what mode for tv listening?

[bwhenkaline]

Hi, just got my new surround sound system hooked up. Im using a Yamaha RX-V667. Should i be listening to TV in 2 channel, surround sound, or having sound come out of all speakers equally? could someone point me in the right direction

 

[zildjian]

If the TV signal is Dolby Digital 5 channel surround, then that one is easy, just keep it that way.
If it's stereo, I typically use Dolby Pro Logic II Cinema.

 

[MDS]

Same for me except I use ProLogic II Music instead of PLII Movie for 2 channel sources.

The Music mode allows you to adjust the center width (how much goes to the center vs the fronts) and the dimension (move the sound field forward or backward). In my room, changing the center width one notch toward the fronts makes the soundstage a tad wider and I like it better than movie mode where all center channel sound goes to the center channel.

In the end, it's whatever you like and there is no right or wrong answer.

 

[bwhenkaline]

OK, i like the ProLogic II as well. what about when im listening to satellite radio through Direct TV. And what about video games?

 

[zildjian]

satellite radio, Prologic II music for me...
Video games, Prologic II game I would suppose. I don't play video games, so I can't shed much advice here. My last video game system was the original Nintendo.

 

[bwhenkaline]

what do you listen movies in?

 

[jp_over]

what do you listen movies in?

I'm taking notes on this one since I have the same model on order.

bwhenkaline - so how do you like your new RX-V667?

 

[zildjian]

what do you listen movies in?

You want to use whatever surround sound mode that is provided on your DVD or Blu-ray disc. I downloaded the manual to make sure I told you the correct button to do this. What is below is from page 42 of your manual. If you need a copy of it electronically, go to the following URL, click support and log in to the annoying yamaha system which makes you sign up to log in. I just put in a bogus email address and password since you don't have to get a confirmation email or anything, so anything works. mybusiness@notyours.com That's my favorite.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-receivers-amps/rx/rx-v667/?mode=model


Enjoying unprocessed playback (Straight decoding mode)
Use straight decoding mode when you want to playback sound without sound field processing. You can playback as follows in straight decoding mode.
2-channel sources such as CD
Stereo sound plays through the front left and right speakers.
Multi-channel playback sources such as BD/ DVD Plays back audio from a playback source without applying sound field effects, using an appropriate decoder to split the signal into multiple channels.
Press STRAIGHT to enable the straight decoding mode.

 

[jp_over]

mybusiness@notyours.com

Nice!

Another good ones is no@howdareyou.com

 

[zumbo]

Same for me except I use ProLogic II Music instead of PLII Movie for 2 channel sources.

^^^
This is what I do for non-surround programming.

All others, I recommend using whatever is on the media.

You should have a setting in the receiver for some type of auto detection, and the receiver will switch on it's own according to the signal being sent.

EDIT: Auto detection is the factory default setting of your unit. I just read the manual. When a surround format is sent, you will see the display of your receiver change to the audio being sent.

When using a source such as a dvd/br, be certain to select the desired surround audio option on the dvd/br player.

 

[Ares]

And what about video games?

All Xbox 360 and PS3 games offer Dolby 5.1 or DTS so that really wouldn't be an issue. For the PS3 it will depend on what model you own that Fats will not do bitstream via HDMI which means that the DD or DTS won't light up on the receiver but it should say something like Multichannel all that means that the PS3 is doing the decoding instead of the receiver.

The Slims do bitstream via HDMI so you'll get the lights if you choose to let the receiver handle the decoding.

 

[bwhenkaline]

I like it. I've only had it hooked up for one day now and this is my first real home theater, so im still playing with it and trying to understand everything. It's a little overwhelming with all of the options you can choose.

 

[Pyrrho]

If the TV signal is Dolby Digital 5 channel surround, then that one is easy, just keep it that way.
If it's stereo, I typically use Dolby Pro Logic II Cinema.

I do the same, except that I use Dolby Pro Logic (I) instead of DPL II. Although sometimes I prefer the sound of DPL II, sometimes it sounds worse to me, and I think it sometimes sounds wrong, whereas I never feel that way about DPL.

In general, things that were recorded for surround sound that are not in DD 5.1 (or another discrete multichannel format), the original intention was to decode it with DPL. DPL II adds additional processing to the signal in such cases.

 

[bwhenkaline]

so, when im watching a blue ray movie or playing a ps3 game (slim) does the yamaha automatically pick the right decoder for the disc, or does it not work like that and i will have to manually do it? Do the options like sci fi, adventure, drama, ect.. have nothing to do with the decoding? sorry if this doesn't make sense.

 

[zildjian]

so, when im watching a blue ray movie or playing a ps3 game (slim) does the yamaha automatically pick the right decoder for the disc, or does it not work like that and i will have to manually do it? Do the options like sci fi, adventure, drama, ect.. have nothing to do with the decoding? sorry if this doesn't make sense.

When watching a blu-ray, you want "Straight" mode. It will then play what content the blu-ray has on it, which is what you want. "Sci fi" "drama" and those modes you should stay away from IMO. Use straight. Straight. Straight for any DVD/Blu-ray, etc...

 

[zumbo]

When watching a blu-ray, you want "Straight" mode. It will then play what content the blu-ray has on it, which is what you want. "Sci fi" "drama" and those modes you should stay away from IMO. Use straight. Straight. Straight for any DVD/Blu-ray, etc...

^^^
This is incorrect.

You want to make the audio selection in the blu-ray player after the disc is installed(disc menu), and then the receiver will auto detect per factory default.

Or, depending on the player, you can simply push the "audio" button on the blu-ray players remote.

The avr will then display the format it is detecting.

 

[zumbo]

Some br disc may have the audio selection listed under the language option.

 

[bwhenkaline]

wow this is really frustrating. Straight didn't do anything but make sound come out of just the front left and right and thats all. I use my ps3 so i don't no how to "make a audio selection in the blue ray player"? The only way i can get surround sound is if i hit the movie button on the Yamaha remote and select one of the drama, sci fi, adventure settings. This is really frustrating because i paid a stereo shop to come and hook up everything and it sounds like they didn't have a clue as to what he was doing. He told me to listen to movies on blue ray in adventure mode. What am i missing here? Am i even really listening in true surround sound?

 

[zumbo]

wow this is really frustrating. Straight didn't do anything but make sound come out of just the front left and right and thats all. I use my ps3 so i don't no how to "make a audio selection in the blue ray player"? The only way i can get surround sound is if i hit the movie button on the Yamaha remote and select one of the drama, sci fi, adventure settings. This is really frustrating because i paid a stereo shop to come and hook up everything and it sounds like they didn't have a clue as to what he was doing. He told me to listen to movies on blue ray in adventure mode. What am i missing here? Am i even really listening in true surround sound?

No.

Will the PS3 not let you navigate the disc menu?

Like I said in my previous reply, Straight is incorrect.

 

[zildjian]

I was just going by what the user manual stated. The Yamaha I last set up for my father a couple years ago was frustrating to set up and I have blocked that from my memory. Like Zumbo said, you want the processor to default to whatever the blu-ray disc has encoded on it. From what I read on the manual page 42, it sounded like straight was it. Guess not if that's the result you're getting. I don't know why the user manual says to use straight if that's not the case.