When connecting the six analog cables from the DVD player to your 970, I assume you used the 7.1 analog input (left and right channels to the left and right inputs for the DVD and center, surrounds, and sub to the corresponding inputs in the cluster just above there) and that you selected the "7.1D" input. If any of those are not true, then that's probably the problem you are running into with the stereo only of SACD's. Also, make sure the SACD in question is multichannel - many SACD's are stereo only. As for the video side, I assume that in addition to the HDMI from 970 to TV there's also an HDMI from the DVD player to the 970.