Receiver setup

[Todd]

I am having a problem hooking up a receiver I just bought to my DVD player and digital cable box. I have a Pioneer VSX D511 receiver and a Sony DVP C650D DVD player. I hooked up the DVD player through the digital Coax and the cable box using an optical connection. When I tried to get sound from the DVD player I kept getting the TV audio even when the receiver was set to DVD/LD. I switched the receiver to TV and I still got the same TV audio. When the receiver is on TV I can only get it to play in analog it won't switch to digital.

When the receiver is switched to DVD and digital I get regular TV audio (not from the DVD player). So I hooked up the 5.1 outputs and set the signal to analog and I got surround sound on DVD. Are the digital connections not assigned properly? Why can't I get the receiver when set to TV to play in digital when I have a digital cable box with digital connection. Also, why am I getting sound from regular TV when DVD/LD is on digital? I am getting sound out of all five speakers (no subwoofer) but I am not sure if it is true surround. Thanks.

 

[Unregistered]

Yes, it sounds like the digital inputs are not assigned. If the digital audio from the dvd player is connected to digital input 1, make sure digital input 1 is assigned to the dvd input (or whatever input you plugged into); same for the cable box.

As far as digital sound from the digital cable box, NOT ALL CHANNELS ARE DIGITAL (I learned that the hard way a long time ago). You should also connect the analog audio outs from the cable box to the receiver. Most receivers also allow you to set Auto (it determines the signal type and switches to the right input jacks) or Digital only or Analog only. In most cases, you want it on Auto. If the digital signal is present, it will use that; if not, it will automatically switch to the analog signal. If you happen to have it on Analog only, then you will hear nothing if the station is broadcasting digital only (rare, but might happen).