Using Zone 2 while watching a 5.1 program.

[SteveJordan]

I have a Rotel receiver (rsx1058) and had a typical 5.1 set up until last week... I just added a separate amplifier for my front mains via line-out.... With this receiver I am able to redirect the vacated front main speaker outputs to Zone 2. (Zone 2 being my backyard speakers)... I set this up this past weekend and if I am watching a Dolby Digital show (such as an NFL game), the zone 2 speakers just output the normal front L/R channel sounds... No dialog is heard since there is no center channel outdoors. Is this a limitation I just need to live with, or is there a workaround to get a "downsampled" two channel signal to a second zone? This may be a very model specific question, not sure how universal these setups are....


For the record, zone 2 has been connected to a separate amp, which worked fine, but line level Zone 2 is limited to analog sources only. For this reason I was exited to use the front mains as zone 2 to alleviate that limitation...

 

[agarwalro]

Have you tried downmix the DD track to Stereo in the Main zone? While this is not a perfect solution, at least you will have dialogue. "Press the SUR+ button on the remote, then press the +/– buttons to change between DD 5.1 channel or DD 2.0 channel downmix playback" Refer to Pg 30-31 of the manual for more details.

 

[SteveJordan]

That is kinda what I am trying to figure out. The manual is not very clear about how to deal with redirected channels or second zones... Ultimately, that is my goal though... I guess a possible workaround might be to connect my DVR via a second analog audio connection. Will that cause sync issues? I have no idea. I am definitely out of my 2 channel comfort zone with all these speakers everywhere....

 

[agarwalro]

One more option would be to disable DD in the DVR itself and running 5 or 7Ch stereo in the Main Zone. Since your DVR is sending a downmix, Zone 2 will get dialogue.