If it were up to you, which would you choose? (1 Viewer)

[Bill_Wil]

Hey congratulations on getting the new gear.

Ok its best to hook the components cables from the DVD directly to the TV. The fewer connections you have to go through the better. Then hook the digital audio (optical or coax) from the DVD to the receiver. Also hook the audio out from the TV to the receiver if you want to listen to regular TV through your new speakers instead of the TV speakers.
I didnt realize that receiver had the on-screen menu but yes you can use cheap cables for that. My receiver doesnt have the on-screen display so I cant give you any more info on that. I'm sure someone else can though.

 

[Abby]

I haven't set eveything up yet--dinner called and I had to go out and get a optical cable--so I don't know if there's an on-screen menu. I just assumed because eveything else seems to.

Thanks for all the help!

If something goes wrong, I'm sure I'll be back.

 

[Bill_Wil]

Just a reminder or a word of caution....dont stack your receiver on top of your DVD player or your VCR and dont stack either of those on top of your receiver. The receiver is much too heavy to put on top of them and it also puts out too much heat to have anything on top of it. It needs to "breathe". haha Hopefully you have some kind of rack for everything.

 

[Abby]

Yeah, I know. My tv, etc. is on an old desk (back when they made them out of actual wood), that has a board running across the length about 8 inches off the floor. I'm using a shallow shelf system, upside down, that effectively gives me two shelves. I had to cut down the legs to uncover the side vents but it gave me a workout.


However, there seems to be a problem. The speakers work, so they're connected okay. It's the optical jack/setting. I can't highlight the optical input. I've tried clearing the memory and starting again, but no go. I'm wondering if it had to do with possibly damaging the jack in my stupid attempt to imput the optical cable before taking off the plastic cover (you'd think they'd put the instructions on the back of the package, not inside). I put in the analog cables and set it to automatic and it worked (darn sight better than the tv speakers too.) btw, this is the Sony STR-DE595.

 

[Bill_Wil]

Ok you need to make sure you give more details when you post because some things cant be assumed. Are you talking about when you use the DVD player you arent getting sound if the optical cable is connected?
Sometimes theres a setting you have to change in the DVD players menu in order to use digital optical. for mine (panasonic) I have to go into the audio menu and set "PCM down conversion" to yes. Maybe you have to do something like this also.
When you say the speakers were a "darn sight better than the TV speakers" does that mean theyre only a little bit better or a lot better? Hopefully they sound a lot better.

 

[Abby]

Well, I didn't want to use that other word for fear of violating the rules. So, yes, they are much better than my tv speakers even with the analog cables.

Hmm, didn't occur to me it might be the dvd player. I've got a Panasonic RV-30. I tried changing the settings but maybe I set them wrong. There are three to change.

PCM Down Conversion
Dolby Digital
DTS Digital Surround

I think I set it at Yes Bitstream and Bitstream. What should it be?

Thing is, I tried changing the reciever's inputs even with the dvd cables disconnected and I still couldn't highlight the Opt selection.

 

[Bill_Wil]

Ok for my DVD player (RP-56) I have to set those setting like this for digital sound:
PCM down conversion=yes
Dolby Digital=bitstream
DTS Digital Surround=bitstream
Thats the same as you have it setup. But I was just looking through my manual and I found the following:
For stereo or Dolby Pro Logic (as opposed to 5.1 surround which you dont have) you should make the following settings:
1. For analog conncetion:
PCM down conversion=no
2. For digital connection:
PCM down conversion=yes
Dolby Digital=PCM
DTS Digital Surround=off

So give these new settings a try and see if it works.
I also sent you a PM cuz maybe its better to go back and forth with a private message instead of extending this thread. Then if you cant get it working try the forum again.

 

[Bill_Wil]

I'm not sure why you're not able to select "optical" with under "input mode" but you can just set it to "auto" and you should be fine. Even if you have both analog and digital connections it will give the digital connection priority.
I'm still hoping you didnt do any damage by trying to bang the the optical cable in with a hammer. haha Just kidding!!

 

[EricSm]

Hey Abby.

Admittedly, I'm a little late to the dinner table so forgive me if this is redundant.

Part of the problem might be if you have the analog and optical cables going out of the dvd into the receiver. Try unplugging the analog and see if that helps.

Also, as has been said, the DVD menus are important. I'd recommend just skimming the manual that came with it to find out which settings you need to use for optical.

On the receiver end of things, when you plug in the optical cable is it into a labeled jack(like dvd, ld, etc)? If it is, then you need to make sure you set the proper input on the front of the receiver. If the label on the back for the optical connection is "dvd" make sure the receiver's input setting is "dvd." From what you are saying though, it sounds like you need to assign the optical connection in your receiver menus? If this is the case, I'd assume that in the menus you will be able to select something like "optical in= dvd". If you can adjust that, then whatever you set it to will then receive the optical connection. For example: if you set optical to "tape" then you would have to change the input on the front of the receiver(or by remote) to "tape" to hear that connection. I realize you probably know most of this, but I try not to assume too much in case there is a simple step somewhere that was over-looked.

I'd also venture that it's unlikely you damaged the input, if you have the optical input assigned correctly, and that input selected then it's probably something on the dvd player settings. If the dvd player is set up right, then make sure you got the inputs correct.

Hope that helps.

Keep us posted on your progress.

-eric

edit: while this won't solve your optical problem, if you dvd player allows for it you can use a "coaxial" connection. You could probably get the proper cord at target for about 10 bucks. I prefer it over optical anyway. Optical and coaxial server the same purpose so either is fine. All the same above still holds true, however.

 

[Bill_Wil]

Abby,

You're receiver has two optical inputs. Have you tried both?
I suppose it doesn't matter since you can't get "optical" to show up as an option on the display. Still should work if you select "auto" for the input mode.

 

[Abby]

From what you are saying though, it sounds like you need to assign the optical connection in your receiver menus? If this is the case, I'd assume that in the menus you will be able to select something like "optical in= dvd". If you can adjust that, then whatever you set it to will then receive the optical connection.

That's the key. I can't highlight it/select it. I can choose Auto, coax, and analog, but it skips right over the opt. (and I know it's there, I can see it when I shine a flashlight on the display)

Unfortunately, my dvd player (Panasonic RV-30) doesn't have a coaxil output, just the optical and analog.

The reason I used the analog cables was to be sure I had the speakers set up correctly (even if I could hear the test tone). When I take them out, and leave the optical in, I get nothing.

I've even tried to highlight/select it with no cables connected (other than the speaker cables) and still only get only auto, coax, and analog. I think the thing simply refuses to recognize the optical jack. Maybe a loose connection somewhere?

 

[Abby]

Okay, I tried the other jacks (no cables connected) and I was able to highlight the CD, video, etc. opt in selections. So, it's gotta be just that one jack. I'd open it up and try to tight things down, like I did my computer once, but that computer was not nearly as complicated as things are today. (I think there are mobile phones more advanced than the laptop that replaced that computer.)

 

[Abby]

At the risk of posting three straight in a row...

From receiver forum:

I think I know what the problem is here. Try switching from the "DVD" source to the "Video 2" or maybe "Video 1" source. I am pretty sure that the optical inputs are dedicated to Video 2 or 1, and the coax input is dedicated to the DVD input. There is no way to reassign them.

Mark

WhooHOO! It works! It's bizarre, but it works.

Thanks Bill_Wil for all your help!

And Mark, thanks, it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

Oh, and for reference, it's the video 2. Video 1 only has analog, I think.

 

[EricSm]

And now, maybe you could re-write sony's manual for them

I looked through it, but it doesn't make any specific mention of the issues you were having and we all know you probably aren't the first person to expect the jack to work as advertised "dvd." Oh well, glad you got it working. Now you can enjoy it ; )

 

[Abby]

Tell me about it! There was something else they didn't bother to mention but can't remember just now.

Oh, wait, now I remember--in order to erase the memory and set it to default, the on/off button you push is the one on the receiver, not the remote.