Receiver can't detect Dolby Digital. What's wrong?

[Boardrdan]

Ok, so I just got into the home theater stuff, and I have run into a problem. I have a dvd/vcr combo made by cinevision hooked up to a new pioneer receiver with a coaxial digital cable, however the receiver won't detect dolby digital. I'm not using the analog wires also, and the reveiver is indicating a digital connection, howerver it does not indicate that the source contains DD encoding. The receiver therefore uses PLII. I checked, and I'm sure that I have tried with a DVD with encoded DD.

I only really have one thought on why it isn't working, and I was hoping that I could get some advice. My thought is that their is a DVD player setting to choose to send the dolby digital signal. I've read somewhere that I would choose between either "Dolby Digital with PCM" or "Dolby Digital" which is sometimes just put as "PCM" or "Stream". Unfortunately the DVD/VCR combo was supplied by my roommate and the remote no longer exists, therefore, I can't adjust any settings. What does "PCM" stand for? I assume it is a difference between sending 5 channels or simply sending 2, but I really don't know. Is it also possibly that the DVD player is so incredibly cheap that it isn't compatible with Dolby Digital and sends only 2 channels?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Also, if I end up needing to get a new DVD player are their any recommendations. I was thinking of buying a pioneer model that can decode the DVD-a and SACD formats for about $200.

-Dan

 

[zumbo]

PCM(pulse code modulation). Of coarse, I don't know what that means. But, I know it's 2-channel.

You are correct though. You need to set the dvd player to bitstream & I bet you need the remote. You could get a cheapo universal for like $10. It may do what you need? Or, look on ebay.

I have heard the Pioneer player is a good choice!

 

[crashguy]

I agree with Zumbo. PCM = 2 channel. you either need a remote to change the settings, or a new DVD player.

 

[MDS]

PCM can be any number of channels. In the case of a dvd player though, setting 'Dolby Digital' to PCM tells the player to downmix the DD to 2 channel PCM. As has been said already, if you want the receiver to do the decoding, the dvd player must be set to 'Bitstream' and not PCM.

 

[Boardrdan]

Dolby Digital and PLII at the same time?

Thanks guys, I got the new DVD player and now everything works perfectly. It does do something I found to be a little strange though. Rather than just playing Dolby Digital, it plays "DD+PLII" Why is it decoding both DD and PLII?

 

[Zarg]

Thanks guys, I got the new DVD player and now everything works perfectly. It does do something I found to be a little strange though. Rather than just playing Dolby Digital, it plays "DD+PLII" Why is it decoding both DD and PLII?

Okay, this may not be the right answer for your situation but I think I should mention it nonetheless.

The DVD menus and other screens are not coded in Dolby Digital. Only the actual movie itself will be putting out 5.1 sound. So you actually need to let the movie start before you know whether your setup is reading the right audio format or not.

Select a scene in the movie and watch it for 5 minutes. Observe what your DVD player and receiver are telling you. Listen to the sound -- what speakers are playing and how are the effects sounding?

Then you will know for sure whether you have a problem or not...

Good luck!

 

[Boardrdan]

The receiver is displaying "DD+PLII" once the movie itself is playing. I think it just plays either stereo direct or PLII for the menues etc... It is definently playing a surround output, and it sounds quite good. I'm just curious if it is adding something to the dolby digital. It seems to me that it would be best to play the DD exactly as the sound recorder intended for the movie to sound. Thanks!

Dan

 

[Zarg]

Houston, You Have a Problems

The receiver is displaying "DD+PLII" once the movie itself is playing. I think it just plays either stereo direct or PLII for the menues etc... It is definently playing a surround output, and it sounds quite good. I'm just curious if it is adding something to the dolby digital. It seems to me that it would be best to play the DD exactly as the sound recorder intended for the movie to sound. Thanks!

Dan

Based on the quote above, you definitely have a problem. Your system is NOT playing Dolby Digital 5.1, it is playing Dolby Digital Pro-Logic II, which is what happens when a 2-channel (PCM) audio stream is playing into a 5.1 set up. Either your DVD player has not been properly set up to play Dolby Digital (i.e., you must tell it to play BITSTREAM not PCM) or your receiver hasn't been told to accept Dolby Digital on the input set-up. (Note: Many receivers detect and automatically configure to play whatever the DVD player is sending.)

You definitely need to run through your DVD and receiver setup menus one more time. Make sure to have the User's Manual in hand and walk through it step by step. On the DVD set-up, enable BITSTREAM. On the receiver set-up, look for DVD input. Then try again.

Best of luck!

 

[zumbo]

Based on the quote above, you definitely have a problem. Your system is NOT playing Dolby Digital 5.1, it is playing Dolby Digital Pro-Logic II, which is what happens when a 2-channel (PCM) audio stream is playing into a 5.1 set up. Either your DVD player has not been properly set up to play Dolby Digital (i.e., you must tell it to play BITSTREAM not PCM) or your receiver hasn't been told to accept Dolby Digital on the input set-up. (Note: Many receivers detect and automatically configure to play whatever the DVD player is sending.)

You definitely need to run through your DVD and receiver setup menus one more time. Make sure to have the User's Manual in hand and walk through it step by step. On the DVD set-up, enable BITSTREAM. On the receiver set-up, look for DVD input. Then try again.

Best of luck!

I agree. Not the proper set-up.

 

[MDS]

One other thing guys. Some receivers allow you to apply PLII over DD or DTS to get 6.1 channels from a 5.1 disc. I'm not sure how useful that is (seems like it would be better to just use DD-EX), but it is available.

If the receiver has a 'display' function that shows the input format, like Onkyo, you could determine whether it is playing DD 2.0+PLII. For example, on mine if the signal is DD 2.0, the display function will show DD: 2/0 but because PLII is engaged it actually plays over 5 channels. If it is DD 2.0+PLII then the DVD player is setup correctly (using 'bitstream') its just that the signal is 2 channels. Alot of music dvds are DD 2.0.

 

[Zarg]

Good Point

One other thing guys. Some receivers allow you to apply PLII over DD or DTS to get 6.1 channels from a 5.1 disc. I'm not sure how useful that is (seems like it would be better to just use DD-EX), but it is available.

If the receiver has a 'display' function that shows the input format, like Onkyo, you could determine whether it is playing DD 2.0+PLII. For example, on mine if the signal is DD 2.0, the display function will show DD: 2/0 but because PLII is engaged it actually plays over 5 channels. If it is DD 2.0+PLII then the DVD player is setup correctly (using 'bitstream') its just that the signal is 2 channels. Alot of music dvds are DD 2.0.

The original poster does say he has a "new" Pioneer receiver (model not specified). But, given that the source is a "DVD/VCR combo" I doubt he's going for 6.1 or 7.1 sound ... but Anonymous you raise a good point and you could be right.

If the problem is the DVD set-up and the remote is missing, consider getting a new DVD player and keeping the combo just for playing videos. A new player, one that can be configured for 5.1, need not cost all that much.

Regards

 

[Boardrdan]

My setup.

I do actually have a 7 channel system (no sub unfortunately). The receiver is a new pioneer 1014tx (currently on sale at best buy for $400!), and I have DCM kx12s for the front DCM kx6s for the surrounds, the DCM center channel, and a set of old kenwood floor standing speakers for the surround rears.

I think it may be doing the dolby digital and pro logic 2 in order to up convert the 5 channels encoded on the DVD to the 7 channels I'm using. I may try cutting it down to 5 channels later tonight and see if it plays strict DD. I'm almost positive I have the settings for the receiver and the DVD player set correctly (I got a new DVD player rather than trying to fuss with finding a remote for an old crappy combo player).

Does the idea that it is using pro logic 2 to upconvert for the surround back channel make sense, or is it something else? Thanks!

 

[PENG]

I think it may be doing the dolby digital and pro logic 2 in order to up convert the 5 channels encoded on the DVD to the 7 channels I'm using. I may try cutting it down to 5 channels later tonight and see if it plays strict DD. I'm almost positive I have the settings for the receiver and the DVD player set correctly (I got a new DVD player rather than trying to fuss with finding a remote for an old crappy combo player).

You are probably correct, the 1014 is a 2004 model, it may be capable of superimposing PLII (you may be able to select PLIIx, or matrix to get DD EX, or turn it off) onto the DD5.1 material to turn it into 7.1. You may want to read up on the manual. If it was doing the 2 channel thing, it will display DD2.0 as others have already mentioned. So just relax and enjoy!