Set the DVD player to bitstream (or raw), not PCM - setting it to PCM will cause the player to downmix every digital output to stereo, making it essentially the same as using the stereo analog outputs.

As for the remote, are you using preprogrammed codes or are you manually learning everything? If you are using codes, you may want to keep in mind the fact that only the video2 button (the one also labeled TV) will use the TV button code database by default - unless it's been overriden to use a different database by the previous owner. You might try learning commands directly, which will also let you put things like TV input buttons exactly where you want them. Also, I always recommend that 950 owners who are using the provided remote take a minute to download the SL-9000 remote manual (available near the bottom of this page ) - it gives much more information on how to make full use of the remote's capabilities.