No sound from surround speakers

[FNG212]

So far I have been running 3.1 channels in my system (see sig block). I have just tried hooking up some speakers for the surrounds and am not getting any sound from those channels. I verified that the speakers work both from another source and substituting them on the main channels. The only conclusion I can come up with is the surround outputs on the Yamaha HTR-5550 receiver do not work. BUT! the front speakers are playing the rear channel test sounds.

My test source is youtube surround test videos from my laptop via headphone->RCA cable into the CD input on the receiver. The receiver is set to "Movie Theater II - 70mm Adventure, DSP / Pro Logic/II" I suspect the receiver is playing "phantom surround" but don't know how to turn that off. None of the other receiver settings seem to engage the rear channels.

Thanks in advance, if I need to clarify more I will, just ask.

 

[Lordoftherings]

Your speakers are connected to the wrong speaker's posts.
Check your manual carefully, connect your speakers at the appropriate place, and set your speaker settings properly, and the right surround mode too (Auto).

Let us know.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[oppman99]

I'm not familiar with your reciever, but on my yamaha I have to go into the setup menu and set the surround speakers to "present". Are you sure the laptop is sending 5 channels through that connection? Is it possible to hook up an actual DVD player and see if it works with that connected? Last thought is to try the DVD input instead of the CD. I'm sure others will chime in to help you out if you're still stuck.

 

[FNG212]

Oppo: I have a DVD player hooked up but don't know of a scene in any movie I have that would for sure have surround sound. But no, I don't know for sure that the laptop is outputting correctly. I will try to find a scene that has moving stuff. Any suggestions would be great, I have a lot of movies. I will double check making sure the surrounds are turned on.

LOTR: I'm not sure what you mean. There are only 5 output posts in the back and they all have speakers connected in, if you could clarify that would be great. But I will also try to find an "auto" setting.

 

[Pyrrho]

So far I have been running 3.1 channels in my system (see sig block). I have just tried hooking up some speakers for the surrounds and am not getting any sound from those channels. I verified that the speakers work both from another source and substituting them on the main channels. The only conclusion I can come up with is the surround outputs on the Yamaha HTR-5550 receiver do not work. BUT! the front speakers are playing the rear channel test sounds.

My test source is youtube surround test videos from my laptop via headphone->RCA cable into the CD input on the receiver. The receiver is set to "Movie Theater II - 70mm Adventure, DSP / Pro Logic/II" I suspect the receiver is playing "phantom surround" but don't know how to turn that off. None of the other receiver settings seem to engage the rear channels.

Thanks in advance, if I need to clarify more I will, just ask.

If the test tones for surround are coming out the front, most likely you have the receiver set up for 3.1 use and have the surround channels set to "off" or "none", as oppman99 stated. Look at the manual for your receiver, and go into the setup menu of the receiver and set it up for 5.1. This means that you need to tell the receiver that you have 5.1 speakers hooked up to it.

 

[Lordoftherings]

LOTR: I'm not sure what you mean. There are only 5 output posts in the back and they all have speakers connected in, if you could clarify that would be great. But I will also try to find an "auto" setting.

All right, if your 5 speakers are properly connected to their respective posts in the back of your Yamaha receiver, then you're OK. Sorry if I confused you.

* The "Auto" setting should be the one for the automatic surround decoding.
* Also, in the menu setup for the speakers, like the other guys already said here, set the speakers so they are all activated.
* Another point, press the button marked "STRAIGHT", and see what happens.
* Or this, press the button marked "EFFECT", and see what happens.
* And this, set the HDMI audio to "Auto" or "Multichannel".
* And also this, in your manual, it will be indicated how to engage the full surround mode from the 5 speakers.

** I'm sure it's one of these, just above.
When you got it, let us know.

*** Seems that they are quite few people having issues setting the multichannel mode from these Yamaha receivers. Are they that hard to set up? Must have something to do with the HDMI setting, it always does.
Other brands too are not very clear in their manuals. HDMI seems to have a lot of way to go before it can simplify our lifes. And the manufacturers are not helping much the situation, isn't?

Good luck, good night & good day,
Bob

 

[FNG212]

Thanks everyone!

Turns out the receiver defaults to "off" for the surround channels. Once I found the remote (of course I lost it the one day I really need it -- you have to have it to access the menus), it was pretty easy.

LOTR: This model does not have HDMI, my aunt and uncle bought it right before that whole thing exploded and they gave me their whole system when they moved to Germany.

Now that I know they work, I have to get some decent speakers for them. Right now I am running my old Logitech computer speakers as surrounds until I get approval for some tSc bookshelfs.

Of course this may have gone smoother if puppy wasn't "helping" so much. Now the receiver isn't recognizing some remote commands.

Turns out laptop headphone jack-out will output surround sound into CD input on receiver. I'm not convinced of the quality but it was enough to know my speakers worked.

I used http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9zxSpx5-I&feature=related to test the speakers and worked well enough. I don't know if it will do 6 or 7 channels but it did 5 just fine.

 

[markw]

Turns out laptop headphone jack-out will output surround sound into CD input on receiver. I'm not convinced of the quality but it was enough to know my speakers worked.

This actually outputs two analog channels. It's not "surround sound" but DPL will do what it can with it to simulate it.

 

[Lordoftherings]

Thanks everyone!

Turns out the receiver defaults to "off" for the surround channels. Once I found the remote (of course I lost it the one day I really need it -- you have to have it to access the menus), it was pretty easy.

LOTR: This model does not have HDMI, my aunt and uncle bought it right before that whole thing exploded and they gave me their whole system when they moved to Germany.

Now that I know they work, I have to get some decent speakers for them. Right now I am running my old Logitech computer speakers as surrounds until I get approval for some tSc bookshelfs.

Of course this may have gone smoother if puppy wasn't "helping" so much. Now the receiver isn't recognizing some remote commands.

Turns out laptop headphone jack-out will output surround sound into CD input on receiver. I'm not convinced of the quality but it was enough to know my speakers worked.

I used http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9zxSpx5-I&feature=related to test the speakers and worked well enough. I don't know if it will do 6 or 7 channels but it did 5 just fine.

That's great news.
Thanks for letting us know.
And sorry for my my bad about that HDMI absence, I should have known better.

Bob

 

[FNG212]

That's great news.
Thanks for letting us know.
And sorry for my my bad about that HDMI absence, I should have known better.

Bob

I will dock you 1 chicklet for not knowing every feature of every AVR in existence. I hope you will learn your lesson.

 

[Lordoftherings]

I will dock you 1 chicklet for not knowing every feature of every AVR in existence. I hope you will learn your lesson.

No sweat man, it won't make a huge dent on my reputation.