Help: Left Surround Ch missing in DTS

[Guitar_Frost]

Looking for some guidance. Player is Oppo DV980H, outputting in Raw and interpretting to 7.1 mode, into an Onkyo HTR540 receiver hardwired for 7.1.

When I use the the receiver to run test signals to all of the channels, I get signal chain all the way around. When I listen to stuff in Neo, etc. I get all channels firing. However, when I switch to DTS mode on the player, my left surround channel goes down. I think I'm even still getting something in the back, just not in the 'middle' surround ch. If I listen to DTS program music, anything dedicated specifically to that channel (e.g. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen) program suddenly suddenly misses entire tracks.

There's signal going to the speaker in all modes but DTS. I've tried multiple DTS sources and that ch still goes crickets on me. Actually, crickets would be an improvement.

I REALLY like listening to my music in full surround mode - esp DTS, but Houston, we have a problem here.

Ideas?

Thanks -

-=sf=-

 

[jostenmeat]

Help me understand here: Do you actually NEED the DTS decoded at the player?

If not, just leave it as raw (bitstream)?

Is it the player that's kaput? If you want to decode at player, is it sent via the same connections as bitstream (optical? hdmi?). Are the connections secure, particularly if you're using mch analogs?

 

[XEagleDriver]

Couple Questions

Like you I really enjoy music in DTS.

Given your problem description, the problem has to be in one of three places;
the Oppo's DTS decoder,
the wire(s) connecting the Oppo to the Onkyo,
or the Onkyo's DTS decoder.

To find a fix, it would be very helpful to know:

1. What audio connection is used from the Oppo to the Onkyo?
(HDMI, Optical, Coaxial, or Analog Multi-channel)

2. Is the Oppo set to output DTS audio as PCM or BITSTREAM?

3. Has this always been the case, or is it a new, pop-up problem?

XEagleDriver

 

[Guitar_Frost]

Reply to XEagle and J-Meat

A sincere thanks to the both of you for the gentle reminder to think logically.

I can't believe I blew this one. I'm going multi-analog out, and had a slightly loose RCA cable. Duh.

Thanks for your sincere willingness to help.

So, X, what are some recommended listening in DTS? Done any of the Porcupine Tree recordings? If you like rock, they're stellar.

Best to you both, and thanks again... -=sf=-

 

[agarwalro]

If you get any sound it that speaker at all, it is hooked up ok. But not necessarily correctly.

What happens when you play standard DD? Do the sides play as expected or do you see the same issue, that is, on one of the matrixed settings like 7 Channel Stereo, all speakers play, but when you switch to DD Standard, the rears play but not the sides?

I am shooting in the dark here, but, are your side surrounds and rear surrounds connected properly. I have a feeling that at the back of your receiver the back speakers have been connected to the side terminals and side speakers to the rear terminals.

Why? DTS is mostly 5.1 and in rare instances 6.1. So, when you switch to DTS (standard non matrixed), the sides should play and the rears should be silent. DTS Neo processing will take the side channel information and matrix it to the back channels. So in this mode, all channels play.

Edit: Missed that it was only the left surround that was going down...

 

[Guitar_Frost]

Thanks for your help...

... DTS is mostly 5.1 and in rare instances 6.1. So, when you switch to DTS (standard non matrixed), the sides should play and the rears should be silent. DTS Neo processing will take the side channel information and matrix it to the back channels. So in this mode, all channels play.

Edit: Missed that it was only the left surround that was going down...

Very cool. Didn't know that.

Since my system "Down-mixes" to 7.1, I get the surround channels spread across both the surround mid and surround rear channels.

I'm pleased to say I'm a moron and the issue was simply a loose cable. I had forgotten that I was using 5 discrete outputs (a logical explanation) from the Oppo, since I was actually running two outputs from the Oppo to the receiver. One a single RCA digital, and the other the 5-ch analog RCAs.

Anyways. I have one again publicly displayed my gooberness, and found this cool cyber-corner with some kind, responsive and smart folks. Thanks all for your generous help. -=sf=-