Darren Gross

Do I need a Coaxial or Optical cable in order to hear discrete DD and DTS signals?

Somehow I missed this piece of info.

I've been setting up my new Denon AVR-1906 and plugged in all my audio output from my DVD player via the two red and white RCA cables.

It never displays DTS or DD 5.1 on the display and only says analog... and the rear channels are not discrete. I tried a couple discs where I know specific audio that comes out of the rears and everywhere else, like something buzzing around your head, and it didn't work at all.

I keep trying to make heads or tails of the really user unfriendly manual and am getting nowhere.

It looks to me like the only way to play these discrete DTS or DD 5.1 is with a coaxial or Toslink/optical cable.

Is that true? Anyone know?

Thanks all!

Ed Moxley

Yes, definately!
With the red and white rca cables, all you;ll get is stereo, which should come through as Pro Logic, if you have the system setup for it.
But, digital coax or toslink (optical) is the way to go for the DD 5.1 or DTS. You may need to enable the digital inputs for coax or optical, in your receiver's setup menus.

You may also have to go into the dvds setup menus, and set the audio output to Bitstream................not PCM.
Then set the receiver on "Digital Auto", and your dvds should play in 5.1 surround.

Dick Knisely

You've got a very similar AVR to mine (2802).

For DVD-video, as Ed says, you should be getting a full surround sound output even with just the 2 channel analog connections. As far as a DTS/DD output goes, you need a DVD that actually has something other than a 2 channel mix (most but not all), you need to select that audio track at the DVD menu (frequently not the default) and you'll need the digital connection he mentioned.

You can leave the red/white cables in place and but add the optical or coax for the digital input. Once that's in place you then use the AVR setup to 'map' the digital input to one of the audio input devices (CD, DVD, etc). At that point when you select the device, it will auto-sense the audio info on the digital input or if none is there it will use the analog inputs instead.

The situation is different with DVD-Audio and SACD tho'. If your DVD player supports those, you need another connection from DVD to receiver, this time a 6 channel input which the AVR calls an "external in".

And yes that means you can end up with 3 different connections from the DVD player to the receiver.

Don't feel bad we've all struggled with this stuff the first time or two.

I am not young enough to know everything. -Oscar Wilde-

Darren Gross

Thanks for the info and the quick response guys! It's tremendously appreciated.

Dick, any idea what the 'Direct' button on the remote does?

And, how does one set it to automatically play the DVDs output format? There's nothing called auto on the remote, and I want to make sure it plays DTS when I choose DTS and DD when I chose DD...TBH I think the large number of settings on these things is overkill...

Ed Moxley

There is no "Auto" button on the remote. There should be a button on receiver for "Input - Analog/Digital", or something similar. It will give you three choices of settings there (Analog, Digital, or Digital Auto). If it's not a button, it'll be in the receiver's setup menus. I forget exactly how it is, on a Denon. I setup a frien'd 2803, but it's been awhile, and my memory isn't the best anymore. Look in your manual, if it's hard to find it.

Once it's set to Digital Auto, it will automatically go to the Dolby Digital 5.1 track of a dvd. If there's a DTS track, you have to manually choose that, in the dvd's "Audio Setup" or "Languages" area.
Good luck!

Eric_Connelly

There should be a chart for this stuff, some kind of matrix to cross reference.

I just picked up a Yamaha RX-V2600 which does all the standards also and its been a struggle to say the least to get it all straight.

I haven't hooked up SACD because I did not realize it was 6 channel analog only...more cables...if I had known that ahead of time I would have gotten the big changer and forgone SACD.

Good luck...I know it can be frustrating at times. Not just getting it to work but to make sure your getting the most of what you paid for.

Dick Knisely

Direct isnt explained well (surprise ) but it's just that -- it takes the signal in, amplifies it and puts it back out. Typically that means it got an analog, 2-channel input on the red/white jacks, so you'll get stereo out. Haven't figured out what, if any advantage, is has over other settings but that's what it is.


You don't, per se. Once the input for the device is setup you can choose either analog or digital -- that's just overriding the AVR's ability to autosense the digital input. If you have the digital path connected and mapped to the DVD then just let the receiver do "its thing". It will sense the digital input, and decode it appropriately (DD, DTS, etc). You don't need to do anything except make sure the DVD player is actually set to use the DTS soundtrack (assuming it has one). What should then happen is the receiver should show DVD selected, digital input, DTS decoder on its display. If DTS doesn't light up then you didn't select it on the DVD player or the digital connection is faulty.

I am not young enough to know everything. -Oscar Wilde-

Darren Gross

Thanks again, everybody.

Dick, thanks for the clarification on that- it'll save me much remote, display and manual fumbling!
It's functioning just like you say and switching to DTS and Dolby when you choose those on the DVD setup menu, so all's good.

So, anyone have a recommendation for a DVD scene that has an audio bit that only comes out of the rears?

Reginald Trent

Darren,

There are vocals in the beginning of High Tension that move from the rear surrounds to the center speaker. Also check out the THX intro on Toy Story 2.

Darren Gross

Thanks, Reginald.

I've got Toy Story 2- I'll check it out.

Reginald Trent

Darren,

How did the cows sound in your surrounds.