Setup 1070 for DVD Player with 5.1 Analog Out

Got my 1070 this week!! It's hooked up and working, but I'm not sure I've got it configured correctly for my DVD player.

DVD player has multi-channel 5.1 audio out (analog). I've got those outputs directed to the 1070's DVD Input section using the L, R, CEN, SUB, SL, and SR jacks.

My question is what 1070 configuration setting do I pick for the audio that goes with the DVD? Do I choose Analog or EXT 7.1?

The EXT 7.1 setting seems to give a better sounding surround field, but not sure that's the correct one given I've got 5.1 audio out from my DVD player. I can't seem to find anything in the manual that addresses this particular situation.

Thanks for any input.

Cheers, Jim

IF you select EXT 7.1 you will be using the DACs in the DVD player versus the DACs in the 1070. Depending on the quality of your DVD player this could be good or bad. In my case I use the EXT 7.1 only when playing SACD and DVD-A. I select optical when watching movies. You use analog cables from your DVD to the 1070? That can't be right. You should have an optical or digital coax connection for multi-channel sound to work.

Thanks for the input Ranger1000. My DVD player is a universal and its manual says use the multi-channel analog 5.1 outputs OR digital output. It's multi-channel outputs are in fact analog and thus the use of analog audio cables.

Reading on another thread I believe Gonk recommended hooking up a universal DVD player with both multi-channel analog outputs(for DVD-Audio or SACD) and digital audio output for movies. I'm heading in that direction now.

I think the process would be when playing either DVD-Audio or SACD I'd hit the 7.1 button to set the 1070 up to play via the six analog inputs.
Cheers, Jim

You're on track, Jim - use the 7.1 button to listen to DVD-A and SACD, but stay with the digital connection for DVD-Video (which allows you to use the Pro Logic IIx processing, quadruple bypass bass management, and the 1070's DACs).

Thanks Gonk,
I'm up and running and putting the 1070 through its paces. So far so good with DVD movies using the optical connection.

Could someone explain why we shouldn't use 7.1 for movies? My player delivers the 5.1 to the processor, presumably in the way the movie's director wants it to sound. By overriding that with PL IIx, aren't you sort of messing around with the way the movie was "intended" to sound? I thought that PL IIx and the other digital management mechanisms were for when you didn't have the original signals available (either from the source or the processor). So I use PL IIx when I'm listening to my STB or sometimes to a CD. What am I missing?

There are a few reasons why it's best to deliver digital audio to the receiver. First, you have the option to use processing modes like Pro Logic IIx. Pro Logic IIx is useful for sources like cable and satellite, but it's also good for Dolby 2.0 DVD's (older movies, a lot of TV on DVD) and for generating a surround back channel from 5.1 material - I use it pretty routinely with DVD's. Second, receivers generally have better Dolby Digital and DTS decoders than DVD players. Third, DVD players lack Dolby EX or DTS ES decoding (making it impossible to make use of the benefits of EX and ES soundtracks). Fourth, most DVD players have only rudimentary bass management with a fixed crossover (sometimes 80Hz, sometimes something odd like 120Hz). In the case of the 1070, you have the 80Hz analog crossover or the digital bass management on the 7.1 direct input, but to use the digital bass management you're adding a layer of analog/digital conversion that you don't have to have with DVD-Video.

That's a pretty good set of reasons. As always, many thanks, Gonk!