Help! NAD receiver only decodes at 2 channels

[agoraphone]

I have a (somewhat dated) NAD T748 7.1 receiver. I have it set up for 7.1 but when I play anything from my Roku, the front panel reads "D 2/0.0 48k PLIIx Movie". I assume this means it is decoding a basic 2-channel signal and applying some generic surroundy-magic to make it sound sorta like multi-channel. This was not a problem with my previous Onkyo receiver, which correctly decoded 5.1 and 7.1 signals from my Roku.

Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong?

 

[swechsler]

I assume you've gone through all the troubleshooting steps in the manual. Do you have any other surround sources or streaming devices to test it with?

Have you done a factory reset? While this isn't for your receiver specifically, I've found that in general manufacturers tend to use the same button combinations over different models.

 

[OldJBL]

We use Roku throughout our home and if I want multi channel output from it, I have to specify what connection I am using. Sometimes the Auto setting in the Roku menu doesn't get it right. Especially if you don't have an ARC capable AVR. I would recommend using the optical or coax out of the Roku (if it has one) and connect it to the optical or coax of the AVR. I find that this uncomplicates the audio feed to the AVR. Early HDMI implementation, many times, has trouble dealing with today's more complicated HDMI protocols.

 

[swechsler]

Roku has dropped the S/PDIF output on their latest models. I haven't had a problem getting surround audio through HDMI on my various Rokus. But it can't hurt to go through the setup on the Roku to make sure nothing's changed since you were using with your last receiver.

 

[OldJBL]

Another way to get an optical connection to the AVR is to use the optical out that most TVs have these days. Connect the Roku directly to the TV, in the TV settings specify the optical out connection and connect it to the AVR. This will send whatever multichannel codec (DD, DTS etc,) the TV supports to the AVR. An older TV might not have an optical out connection or support multichannel codecs. Also, an HDMI audio splitter can be used to extract the audio from an HDMI signal and send it out via an optical or coax connection.

 

[swechsler]

Another way to get an optical connection to the AVR is to use the optical out that most TVs have these days.

Actually many TVs will downconvert their optical out to 2 channel if the input is not the TV tuner.

 

[OldJBL]

Actually many TVs will downconvert their optical out to 2 channel if the input is not the TV tuner.

I have several TCL TVs with the Roku OS but only one is connected to an AVR. It will output a multichannel signal via it optical connection but it is limited as to the number of codecs it can use. I have it connected to a Denon X3500H via eARC which provides a multichannel signal when streaming. Most TVs released over the last ten years will pass along DTS, DD etc. via the optical connection if that output is specified properly in the Roku settings. It will pass multichannel codecs when I play video via a connected computer. Personally, I would buy an inexpensive HDMI 4k audio splitter and run an optical or coax connection from it to the AVR, if the HDMI connection isn't working. The AVR the OP is using has an S-video connection in addition to very early HDMI input so it might have issues interfacing with a new 4k HDMI connection. The HDMI audio splitter takes this connection completely out of play since the HDMI output of the splitter will go directly to the TV.

 

[OldJBL]

I have a (somewhat dated) NAD T748 7.1 receiver. I have it set up for 7.1 but when I play anything from my Roku, the front panel reads "D 2/0.0 48k PLIIx Movie". I assume this means it is decoding a basic 2-channel signal and applying some generic surroundy-magic to make it sound sorta like multi-channel. This was not a problem with my previous Onkyo receiver, which correctly decoded 5.1 and 7.1 signals from my Roku.

Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong?

What model was the Onkyo AVR?

 

[agoraphone]

I assume you've gone through all the troubleshooting steps in the manual. Do you have any other surround sources or streaming devices to test it with?

Have you done a factory reset? While this isn't for your receiver specifically, I've found that in general manufacturers tend to use the same button combinations over different models.

Manual troubleshooting is of no help. Unfortunately I don't have any other devices to test with - just the roku. Haven't tried a factory reset yet - I suppose I can give that a shot.

Another way to get an optical connection to the AVR is to use the optical out that most TVs have these days. Connect the Roku directly to the TV, in the TV settings specify the optical out connection and connect it to the AVR. This will send whatever multichannel codec (DD, DTS etc,) the TV supports to the AVR. An older TV might not have an optical out connection or support multichannel codecs. Also, an HDMI audio splitter can be used to extract the audio from an HDMI signal and send it out via an optical or coax connection.

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

What model was the Onkyo AVR?

It was a TX-RZ810

 

[JoeESP9]

We use Roku throughout our home and if I want multi channel output from it, I have to specify what connection I am using. Sometimes the Auto setting in the Roku menu doesn't get it right. Especially if you don't have an ARC capable AVR. I would recommend using the optical or coax out of the Roku (if it has one) and connect it to the optical or coax of the AVR. I find that this uncomplicates the audio feed to the AVR. Early HDMI implementation, many times, has trouble dealing with today's more complicated HDMI protocols.

I have two Roku's, one in my bedroom and the other in my "system". The bedroom and system ones are connected to a Yamaha AVR (bedroom) and an Emotiva processor (system). Both are connected using HDMI. The only connection to my TV's are HDMI from the receiver (bedroom) and processor (system). I've never had any problems with either Roku.

 

[agoraphone]

Finally figured it out! The Roku has a "Volume mode" option with choices "Leveling" or "Night mode" to reduce dynamic range. When it's turned on, it outputs stereo only. Not sure how it got turned on, but as soon as it was turned on, I got 5.1/7.1 sound. This option is hidden and only available during playback via the "*" button on the remote. You'd think Roku would put it in the audio menu too, but no.