help required with DVD-Audio playback (1 Viewer)

[Sanjiva]

Hi,

I have a Toshiba 4700 connected to Yamaha RXV1200. It is connected through Co-ax and works very well for CDs, DVD-Vs and DTS CDs. I was trying to play a DVD-A (LA Woman - Doors) for the first time but did not get any sound. I have connected the 5.1 analog output of the DVD player to 5.1 analog input of receiver using regular audio cable. I also selected the 6 ch input on receiver as suggested in the manual. I have also set the audio in the DVD player menu to 6 ch analog instead of PCM/Bitstream. When I play the DVD-A, the DVD-A logo comes on the screen and only sound which comes out is the sound associated with the logo of the DVD-A which keeps repeating with the image of the logo coming. There is no song output at all.

Please help me as I dont know what is it that I am missing. I was very keen to try out the DVD-A sound quality and cannot wait for this thing to start working. Any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Paul Clarke]

You are playing the DVD-A Music only disc, correct? Sounds like a software problem...if the DVD-A logo just keeps looping over and over. First, does the logo music come from all speakers? Second, have you tried hitting play or a track number after this point?

 

[Sanjiva]

Hi Paul,

Yes, it is a DVD-A (music) only. Yes, the sound comes from all speakers - somewhat like what you get when with the THX logo on various discs.

And I did try pressing play etc. thereafter. The display on the DVD player shows the time elapsed as the disc plays but no sound comes out.

I know there is something very basic I am missing but have no idea what it is?

Thanks,

 

[Jeff O.]

Sanjiva,
I have a nearly identical setup. I am at work and I can't exactly remember, but I think there is one other setting in the 4700 that you have to set up. Somewhere, in one of the menus is a setting to choose the default output or something like that. You need to set that to DVD-audio. The blue LED should light up if DVD-audio is selected. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I can't remember exactly where the setting is.
Jeff

 

[John Kotches]

YOu have to change the output from Digital to Analog 6-channel on Toshiba DVD-A players.

Regards,

 

[Jeff O.]

I have also set the audio in the DVD player menu to 6 ch analog instead of PCM/Bitstream.

As I understand it, I think he already did that John. But, there is one other menu that you have to set to DVD-audio.

Jeff

 

[JoeyD]

It's a defective disc. I had the exact same problem with The Doors LA Woman. All other DVD Audio discs worked fine. When I called the website were I purchased it, the representative said they have had problems with about 40% of the LA Woman discs.

Regards,

 

[Rick_Brown]

The disc may be defective, but I have the 5700, which is very similar in function, and you have to change your default setup options from DVD-Video to DVD-Audio. You can't do it any other way. After listening to DVD-A, if you want to check out the DTS or DD mix or even watch a movie you need to change the default back to DVD-Video. It's a pain, but that's how to do it.

 

[John Kotches]

Doh, missed that.

Yes. You have to set the Priority Content to Audio.

Rick,

Priority Content only applies to DVD-Audio discs, there isn't an alternative on a straight DVD-Video disc.

Regards,

 

[Jeff O.]

Rick,
John is correct. I just leave the "priority content" or whatever it is called at DVD-audio. The only time I need to change it is if I want to listen to the DD or DTS soundtrack on a DVD-audio disk. Other DVD's play the DD or DTS soundtracks fine if you leave it at DVD-audio (provided you have bitstream chosen and not analog 6 ch).

 

[Sanjiva]

Hey guys,

Thanks a bunch. But I did change the priority in Toshiba DVD player to DVD-A as well. So, I don't think that is the issue either. Anything else that you guys think I could have missed?

I sincerely hope the issue is with the DVD-A disc itself as Joey has pointed out. But only way to figure it out is to go and buy another DVD-A disc to test out whether the earlier one is defective. What a pain?

 

[John Kotches]

If you are:

• Selecting the 5.1 input on your receiver
• Selecting Analog 6-channel ot on your DVD-A Player
• Selecting Priority Content as Audio

then it is a flaw with the disc.
Regards,

 

[Jeff O.]

With my 4700 I have had major problems with 1 disk. The DVD-audio section of the Billy Cobham "Spectrum" disk didn't play at all. I haven't tried the Doors disk, so I can't help you there, but I have 6 or 7 other disks that play fine. By the way, it may not be just a defective disk, (I tried 3 copies of Spectrum and none worked). Some disks themselves will not play in certain player. There have been a couple of previous discussions of player/disk incompatabilities that you may want to search for.
Jeff

 

[KeithH]

Sanjiva, based on the settings you have chosen on the player and receiver, it sounds like you have a bad disc. Try out another copy. You might want to get a copy from a different store or web dealer in case the one you bought from got a bad batch.

I bought my copy of L.A. Woman in the fall of 2000 and have never had a problem with it. My copy is in the standard CD jewel case and must be from an early production run. When did the problem with L.A. Woman come about?

 

[Sanjiva]

Hi,

I bought this disc on Amazon a few days back. They are having a sale on their DVD-A collection (going for $14.99). Wonder whether they are selling all the defective ones and that's why the sale price.

 

[KeithH]

Sanjiva, Amazon is legit, so they aren't selling off defective discs cheap. Warner recently announced that it dropped the retail price of its DVD-Audio discs, and Amazon was one the first e-tailers to adjust its prices. In some cases, Warner announced that the prices of DVD-Audio discs will match the corresponding CDs.

 

[John Kotches]

Keith,
Not in some cases, in all cases. DVD-A and CD are the same price, even when the CD is on sale.
Regards,

 

[KeithH]

John, not true. The CD of Paul Simon You're the One is almost always more expensive than the CD of Doobie Brothers Captain and Me. However, Amazon sells both DVD-Audio discs for $14.99. $14.99 is in the neighborhood of what the Paul Simon CD sells for. The Doobie Brothers CD sells for less.

 

[John Kotches]

Keith,

Pricing parity is the WB policy between the two formats.

Then again, how many B&M retailers have lowered the prices on their DVD-A discs?

[Edit]

What the heck, I just sent an e-mail off to Amazon to ask about the pricing discrepancy.

Should be interesting to see their answer.

Regards.

 

[KeithH]

John, I believe price parity will more likely be seen with new releases. New titles on CD tend to sell for more than older classic titles, even if those older classic titles are new remasters. I have seen the Paul Simon You're the One CD for $14.99, and sometimes for more. The Doobie Brothers Captain and Me CD can be found for around $9.99. That's not so surprising, seeing as it is an older title.
Amazon and DVD Empire have dropped prices on Warner DVD-Audio discs. Best Buy is still at $22.99 for Warner discs. :rolleyes