Netflix streaming and problemusing 5.1 surround

[seeknshare]

I am facing couple of problems using my newly setup 5.1 system.
My setup:
LG 55LM6700 TV,Denon AVR 1713, LG BP620C Blueray, Pioneer SP-FS52 towers (L&R)
Pioneer SP-C22 Center, SNELL OH-T7 in ceiling, VTF-2 MK4 sub .
Connections: Blueray player --(HDMI)>Receiver-(HDMI)->TV. TV-->Optical Cable->Reciver
When I play blueray disc from the LG Blue ray player, receiver correctly
uses all the 5 speakers and sub.

Problems faced:
1. When I play netflix movie from the LG Blueray player netflix app, it uses only central speaker.
It does not use any of the other speakers. Receiver shows Pro Logic on its lcd panel.
2. When I connect my laptop->HDMI->Receiver and play netflix movie, it goes in stereo mode
and uses only front left & right speakers.

Would you please advise steps to resolve this problem

ps : This forum has been a great resource to me and members have been very helpful to setup my system
I am going to share my experience/pictures with my 5.1 after couple of weeks of using the system.

 

[ImcLoud]

I have the same issues, netflix doesnt not stream 5.1 for all the movies, some come stereo or mono through the center like you describe... I find the streaming blurays and streaming tvs are more likely not to come through in surround, but my ps3 sometimes will play the same movie but in surround sound....

Amazon prime has much better sound and picture IMO.... plus you can purchase or rent new movies instantly...

 

[Rylicious]

I am having the same issues. I set up my 5.1 this weekend and am still tweeking it but wow even commercials change from one speaker to the other it's kind of disheartening. I'm in the process of researching my 133 page manual to see if there some way to trick the system into spreading the sound out over all my speakers even if it was only recorded mono/stereo etc. Let's keep each other posted on ideas.

 

[agarwalro]

Even when 5.1 audio is available, Netflix defaults to Stereo. Via the Options sub-menu you have to manually select the surround sound track before playing a video.

 

[seeknshare]

Netflix dolby digital: Black hawk down

I came across this article

To-date, no television we've tested delivers Netflix streaming audio in Dolby® Digital 5.1, including this Samsung. You can use your home theater receiver to take advantage of the optical audio output for better sound quality, but it won't provide multi-channel audio. It should also be noted that Netflix does not offer Dolby Digital surround for all of its streaming movies. You need to look for the "multi-channel '5.1' logo" when considering adding the film to your queue. We used Black Hawk Down, which Netflix streams in Dolby Digital.

More later..

Also this search engine gives list of surround sound streaming movies

http://www.tvandmoviesnow.com/search.php?search=&advanced=0&serv=Netflix&type=&Prime=1&sur=1

 

[agarwalro]

Even when 5.1 audio is available, Netflix defaults to Stereo. Via the Options sub-menu you have to manually select the surround sound track before playing a video.

Shoot! I forgot to specify that the aforementioned behavior is on the PS3 .

 

[lsiberian]

Shoot! I forgot to specify that the aforementioned behavior is on the PS3 .

It's the same on the 360, but most things I watch are TV shows made in stereo. Isn't Amazon Prime a Netflix knockoff?

 

[j_garcia]

It's the same on the 360, but most things I watch are TV shows made in stereo. Isn't Amazon Prime a Netflix knockoff?

Techincally, all streaming services are a Netflix knockoff. Amazon Prime actually has very good 5.1 audio. The Prime browser/app on the PS3 is a POS though.

 

[seeknshare]

Netflix dolby digital: Resolved

By searching for surround sound movies and playing it on through my blueray player, this problem is resolved for me.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Hi Ho]

It's the same on the 360, but most things I watch are TV shows made in stereo. Isn't Amazon Prime a Netflix knockoff?

I get 5.1 from Netflix on my Xbox on a lot of content and I do not have to manually select it.

Still, even if it's only streaming in stereo you should not be hearing just the center speaker if the receiver is PLII mode. The center is the primary dialogue source so it will probably be the most active but the other speakers should be working playing the ambient effects, music, and such.

 

[agarwalro]

By searching for surround sound movies and playing it on through my blueray player, this problem is resolved for me.

Thanks everyone!

Kewl! Glad it worked out ok.

 

[Hi Ho]

I would like to add to my previous statement. I hadn't watched Netflix for a while and I have tried watching it tonight and I too am only getting sound out of the front left and right speakers when watching a movie that streams in stereo. This was not the case in the past using the Xbox. Something seems to have changed and it is very annoying.

 

[Hi Ho]

After poking around a bit last night I think I see what's going on. Instead of outputting two channels when the content is in stereo Netflix is now outputting a 5.1 Dolby Digital regardless which does not allow the receiver to apply PLII processing and you get only the front left and right speakers.

I can get around this by forcing the Xbox to output only 2 channel stereo but that is a very annoying workaround as I have to exit Netflix, go into the console settings, and change it every time I want to watch something on Netflix that isn't in 5.1.

It seems Netflix cannot update anything without screwing something up. I do not understand how they keep doing stuff like this. I don't know if it's Netflix or Microsoft but it seems this is not just an Xbox issue. In previous "updates", they screwed up the black levels not once, but twice. They made the black levels way too high, finally fixed it, and later, broke it again. I had to program a "Netflix" button on my remote to load a picture settings memory with the brightness cranked way down.

There are standards for all of these things. I don't get why they keep messing with them.