Gonk you do such a great job explaining things in detail I'll use the Bitstream (re-encode) option you suggested. Many thanks you're the best!

Just for future reference in case anyone is interested from Scott, "Unfortunately, the Model 990 (or HDMI 1.3 and earlier processors) are not able to pass the 3D signal."

That's a very useful bit of information.

At this point in the roll-out of 3D, we still don't have much definitive information on how HDMI video compatibility is going to work with existing receivers and processors. If it proves as widespread as it could be (which would be along the lines of what Scott reported above), people with HDMI v1.3 gear could find themselves with a real compatibility issue. BD3D players would need to offer one of two things to allow 3D video output and lossless audio output: either two HDMI ports, or one HDMI port and a multichannel analog output. So far, very few BD3D players have two HDMI outputs and multichannel analog outputs are also rare.

Yeah I believe of the first generation BD3D players Panasonic is the only one having a model with 2 HDMI outputs and while Samsung just released some second generation players only their most expensive model has 2.

I got everything hooked up today and while I don't own a Blu-ray movie yet (not counting free 3D Monsters and Aliens) I'm so impressed with how the Samsung 6900 handles upconverting dvds. I read a couple of reviews claiming how it's upconverting was very close to the Oppo 83 but whether that's true or not it's shocking what it does with dvds.

I've been using a Oppo 970 so maybe all newer dvd players or BD players trounce it but compared to the Samsung it's a night and day difference (and that's with the Oppo firmware hack you helped me with).

The Samsung 6900 makes my dvds look close to what I'd image a good Blu-ray movie to be like so I know I'm in for a treat when I actually get to watch one.

Gonk a quick question on 7.1 vs Optical I have both connected to the Samsung 6900.

On Blu-ray movies I know I need to use 7.1 but on regular dvds am I supposed to be using Optical? I noticed for instance with the Avatar Dvd it sounded pretty dang good using 7.1 but theoretically should Optical sound better with dvds?

Either one will work, but optical may sound better. For players that don't have a particularly robust analog section, coaxial or optical can be the better connection choice for DVD's, CD's, media files, and BD's that lack a lossless track. The benefits of optical are the analog section (using the 990's DAC's instead of the player's) and more surround processing options (Pro Logic IIx, etc.).

Well I'll just stick with the optical then with dvds just have to come up with another "Activity" for my MX-810 currently I have "Watch Blu-ray" which uses the 7.1 outputs (or just copy and paste both commands to that Activity). I gotta say the Monsters and Aliens Blu-ray disc with lossless using the 7.1 outputs does sound amazing!

Briefly comparing the 7.1 outputs vs the optical outputs using the Avatar dvd both sounded awfully good, the sound levels were different though so a little hard to tell.

Sorry for all the questions Gonk but they keep coming up! Since I got a new Plasma I had to rearrange the location of my center speaker so I thought I would re-run the auto speaker setup on the 990. Don't know if I had this same issue before (been 4 years since I ran it) but after running I get message "Due to small front speakers and large surround speakers after turning power off interchange front and surround speakers and try again". Below are my settings on my 990:

Front L/R - Small (60Hz)
Center - Small (80Hz)
Surround L/R - Small (80Hz)
Surround Back L/R - None
Subwoofer - Yes

Since I'm getting this message it doesn't read out the settings at the end so I can save them any ideas?

I've encountered thaat set-up problem a few times. you might try adjusting the crossover settings fo all of your speakers down to about 40 befor you run the automatic set-up.

Thanks Koyaan that seemed to work!