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Newbie Question.....

post #1 of 6
1/9/08 at 1:29pm
Thread Starter 
My Onkyo 6.1 surround sound receiver can obtain the folloing digital formats apparently only when the DVD to receiver or Cable box to receiver connection is via coaxial cable or optical digital cable:

DTS
Dolby Digital

Apparently using analog or any other lower level cable will not signal the receiver to enter these digital modes (per my manual). I used the coax from the dvd player to the receiver and it worked, the receiver was able to enter true dolby digital when it couldnt with the analog cables. I tried the same with the Brighthouse HDTV cable box to receiver connection, only it wouldn't work..... It would enter the PCM mode which I understand is a simulation of digital that takes the signal from two channel and separates it to simulate the digital. Not quite the same as dolby digital. --- or something to that effect..

I checked it during actual digital broadcasts too, so that wasn't the problem. It won't switch from PCM to DTS mode and won't go into digital while utilizing the television. I tried hooking directly from the TV as opposed to the cable box and then to the receiver, but that didn't make a difference. Is this normal, or am I possibly doing something wrong. I dont have much experience in this arena, and I appreciate any help!
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post #2 of 6
1/9/08 at 3:09pm

Re: Newbie Question.....

A lot of HDTV broadcasts and some standard def premium channels carry Dolby Digital sound. The majority of the television programs are plain stereo. And even if you get DD to work on a TV show, it may not be 5.1. It can be 5.0, 3.1 or even 2.0 (stereo).

-Robert
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post #3 of 6
1/9/08 at 3:30pm

Re: Newbie Question.....

You also need to make sure the cable box audio output is set to Dolby Digital.Do that in the cable box setup menus. Also, you'll probably need to assign the input you used for the tv, to the tv. Go from cable box to receiver, with audio. Your manual will tell you how to assign the input.

Is your receiver set on "auto detect", so it automatically goes to the DD 5.1 soundtrack of a dvd? With a dvd that has a dts soundtrack, you'll need to manually choose the dts track, in the movie's menus. The tv doesn't broadcast in dts, with cable or sat.
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post #4 of 6
1/10/08 at 9:01am
Thread Starter 

Re: Newbie Question.....

I made sure that the broadcast I was watching supported digital. It was one of the playoff football games and I made sure it had the dolby broadcast note pop up at the beginning of the broadcast....It still went straight to the PCM mode. Then I manipulated the "assign input" control like you were talking about. So it should automatically pick up up DTS or Digital when available through a broadcast. But even on a broadcast that i know was digital, it would just go straight to PCM. If I tried to switch to digital mode, I wouldnt work at all.

Maybe there is something to what you are saying about making sure the cable box audio output is set to Dolby Digital...... That is the only thing I haven't tried.
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post #5 of 6
1/10/08 at 11:21am

Re: Newbie Question.....

Quote:
So it should automatically pick up up DTS or Digital when available through a broadcast.

No one broadcasts in DTS, period. So your receiver is never going to go into DTS mode when you're watching television. And, as noted above, it will only do so on DVDs when you select the DTS option from the DVD menu. Finally iif your cable box is set to output PCM - well, that's what it's going to output. By the way, PCM (Pulse-code modulation) is digital. It just isn't Dolby Digital.

Joe
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post #6 of 6
1/10/08 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Newbie Question.....

Okay, so there are no broadcasts in DTS... It wont go into Dolby either, thats the point I'm making by this whole thing..

And I already understand about the it not going to DTS in DVD mode unless selected, that has nothing to do with the issues I'm having here.

So yes, it sounds like the cable box is set to output PCM per Moxley's response....

And yes, it technically is digital.... But from what it is defined to be, it is not as good as dolby in this specific application.
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