Need help with surround sound, receiver, PS3 Blu Ray player

[arniec]

I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-92TXH receiver and my Blu Ray player is a PS3, connected through HDMI. I have a 7.1 speaker set-up coming out of my receiver.

My problem is this: I think I only get left, right, and center front speakers (plus my sub). I cannot ever hear any audio out of my satellites on the sides or rear.

I know they're wired right, as when I go into the level tests and the receiver shoots static out the speakers, all 8 speakers (7 sats and the sub) emit noise. But I think there's a configuration somewhere that isn't sending the 5.1 or 7.1 to the speakers.

I had a member of the Geek Squad out and he changed my speaker set-up and only the front 3 or 2 speakers light up on the receiver when I'm watching a movie. Either R and L or R C and L (right/left, right/center/left). I never see the sat speaker lights illuminated on my receiver.

Is this a PS3 setting? (I always make sure my discs are on the 7.1 audio out when available), is it a receiver setting?

Is there a disc somewhere that will just play a tone out of all the speakers from my PS3 so I know this is working correctly? (I know my PC did this with its 7.1, it would go "Front left" from the front left speaker, "Front right", etc. from each speaker so I knew they were all working and placed correctly).

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!

AC

[Scooby Blu]

First off welcome to the site ! Hmm, sounds like it could be your receiver. Is it new, or under waranty ? There are others that might be able to help on this site as well.

[aramis109]

Not familiar with your receiver but it should definitely have test tones available. It looks like it also has "MCACC Room Calibration" - sounds like some kind of automated setup. Have you tried running that yet? For instance, some receivers have a mic setup that you place in your listening environment.

I'd also check your wiring and make sure you're going + to + and that you don't have any of them shorted out on each other or wired wrong. Looks like a hell of a nice receiver- hope you get it working!

*edit* Saw you already tried what I posted. Do you have the PS3 set to output PCM audio via HDMI? You don't possibly have an optical cable hooked up do you? That could cause you to only get 2.0 sound on the HD codecs.

[Beta Man]

I'd say it's probably a setting on the receiver..... you have "HDMI-1" set to "3.1" for example, etc..... I'd start from scratch, make sure all the speakers are connected to the proper terminals on the receiver, then make sure you go through the different options, and try 5.1 and 7.1 on the receiver, try selecting PCM for the input on the reciever, and select PCM as the audio output on the PS3.....

I'd guess you just need to trouble shoot a little...

[arniec]

Receiver is new and still under warranty.

I'm guessing it's not broken as the "white noise" static comes out of all the speakers, but I think I have a configuration setting off somewhere. Not sure if it's the receiver, the PS3, or both though!

And thanks for the welcome. I'm a Blu Ray addict, long time fan of the site and long time lurker in these forums. Finally thought I'd post due to my frustration on this issue!

[arniec]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Not familiar with your receiver but it should definitely have test tones available. It looks like it also has "MCACC Room Calibration" - sounds like some kind of automated setup. Have you tried running that yet? For instance, some receivers have a mic setup that you place in your listening environment.

I'd also check your wiring and make sure you're going + to + and that you don't have any of them shorted out on each other or wired wrong. Looks like a hell of a nice receiver- hope you get it working!

Thanks! I used the MCACC and was pretty good with that. But when Geek Squad came out he told me I had it set up all wrong as none of the speakers were lit up on the receiver.

He changed a TON of settings, and that's where I'm lost. I did initial set up, ran the MCACC, and it seemed good.

I'm more curious if there's a way to test this. It MAY be working and I"m just standing under the speakers to hear them at the wrong moment. If they're NOT working then it's likely a receiver setting, perhaps the HDMI one. But the question is more, can I somehow send a specific tone to a specific speaker somehow to see if it's working or not?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by arniec

I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-92TXH receiver and my Blu Ray player is a PS3, connected through HDMI. I have a 7.1 speaker set-up coming out of my receiver.

My problem is this: I think I only get left, right, and center front speakers (plus my sub). I cannot ever hear any audio out of my satellites on the sides or rear.

I know they're wired right, as when I go into the level tests and the receiver shoots static out the speakers, all 8 speakers (7 sats and the sub) emit noise. But I think there's a configuration somewhere that isn't sending the 5.1 or 7.1 to the speakers.

I had a member of the Geek Squad out and he changed my speaker set-up and only the front 3 or 2 speakers light up on the receiver when I'm watching a movie. Either R and L or R C and L (right/left, right/center/left). I never see the sat speaker lights illuminated on my receiver.

Is this a PS3 setting? (I always make sure my discs are on the 7.1 audio out when available), is it a receiver setting?

Is there a disc somewhere that will just play a tone out of all the speakers from my PS3 so I know this is working correctly? (I know my PC did this with its 7.1, it would go "Front left" from the front left speaker, "Front right", etc. from each speaker so I knew they were all working and placed correctly).

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!

AC

If sound is coming through your test tones on your receiver - the receiver is fine, its the configuration (receiver) and the source material. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but since you are connected via HDMI your PS3 setting should be PCM (not bitstream - only set to bitstream for optical/coax). What is your default decoder on non-bd material? Make sure you have it set for Dolby Digital EX (to get the extra channels) or if you are listening to DTS/ES material - set it for that (had to do this for my Yamaha). I'm not sure my suggestions will work, but its a place to start since you are getting signals from the amplifier test tone

[BLU STEAL]

try going through the audio setup of the ps3 again.