Hi guys. I recently noticed that my Yamaha 1400 doesn't allow me to use the direct sound mode when I'm listening on music from my tv cable channels. The digital cable box is connected to the receiver using a digital coax cable and I am able to listen to 2 channel stereo and 5. 1 surround audio feeds from programs and the music channels as well. when I put the receiver in direct mode I get no sound. I can only use the Straight mode. Direct mode works for my CD player as well as my DVD player and all other sources of audio.

Anyone with this receiver having a similar problem?

I believe direct mode only works for analog sources, since it basically turns off all processing -- which is required to convert digital to analog.

Eureka! I think you've inadvertently answered why I can't get my HD Tivo to do a 2nd zone on my Pioneer. Now, I've got to go home and test it...

Isn't a CD or DVD a digital source? they are both hooked up with digital conncections? Or do the players convert the digital to analog?

If they're hooked up with digital connections, direct stereo or pure direct or whatever it's called will not work, as the reciever will be making a digital to analog conversion of some kind. If the player is hooked up with analog connections, the conversion is done in the player itself, and the receiver can be set to direct mode, where it will simply amplify the analog signal sent by the CD player.

I wonder how it works with the HK "all digital" receivers (DP1001, 2001). Maybe "pure stereo" *only* works with a digital input on those babies

My Denon works in the pure direct mode with digital connections only.

Well, my H/K doesn't have pure anything. Can't say I've noticed the loss...

Uhhh, speaking of your H/K and loss.... When are you coming home again?

I'll be home Sunday night. If everything is hooked up correctly Sunday evening, I don't care what you do with it. But if I have to hook it all up again, there's gonna be some broken bones...

Uhhh, speaking of broken bones....

Was there an ending to this story?

Just trying to give him a little scare, is all.

Why can't you just break the CD player and the DVD player? Just don't touch the TiVo.

Hey kcarlile I'm still unsure about this (please bear with me) but all my components (cd, dvd and cable box) are all hooked up via digital connections. cd and dvd will be audible in direct mode, only the cable box isn't. Is the reason this is happening because the cd and dvd player have some kind of processing that allows for a direct mode playback which the cable box lacks?

I would bet that playing a DVD will not allow direct mode, correct? Your cable box is probably outputting in Dolby Digital or some such, right? Or maybe not. I dunno...

I didn't think you could run direct with any digital inputs. You have to watch out because most receivers have silly names like "direct" vs. "pure direct". The HKs have "surround off" but the DSP stays on so it's not "really direct", and you can only turn the DSP off with an analog input.

Then again, turning the DSP off when you have digital inputs is a bit of a waste of time anyways, at least assuming that the DSP sample rate is the same as the digital input so you don't have to resample from (say) 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz.

My cable box gives mixed signals. I sometimes get 5.1, especially commercials, but pure direct gives me nothing. Maybe it's looking for a stereo signal. The tuner works in pure direct.