Weird issue: Dialogue seems to be coming out of Front R and L speakers mostly...

[Chordata]

Not sure what's going on but I first noticed it today when my kids were watching Toy Story. Seems like dialogue is being forced through the front R and L speakers...it's VERY quiet through the center channel. Creates an "echoey" sound sort of.

All connections seem ok. The "test tone" on my receiver comes through strong in all channels. The "test tone" on my BD seems very quiet on rears and center.

Anyone smarter than me have any suggestions? I have a Sony bdp500, run through multichannel analog out to my old-school AVR.

[Moefiz]

Sounds like you may have a sound field active, maybe the kids accidentally change a setting on the receiver...

[Chordata]

That was my first thought, but since I run multichannel analog, I cannot change any sound fields or anything else on my AVR (including speaker size, distance, etc.)

[progers13]

I notice that Toy Story has a 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtrack. Go into the setup menu and make sure that the 5.1 track is selected.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by progers13

I notice that Toy Story has a 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtrack. Go into the setup menu and make sure that the 5.1 track is selected.

Interesting, I'll check it next time.

After Toy Story, they watched Cars -- and I made sure to pick a 3/2.1 track. Same issue. You could hear the dialogue loud in the front L and R (with that echo sound),and you could hear a distinct change when a sound went from R to L or vice versa. Very distracting. Very quiet to nothing in center.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Interesting, I'll check it next time.

After Toy Story, they watched Cars -- and I made sure to pick a 3/2.1 track. Same issue. You could hear the dialogue loud in the front L and R (with that echo sound),and you could hear a distinct change when a sound went from R to L or vice versa. Very distracting. Very quiet to nothing in center.

Hmmm....Cars doesn't have a 2.0 soundtrack, so that might eliminate that as the potential culprit. Seems almost as if your player is downmixing everything to 2.0. Have you checked the settings in your player to make sure that it is decoding and outputting 5.1? What player do you have?

Edit: Just noticed you have a Sony BDP500, but I don't know anything about that model. I suggest going into your BD player's setup menu and make sure that all of your 5.1 / 7.1 options are enabled.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by progers13

Hmmm....Cars doesn't have a 2.0 soundtrack, so that might eliminate that as the potential culprit. Seems almost as if your player is downmixing everything to 2.0. Have you checked the settings in your player to make sure that it is decoding and outputting 5.1? What player do you have?

Edit: Just noticed you have a Sony BDP500, but I don't know anything about that model. I suggest going into your BD player's setup menu and make sure that all of your 5.1 / 7.1 options are enabled.

Thanks for the continued suggestions. Pretty sure I have all the settings at PCM, which I need since I'm using the multichannel analog (at least as I understand it).

So weird.

Just got a new Sony TV a few weeks ago. Any chance that could have anything to do with this? (Wouldn't think so.)

[progers13]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Thanks for the continued suggestions. Pretty sure I have all the settings at PCM, which I need since I'm using the multichannel analog (at least as I understand it).

So weird.

Just got a new Sony TV a few weeks ago. Any chance that could have anything to do with this? (Wouldn't think so.)

It shouldn't be the TV as you are running your audio from the BD player directly to the receiver via analog outs.

As for your settings, having it set to PCM is only one piece of the puzzle. You want to verify that it is not only set to PCM 2.0 but that also 5.1 / 7.1 options are also selected. If your Sony BD player is at all like my Playstation, there should be an option to select all of the audio output channels. Just make sure that the boxes for 5.1 and / or 7.1 are selected as well as 2.0.

[progers13]

I downloaded your manual. Go to page 47 of your owner's manual, if you have it. If not, click HERE.

Page 47 talks about downmixing with PCM. Downmixing will take a 5.1 signal and downmix it to play in 2.0. Verify that you have this option turned OFF.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by progers13

I downloaded your manual. Go to page 47 of your owner's manual, if you have it. If not, click HERE.

Page 47 talks about downmixing with PCM. Downmixing will take a 5.1 signal and downmix it to play in 2.0. Verify that you have this option turned OFF.

My options are to either choose "Dolby Digital" or "Downmix PCM" (similar choices for DTS). I was under the assumption that since I'm using multichannel analog to an old-school receiver, I had to use Downmix PCM. Am I wrong?

(by the way, really appreciate your help!)

[progers13]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

My options are to either choose "Dolby Digital" or "Downmix PCM" (similar choices for DTS). I was under the assumption that since I'm using multichannel analog to an old-school receiver, I had to use Downmix PCM. Am I wrong?

(by the way, really appreciate your help!)

No, you shouldn't have to select Downmix because of your receiver. You are using multi-channel outputs, which allows you to enjoy the lossless codecs without needing to have an HDMI input on your receiver. I would turn off all of the downmixing options. You want it to play in its native format (5.1) since you are using multichannel outputs. Only time you should use downmix (I think) is if you are going straight to a TV (with only L&R channels) or a receiver that only takes L&R inputs (not optical cable or multichannel inputs).

Edit: I just read your manual in more detail, and actually it appears you might be right. Hang on and let me research before I give you bad advice.

[Chordata]

Understood, but my old receiver cannot decode the new HD codecs. The manual seems to confirm that I need to use Downmix PCM if that's the case.

So confused.

[progers13]

Ok, I may have gotten to the bottom of this. When you say you have multichannel outputs, can you confirm they are 5.1? In other words, do you have 6 RCA cables going from your BDP player to your receiver, or is it only 2 RCA cables?

I only ask because page 48 has a breakdown on how 2-channel and 5.1 channel sources are played with various setups. There's no mention of 5.1 multi-channel outputs on this page, only L&R outputs.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Understood, but my old receiver cannot decode the new HD codecs. The manual seems to confirm that I need to use Downmix PCM if that's the case.

So confused.

You are correct. If your receiver cannot decode the HD codecs, you can still get them by letting your player decode them into PCM and then transmitting them to your receiver via the multichannel outputs. However, in order to utilize this, you have to have a player with 5.1 outputs on the back (requiring you to plug in 6 RCA cables - one each for LF, C, RF, RS, LS, and Sub). If you have your player connected to your receiver only using 2 channels (L&R) into something like a CD or DVD input on the receiver, then that is the problem.

[Chordata]

Yeah I definitely have 5.1 -- there are 8 connections on the player, and 6 for the AVR (AVR does not have rear side, or whatever that channel is called -- just has front left, front right, center, back left, back right, and sub).

By the way, I've had the player for about a year and a half, and this is the first time I've noticed any problems.

EDIT: AHH, I see -- my player is actually the s550, not the s500.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Yeah I definitely have 5.1 -- there are 8 connections on the player, and 6 for the AVR (AVR does not have rear side, or whatever that channel is called -- just has front left, front right, center, back left, back right, and sub).

By the way, I've had the player for about a year and a half, and this is the first time I've noticed any problems.

EDIT: AHH, I see -- my player is actually the s550, not the s500.

Oooh it is the 550. Ok, that makes sense. Looks like the 500 doesn't have the multichannel outs.

Ok, let me pull up the manual for the 550.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by progers13

Oooh it is the 550. Ok, that makes sense. Looks like the 500 doesn't have the multichannel outs.

Ok, let me pull up the manual for the 550.

Unfortunately the manual for the 500 seemed to have more options that could've helped me.

[progers13]

Ok, now that I have the correct manual... Click HERE to download it.

I'm trying to dissect what it is saying, as the multi-channel outputs are a bit of an unknown to me. My Oppo has them, but I use HDMI.

On page 46, verify that you have the audio output priority set to multichannel analog (which it should be).

On page 47, verify that your Center and Surrounds are turned to Small (and not OFF).

I'm still looking to see if there are other options you should check.

[solarrdadd]

according to the manual for the BDP-S550 you should go into the audio menu and under:
"audio output priority"
select:
"multi channel analog"

then of course you need to set up your speakers for large/small, distance, level and your then good to go. that's all you should need to do.

here is a link to the BDP-S550 manual:

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/BDPS550_US.pdf

also make sure your not connecting your 5.1 cabling to the "stereo" 2/channel output jacks by mistake. your player does 7.1 and then are grouped together in one block. the stereo l&r jacks are right next to the s-video and composite video out so make sure your not connected to them by mistake. also check your cables to make sure the multichannel L & R out from the player go to the L & R input on the receiver, do the same for the remaining analog connections.

[solarrdadd]

looks like your in good hands with Progers13. How are you buddy?!? Fine I hope!