I've come across a trick that may have already occurred to some others, and that anyone with a DVD-Audio or SACD player hooked up to the 950's 5.1 analog input might find interesting. It may also be useful to others who are using the AUX1 and AUX2 inputs and using the 950's included remote.

The problem: to select the AUX1, AUX2, or 6 CH input with the 950's remote, you have to change to the "AUD" device. Afterward, you have to select the device you're controlling, which then changes the input unless you also cover the remote's IR emitter with your hand. Not real convenient.

The solution: macro. You can teach any of the macro buttons to transmit the AUX1, AUX2, or 6 CH signal without changing devices.

The process: for the CD, DVD, or AUX (TAPE) devices, do the following. (1) Hold down AUD and MUTE together. (2) Select the macro button you want (I'm using M3 for the 6 CH for my DVD player). (3) Select the AUD button. (4) Select the input you want (AUX1, AUX2, or 6 CH). (5) Select the channel up button. For the SAT, TV, VCR, and CBL devices, change step (1) and hold down the SAT and MUTE buttons (I think -- haven't actually tested that, but that's what the 950 manual and the SL-9000 manual both indicate).

I've now got my remote set up so that when I've using the DVD device, I can hit M3 and switch to the 5.1 analog input. I can also hit M4 and switch to AUX2, which uses the same digital input as DVD but is set up to play in stereo -- so I can use the DVD player as a two-channel CD transport (mainly for some CD-R's that my Yamaha doesn't like or MP3 CD-R's if I wanted) without having to change the default processing on the DVD input.

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