syncing receiver, speakers, tv

[oldcollector]

I have a Yamaha RX-A860 receiver with 6 Jamo speakers and a Samsung UN75MU800DFXZA..new TV. I can only get the front tower speakers to work. I need all of them to work. I did the Yamaha sound/speaker test and they all were detected and working.

I have the complete setup connected with the hdmi/arc on the yamaha to the hdmi/arc on the tv. Need help/suggestions to get all speakers working.

 

[charles 1973]

Do you mean the Rx-A860.

If you do, I have the Rx-A 770, Which likely has the same setup menu. You need to go into the manual set up menu and select amplifier configuration. Here you can select from many options from Stereo, Bi-amp, 5.1 to 7.1, and Dolby Atmos on my 770.

 

[oldcollector]

Do you mean the Rx-A860.

If you do, I have the Rx-A 770, Which likely has the same setup menu. You need to go into the manual set up menu and select amplifier configuration. Here you can select from many options from Stereo, Bi-amp, 5.1 to 7.1, and Dolby Atmos on my 770.

Should I chose 5.1 + zone 2 or 5.1 bi-amp? I did try both and no change. Any other suggestions?

 

[robgmn]

I don't think you can get 5.1 from TV (something to do with DMCRA).
Have you tried using the ProLogic mode to decode the two channels into non-discrete surround sound?

 

[whoaru99]

Check that the TV is set to output bitstream, not just PCM sound.

Should I chose 5.1 + zone 2 or 5.1 bi-amp? I did try both and no change. Any other suggestions?

Don't choose any configuration except what you actually intend to operate. I can't see that helping anything; only causing more confusion.

 

[charles 1973]

Should I chose 5.1 + zone 2 or 5.1 bi-amp? I did try both and no change. Any other suggestions?

You should have a setting for just 5 and 7 channels. Do not use bi-amp or zone 2. I have mine set for 7 channel, Sub off and get DD ES 6.0, As I am using 6 speakers too.

Many TV's will only send 5.1 audio from the TV's tuner, Not from a connected Blu-ray player or cable box. Connect them to your AVR directly.

 

[whoaru99]

I don't think you can get 5.1 from TV (something to do with DMCRA).
Have you tried using the ProLogic mode to decode the two channels into non-discrete surround sound?

Should be able to get 5.1 from the TV tuner and smart apps in the TV. Usually the trouble here is if one tries to use the TV as a switch box for external HDMI sources. Many TVs will not pass multichannel external inputs in native format through ARC. My Panasonic will not pass multichannel external sources by ARC, but for sure I get true 5.1 from, say, the Amazon and Netflix smart apps audio fed back to the (Marantz) processor by ARC.

 

[whoaru99]

I would check the TV audio settings to be sure it is NOT set to output just PCM.

 

[robgmn]

Should be able to get 5.1 from the TV tuner and smart apps in the TV. Usually the trouble here is if one tries to use the TV as a switch box for external HDMI sources. Many TVs will not pass multichannel external inputs in native format through ARC. My Panasonic will not pass multichannel external sources by ARC, but for sure I get true 5.1 from, say, the Amazon and Netflix smart apps audio fed back to the (Marantz) processor by ARC.

My TV is connected to my preamp with fiber optic. The system has never auto-switched to Dolby Digital when watching shows on Amazon prime, Netflix, or other apps.
Now I need to find out what might be going wrong with my system (I'm OCD that way)
Can you recommend any shows that are guaranteed to be in DD so I can play them and start fiddling with settings?

Sorry for the tangent.
Back to our regular programming...

 

[whoaru99]

@robgmn

Here is an example I just tried using an LG TV connected by optical to a Yamaha RX-V1700.

LG TV external speaker/output set to Optical/HDMI. Also note the "Auto" selection beneath that. The other choice where you see Auto is "PCM". Selecting PCM relegates to 2 ch or matrix surround mode e.g. Dolby Pro Logic II.



Then be sure the Dolby Digital/5.1 sound track is selected in Netflix audio options. Stuff that has 5.1 typically shows 5.1 up by the movie title/header on the main page, in the row with the reviews and ratings.







And, Viola!

 

[robgmn]

Even more perplexed than before (but now I have a new show to watch...)
After 15 minutes of fiddling, I found the option in my TV menu to select PCM or Dolby Digital output.
Sharp put it in a very obvious menu named "Input Terminal Setting" under the "System Options" menu tab.
It was set to PCM.

Unfortunately, when I set it to Dolby Digital, the sound dropped out on my Denon.
After an hour of swapping cables around, reassigning inputs, using another Dolby Digital source, etc, I figured out that when using the source factory-labeled as "TV", my Denon will NOT decode Dolby Digital as passed through an optical cable.

When I used another source (such as "VCR") and assigned it the optical input from the TV, I got the "voila" moment and heard sound when I chose either PCM OR Dolby Digital.

I guess my new obsession is going to be figuring out why the factory-labeled "TV" source hates Dolby Digital (I can always rename the source on the Denon screen, but I can't relabel the remote buttons).

Fix one problem, find another...

 

[whoaru99]

Almost sounds like the TV assignment is set to stay in/default to 2-ch mode rather than auto select based on signal.

 

[robgmn]

Almost sounds like the TV assignment is set to stay in/default to 2-ch mode rather than auto select based on signal.

I thought so at first, but I checked another source ("VCR") that WILL decode DD from the Aquos, and copied all of the settings to the "TV" source mode ("VCR" source will decode both PCM and DD when set to "Auto" or "Digital" input mode).
Still no love.
After ruling out the Aquos, the optical cable, and the optical input ports on the preamp, I'm thinking that it's an issue with the Denon.

'Going to try a factory reset, and if it doesn't work, I guess I'll have to train the family to select "VCR" on the remote instead of "TV" when they want to listen to what's streaming on the TV.
(Now that I know we can get 5.1 from streaming shows, there's no turning back. I haven't had it since I gave up on DirectTV about 10 years ago )