Laptop HDMI to Denon AVR-989 Receiver

[HighBomber]

Hello,

In September I purchased a Denon AVR-989 receiver and havn't looked back. I have had a great experience with it, and it even brought life back into my pretty cheap Yamaha speakers.

Now I have wanted to post my set up on these forums for awhile but I have not gotten around to it. I will soon I promise!

Basically I have an Xbox360 plugged into the receiver through HDMI, a VCR which acts as a tv tuner, a LG 22" LCD monitor via HDMI, and my laptop which is connected via HDMI.

My LCD monitor is video for my Xbox360, TV, and is a acts as a dual screen monitor for my laptop. My receiver just switches between inputs and away I go.

Now my issue is with my laptop. I have watched movies all year using my laptop and LCD monitors, getting full surround sound.

Now my problem is music. When I play MP3's, or WAV, whether they are surround sound files or not, my receiver only plays them as stereo, 2.1. Now I don't believe it is my receiver, but I won't deny it.

I am just wondering if anyone has any experience in playing MP3's via HDMI and getting either real 5.1 audio, or even stereo 4.1?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[edmcanuck]

Turn on Dolby PLII processing.

 

[HighBomber]

On further investigation I discovered my receiver does not have Dolby Pro Logic II.

Any other suggestions? If I am using an MP3 with surround capabilities, my receiver shouldn't need Dolby Pro Logic II. I have been reading online that perhaps my computer is modifying the music before it is being sent through HDMI. For example, the surround sound MP3 is being reduced to stereo. Could this be the problem?

Any ideas?

Cheers!

 

[highfigh]

If the laptop has a separate digital audio output, use that and go into one of the digital inputs on the receiver. If you don't have one, you can probably get a USB audio interface. I don't know if it will have latency issues but it should work. Read the manual for this- it may have a Neo setting. If you do use the digital output to the receiver, set the mode to Auto.

 

[AVRat]

It does do PLII, see pg 40.

 

[HighBomber]

Ahh excellent. I took the shortcut, only looking at the specs Denon's website. Thanks, it works great with my standard MP3's.

Now when I play 5.1 MP3's, I shouldn't need Dolby PLII, right? How do I get 5.1 MP3's to work via HDMI?

 

[highfigh]

Ahh excellent. I took the shortcut, only looking at the specs Denon's website. Thanks, it works great with my standard MP3's.

Now when I play 5.1 MP3's, I shouldn't need Dolby PLII, right? How do I get 5.1 MP3's to work via HDMI?

The manual is on their site, too. Google your model number and you should be able to find it (I don't like reading the paper version, either).

You'll need to look into what your sound card is capable of in order to determine why you aren't hearing surround.