Missing Dolby Digital

I connected Sony DVD NC685V to 950 using an optical connection (opt1). I also connected multi-channel output to 950. But 950 decodes DVDs in 2-channel mode even though the DVDs are encoded in Dolby Digital (e.g., Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, etc.). The same DVDs play correctly in my laptop DVD player. Tried different discs but always get 2-channel decoding. Any suggestions on what's wrong with this set up?

Thanks.
tihzho

I'd review the settings on the Sony DVD player to see if it is set up odd. Also, the discs you mention are all TV shows, which are most likely encoded in Dolby Digital 2.0 -- stereo. To test this, watch the 950's display closely when you start an episode and see what the right side of the display says. If everything is set up properly, the display will say "DOLBY D" on the top right and "2/0.0" on the bottom right. In this case, you can cycle through the Dolby processing modes to Pro Logic II-Cinema or Pro Logic II-Music for 5.1 surround from the two channel source.

I used to have a Sony DVD player and when I got my 1050, I had to change the audio output on the DVD player to allow the 1050 access to the 5.1 (or whatever it might be) signal. It'll be in the manual on how to set this up.

According to the listing on Deep Discount DVD, The audio format of Seinfeld (Season 1 & 2) & Frasier (Season 1) are both Dolby Digital Stereo (which I think just means 2 channels) and Friends is listed as Dolby Digital 5.0.

Here is the setting in the audio menu of the Sony player:
Downmix: Normal (Dolby Surround is the other option)
Digital Out: ON
Dolby Digital: Dolby Digital (D-PCM is the other option)

I am testing the system with a IMAX DVD which is encoded in Dolby Digital 5.1. The screen displays "Dolby D" with "3/2.1" so I assume it is the right type of source.

Still no sound from the rear speakers/sub-woofer. The speakers are working perfectly when I watch TV through VCR and use 7 STEREO, for example. Any further suggections/help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
tihzho

After the 950 displays "DOLBY D" and "3/2.1", what does the audio format display change to? Also, does this happen with all DVD's or just some? I'm asking about that second one because I'm wondering if the IMAX disc you are testing with happens to be mixed with little or no data in the surround channels.

I tried two different DVDs with Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1 encoding. In both cases, the system displays "INPUT 3/2.1" but I don't hear any sound coming out of the rear speakers. Does this help to identify the problem? Thanks.

I'm still not certain what the answer is for this one. It doesn't appear to have been mentioned yet in the thread, but are you running a 5.1 speaker setup? If you have a 6.1 or 7.1 setup, I'd be curious to know what happens when you switch to Dolby Digital with CES. (For that matter, have you tried using Pro Logic II with a Dolby 2.0 source like Seinfeld or Frasier?) If you haven't done so already, you might also touch base with Outlaw Support .

I have 5.1 setup. I generally use 7 STEREO for 2.0 source (like Seinfeld, Cheers, etc.) and have been relatively pleased with it.

If you are using 7 STEREO with a 5.1 speaker setup, do you have the surround back speakers turned on in the 950's menu? Do you perhaps have the surround speakers connected to the surround back outputs? That would explain why 7 STEREO works (and is available at all), while the surrounds would be missing from Dolby 5.1 material.

Yep, that was it.....mistakenly, I connected the surround speakers to the surround back outputs. Thanks for the pointer, and sorry for the ruckus.

tihzho

I hoped that was the solution. Glad we got it figured out.

Nice job, gonk. I'd have been a long time thinking before I came up with that one.