Panasonic RP-91 how to turn off DVD-A playback? (1 Viewer)

[BeatCrazy]

Question for all you RP-91 experts:

Although I currently use the RP-91 for DVD-A, I am trying to figure out how to turn off this funtionality so I can access the Dolby Digital tracks on some Warner DVD-A releases, i.e. Fleetwood Mac. Some DVD-A discs give you a menu to access the Hi-Rez tracks or pick the DD/DTS versions, but not all.

I have looked through the manual and have played with the menu settings on the player for over 1 hour to no avail. Please help!

 

[Bryan "C." A.]

Although I currently use the RP-91 for DVD-A, I am trying to figure out how to turn off this funtionality so I can access the Dolby Digital tracks

I had an RP-91 and never found that function either. It may not exist as it does on many other players with DVD-Audio capability which allow the DVD-Video encoded material to be selected. I could access the other material by using another player that did not have DVD-Audio capability. I now have a Pioneer DV-45A which allows for the selection of the DVD-Video material and the Denon models 1600 and 3800 allow for it also. I cannot remember whether the Panasonic CP-72 and Toshiba 4800 do.

Has 2-channel instead of multi-channel for speaker setting been tried? That may steer it to recognize other material on the disc for optical/coaxial out? Might Group access allow one to select DVD-Video material?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Bryan, that doesn't sound like good news to me :frowning:
Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Bryan "C." A.]

Sam, I edited my original post to include some other thoughts on the matter. What have you tried?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Bryan,yep, I tried both of those suggestions. I thought that the group access would've definitely worked. No luck.

 

[Cary P]

I've had the same problem with the Panasonic RP-82. I have it hooked up via digital coax and two-channel analog audio and am unable to select the multi-channel Dolby Digital track on DVD-Audio releases.

As funny as it seems, I've actually gotten more enjoyment from my DVD-A discs before I attempted to play them on a DVD-A player! I had no problem acessing the multi-channel Dolby Digital tracks when I played these discs on a regular DVD-V player. I'm already using the receiver's analog multi-channel inputs for the outputs of a Sony C555ES SACD player, so there is no chance I'll be hooking up the RP-82 this way.

Sound quality aside, one thing I like about the SACD format is you just put the disc in and press play - just like a regular CD. Even my grandmother would have no problem playing a SACD. But if enthusiasts like us are having problems playing DVD-A discs, imagine how confused the average consumer will be?

Based on my experiences, the DVD-A format is incredibly ill-conceived and non-user friendly. Some of these Hollywood record companies really need to go back to the drawing board with their DVD-A releases. It is an insult to be treated like a criminal after laying out a decent chunk of change for these overpriced discs. Is it too much to ask to be able to access all of the tracks I paid for on these discs?

Sorry for the rant, but the level of stupidity with these moronic, corporate Hollywood big-wigs never ceases to amaze me. I doubt if I will be buying any more DVD-A discs until this problem is resolved. Are all DVD-A players configured this way, or just the Panasonic?

Cary

 

[KeithH]

Sam, I have the Technics DVD-A10, which was the predecessor to your 'RP91. Frankly, I have never desired to listen to the compressed DVD-Video-compatible tracks. However, I seem to recall reading that there is a way to change to DVD-Video mode on DVD-Audio discs via an on-screen menu on the 'A10. Again, I haven't tried to do it. Are you sure there is no such feature in the menus?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Kieth, there is no such option on the RP-91 that I can find. I don't really want to listen to DD track right now. However, I am considering upgrading my C555ES to a XA777ES which would need the only other analog pass-thru input I have, so I would be sacrificing DVD-A playback for better SACD and CD playback. I have about 5 decent DVD-A titles, but at least 40 SACDs with many more good ones to follow.

Cary, I share your frustration. As stated above, I'm about to give up on DVD-A in favor of top-notch CD and SACD playback via Sony's XA777ES.

 

[Bryan "C." A.]

Are all DVD-A players configured this way, or just the Panasonic?

Nope, see my previous post (#2) for three models that can access the DVD-Video material.

 

[ConorJ]

I have an Panasonic RP82 and if you change it to dvd video mode on the last tab in the setup menu you can access the dolby digital and dts tracks. You can switch between the multichannel and 2 channel versions by switching between multichannel and 2 channel in the setup menu. I've never used an RP91 but I assume theres something similar.

 

[John Welch]

I've never used an RP91 but I assume theres something similar.

Nope. No way to change priority from audio to video on the RP-91. It was hoped that one of the firmware revisions would include that option but it has not happened.

 

[John Geelan]

Then that's two things that bug me about the RP91. The other being no TIME REMAINING function. I just don't understand that simple yet missing function on a pricey player.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Looks like I'm out of luck. Yeah, I miss the time remaining feature, but I've learned to live without it. My previous 3 players did this, so I took it for granted.
So, am I crazy? Giving up DVD-A playback for better redbook performance with an XA777ES (has the odd DAC configuration which requires seperate 5.1 and 2ch analog bypass inputs)?

 

[Cary P]

Thanks for the tip ConorJ!

I tried it last night and it works. Shouldn't be this complicated, though. It's a bit of a pain to do quick comparisons of the multi-channel and two channel mixes this way, the RP-82 reinitializes the disc from the start when I change the dvd mode setting.

One curious thing I noticed while listening to the hi-rez two channel track on the Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" DVD-A: the RP-82 appears to be passing the 2 ch 96/24 track through it's coax digital output. When I select the Group 2 tracks, the display on the Panasonic indicates I am getting 96 bit/24Khz sound. Does anyone know if this is really the case, or is it being downconverted to 48bit? Unfortunately, the receiver does not indicate the bit rate of the datastream it is decoding, it just says 2ch PCM. I thought DVD-A discs would not allow digital output of the hi-rez tracks?

Cary

 

[KeithH]

Sam asked:

So, am I crazy? Giving up DVD-A playback for better redbook performance with an XA777ES (has the odd DAC configuration which requires seperate 5.1 and 2ch analog bypass inputs)?

With two Radio Shack 15-1952 A/V switch boxes for a total of $30, you could have both DVD-Audio and SACD. You would also need six more RCA cables, but you still would have both high-resolution formats.

There is nothing wrong with upgrading CD playback. I'm sure you have many more CDs than DVD-Audio discs. Still, I feel the 'C555ES is a highly capable CD player.


Cary,

DVD-Audio players output just 24/48 PCM via the digital outputs. If your 'RP82 says 24/96 when you are playing the stereo track via a digital output, it could be that it is simply displaying the way in which the track is encoded, which is 24/96. The player may not indicate that is downconverting to 24/48. Does your receiver display the sampling frequency when it locks onto a PCM bitstream? My Sony ES does. See if your receiver displays the sampling frequency when it locks onto the bitstream.

Another possibility is that the Rumours disc has a DVD-Video 24/96 stereo track, like a DAD. Such a DVD-Video 24/96 track could be passed through the digital outputs on the 'RP82 at full resolution. Some DVD-Audio discs have these DVD-Video tracks, but I am not aware that the Rumours disc has one. Also, I don't think that DVD-Audio players will access the DVD-Video 24/96 track by default. DVD-Audio players usually access the DVD-Audio portion of the disc by default. All things considered, my guess is that the player is downconverting the stereo track to 24/48 but is not displaying it.

 

[Doug_B]

Cary,

Just got the RP91, and the unit will output to both the analog and digital outputs simultaneously, as long as digital out is enabled in the setup menu. As such, the unit's display appears to show the native bitrate of the encoded material, so that the analog outs should maintain this while the digital out would be downrezzed as Keith mentioned. Before being interrupted while listening this evening, it sounded to me as if there was a difference between these two outputs when playing the stereo encoding of Hotel California (24/192 native). I'll give Rumours a try as well.

Doug