The 2 channel rca anolog cables do not give discrete DD/DTS sound (1 Viewer)

[Dean L]

I have now had too tell 3 people this, that owned dolby digital/dts recievers, 5 speakers and sub, that were simply using the 2 channel rca outs from the dvd player to the inputs on the reciever thinking they were getting true discrete dd/dts sound. I informed each they were not getting true discrete sound, but just dpl or dpl 2 (which can still sound good).
I told each to get a optical or coax cable and after the switch., they could not believe the night and day diff!

Anyone else come accross this?

Thank god for people like us!!!

 

[LanceJ]

Several times over the last few years some people have said their dvd-audio surround track via their dvd-video player wasn't very impressive. Me and/or someone else asked how they had things hooked up and some said what you wrote above.

Others had never programmed their player's digital output for "bitstream", so all the receiver saw was a downmixed/two channel PCM signal (the analog version of this comes out via the left/right RCAs), instead of the discrete Dolby Digital 5.1 signal.

Yours & my experiences make me wonder why surround audio systems might not be as popular as they could be. :frowning:

 

[Wayne Ernst]

I guess the people feel that the nifty little set of RCA cables that came in the box with their DVD player was enough.

 

[John S]

Or even as also stated.. That PCM is giving them all they should be getting even over the digital connection.

 

[Kenneth Harden]

Problem is, people read a 1/3 page HT crash course in Consumer Reports, and assume they now know how to hook up a surround system and make it all work.

I could spend a solid hour talking about home theater setup, speakers, displays, cables, etc.

Once you know how and why things work, it is shockingly simple, but until then, it is not that easy.

Ugh, people annoy me

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Guys - I'm an old timer here, but I remember when we were getting 7-10 "How do I hook up my DVD player" postings per week.

There was a recent thread that quoted a major magazine survey that shows most people dont realize they need a new box in their house to provide HD video to their new HDTV set. There is still a lot of education we can do - if we have the patience to do so.