RX-V1700 decoders

[miggs29]

I have a Yamaha RX-V1700 and I am trying to ensure that I have the right set up for the surround sound. Mostly, I am concerned to which decoder mode to use. I am currently using neural sound as my main mode because I was trying to use the cinema-dsp mode (movie:adventure and sci-fi) and I was hearing some distortion and from the FL and FR speakers when using those modes. The distortion was only present if the signal was not in dolby digital. I am using a digital directv box with this receiver. So, my question is which mode should I be using? I do have the decoder set to auto and the receiver does switch to 5.1 if the movie is dolby. Should I be using DTS, PrologicII movie, Neo6: cinema? I do love this receiver but I need some help with the set up.

Need some help.....

Also, the HDMI version 1.2 on this receiver. Should I have gotten a receiver with version 1.3? I will be buying an HDTV and I did not realize that a new HDMI version was already out. The receiver was on sale ($500) and it had some great features that others in this price range did not have.

 

[GlocksRock]

I would just leave it set on Dolby PLIIx for everything. You won't really need a HDMI 1.3 receiver with the new audio formats as long as your player can internally decode the signal and output it to your receiver as PCM.

 

[miggs29]

Thanks for the advise!

Could you please explain what neural sound is? Or NEO6? Neuralsound sounds very good. However, I want to make sure that I am not loosing surround effects if I am not using any of the cinema DSP sound fields.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Your owners manual explains the DSP modes pretty well.

Thanks for the advise!

Could you please explain what neural sound is? Or NEO6? Neuralsound sounds very good. However, I want to make sure that I am not loosing surround effects if I am not using any of the cinema DSP sound fields.

 

[GlocksRock]

Neo 6 is basically DTS's version of PLIIx, but it only does 6 channels, whereas PLIIx does 7 channels.

DTS Neo:6
Provides 5.1 or 6.1 channels of matrix decoding from stereo matrix material. Also decodes Extended Surround matrix sound tracks and has a Music mode to expand stereo non-matrix recordings to 5.1 or 6.1 channels.

Neural Surround THX Technologies
Neural-THX® Surround makes surround music, radio listening and games more accessible and enjoyable. Neural-THX Surround’s unique encoding process provides the rich envelopment and discrete image detail of surround sound in a format 100% compatible with stereo for use in CD’s, Radios, portable digital music players and digital music downloads. With superior spectral resolution and channel separation, Neural-THX Surround draws the brain’s attention to the sonic details in musical instruments, vocals and ambience that are typically masked by other playback systems. This allows the listener to fully experience the richness and subtleties in recorded performance as never before.

 

[miggs29]

Thanks for all your help. I tried the PLIImovie and for the suround decode and DSP. However, I hear a distorted hiss from the front L and R speakers. That hiss only happens if the movie or TV show signal is coming as stereo (FL and FR). I am just wondering if that is normal. The movies from directv may say dolby, but only I see my FL and FR speakers icons on the receiver display. That does not happen all the time. I thought that idfthe movie is in dolby then the sound should always come as 5.1. I gues is hard to explain. Are all movies in 5.1 if they say dolby? I am justr not sure which mode to use. Movie:adventure, Neural sound, PLII or any other??????? I am sorry of I am not making any sense. I guess I need a lot of guidance.....

 

[MDS]

I thought that idfthe movie is in dolby then the sound should always come as 5.1. I gues is hard to explain. Are all movies in 5.1 if they say dolby? I am justr not sure which mode to use.

Some movies and nearly all music dvds (like concerts) are in Dolby Digital 2.0 and in that case you would only see the front L and R speaker icons. If the movie is in DD 5.1 and you only see two lights, then the setting on the DVD player is incorrect and the receiver is being sent a 2 channel PCM signal. For that case you need to set the DVD player to output 'bitstream'.

It is entirely a matter of personal preference as to which matrix decoder to use when the source is not DD 5.1. They each process the signal in slightly different ways and you have to experiment to see which one you like. Personally I find that to be a major chore and is one reason I don't care for receivers that offers a zillion different matrix decoders. For what it's worth, I think PLII(x) Music is the mode to use. The Music mode differs from the Movie mode in that you can set additional parameters like Center Width (spread the sound more to the fronts than the center), Dimension (move the sound field forward or backward), and Panorama (wrap some of the front info to the surrounds for a panoramic effect). I use PLII Music exclusively.

 

[miggs29]

MDS,

Thanks you for your comments. I have tried the PLIImusic and my only problem is that when the movies are in Dolby 2.0 (From HBO, not DVD) I hear a distorted dialogue form the FL and FR speakers. The center sounds good. All these issues only happen if the movies are not in 5.1. I have been using neural surround because the issue is not there. I was just not sure if I had a setting wrong. I swa anohter posting in here and do you think the issue is with my directv box? It is doldy digital. Should I do something with that?

 

[MDS]

Something is wrong if you hear distortion from the front speakers when using PLII (or PLIIx). It could possibly be due to a setting in directv box or maybe even room acoustics issues but it is definitely not normal (at least I've never encountered such a problem with my cable box).

I'd double check that the directv box is set to output dolby digital as is and not convert to PCM (although it really shouldn't matter) and make sure there are no compression or 'stereo downmix' type options set.

 

[miggs29]

Thanks, for the advise. I do see that my receiver is showing PCM on the display. How can I change it?

 

[GlocksRock]

Most likely you will have to change what the source is outputting, the receiver is just telling you what type if signal is being input to it.