

And to anyone thinking that the onkyo speaker sets are weenie, let me tell you, I have this set up in a 17' by 40' room, and they just crank. For the amount spent on my setup, I just could not be happier right now. I wholeheartedly endorse the setup. Now if I had 2k for a nice paradigm package, hehe... you better believe they would be in there!

Thanks again guys

EricT

 

[John S]

It is working just as it should be. That is how 6.1 is handled on a 5.1 system.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Rear "center" signal is part of the rear left/right signal... it is sent equally to both, and a 6.1 ex processor is able to extract a "center" image from the stuff sent equally to rear L&R.

If you don't have an 6.1 EX system setup, then this material is just "mono" data sent to both rear speakers.

-V

 

[EricTut]

Cool. Thanks Vince/John.

Guess it would be nice to have a center rear speaker then. Ah, someday.

E