Audio / Surround issue..

[Zippster]

I have tried search and reading as many threads as I can find and after awhile they all become a blur...
Here's my issue, just got a new Onkyo surround receiver and hooked it to my HD100 via optical, I just cant seem to figure out what is stopping me from getting the rear speakers to work in surround on my ripped DVD's, the DVD menu has the rears working but once I start the movie with the 5.1 AC3, I only get fronts and center...

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Zippster

Here's my issue, just got a new Onkyo surround receiver and hooked it to my HD100 via optical, I just cant seem to figure out what is stopping me from getting the rear speakers to work in surround on my ripped DVD's, the DVD menu has the rears working but once I start the movie with the 5.1 AC3, I only get fronts and center...

This is going to sound funny, but are you sure the rears aren't working? It's relatively common for movies to seldom use the rear speakers. When you're in the DVD menu there's a decent chance it's starting with a 2 channel source, and the receiver is doing ProLogic II to add rear channels. Once the movie starts, you're in 5.1 mode where you might not hear anything from the hear speakers for long periods of time.

Alternatively, what receiver do you have, and what does it say when the movie starts? For instance, mine says when it is getting a Dolby Digital signal, and I assume yours would too. Onkyos, and lots of other receivers, will often remember what settings you last used when you had, for instance, a DD signal coming in on Video 2. So, if you accidentally set your receiver to downmix 5.1 DD sound to 2.1 while you were set on your HD100, it's going to stay that way until you notice it and change it.

Alternative #2- Have you tried changing what audio track you're playing on the DVDs? Maybe you're playing back a 2.1 audio track instead of 5.1. For that matter, have you double checked that there is a 5.1 audio track on the DVD? Maybe it's 2.1, and your receiver isn't set up to upmix 2.1 to 5.1.

[evilpenguin]

A lot of Pixar discs have ("The Incredibles" for sure) have speaker setup menus that will test help you test to make 5.1 is working properly. That'll help you get to the bottom of it.

[Zippster]

The receiver automatically switches depending on what the audio input is and works fine, speakers also as I ran the manual setup no problem, DVD player puts out the 5.1 also no problem so seems to leave the HD100 as the issue. I also dbl checked all the video files to make sure the AC3 5.1 was there and file analyzer shows 3/2.1 so it is correct.

Another thing I found, what is the point of the audio output setting in the HD100 settings menu when it seems all the outputs work regardless of which you set?

I am using optical for the output.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Zippster

The receiver automatically switches depending on what the audio input is and works fine, speakers also as I ran the manual setup no problem, DVD player puts out the 5.1 also no problem so seems to leave the HD100 as the issue.

I apologize if I'm talking to an expert here, but I want to clarify what I meant in case there was any confusion. Pretty much all receivers will switch based on the type of input. What some nicer receivers do is change based on the type of audio stream for each video input on the receiver. For example, I have my HD200 hooked up to my receiver on Video1, and my Wii on Video2. My receiver remembers that the last time I had 2-channel sound coming into Video1 that I used ProLogicII-Movie. So, when my receiver is on Video1 and the sound switches from, say, 5.1 to 2 channel, it will automatically change the surround mode to ProLogicII-Movie. But, I use ProLogicII-Game when I use my Wii. My receiver also knows that when it is on Video2 and it sees 2-channel sound it is suppose to change the surround mode to ProLogicII-Game.

In other words, just because the receiver settings work for the DVD player doesn't mean they'll work with the HD100. I don't think that's actually the issue here, but is something that can be ruled out pretty quickly and easily.

I also dbl checked all the video files to make sure the AC3 5.1 was there and file analyzer shows 3/2.1 so it is correct.

What I'm really interested in is seeing what type of audio stream the receiver thinks it is getting. If you are getting a Dolby Digital stream, but the receiver is downmixing it, for whatever reason, to 2 channels, you should be able to see on the receiver that it is getting a Dolby Digital stream. On my receiver, and I think my previous one, this is denoted by a couple box-like things followed by a 'D' (both in red) on the receiver's front panel screen.

[Zippster]

Hey Reggie, yes, what my new Onkyo does is switch for the audio stream it is being given, I can actually watch it change audio from the menu to the movie.

It is showing Dolby Digital but I am getting nothing from the rears, even put a chair there so I could get my ear right to the speaker for awhile and not a whisper.

[Zippster]

Anyone have one of those THX or whatever type files I can put on my extender and test it out?

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Zippster

Anyone have one of those THX or whatever type files I can put on my extender and test it out?

I haven't tried them, but maybe one of the clips here would work: http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/do...s/trailers.php