Need to check the Sony
Or maybe I'm the one with brain damage... (likely)
I am helping a friend install his new budget HT system with a Yamaha RX-V363 as the chosen receiver. We connected his Sony DVD player using the optical connection since the RX-V363 HDMI does not support audio. The RX-V363 has 2 optical connections. One is labeled "CD", and the other is labeled "DTV/Cable".
Upon connecting the devices and setting things up, I noticed we were only getting 2 channel sound. No matter what settings I selected, I couldn't get more than 2 channels to light up (on the little speaker display). Is this because the RX-V363 can't get more than 2 channels through an optical input???
No. It is because the "little speaker display lights" represent
the input signal the 363 is getting, in this case from the Sony (
not the output signals being sent to the speakers). Therefore, this is telling you the Sony is only outputing 2 channels.
Did you confirm with your ears that the center/surrounds are not "singing"? In certain modes, like Dolby PLII, the 363 is supposed to take a 2-channel input signal and artificially split it up into a "fake" 5.1 to create a surround effect.
Check the Sony's settings, consider setting the Sony to RAW or BITSTREAM (or equivalent) to allow the 363 to decode the 5.1 itself.
Unfortunately, the DVD player does not have multichannel outputs... only HDMI and Optical (and regular 2 channel). But I haven't heard of a receiver made recently that cannot get multichannel audio through it's optical inputs.
You are correct sir! Having a RX-V563 myself, I am confident your friend's 363 can receive and process MC audio via optical as well.
So, is the only way to get true surround out of a RX-V363 to utilize the multichannel inputs?
No, I don't believe so either.
If the receiver does get 5.1 through the optical inputs, shouldn't it be able to automatically detect them?
Yes, but as described above the receiver is not currently receiving a 5.1 signal.
I have tried all the "auto" settings, but nothing worked. I even tried DVD's with different audio formats (DTS vs. Dolby 5.1). I eventually set everything back to the factory defaults and still only got 2 channels. Could something be damaged on the receiver or am I being a bonehead?
Maybe, but until the Sony's audio settings are verified, it is hard to tell.
What is the model on the Sony?? This could help with troubleshooting.
Cheers,
XEagleDriver
