Pioneer VSX-D814 a/v receiver

[SLaW]

This is my first time with a surround sound package. I have the Pioneer VSX-D814 Receiver using Yamaha NS-BP4500 speaker package. I am using RCA L/R audio output from the DVD player to the Receiver & the yellow RCA plug for video.

I have hooked up the speaker wires using banana plugs to plug into the receiver. I get sound coming from the two front speakers. Nothing on the center channel, the two surrounds, or the rear channel speaker (one only). I currently have the setting of FL-CL-SS (Front Large-Center Large-Surround Small). I have changed that setting in the receiver to other settings with no difference. I have connected my single rear speaker to (-) Left and (+) Right in the Rear Speakers section on the back of the receiver (as suggested by the Pioneeer manual).

In regards to the subwoofer, I can only get it to work if I plug directly into the Subwoofer out port off the DVD player. If I plug it into the Subwoofer PREOUT on the receiver, no sound comes from the subwoofer. Do I need a "Y" cable for the subwoofer to function properly from the receiver?

I do have a follow up question in regards to video/audio cabling, but I need to get the speakers working first.

Thanks for the help. And yes, I have looked at the manual and followed the directions, to no avail. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't know what that would be.

Steve

 

[rgriffin25]

It is probably a few settings that need to be adjusted. In the set-up menu (the same one where you determine the speaker size) you need to check and see if the subwoofer is set to on or Plus. If this is not on the correct setting it will not send a signal to the Sub.

Secondly, I would reccommend that you use a digital coax or optical cable from the DVD player to your receiver. Doing this will enable you to get the most out of your system. To get you by, you can use a yellow video cable for this connection.

Check to see what sound (DSP) mode you are using. Usually the advance or standard button on your remote. This will allow you to get sound from all of your speakers.

Those are just a few hints to get you pointed in the right direction. Continue to read your owners manual, pioneer does a decent job of explaining things in their manuals.

 

[SLaW]

Pioneer A/V receiver

rgriffin25,

For the subwoofer, I switched from On to Plus to Off (of course that wouldn't work if I have it set to "Off" ). No difference between any settings.

For the other speakers, I went to click on the advanced button, but hit the other one next to it (Stereo/Direct). Now I have all the speakers running. I don't know why what I did fixed the "problem"; I was doing that before, but for some reason it worked this time. It shows the "Dolby ProLogic" setting on the receiver. Now I just need to adjust the distancing of each speaker because the volume is way too low in the rear and surround speakers.

For the optical cable, I did have one, but with the above adjustments, it's working now. I don't know why, but I guess it has to do with just talking to somebody that knows what's going on

Now I need to figure out the subwoofer setting.

Also, I need clarification on something. If I have composite video on the DVD player and receiver, but not on the television, should it work to hook up composite video from the DVD player to the Receiver but then use a different cabling to the television (older model which only has WRY or Coaxial cable connection)?

 

[juke17]

Some tips

Use the digital connection out of the DVD player. Either the optical or digital coax. You don't want Pro Logic. You want Dolby Digital. There is a huge difference. You can use any 75 ohm video cable for the digital coax connection so thats usually the easiest way to go. The receiver had its Stereo/Direct mode on which downmixes everything to stereo when you hit the button you toggled it off. I would set the surround mode to Auto which will allow a Dolby Digital signal to play when the receiver detects it. Set your subwoofer to Plus with the speaker package you have. Once you get the digital connection made and play a DVD with Dolby Digital you will notice a huge difference.

 

[SLaW]

Almost finished setup

I worked on the setup over the weekend and have it almost tweaked for the speaker distances.

I will just throw out my previous last question one more time:

I have seen on other forums that you can only use the composite video from the DVD player to the A/V Receiver ONLY if you have the ability to go from the A/V Receiver to the Television. Is this true?

Currently I am using the standard RCA yellow from the DVD player to the A/V Receiver. I would like to use the Composite Video cable I have already purchased (prior to reading the comments on the other forums).

Thanks for the other comments!

Steve

 

[rgriffin25]

The receiver can be used to pass video signals if needed. However if you have enough connections on the back of your tv I would connect the DVD video out directly to the back of the TV. Using the receiver is helpful if you need to switch video sources. (like an xbox or satellite receiver) Other than that I would only use the receiver for audio connections.

 

[trekuhl]

you can convert the signals through the receiver, although you cannot probably pass component video in (from your DVD) and have an svid or standard RCA out to TV

I just purchased a pioneer elite vsx54 and looked around at this feature quite a bit,

some receivers can only pass straight thru (svid to svid, RCA to RCA, composite to composite) this is what the HKs seem to do ( i bought a AVR525 last month)

i would check the manual, i know the vsx54 can upconvert as well as some others i looked at (onkyo, yamaha)