Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions help!! DD-EX 6.1 setup with onkyo 797

Hello people,

I need some help/idea about the DD-EX 6.1 setup "problem" that I have. I am not sure if this only happening to my receiver or not, but anyway here is the what I am experiencing:

My Setup in case you want to know:
front - M60ti
center - vp150
surround - 3 piece Qs4 Left/Right and 1 back
Sub - svs
receiver - onkyo tx-ds797 THX select DD-EX DTS-ES
Test/Calibration sw - Sound & vision HT guide dvd & THX audio test that comes with the THX dvd movies (Star Wars Episode 1).

What's happening:

When I try to calibrate my system using S&V disc, using the 6.1 test tone calibration option, i found out that there's no sounds coming out of my back surround when the test tone runs a test on the back surround but instead divide the sounds between my left and right surround speaker.

I tried to use the Speaker calibration test on my receiver instead of the test dvd and everything seems to be normal, i am hearing a sound coming out to my back surround when it test the back surround.

Next Test, I tried to watch a DD-EX movie, I use Star Wars Episode 1 for this and prior to watching the movie, I did a THX audio test that comes with the dvd. Again, when it sends a test tone to my back surround, no sound was coming out to my back surround speaker, instead it again spread/divide the sounds to my left and right speaker, thus I am hearing the back surround test tone to my left and right surround speaker instead to the back surround speaker.

So anybody experiencing or tried this in their system? I checked and follow the instructions on my receivers manual and I guess my settings are all correct or maybe I'm missing something. Can anyone help me on this?

I'll appreciate all your responses.

Thanks

Seanand...
Check the setup options for your DVD player.
Sometimes you have to select DTS or DD to "on" or perhaps to "bitstream"before the dvd and receiver connect with the DTS or DD coding signal.
This one baffled me due to the lack of precise information in my dvd manual.What dvd player are you using? I can look for a manual online and walk you through it.

The other thing you should look for when playing a dvd movie is in the movie menu options (these are different from your dvd player setup and are specific to each dvd movie). Again, sometimes you have to manually select which audio format you wish to hear in the movie menu area before actually playing the movie.

However, you do NOT need to select anything while using the S&V test disk. Hence, I suggest you only use the 6.1 test tones on the S&V disk while you play around with your dvd and receiver settings until it is all working properly. This way at least you know when a proper 6.1 sound should be heard in your rear channel and remove the movie menu options as being the problem.

Finally, within the Onkyo menu options, there is a choice to select what type of encoding you would like to have played back when the receiver receives a certain signal.
e.g. if it receives a stereo signal you might be able to select: stereo or PLII or Direct or Mono, etc.
When it receives a DTS signal you can select: DTS or PLII:movie or Mono, etc.
You have to make sure that DD signals will playback in DD and DTS will playback in DTS.
I can dig up the exact menu path for you in a minute or two.

EDIT:
Check out page 32 of your Onkyo manual, Input Setup menu, Listening Mode Preset

HI Cheese,

Thanks for the reply, so you were saying the problem is my DVD player settings? My dvd player is Sony and I forgot the model. I am currently in my office right now, when I get home during lunch time, i'll go and check it after lunch as well as my current settings. One quick question about the receiver DD and DTS settings since we both have same receiver, currently I choose for DD as DD and DTS as DTS, should I use THX instead? Thanks...

Okay cheesero...my dvd player model is Sony DVP-NS700P. I checked my audio settings and my DD and DTS are set to DD and on respectively. Anyway I play around with some of my settings and was able to run a successfull test tone using the Star Wars episode 1 dvd THX audio test. The dvd settings that I made and work is the TVS (TV Surround) which is applicable only if using the DVD RCA L/R output which in my case I am using digital output using fiber optics as my medium. Anyway I turned off this settings and now it works.

There's only one thing left that didn't work, using the DTS 6.1 Matrix speaker balance test of S&V calibration DVD which I am experiencing same problem. But for DTS 6.1 Discrete speaker balance test, it's working as expected. Is there any chance you have tried this test and experience same problem? Oh btw, the DD 6.1 speaker balance test works fine already.

Thanks,
Sam

Yes something i had forgot to mention, make sure your dvd player is hooked up to your receiver via a digital connection (single coax or optical cable). The DTS or DD codings don't function via an analog connection (the dual L/R rca plugs).
If your 6.1 tests for DD and DTS Discrete work ok then the only reason the 6.1 Matrix is not working is most likely due to the Onkyo DTS settings again. When it receives a DTS signal it defaults to what you set it to be in the Onkyo menu. I think you have to select EITHER the Matrix or the Discrete versions but not both.
If the other 6.1 tests are working then you are on the right track to figuring out the rest. keep trying.
I would give you more specific info but i'm out of town at the moment and not near my Onkyo to check it our personally.

Thanks Chessero, and yes I am using the digital out using fiber optics cable. I think the one that fixed the problem is the TVS settings of my DVD player (which is weird as this settings is applicable only if you are using RCA out)anyway I just turned it off and the DD-EX and DTS discrete works. Now I have to figure out the problem on DTS Matrix, can you give me the exact settings on your onkyo with re to this so I can compare it with mine when you get back home and have a chance to check your settings. Thanks again chessero, I really appreciate all your help......I send an email to onkyo support and all the stupid answer they gave me was " Go to Setup menu # 3 and change the Surround speaker settings to L/R+Back" duh!!!