Decoding question 5.1 surround through 7.1 setup

[John520]

Hi ya'll,

I currently have a 7.1 speaker layout. When I blu ray movies mastered in 5.1 my AV receiver (yamaha rxa3000) plays discrete 5.1 out of the center, front left, front right and the left and right surround. Shouldn't 5.1 play through the back left and right surround? I double checked my wiring, everything is hooked up correctly. The receiver displays either "straight" or "surround decode" during playback. I have attempted to find a solution in the on screen receiver settings and failed. Thanks in advance!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

If I follow you, no. The Yamaha is doing it right. 5.1 will use the side surrounds in a 7.1 layout and not the rear surrounds. Pro Logic IIx will use all 7 by matrixing the side surrounds and the rear ones. IME, this effects imaging negatively so I watch 5.1 movies in 5.1.

 

[lovinthehd]

Agree. Many seem to think rear surrounds are part of a 5.1 setup, whereas just surrounds are part of 5.1. The rear surrounds only come into play in 7.1. Some avrs will automatically take a DTS HDMA 5.1 signal and matrix it to 7.1, too.

 

[John520]

That answers my question! Thank you very much.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

That answers my question! Thank you very much.