Denon 3806 input/output surround confusion

[heckeng]

Quick question on the source surround mode vs. the output.

Here's the scenario. I stuck in the first Harry Potter DVD, and the receiver showed that the only input channels were front right and front left, but that it was Dolby Digital. When the DVD audio intro started up (like the THX thing but different company) it showed 5.1 input, but when the movie actually kicked in, it changed to 2 channel. I am using Coax-1 for the DVD input so I would think it would always show 5.1 available. I currently don't have rears hooked up, but do have the sub, front right and left, and center channels. I looked in the receiver manual and it did say that you can have two channel Dolby Digital sources, but I wasn't aware of them. So, after looking through the menus of both the DVD player and the Receiver, but NOT changing anything, I restarted the DVD and now it shows that the Coax-1 Digital input is receiving full 5.1 instead of the 2-channel. Is this a setting somewhere that I have messed up, or need to adjust sometimes when I put DVDs in? Can anyone explain what I have going on?

Thanks

 

[MDS]

It sounds like you have everything working, but a couple of points:

1. DD 2.0 is actually very common, especially on digital cable. The majority of music DVDs I own are DD 2.0. Often the intro to a movie is in DD 2.0 and then switches to 5.1 when the movie starts, so your case sounds normal.

2. If the dvd player is set to output 'bitstream' and the receiver's digital inputs are assigned properly and set to 'auto', then the receiver should automatically select the correct decoder. From your description, it sounds like you have everything right.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Check the dvd setup menu...

...sometimes the dvd's default is to play DD in 2.0, especially on older movies, although that's probably not the case with the first Harry Potter movie. Also, I've noticed sometimes my player will "automatically" play a different soundtrack than the one I've selected or the sound won't always sync up. My solution has been to reselect the correct one from the menu or do as you did and eject and reload the movie. I think a few other people here have occasionally had similar problems with their players, usually those in the lower price range.

 

[The Chukker]

Are you in "Direct" mode or "Pure Direct" mode? These two surround settings automatically output in Stereo no matter what the input is. If this is the case and you have surround settings set to auto, just tap the Direct button or Pure Direct button (whatever corresponding mode you are currently in) on the remote in order to "cancel" it so to speak.

 

[ca_newbee]

Setting the 3806 is a pain... worse is that if you change anything it seems to take forever to get back to your 'preferred' set up, especially for DVD's.. its becoming pretty hard to live with

 

[JES14]

I'll swap you for a 3802, it's easy to live with.

 

[jcPanny]

DVD flags

Many DVD do not contain the correct audio flags (to switch back and forth from DD 2.0 to DD 5.1). After the movie starts, manually adjust the receiver to DD 5.1 mode. It sounds like an issue with the DVD and not the receiver.