Some Questions about setting up...

[shawnster]

Ok, I'm not a complete newbie but I do have some questions that are perplexing to me but probably simple to most of you.
Equipment: Denon 1804 A/V receiver, Denon DVD-1600, Panasonic DVD-S97S (just added for the HDMI, evaluating picture quality), Paradigm Legend V.3 fronts, Paradigm center and subs.

Simple but perplexing question: both the DVD players and the receiver allow me to choose the surround mode. do i have to choose the same on both or just one? does my dvd player actually have a surround decoder/ processor on board and, if so, why don't i use the Ext. In jacks on my receiver and then choose "direct" on the receiver?

How do i choose which surround modes on which equipment?

 

[j_garcia]

If using analog, the player determines the surround functions. If using a digital connection, the options for speaker settings and surround options are ignored. In both cases, only one or the other is used. The preferred method is to use a digital connection and let the receiver do the decoding and surround processing because the receiver ususally has better bass management than the player.

 

[mpompey]

I would recommend selecting the surround mode via the receiver and just using the Digital Outs on the DVD straight into the receiver with no sound adjustment at all. Same with Video. I would take the video source off the DVD with no enhancements, then configure my projector or TV based on the ambient light of the room.

You'll probably find out most people do it like this. It makes it so much easier to adjust, if you only have to adjust on one end.

 

[shawnster]

great answers, thanks!

so when i use the optical out jack on the dvd player, is it automatically set to the "raw" signal and then my receiver sorts it out based on how i set my receiver?

what's the difference between PCM and bitstream?

when you set up your audio on a dvd, are you really simply choosing which soundtrack to play?

 

[shawnster]

and what is better?

Optical vs. Coaxial?

 

[mpompey]

Here are some good links on this site regarding PCM and Bitstream, as well as DVD setup options:

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/avhardware/audiovideosetup.php

Optical versus Coaxial
http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/coaxvsopticaldigital.php

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