DVD player 6.1 output question. (1 Viewer)

[Joe]

I'm a little confused here, maybe you can help.

If I connect a DVD/SACD Player, such as Sony's DVP-NS900V, to a 6.1 HT reciever do I end up using two outputs from the DVD player? One for the SACD and one for DVD? I need to have one connection that supports the 6th channel.

Any clarification would help. Thanks.

 

[Mike_Morgan]

Good question Joe. I am about to upgrade to a DVD-A capable player and was going to ask the same thing. I know that we need to use 6ch analog inputs to the receiver to get the mulit-channel music, but can we also connect digitally for DVD watching? How do we go about switching from one to the other? Input please?
Mike

 

[Scott Merryfield]

While you can use the 6-channel analog connection for DVD-Video audio, you will be forced to use the Dolby Digital and DTS decoders built into your DVD player with this method. Since those decoders are usually inferior to the decoders in the receiver, you are better off also connecting your DVD player digitally to the receiver. Also, most receivers have no bass management available for the analog inputs, and you may not be able to use some of your receiver's sound processing options on the analog inputs.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Joe,
You will need to do both connections.

The analog connections are the only ones that will do SACD, and will also pass the 5.1 audio from the player's DD and DTS decoders. They won't do 6.1 for DTS-ES or DD-EX movie dvds as the player's decoder won't do 6.1 decoding.

For DTS-ES and DD-EX, you need to run a digital cable to the receiver so the receiver can do the decoding.

 

[Joe]

Thanks for the responses.

So, if I got this right, it appears that I may be better off using my DD/DTS decoder on a Rotel 1066 pre/pro than on a Sony DVP-NS900V. Although I must use Sony's decoder for SACD.

This brings up another question, does anyone make a SACD player that just decodes SACD and then counts on the reciever to decode the rest?

Thanks again.

 

[Bill Kane]

Joe, I reread your original post, and let me take a stab at this without getting into DACs.

Part of the confusion is mixing up the terms 6.1 and "6-Channel."

A DVD player that supports DVD-Audio music disks or SACD format is connected to the prepro/receiver with 6 analog cables. The DVD player now has decoded the SACD's multichannel tracks and is outputting analog to your speakers. It's called 6-Channel because the SACD output mixes the low bass in with the rest of the channels and it's sent it to the mains without bass management.

It's this mix that prompts some people to buy an Outlaw ICBM box so they can get their sub back in the sound field.

For conventional DVD movie disks, we just use the DVD player's normal digital output thru an optical cable or digital coax, either one. Now your prepro is ready to handle whatever format the DVD disk comes in whether DD/Dts 5.1 or a 6.1 sixth soundtrack for a rear center speaker.

Is this a little clearer?

bill