Posted on 04/11/2005 7:16:19 PM PDT by dc27
I have a older Sony STR-SE501 receiver. It is an older unit to say the least. I have my dish network DVR system and a Sony DVD/VHS hooked up to it via optical cables for audio.
When I order movies from dish network that transmit the 5.1 audio, the receiver indicates that it is receiving in the 5.1 mode. It also allows me to choose the cinema audio and shows all 5 speakers on the display.
When I watch movies on the DVD player, the receiver doesn't show that it is decoding the 5.1 audio and only the front/center speakers are on the display. The DVD menu shows that it is 5.1 audio. I tried to swap the inputs and it still doesn't work.
Do I need to buy a DVD player that has the 5.1 output and connect to my receiver via the 5.1 inputs? Or do I need a DVD player with the Dolby decoding? I can't figure out why I can't get my receiver to see the 5.1 audio.
Much thanks
The album would have sold if it were recorded in Doubly...
What kind of cable connection do you use between receiver & DVD?
I am using the optical cable. I am using the same kind of cable to connect the Dish receiver as well. Except it works for the Dish receiver.
Might it have something to do with the optical cabling rather than using RCA type? Maybe there's something about it that it doesn't like?
I can't spell.
Or maybe it's time for a new receiver. Go Yamaha!
Thanks. I'll try going with the RCA cables and see if that works.
That is what I told my wife. Time to upgrade.
Do you have to switch cables?
Take a look for it, you'll probably find that to be the problem.
It could be that you have the Sony DVD set to output stereo. Most DVD players need to be set up for the speaker system that you have and so they give you the option of setting up for 2 speakers (stereo) or surround sound (5.1). If you are set up for stereo on the DVD player then selecting 5.1 on the DVD movie setup will not do the trick. You have to get into the Sony DVD setup menu. Hopefully you know how to do this. Generally it is via an On Screen Display (OSD). Get out your DVD manual and have a look.
Good luck.
Dammit, you beat me to it.
This might be irrelevant, but optical only transmits two real channels. If the signal is Dolby encoded the receiver has to decode it.
Don't know why it would do it for one singal source but not the other.
Most computer sound cards won't decode digital input from CD/DVD drives, so you only get stereo, unless you use the analog connecter. The cards that do work will say Digital Dolby or some such on them.
No, I have two optical inputs on my Sony receiver. I tried swapping the inputs to see if the input or cable was bad for the DVD.
I checked that and it is set to Dolby Digital 5.1.
Jeanine: You don't, you don't do heavy metal in doubly, you know, I Mean...it's
Nigel: In what??? In what???
Jeanine: In doubly...
Nigel: In dublin!?! What's that?
David: She means Dolby, alright? She means Dolby. You know perfectly well what she means.
I was thinking the same sort of thing. I have a 6.1 system and the DVD will play it only if it is set to bitstream in the setup menu.
Is your sound field set for surround?
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