YAMAHA amp/rec.- Surround decoded ??

[mrlewp]

Recently employed new Yamaha RX-V363 , but still have only 4 speakers . There are small LEDs on front panel to indicate number of channels (stereo vs. 5.1) in signal being processed. In "BASIC SETUP" , I have chosen 4 spkrs. (front L/R , surround L/R). I have tried an optical line from TV to Yamaha , then same from Comcasts HD box. Regardless, only 2 front LEDs are ever present. Sounds as though I'm getting surround output from DVD's at least, but never from Cable TV, whether direct from cable box, or from TV optical out.
I have made coax-audio hookup from DVD player directly to amp, as opposed to thru TV first. As stated, I recognize surround sound effects, but still only front LED's light up on amp. More troublesome, when I dig into "sound info" via amp's menu, signal is always shown as 02\0000\.... (? or the like) , which I read as STEREO ! , not 5.1 ch.
I have tried PRO-LOGIC , and PRO-LOGIC II with same details shown, or not shown. ****>>>> Even though I currently use only 4 spkrs., should I not
be decoding 5.1 , and getting use of front and rear signals ??

 

[3db]

From page 20 of the owners manual;

17 Input channel and speaker indicators
LFE indicator

Lights up when the input signal contains the LFE
signal.
Input channel indicators
Indicate the channel components of the current digital
input signal.

The indicator shows the inputs used, not the speaker outputs used by the amp.

 

[Tiguron]

Sounds like the issue is the signal the cable box is outputting. Is there a setting that has been missed somewhere? Dig through the audio output setting on the cable box. Also, make sure the source material is multichannel and not stereo. Everything may be set right, but the show may simply be broadcast in stereo.

 

[Mrdplobrat]

I have the V663 and it's the same thing. The signal from the hd cablebox for most channels comes as 2 channel stereo (even though it says DD on the info page). This you can verify by going into the menu on the receiver. The basic menu will tell you about signal info in a X/Y/Z format, where X are front channels, Y are surround channels and Z are lfe channels.

However, as 3db comments, that does not mean the receiver isn't outputting to the other speakers. Just that the signal is originally 2 channel stereo.