Digital Cable, DVD R & PCM audio (1 Viewer)

[Walt H]

Before I had Digital Cable, I had my Panasonic EH55 DVD R hooked up to analog cable. When I viewed a source through the DVR, my Yamaha RX-V861 A/V Receiver indicated PCM but it output in 5.1 surround. Since I have audio optical coming from the DVR to the Yamaha I get Dolby Digital when I play a DVD Movie.

SINCE getting Digital Cable and hooking up the EH55 FROM the Digital Cable box's OUT to the EH55 RF IN, my Yamaha still indicates PCM but now it does NOT output 5.1 surround only the FRONT L/R and Center speakers are output...nothing comes for the surround speakers. I'm assuming something is being done to the audio signal as it comes OUT of the Digital Cable box.

Other than going back to the analog hookup, is there any way I can get back to the 5.1 output while being able to record the high number digital stations?

 

[Scooter]

If a station is question is not broadcasting a 5.1/AC3 signal, it will be in standard stereo, L/R. Your Yammy would have to be set to default to Dolby Pro Logic II when no discrete 5.1 stream is present.

Then you would get some surround from basic stereo channels.

Here's the Caveat: I have found since getting a digital box that when the audio is not 5.1..the cable system has L/R out of phase and sound comes from all over and where it should not be.

(Yes..I know I offer FiOS, but 'hood isn't lit yet!)

 

[Stephen Tu]

Try using the AV connectors from the cable box to the DVD-R line input rather than the RF connection. RF often loses the stereo sound.

Also go into the cable box setup menu, audio options, and make sure output is set to surround or "matrix" or something like that.

 

[Walt H]

After doing a search and reading through several post at another forum which dealt specifically with my EH55 unit, I found the solution. I ran the cable from the wall into the EH55 and from the EH55 into the cable box. I set up the EH55's input to IN3. I then made an audio/video connection FROM the cabled box to my TV and the EH55. From the EH55 I ran component video cable into my Yamaha RX-V861 (which does upconverting) and ran component out from my Yamaha into my TV. I now have near HD picture quality with digital 5.1 sound.