Confused on receiver settings

[Vargas01]

Just bought a Polk Surroundbar 42 and hooked it up tonight.

I am using an older receiver that does NOT have HDMI hookups so I am using the optical connection from the Samsung BDP-1500 to my Pioneer VSX-D498 receiver. I also have my Cable Box hooked to the receiver with an optical cord.

My question:

When I play tv through the receiver, it recognizes that it is in 5.1 and has the graphic on the receiver listing all the speakers that are being used (SR, R, C, L, SL, SW). When I play a blu-ray dvd, despite getting sound out of the surround bar, the graphic for 5.1 does not show up but instead the receiver only recognizes that it is Digital. I can clearly hear the sub firing but the surround is not very good and certain things seem muffled.

Do I have some settings wrong on either the blu-ray player or the receiver?

Is the surround bar just not that good (I know it is not TRUE surround)?

Help. I can't decide if I want to keep this Polk surround bar so any help would be appreciated.

[Big Daddy]

The cable box is giving you Dolby Digital for HD programs. Make sure you set the BD player to output bitstream through the optical cable. You should be able to get the lossy Dolby Digital or DTS core through the receiver.

[Vargas01]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

The cable box is giving you Dolby Digital for HD programs. Make sure you set the BD player to output bitstream through the optical cable. You should be able to get the lossy Dolby Digital or DTS core through the receiver.

Right.

I have gone through every manual and setting on the Samsung BDP-1500. Audio is set to PCM. Downsampling is on and I've turned off Dynamic Range Compression. There isn't anywhere for me to change this. I'm getting the audio out of the surroundbar but I don't think it is in Dolby Digital or DTS.

[Vargas01]

I found the manual for my receiver and I've tried every setting. There is no way for the blu-ray to output the AC-3 setting to the receiver. It is is 5.1 surround but teh receiver does not have the speaker diagrams when watching blu's.

[gearyt]

are you sure you are hearing 5.1 and not 2.0 core ??
what audio track did you select

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vargas01

Right.

I have gone through every manual and setting on the Samsung BDP-1500. Audio is set to PCM. Downsampling is on and I've turned off Dynamic Range Compression. There isn't anywhere for me to change this. I'm getting the audio out of the surroundbar but I don't think it is in Dolby Digital or DTS.

Don't set the Samsung audio to PCM. Set it to bitstream and see what happens.

[Vargas01]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Don't set the Samsung audio to PCM. Set it to bitstream and see what happens.

Did this and no audio comes out.

When I turn on the Pro Logic, It sounds like the bar is simulating 5.1. When I turn the Pro Logic OFF, I can only change the speaker settings for FR, FL and C but when Pro Logic is on I can set them all.

I put Dark Knight in and I could hear both the PCM track and also the TRUE HD audio track.


I thought maybe this problem was only with Blu's but I put in a regular DVD (blade 2) and it wouldn't register as 5.1 either.

I'm lost.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vargas01

Did this and no audio comes out.

When I turn on the Pro Logic, It sounds like the bar is simulating 5.1. When I turn the Pro Logic OFF, I can only change the speaker settings for FR, FL and C but when Pro Logic is on I can set them all.

I put Dark Knight in and I could hear both the PCM track and also the TRUE HD audio track.


I thought maybe this problem was only with Blu's but I put in a regular DVD (blade 2) and it wouldn't register as 5.1 either.

I'm lost.

I am assuming all your equipment are functioning properly. These are my suggestions:

• Set the BD player to output sound in Bitstream.
• On the receiver's menu, make sure the setting is for Dolby Digital 5.1.
• On the BD disc, do not choose Dolby True HD or DTS. Highlight the Dolby Digital 5.1 option.
• Make sure your optical cable is attached properly to the BD player and the receiver. You may want to change the cable with another one to see if it solves the problem. Optical cables are very fragile. Make sure it is not bent.

[Vargas01]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

I am assuming all your equipment are functioning properly. These are my suggestions:

• Set the BD player to output sound in Bitstream.
• On the receiver's menu, make sure the setting is for Dolby Digital 5.1.
• On the BD disc, do not choose Dolby True HD or DTS. Highlight the Dolby Digital 5.1 option.
• Make sure your optical cable is attached properly to the BD player and the receiver. You may want to change the cable with another one to see if it solves the problem. Optical cables are very fragile. Make sure it is not bent.

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I will do these after this football game.

I switched out the optical cables last night thinking maybe the one on the blu was bad but it works perfectly with the cable box. I will try everything else shortly and report back. Again thanks for the help.

[Vargas01]

I'll be damned, that was it.

The bdp-1500 has TWO Bitstream settings.

1. Bitstream (re-encode)---I had done this and could hear nothing.
2. Bitstream (audiophile)---I for some reason had missed this one.

I selected the audiophile and option and it is working awesome. I know the soundbar isn't a true 5.1 but in my oddly shaped room, it sounds 100X better than speakers on the TV.

Thank you so much for the help.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vargas01

I'll be damned, that was it.

The bdp-1500 has TWO Bitstream settings.

1. Bitstream (re-encode)---I had done this and could hear nothing.
2. Bitstream (audiophile)---I for some reason had missed this one.

I selected the audiophile and option and it is working awesome. I know the soundbar isn't a true 5.1 but in my oddly shaped room, it sounds 100X better than speakers on the TV.

Thank you so much for the help.

Now you owe us pictures of your setup.

[Vargas01]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Now you owe us pictures of your setup.

will do. but you hard core audio guys will probably laugh.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vargas01

will do. but you hard core audio guys will probably laugh.

We may be hard core, but we will never laugh. My first audio system was a $70 system from K Mart.

[Vargas01]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

We may be hard core, but we will never laugh. My first audio system was a $70 system from K Mart.

Back before we had all the kids I had the whole set up! I was cutting edge. This was about 6 years ago (still using the same pioneer receiver). I had a full 5.1 Polk system that sounded great with DVd. I remember Fight Club sounding unreal when during the fake plane crash scene about 30 minutes into the movie. Then we moved a few times and I never hooked up another system. I actually sold the entire polk system (except the subwoofer that I am using now) at a GARAGE SALE FOR $25 thinking I was done with home theatre.

Then I bought a 720 samsung last year. Then I bought the blu-ray player just before this Christmas. Then I started getting angy that I didn't have 1080P so I bought another Samsung TV with 1080. Then I dug out the old receiver and the sub and bought the surroundbar yesterday.

Now I'm pissed that I don't have a true 5.1 and I'm salivating over the new Onkyo and Denon receivers. This addiction to consumer electronics is a real sickness.....but I love it.

Thanks for all of the help. I will try to take pics tonight and upload them.