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Ian W
23-03-08, 18:16
I've had a Sony surround sound system (dolby 5.1) for years now but it had been all nicely packed away when I sold the house a year or so ago.

Having dug it out, it's all been reinstalled into the flat but with one problem....it won't seem to decode to the dolby 5.1 as it used to??

It will play sound in 'surround' mode but not in 5.1.

The amp is a Sony STR-DE475 and is connected to the DVD player using the optical input into the amp.

This is the only connection to the amp from the DVD player and the DVD player's picture is transmitted to the TV through the Sky box via scart.

So....any ideas? (google seems to have let me down this time :D)

Cheers

Ian

Muffleman
23-03-08, 18:25
Have you checked that the DVD player is sending the dolby digital signal ? Otherwise should be fairly straight forward as the amp should recognise the signal and decode automatically.

Ian W
23-03-08, 18:27
Have you checked that the DVD player is sending the dolby digital signal ? Otherwise should be fairly straight forward as the amp should recognise the signal and decode automatically.

Well, the optical is definitely sending something through it as there's the red glow through the optic.

Also, when checking the menu on the DVD player it's saying that the sound is being played in 6 Channel (i.e. 5.1?).

Only option is to possibly change the DVD player over and see if my old one works with it (i.e. the one that I used to use the amp with).

Pixelfill
23-03-08, 18:39
you might need to check whether the DVD player is downconverting to PCM, or transmitting on the Dolby signal.

the other option is whether the Amplifier has an option to force to Pro Logic, Stereo, or automatically decode (both my Sony HT receivers have this)

Mike

Ian W
23-03-08, 18:42
you might need to check whether the DVD player is downconverting to PCM, or transmitting on the Dolby signal.

the other option is whether the Amplifier has an option to force to Pro Logic, Stereo, or automatically decode (both my Sony HT receivers have this)

Right....the thing about PCM means nothing to me :D

The amp most certainly does automatically decode so I'm thinking that it may not be getting the signal from the DVD player (if it's actually being sent) :)

Ian W
23-03-08, 18:51
Right.

Tried my old DVD player that I have in my room and it works!!

So...it must be that the DVD player isn't sending a signal or is downconverting as you say.

Do all DVD players have the capability to send this signal? (I'd have thought so since it has an optical out)

Ric
23-03-08, 18:53
not all no, if its a cheaper one or whatnot, check the model number in google to see if it supports dolby

Ian W
23-03-08, 18:56
not all no, if its a cheaper one or whatnot, check the model number in google to see if it supports dolby

THIS (http://www.kiss-technology.com/?p=dp1500) is the DVD player in question, so certainly looks as if it supports 5.1

Ric
23-03-08, 19:00
in that case its just checking that the DVD player is sending Dolby down the SPDIF and not sending the dolby down somthing else for example

Pixelfill
23-03-08, 19:00
Right....the thing about PCM means nothing to me :D

The amp most certainly does automatically decode so I'm thinking that it may not be getting the signal from the DVD player (if it's actually being sent) :)

PCM = Pulse Code Modulation, basically a digital representation of an analog(ue) signal. :D

Mike

RedM
23-03-08, 20:08
Just a thought but is it all DVDs or just one that you are having trouble with?

Ian W
25-03-08, 17:59
Just a thought but is it all DVDs or just one that you are having trouble with?

Various discs that have worked on my other DVD player so it's definitely that it's not sending the correct signal from the DVD player.

Will see what options the DVD player has to alter outputs etc.

:)

Ian W
26-03-08, 20:05
Question.

Would it make a difference if the DVD player was fed to the TV via the Sky box?

ivan
26-03-08, 23:41
Question.

Would it make a difference if the DVD player was fed to the TV via the Sky box?No, it shouldn't make any difference.
Sounds more like a setting on the DVD player. Maybe it automatically sets to stereo unless you choose Dolby from a menu when you play a DVD.

Ian W
26-03-08, 23:43
No, it shouldn't make any difference.
Sounds more like a setting on the DVD player.

There's an 'audio' button on the dvd player and i can switch it to 6 channel...makes no difference though :search: