Onkyo 989/Integra DTR-9.1 problem (1 Viewer)

[DinoT]

sorry for the long post......
I was hoping that someone could help me out with a problem I've discovered with the Integra DTR-9.1 I recently purchased. It replaced a Denon 5600DTS. The only strike against Onkyo/Integra that I have read about is people complaining about their support. I just recently discovered this for myself. After many unanswered emails and phone calls I finally got through to them.
I am really only looking for someone to verify whether or not their receiver has the same "problem". Note: The problem was there before the DPLII/DTS:NEO upgrade and it is still there after the upgrade.
Here is my problem:
When a digital input (optical or coax) is set to Auto (actually now called ALL since the DPLII/DTS:NEO upgrade) the Integra will not decode PCM. I have to specifically set that particular input to PCM in order to decode PCM. Below are 3 examples of how this affects me:
1) DSS. I connect my DSS receiver with an optical cable. When using a DSS receiver I can either get sound from most stations by having the input set to PCM or I get sound from only DD stations by having the input set to ALL.
2) CD. In order to play regualr CD's the receiver is set to PCM. To play DTS cd's I have to set the input to ALL.
3) Home Theater PC. My HTPC is connected via an optical cable. I have the input set to ALL in order to decode DD/DTS from WinDVD. In order to use it as an MP3 player I have to set the input to PCM.
This is VERY annoying. The support guy said that the unit is operating properly. He also said that DSS receivers don't output anything from the optical when not tuned to a DD station. This is absolutely false. I had my Denon 5600DTS in the spot where the Integra is now and it decoded PCM/DD/DTS without any problems. I used my Denon to decode the digital PCM 2 channel bitstream and perform pro-logic on it. I also have a Sony ES receiver in another room and it decodes DD/PCM from a DSS receiver without any problems.
I was really hoping that tech support would just say "oh yes in order to resolve that you need to do X,Y,Z". I was hopeful because at first I had the same problem with the Sony ES receiver but I dug down through the menu and found a setting which solved the problem for me.
I am really ticked at Onkyo/Integra because I paid a big premium to buy this thing locally. I did so instead of getting it on the internet (I didn't find the 9.1 on the internet but I did see the 989) because I wanted to make sure I would not be denied the DPLII upgrade in case my serial number was "gray market".
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Dino
[Edited last by DinoT on September 14, 2001 at 01:03 PM]
[Edited last by DinoT on September 14, 2001 at 01:04 PM]

 

[Jay_E]

FYI, I have an older Yamaha receiver (RXV992) and it automatically recognizes the proper signal (PCM or Dolby Digital) from my DSS receiver (DTC100), my DVD player, and and my HTPC (using both optical and coax). Something must be wrong with your receiver. I can't believe that you would manually have to switch to the proper format. You might want to try this site Link Removed They have a large forum on the Onkyo 989. Good luck.
Jay

 

[KyleS]

Dino my suggestion to you would be to call the store from where you got this reveiver and NOT Onkyo. That is what the store is there for (And no I am not saying that Onkyo should not be). But since Onkyo Integra is known for poor support why not go to the store since you spent that much money they should just replace your receiver.
KyleS

 

[DinoT]

Kyle,
Thanks for the response. I am probably going to have to do just that. I was hoping to verify with someone that indeed it is my receiver that is defective and not a "known" issue. What I don't want to happen is to exchange it just to find out that the new receiver would have the same problem.
Dino

 

[Jay Sulzberg]

I am an Integra Dealer and have used/installed 9.1's, 7.1's, and 5.1's and all of them so far decode all formats on the fly when set to "Auto". I have not yet set up any 9.1's with the latest software, but I am sure that it is supposed to work the same way as before. I would try to get an exchange or get the dealer who sold it to you to get answers from Integra. I know that I can speak directly to tech guys who know what they are talking about, and your dealer should do the same.
Good Luck
Jay

 

[Rick Radford]

Dino,
Go the the Hometheaterspot forum: http://www.hometheaterspot.com/cgi-b...ultimatebb.cgi
and post there in the Onkyo section. I think you'll find some more help.
------------------
--RR

 

[DinoT]

Jay,
Thanks for the reply. This is exactly the verification that I wanted. Now I can go to my dealer for an exchange and not worry about the new one having the same problem. To be honest with you, if it was a known issue I wold be ok living with it. My unit seems to operate ok other than this problem. The reason I want to swap it is if this functonality isn't working then what else might not be working?
Thanks,
Dino
[Edited last by DinoT on September 14, 2001 at 01:13 PM]

 

[DinoT]

I just wanted to post an update since I was a bit critical of Onkyo in my original post. Since then I called support back and talked to a very polite person (thanks Scott) who was very eager to help me because he had read my post on this forum. He has been very polite and followed up with me. I had to be eventually turned over to the manager of the support division. He too was a very friendly person. After speaking to him for a while we will try a couple of things that require me to be in front of the receiver. The manager understood that our hours were the same. In other words I was at work while their support department was open. He offered to go out of his way to accomodate me so that I wouldn't have to take time off of work. I thanked him but I would be able to take time off to work on the problem. It looks as if my problem will be resolved one way or another. I wanted to make a point of their support and to let people know that Onkyo seems to follow this board.
Dino

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I have a 989 and don't seem to have any problems with auto/PCM. Onkyo has always been fairly quick to respond to any e-mail questions that I may have had.