5.1 Analog input issue

[narsibvl]

To give you guys a background

I have a Sony STRDE 835 receiver that has no hdmi inputs. It though has a 5.1 analog inputs which I have never used before. Always have preferred TOSLink for Dolby digital and DTS.

Now with blu ray and HD audio TOSLINK is not enuf anymore, so before I end up buying a blu ray player I decided to test out my 5.1 analog. Luckily my DVD player (Samsung HD-DVD841) has 5.1 analog outs. So I ended up connecting 5 analog cables between the dvd player and receiver. When I tested out my connection all I am getting is the L-R speaker, not even my center....What is happening here ?

The results of my test is going to decide whether I want to buy just a HD audio decodable blu ray or buy a regular blu ray and upgrade my receiver to one that takes hdmi inputs and is able to decode hd audio.

Thanks for your inputs.

Narsi

[jappler]

You most likely have to change the input on the receiver to the analog ins. With my Pioneer you can select between 3 DVD audio inputs (Analog, Digital and 5.1 Multichannel)

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by jappler

You most likely have to change the input on the receiver to the analog ins. With my Pioneer you can select between 3 DVD audio inputs (Analog, Digital and 5.1 Multichannel)

STR DE 835 has a 5.1 button and I did change the input.

[un4gvn94538]

did you configure the player to use the 5.1 out?

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

did you configure the player to use the 5.1 out?

Can you explain what you mean by configure your player ?

Thanks

[un4gvn94538]

i know on my older pioneer sacd/dvd-a player you have to go into the player menue (with no movie playing) and tell it your using the 5.1 analog out. you may have to do the same for yours. if you dont have the instructions, im sure you can download the pdf version off the product or support page.

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

i know on my older pioneer sacd/dvd-a player you have to go into the player menue (with no movie playing) and tell it your using the 5.1 analog out. you may have to do the same for yours. if you dont have the instructions, im sure you can download the pdf version off the product or support page.

Well, my manual doesnt say anything about it. In my case though the STR DE 835 has a button for 5.1 input and you need to switch it on...I guess it does the same thing as your system setup in your pioneer.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by narsibvl

Well, my manual doesnt say anything about it. In my case though the STR DE 835 has a button for 5.1 input and you need to switch it on...I guess it does the same thing as your system setup in your pioneer.

all that is, is a input selector. nothing to do with telling the dvd player to output 5.1 audio from the 5.1 analog outs. i still think its in the menu somewhere in your player. just have to play with it.

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

all that is, is a input selector. nothing to do with telling the dvd player to output 5.1 audio from the 5.1 analog outs. i still think its in the menu somewhere in your player. just have to play with it.

True,

went home yesterday and figured it out. I had the player set to bitstream, I turned it on to do a PCM and the sound effects were marignally better.

Here is my concern though,

I switched between PCM 5.1 analog to bitstream over optical and bitstream was way better then PCM 5.1.

On PCM 5.1 the bass effect and surround were okay, the actual voice (treble over the front and center speakers) was highly drowned. There were no setting for treble on the player. The only settings were

Speaker size (LARGE / SMALL)
PCM downsampling
DTS
dynamic compression
LFE (On or off).

Has anyone has similar issue ?

[un4gvn94538]

you can try to redo the settings on your receiver but a lot of the times it seems the dialog is always a lot lower than the surrounds. i believe the hd audio since its suppose to be bit for bit identical to the actual master recording, is suppose to be this way. thats why in theaters the action is always loud but the dialog is still audible. turn it up!

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

you can try to redo the settings on your receiver but a lot of the times it seems the dialog is always a lot lower than the surrounds. i believe the hd audio since its suppose to be bit for bit identical to the actual master recording, is suppose to be this way. thats why in theaters the action is always loud but the dialog is still audible. turn it up!

I am not even comparing hd-audio, this is just doly digital / 5.1 over 5.1. Turning it up is an option for sure, but why would the bitstream over optical be any better !!! Interestingly the dvd i was checking , Top Gun had two tracks dolby digital and dolby 5.1 channel, the former sounder better then the latter !!!!

So when I do get to the hd-audio, does bitstream over hdmi sound better then 5.1 analog !!!?

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

you can try to redo the settings on your receiver but a lot of the times it seems the dialog is always a lot lower than the surrounds. i believe the hd audio since its suppose to be bit for bit identical to the actual master recording, is suppose to be this way. thats why in theaters the action is always loud but the dialog is still audible. turn it up!

...and oh btw doesnt the reciever settings get bypassed on a 5.1 analog !!!!?

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by narsibvl

...and oh btw doesnt the reciever settings get bypassed on a 5.1 analog !!!!?

it still uses the speaker settings. but you can bypass anything that messes with the audio like thx select, dts neo and so on, just like if your bitstreaming. since you have a sony, i would use the A.F.D. think thats what its called.

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

it still uses the speaker settings. but you can bypass anything that messes with the audio like thx select, dts neo and so on, just like if your bitstreaming. since you have a sony, i would use the A.F.D. think thats what its called.

So i need to change my speaker settings before i switch over to 5.1 and it would use that!!!?

I can't do it when i am actually watching a movie in 5.1.

[ZIPPO]

Yes I have. With Oppo 983 using analog outs. Using analog outs by-passes receiver bass management & trim controls. Unless you get a blu-ray player with good bass management options, your better off using the toslink out to get the core DTS/Dolby Digital. I think the Sony BDP-S550 has decent bass Management options. I tried both 5.1 analog outs & toslink on the Oppo 983, I liked the toslink sound better. Even after using a SPL meter to calibrate, the 5.1 analog outs still lacked bass. Your best bet would be to get a new cheap receiver that decodes all lossless codecs over HDMI. ( Sony 820, Onkyo 605/606, Denon AVR789, Pioneer VSX1018, Marantz SR5003, Harmon Kardon AVR254, Yamaha 663, etc.). I'd look at the Pioneer VSX1018 as the best deal. I helped install one in a friends system last week, its a keeper!

[ZIPPO]

READ the STICKY in the receiver FORUM " Have an old school receiver......"
should answer most of your questions.

[narsibvl]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

Yes I have. With Oppo 983 using analog outs. Using analog outs by-passes receiver bass management & trim controls. Unless you get a blu-ray player with good bass management options, your better off using the toslink out to get the core DTS/Dolby Digital. I think the Sony BDP-S550 has decent bass Management options. I tried both 5.1 analog outs & toslink on the Oppo 983, I liked the toslink sound better. Even after using a SPL meter to calibrate, the 5.1 analog outs still lacked bass. Your best bet would be to get a new cheap receiver that decodes all lossless codecs over HDMI. ( Sony 820, Onkyo 605/606, Denon AVR789, Pioneer VSX1018, Marantz SR5003, Harmon Kardon AVR254, Yamaha 663, etc.). I'd look at the Pioneer VSX1018 as the best deal. I helped install one in a friends system last week, its a keeper!

Well, I was just hoping I would not have to buy a blu ray and a reciever...although the I have no issues with bass so to speak, my issues are with the low centre volume.The movie dialogues are very difficult to hear.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by narsibvl

Well, I was just hoping I would not have to buy a blu ray and a reciever...although the I have no issues with bass so to speak, my issues are with the low centre volume.The movie dialogues are very difficult to hear.

you can always turn up the center channel to what ever you wish seperately from the other speakers. and i dont think you really need to change the speaker settings. without really hearing it, i cant tell how low the center really is. but i do know that the center is low and sometimes hard to hear. but i think thats the way its suppose to be being hd audio and the same as the master. like i mentioned before, just turn it up. watched iron man last night again and my wife said she couldnt hear (deaf i guess) so i turned the volume up. it rocked the house but it sounded normal.

[ZIPPO]

What kind of speakers R U using?

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

What kind of speakers R U using?

in my sig.

OP: and i just reread your posts, your not comparing hd audio so thats diff. what ive been talking about is hd audio. i cant compare bitreaming hd audio or using analog since i dont have that capability to compare. my pioneer is just a dvd/sacd/dvd-a player with no upconversion. maybe 5 or 6 yrs old.

is top gun a hd dvd? maybe the 2 channel your getting is pcm and the 5.1 is lossy dd