Help! My sub wont work. (1 Viewer)

[Ryan-Stone]

ok i have a problem. my reciver only has 1 sub output so i figured i would just use the LFE on my sub. My problem is in order to use LFE in need to be in Dolby digital or DTS on my reciver, but i dont know how to get my reciver into Dolby Digital or DTS. has led idicators on my reciver that tell when its in Dolby Digital or DTS mode but i have never got these lights to come on. How do i get my reciver in DTS or Dolby Digital. Thanks.

 

[John Garcia]

Your receiver will only be in DD/DTS mode when it is fed with a DD/DTS signal, you cannot "put" it in these modes. LFE will only be present in DD/DTS anyway, so if you want to use your sub for everything, you will need to change your settings.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

my DVD player says dolby digital and DTS on it so shouldnt my reciver be able to opperate in DD and DTS.

 

[John Garcia]

Your DVD player does not convert everything to DD/DTS. This is determined entirely by the software - what is actually recorded on the disc - ie; you cannot get DTS from a disc that does not have a DTS track on it, period.

If your question is why DD/DTS are not working, you have not given enough information regarding your setup to answer that.

Basics: For DD/DTS to work, you must connect the DVD to the receiver with a digital connection, coax or optical, or with multi-channel analog. Then, you must configure the DVD player's digital audio output to send the information (turn digital output on, set to bitstream). Next, the receiver often has to be told to use the digital input. Last, you must select the sound format you want to listen in on the disc's setup menu (if available).

What receiver and DVD and what connection type are you using?

If you only have one sub, you only need one sub output on your receiver. In your receiver's setup, you will probably be able to configure it a number of different ways, and you should be able to make use of it with any source, not just DD/DTS.

Have you checked your receiver's settings to see if the sub output is turned on? What settings do you have for the sub? Are your main speakers set to large? There are many things that could cause your situation.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

Heres my setup: kenwood 6050 reciver, JBL NSP1 set, and a JBL PB12. i have the video for the dvd player hooked up to the recevier with an s-video and the audio with two RCA cables. My speaker eq is set to small. I have tried both the DVD players i own(x-box and a philips DVD711). I went to the x-box menu and turned the DD and DTS to on. I dont know how to do this on the philips though. my sub swich is on LFE and the sub is on. The sub cable is plugged into the right(red) input. the input mode is set to analog on my reciver(cant get any sound when set to digital). it still wont work. i hope this helps.

 

[Tim Johnson]

Step 1. Go out and buy a digital cable (either coax or optical) to connect your DVD player to your receiver. You will not get Dolby Digital or DTS wit RCA cables for the left and right.

Step 2. Set your receiver to "digital" for the DVD hookup.

Step 3. (Optional) Set all your speakers to "Small" this will send the bass from the main and surround speakers to the sub at all times, not just on Dolby Digital and DTS, but for CDs too.

Step 4. Enjoy the sub.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

Thanks alot Tim. I have on more question though. If i need a digital cable to watch DVDs and listen to my sub(LFE Mode) then what do i do about listening to my sub while watching TV. there is no digital cable output on my cable box and it say Dolby Digital on it. what should i do. should i just buy a y adapter for my sub and put that on the sub cable when i want to watch TV?

 

[steve nn]

Be sure to set your DVD player to Bit-stream to. It will be in your DVD set-up menu.

 

[John Garcia]

there is no digital cable output on my cable box and it say Dolby Digital on it

If it says Dolby Digital, then it DOES have a digital audio output. That does not mean ALL audio from it will be in Dolby Digital, it just means that it can pass the signal when a DD broadcast is present. All audio will be in the format in which it is broadcast.
Setting your sub to "LFE" may also be an issue.
May I recommend you spend some time reading the HTF Primer, in case you haven't already:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=55635

 

[Ryan-Stone]

So i dont have to use a digital cable an be in DD or DTS for my sub to work in LFE?

 

[Greg.K]

LFE is a only specialized effects track (the .1 in 5.1 surround). The other channels in a 2 or more channel soundtrack can have their own low frequency info.

If you set your speakers to "small" in your receiver, it should redirect all of the the low frequency sound in all channels to your sub, not just DD and DTS LFE tracks.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

but wont i have to plug into both the right and left speaker inputs(in my case using a Y cable) in order to get sound to come out of the sub when its not on LFE.

 

[John Garcia]

but wont i have to plug into both the right and left speaker inputs(in my case using a Y cable) in order to get sound to come out of the sub when its not on LFE.

No, you do not need to use both inputs to get sound. However, you should use a Y at the sub from the receiver's output and connect to both inputs for a little more input voltage to the sub.

Your sub is a single speaker. No matter how many channels of signal you hook to it, it can only output mono.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

i swiched the sub off LFE to normal and i still cant get any sound to come out. the speaker EQ is set to small and the subwoffer is set to "ON" on the reciver. shoulndt there be sound coming out of this thing.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

anyone?

 

[Dan Hine]

Ryan,
Where do you live? Perhaps someone can stop by and help you sort things out. Also, did you get a chance to read through the Home Theater Primer that was mentioned earlier?

 

[Jon Torres]

Have you tried the digital cable between the dvd player and receiver? If it's a coax connection, you can get by w/ a video cable.

 

[Ryan-Stone]

Well im going to best buy today to get a digital cable to see if i can atleast get this thing to work in DD and DTS. What i cant understand is why it wont work normally. i have the peakers set to small. the sub is on. i cant get any sound out of it using the test tone, TV, DVD, CDs. i have tried the test tone with the swich on the sub fliped to LFE and Normal and it doesnt work on either one. any body have any clue of what might be wrong. I dont think its any kind of broken equiptment or anything like that.

 

[John Garcia]

What is the sub's connection to the receiver? Is there a possibility that it is connected to the wrong output on the receiver (I've done this myself)?

Try hooking the input to the other side (R-L). It is possible that when using a single cable, only one of the inputs works.

Try hooking it up via the speaker level inputs (wire), and/or another output, just to verify that it even works. Maybe the sub is DOA?

 

[Edward J M]

Ryan - all of the following might sound silly, but it hasn't really been mentioned yet and I'm not making fun with this post. Sometimes we overlook the obvious on set-up malfunctions.

Make sure the sub amp is plugged into a live wall socket - you might have a tripped circuit breaker on that line. Make sure the power cord is firmly attached to the amp if it is detachable. Make sure the subwoofer amp power switch is turned on. If there is a fuse in the sub amp, remove and replace it with a new one that is known to work - the original fuse could have been DOA. The sub amp itself also could have been DOA.

Regards,

Ed