Audio Bitstreaming Help on Samsung BD-P3600

[BLU_Until_The_End]

I have a Samsung BD-P3600 player, a 7.1 setup, and a Marantz receiver that does not decode HD audio codecs. For some reason, I am only getting soud out of my left and right fronts during movie playback - nothing from the center, sub, side and rear surrounds. I had th eplayer set to LPCM at first, then I changed it to bitstream (both normal and audiophile), but I still only get sound from my left and right fronts ( i don't get any sound from any speakers when set to bitstream audiophile). Is there some setting i need to change on my receiver? During movie playback if i try to adjust the surround output on the receiver i only get stereo and multi channel stereo as options. If i take the player out of the equation and just run a tone test on the receiver I get sound from all speakers. if i perform the tone test throught the player, i just get sound out of the left and right fronts. i am so close to finally getting 7.1 throught this player that i can smell it...and it is so frustrating!! any help would be appreciated. I have Marantz 5001 receiver.

[BIslander]

Are you using an HDMI connection? Often, the HDMI handshake is to blame for an unexpected stereo output. TVs are two channel devices and the HDMI handshake may tell the player to decode and output stereo instead of bitstreaming the encoded soundtrack. If you are using HDMI, look for an option on your receiver that disables HDMI audio to the TV. Or, as a test, you can simply unplug the HDMI cable between the receiver and the TV.

[robertc88]

I think on that player you need to set HDMI off if you are not connecting that way. I also think there is a selection in the audio menu for MIXED OUTPUT or Bitstream Reencode or something close to those. Try that and let us know if it fixes your problem.

[BLU_Until_The_End]

Hi:

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I am connecting my player to my receiver via optical cable and HDMI to my projector. I think someone told me that optical is only capable of stereo output; it can't handle multi channel audio out. Someome suggested using the 7.1 analog out connections ont he player to connect it to my receiver, set the 3600 to PCM, and I should be able to get 7.1.....does that sound like a possibility?

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by BLU_Until_The_End

I had th eplayer set to LPCM at first, then I changed it to bitstream (both normal and audiophile), but I still only get sound from my left and right fronts ( i don't get any sound from any speakers when set to bitstream audiophile).

PCM over optical is limited to stereo. But, you should get multichannel when set to bitstream. Your AVR display will show you the format of the arriving audio. What does it say when you get stereo and/or no audio with the two bitstream settings?

It certainly looks like you have a setup problem with the digital input you are using on your receiver. A bitstream should be decoded and output as multichannel.

Originally Posted by BLU_Until_The_End

I am connecting my player to my receiver via optical cable and HDMI to my projector.

The projector should not affect the audio format. But, have you set HDMI Audio to Off in the player just to be sure?

I think someone told me that optical is only capable of stereo output; it can't handle multi channel audio out.

That's true of PCM. But, optical can handle encoded sources such as DD 5.1 and DTS just fine.

Someome suggested using the 7.1 analog out connections ont he player to connect it to my receiver, set the 3600 to PCM, and I should be able to get 7.1.....does that sound like a possibility?

Multichannel analog is a fine idea. It will give you lossless TrueHD and dts-MA, which cannot be sent over optical. However, analog connections are not simple plug-and-play and can be a pain to set-up. You have to do bass management and all other digital processing in the player instead of the receiver. And, you need to boost the subwoofer output to get the proper bass response.

[BLU_Until_The_End]

OK....so now I am using the 7/1ch analog outputs on the player, and I get multi-channel audio now (HOORAY!!). The only problem is that I don't get anything out of my subwoofer now. My front speakers (a pair of Polk LSi25) have subs in their base, but I want to use my powered sub to lessen the strain on them. When I do a test tone via the player I get sound out of every speaker except the sub. In the ausio settings I have all of my speakers set to large and LFE set to On. Also, downmixing and dynamic compression are also set to on. How do I get sound from my sub?