Panasonic BD55 Owners Thread

[EddieG]

audio connections for dvd and blu ray

From what I read it is better to use TOSLINK instead of the 6 channel analog for DVD's?

Is there much of a NOTICEABLE difference between coax and toslink? I have a lot of component cables lying around and would like to avoid buying another toslink.

Thanks!

 

[billy p]

From what I read it is better to use TOSLINK instead of the 6 channel analog for DVD's?

Is there much of a NOTICEABLE difference between coax and toslink? I have a lot of component cables lying around and would like to avoid buying another toslink.

Thanks!

Toslink(fibre optic) & coax basically are the same thing. Just depends on your components and how you use them. Albeit lately mfg are leaning more towards coax!
Also Eddy FWIW if your happy with the sound using the digital connection than go that route. I had both hooked up but if you want my subjective opinion than use the digital connection through the receiver.

 

[EddieG]

Toslink(fibre optic) & coax basically are the same thing. Just depends on your components and how you use them. Albeit lately mfg are leaning more towards coax!
Also Eddy FWIW if your happy with the sound using the digital connection than go that route. I had both hooked up but if you want my subjective opinion than use the digital connection through the receiver.

I'm not using the digital connection...I just tested it for bass to make sure the sub was working. I paid extra for the bd55 so I can use the 6 channel audio and dog-gone it! I'm gonna use it!!

As for dvd's I forgot to ask about the sound quality using coax/toslink vs using the 6 channel audio.

Thanks!

 

[mtrycrafts]

As for dvd's I forgot to ask about the sound quality using coax/toslink vs using the 6 channel audio.

Thanks!

Regular DVDs have DD/DTS on them, up to 6.1 matrixed. so, it is equal which way you do it.

 

[Thunder18]

I'm not using the digital connection...I just tested it for bass to make sure the sub was working. I paid extra for the bd55 so I can use the 6 channel audio and dog-gone it! I'm gonna use it!!

As for dvd's I forgot to ask about the sound quality using coax/toslink vs using the 6 channel audio.

Thanks!

The difference between using 6 ch analog and digital optical/coax for regular DVD's is the fact that if your receiver has any room corrections routines, they will be bypassed when using analog, but are fully intact when using digital. DVD's will sound and perform just fine over digital using regular Dolby Digital/DTS.

 

[EddieG]

When I test my speakers with the AVR my subwoofer is working. When watching blu-ray I'm not sure. I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean and during a battle with canons I put my ear to the sub and heard nothing. I have the receiver set so the LFR's to go to the sub.

I am using the 6 channel audio.

Thanks for any info.

Follow up...

I connected my front right speaker to the sub to test it out and got audio. So there is a setting somewhere that is not sending bass to the sub with the 6 channel direct. Any ideas to help me?

Thanks!

 

[billy p]

Follow up...

I connected my front right speaker to the sub to test it out and got audio. So there is a setting somewhere that is not sending bass to the sub with the 6 channel direct. Any ideas to help me?

Thanks!

Are you sure you've set the sub in the analog set up to "ON" just double check, other than that I supect there is something wrong with the subs analog output and therefore you must return it.
Ps: You must be frustrated as hell, I know, I am.

 

[EddieG]

Are you sure you've set the sub in the analog set up to "ON" just double check, other than that I supect there is something wrong with the subs analog output and therefore you must return it.
Ps: You must be frustrated as hell, I know, I am.

Where do I "set the sub in the analog set up to ON"? is that in the bluray? I looked around the menus for some such setting but could not find one Or is it in the receiver? I am very anxious to get home tonight and try that!!!

And thanks for sharing your frustration. Last night I plugged in the COAX and sat there going back and forth from coax to 6 channel direct, and the coax sounds better which, of course, is extremely frustrating since I paid extra money for the BD55 just for the audio processing.

Thanks so much for all of your assistance!!

 

[billy p]

Where do I "set the sub in the analog set up to ON"? is that in the bluray? I looked around the menus for some such setting but could not find one Or is it in the receiver? I am very anxious to get home tonight and try that!!!

And thanks for sharing your frustration. Last night I plugged in the COAX and sat there going back and forth from coax to 6 channel direct, and the coax sounds better which, of course, is extremely frustrating since I paid extra money for the BD55 just for the audio processing.

Thanks so much for all of your assistance!!

I see your at work too. Just off the top of my head your speakers will be set to large if sub is set to "NO" this is a default. Just read the page 34 and I hope thats all it is.
As for your listening experience between the two, I would agree with you! Most all surround receivers will do a better job of processing the incoming signal and enable you apply proper BM. This is why I returned my 55 and bought the 35, only now I must buy a HDMI receiver, but I feel this will be worthwhile because lossless audio via a HDMI receiver allows you to process all that wonderfull sound through the receiver.

Report back when you get home.

 

[EddieG]

I see your at work too. Just off the top of my head your speakers will be set to large if sub is set to "NO" this is a default. Just read the page 34 and I hope thats all it is.
As for your listening experience between the two, I would agree with you! Most all surround receivers will do a better job of processing the incoming signal and enable you apply proper BM. This is why I returned my 55 and bought the 35, only now I must buy a HDMI receiver, but I feel this will be worthwhile because lossless audio via a HDMI receiver allows you to process all that wonderfull sound through the receiver.

Report back when you get home.

If I had the choice I'd sell my receiver and buy a new one, but I just bought the one I have not too long ago without realizing how important the HDMI audio is.

 

[billy p]

If I had the choice I'd sell my receiver and buy a new one, but I just bought the one I have not too long ago without realizing how important the HDMI audio is.

I'm home now, I start work @ 6am. I wouldn't worry to much about the HDMI thing, if I were you. Once you've resloved the sub issue, you'll still get lossless via analog. Heh.. I just come up with these excuses in order to sell them to my wife, so I can spend our money before the kids get it. Oh and BTW I would still connect a digital cable to your panny for SD dvd playback.

Cheers, Bill

 

[EddieG]

I'm home now, I start work @ 6am. I wouldn't worry to much about the HDMI thing, if I were you. Once you've resloved the sub issue, you'll still get lossless via analog. Heh.. I just come up with these excuses in order to sell them to my wife, so I can spend our money before the kids get it. Oh and BTW I would still connect a digital cable to your panny for SD dvd playback.

Cheers, Bill

I'm leaving work now (started at 10)...called Panny tech support and they didn't know how to turn the sub on/off. I'll re-check some settings...if you can think of anything I'll check these boards before I go play.

Thanks!

 

[EddieG]

I'm leaving work now (started at 10)...called Panny tech support and they didn't know how to turn the sub on/off. I'll re-check some settings...if you can think of anything I'll check these boards before I go play.

Thanks!

Ok...I just spent many minutes trying different things and still no bass with the 6 channel direct.

Can I plug the cable from the bass out on the player directly to the sub woofer out on the AVR, or do I need to go through the sub-in on the 6 channel inputs?

Is there a way to tell if there is something wrong with the bass out on the player?

Thanks!

 

[EddieG]

Ok...I just spent many minutes trying different things and still no bass with the 6 channel direct.

Can I plug the cable from the bass out on the player directly to the sub woofer out on the AVR, or do I need to go through the sub-in on the 6 channel inputs?

Is there a way to tell if there is something wrong with the bass out on the player?

Thanks!

What I meant to say is can I plug the sub-out from the blu ray into the sub woofer directly.

 

[Thunder18]

What I meant to say is can I plug the sub-out from the blu ray into the sub woofer directly.

There's really no reason why you can't do that. In both cases the powered sub is receiving a low level signal from the outputs of either your receiver or the player and amplifying it and power the sub with it's own built in amplifier. It would definately be a good way to test to make sure there's not something wrong with your analog subwoofer out on your player vs. the receiver. Do you have another dvd player you can try that is equipped with multi-channel outputs?

 

[EddieG]

There's really no reason why you can't do that. In both cases the powered sub is receiving a low level signal from the outputs of either your receiver or the player and amplifying it and power the sub with it's own built in amplifier. It would definately be a good way to test to make sure there's not something wrong with your analog subwoofer out on your player vs. the receiver. Do you have another dvd player you can try that is equipped with multi-channel outputs?

I did connect my front speaker out from the player to the sub in on the receiver and did get audio, so I know it's not the receiver. I do not have anything else with multi-channel outs.

I could exchange the unit in case there is a defect with the bass out.

 

[billy p]

I did connect my front speaker out from the player to the sub in on the receiver and did get audio, so I know it's not the receiver. I do not have anything else with multi-channel outs.

I could exchange the unit in case there is a defect with the bass out.

Thats what I would do. It sound like your players sub output is the culprit, especially if you've already switched out the players front channel and got audio to the receiver. Heck I returned both my sony s550 & panny bd55 after about 2 weeks of use and they were working properly.

Regards, Bill

 

[EddieG]

Thats what I would do. It sound like your players sub output is the culprit, especially if you've already switched out the players front channel and got audio to the receiver. Heck I returned both my sony s550 & panny bd55 after about 2 weeks of use and they were working properly.

Regards, Bill

The only drawback is I got it through Amazon so I'll have to pay to ship it back. Or I could be sneaky and buy a new one at Best Buy, then return this one to them...

 

[billy p]

Heh... I reserverd the bd35 online for in store pick up and returned the 55 at the same time. FWIW you could consider the 35 and save a few dollars.

Cheers, Bill

 

[EddieG]

Heh... I reserverd the bd35 online for in store pick up and returned the 55 at the same time. FWIW you could consider the 35 and save a few dollars.

Cheers, Bill

I had used some Amazon gift vouchers so I'm not concerned about the money. I also went with the 55 for the audio since my receiver doesn't do the HD audio, etc.