Help! sony 4ES decoding problem with DTS-ES.

HaryR · 12-09-2002, 09:59 AM

Hi Guys,

I have a 4ES with a 6.1 set up. I tried to play Gladiator in DTS-ES and I believe it didn't decode the sound properly.

It was set up on Normal surround, auto-decoding, and Surround back auto. The screen kept saying "Neo Cinema" which I believe is for DTS-NEo.

Could you let me know what to do?

I also tried the DTS 6.1 speaker ID test with S&V tune-up disk and it didn't work either as I kept hearing the
"right surround", "surround back" "left surround" (all three of them) in the RIGHT AND LEFT SURROUND only!

Any help?

Thanks,

Hary

Seth_L · 12-09-2002, 10:45 AM

Put the 4ES in A.F.D.

Seth

AaronBatiuk · 12-09-2002, 11:22 AM

I agree: put the 4ES in AFD (auto-decoding) mode, not "Normal Surround". Also make sure to disconnect the analog audio input coming from the DVD player and/or explicity select the correct digital input using "Input Mode" on the front panel under the volume control. Just in case.

Also, make sure that your DVD player is setup to output DTS signals as a DTS data bitstream, rather than decoding them and outputting in 2 channel downmixed PCM mode.

Play the dts source, and after the receiver has sat idle for a few seconds (anything on the display disappears and the display returns to 'normal'), twist the jog dial to get information about the current input. Keep spinning it and the display will scroll all kinds of useful information. It should say dts-ES matrix or discrete, 3/3.1 channels (3 front, 3 rear, plus sub), bitrate, fs (sampling frequency), etc.. It should not say PCM.

I have tried several dts-ES sources, including DVD's and CD's, matrix and discrete, new and old. e.g.: Sheryl Crow's "Globe Sessions" CD in dts-ES discrete, T2 Ultimate edition in dts-ES matrix (one of the first dts-ES DVD's made), "Studio Voodooo" dts-ES discrete (the DVD-video compatible track on a DVD-Audio disc), etc. etc.. They all work fine. I haven't yet tried Gladiator, but I have a copy at home and will give it a try when I have a chance.

HaryR · 12-09-2002, 11:46 AM

Thanks Aaron. I'll try that tonight, but at first it does seem I have overlooked quite a bit of option set up.

Hary

HaryR · 12-10-2002, 07:18 AM

Aaron,

It worked exactly as you said.

Many thank for your help.

Hary

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Will A · 12-10-2002, 08:54 PM

There is a malfunction in the DSP firmware on some DVD titles. There is a FLASH upgrade available which is done through the RS232 port on the receiver.

Ryan DC · 12-10-2002, 10:52 PM

Will A,

From what I've seen over at avsforum and agoraquest is that the firmware update is for the 5ES and that the 4ES does not not need one.

HaryR · 12-11-2002, 10:48 AM

how about for DD-EX, what should the screen say?

I tried Monsters Inc yesterday and my screen kept saying "Dolby digital 3/2.1", even though I had put the SB decoding on "matrix". The surround back was checked on the screen as well, but I thought it would say something specific for DD-EX.

Any idea?

Hary

AaronBatiuk · 12-11-2002, 11:21 AM

Quote:

how about for DD-EX, what should the screen say?

DD-EX is another can of worms entirely. While the flagging acutally works with dts-ES, it do not work quite right with DD. Some decoders (older 5.1 only decoders) would experience problems when trying to play back a DD stream that had the EX flag enabled. So Dobly decided to eliminate the flag. The result? No automatic detection of DD-EX titles! In almost all cases, you have to manually set the surround-back decoder to ON rather than AUTO. This issue is certainly not exclusive to Sony; in fact Sony decoders never experienced the problem which prompted Dolby to pull the flag. IIRC, it was exclusively Denon decoders which had problems with flagged material.

So, since DD-EX material is in almost all cases, not flagged, you need to tell the receiver to do the decoding. You can tell if your 4ES is decoding a surround back channel by looking at the speaker icons in the display: there should be a "SB" (I think) in the centre, under/behind and between the "SL" and "SR". The back speaker/speakers will also be outlined to indicate that they are on. Since the DD data is not flagged as EX, the information will not say "3/3.1", but rather "3/2.1". The little speaker icons will tell you which channels are actually being decoded.

Shannon W · 12-11-2002, 12:57 PM

Will A:
Were do you get this FLASH upgrade for the DA4es? also how do you install? thanks Shannon

AaronBatiuk · 12-11-2002, 03:30 PM

AaronBatiuk · 12-11-2002, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Were do you get this FLASH upgrade for the DA4es? also how do you install

There is no upgrade for the 4ES. It functions properly WRT dts-ES and DD-EX sources. The upgrade mentioned is for the 5ES, not the 4ES. Will is confused.