Surround problem with Sony STR-DE895 (1 Viewer)

[John Winn]

Hello group.
I have a Sony STR-DE895 6.1 surround amp that I bought for our new house. I
have installed all of the speakers and have the Time Warner HD DVR connected
to the rec with the component video and using the optical for sound. When I
get normal surround it sounds good. The amp seems to switch to the
appropriate sound selection. When I turn to one of the local HD channels
(ABC) the little blue "multi channel" indicator lights up, the display shows
all the speakers "should" be working but the dialog quits coming out of the
front center channel speaker and comes from the two front surround speakers.
I have tried to "bypass" the multi channel thing by changing sound fields
but seems when the receiver locks on to that you lose the ability to choose
some of the sound fields. This seems to be the only channel that this
signal comes in on, thus making the blue indicator light come on. This has
frustrated me and Sony is no help. Has anyone else had a similar situation
or know what I may have set up wrong? As mentioned on regular Dolby
broadcasts it sounds great. Not sure what signal turns on that
"multichannel" indicator. This is my first Sony receiver.

Thanks so much!!!!
John

 

[Shiu]

I experienced the same with my previous Sony STR-DA4ES, and my present Denon AVR3805, but only when tuned to certain high definition channels (the HDABC being one of them). The commercials worked fine but with the program material, the centre channel did not seem to do anything. Since both receivers do the same thing, I assume the HD channel itself is the problem.

 

[Nathan Stohler]

Isn't this just a matter of how ABC decided to mix the program?

 

[John Winn]

Well, I am thinking it just may be the programming. As mentioned above. But, every program until last night was broadcast like this. Last night I turned on the TV and a college football game was on. Was about to change the channel and all of a sudden a voice boomed from the front center channel. The sportscasters voice was coming from where it was supposed to! Was very surprising. Funny that was the only thing ABC had broadcast correctly in the month I have had the system set up. Also very strange it's the only channel that activates the multi channel indicator. So maybe it isn't something I have done wrong...
John

 

[Kevin.K]

i have a similar problem, but reversed. My HD material sounds great. it's my DVD DD output that sounds like cr*p. I have the STR-DE895S with Definitive Tech ProCinema 80 with a Polk sub. i have changed from coax to optical with no change. could be my DVD player.

my ht