using optical audio(Fiber optic) vs regular audio cable(Left & Right) question

[yoha]

Hi folks,

I have a technical question about the above 2 connections. I was told when i purchased my HT system, that my dvd player's audio output should be connected to my receiver via digital audio connection, either a TOSLink / COAXIAL to get the 5.1 surround audio. Using the regular Left and Right will obviously give you only 2 channels. Well, my question is won't my receiver somehow distribute the audio contents of for example DD/DTS dvd movie to all 5 speakers even though i connect my dvd player to my receiver with just regular L&R cable?

Thank you for your insight.

Best Regards,

Yohannes

[SCOOTERDOG]

Welcome!

You will be able to enjoy Dolby Pro Logic from the analog 2 channel outputs from the DVD player. However, if you want to really enjoy discreet 5.1 channel surround from your DVD's then you will need to use the digital output, either the toslink or coaxial out from the DVD player to the reciever.

Hope that helps

scooter

[yoha]

Scooter,

So you r saying that if i connect my dvd player and receiver with a regular audio cable, then the audio of the movies with DD/DTS option set prior to the playback, will only be output to the front 2 speakers and surround speakers won't give out any sound?

Thanks for your insights.

Best Regards,

Yoha

[nicholtl]

Yes, exactly. Toslink (aka optical) or coaxial (which I prefer) are the only ways you're going to get 5.1 Actually, if your reciever features 5.1 analog inputs, which are usually for multichannel playback (such as SACD or DVD-A), you could use those too.

But to keep things simple, use either optical or coaxial to get 5.1. That's the only way.

[colterphoto1]

There's a thread about this with Yamaha components in the HT section. With my new RXV2400 and RCAx2 only, I can still push the buttons for PLII and get pretty good separation across the front (including center) and sound effects through the rears AND sub speakers.

However, using the DTS or DD EX/ES options produces no output through any channels. My dealers says, like you do, to hook up optical or coaxial. Which do you prefer and why? THis will be my only cable of this type in entire system.

Does anyone know what the THX mode is? I thought it was licensing and a treble roll-off circuit to compensate for the boost made for theatres. However on my remote, it appears as though it were another surround mode, like DD or DTS. Confused?

Thanks,

Michael

[JohnA]

Everyone's correct. Using only a pair a analog cables from the DVD player to your receiver will only allow a stereo input. Your receiver can likely turn stereo analog into Dolby Pro-Logic surround, but it is not nearly as dramatic or clean sounding as DD 5.1, never mind DTS 5.1.

Some DVD players can decode DD and DTS into 5.1 analog. If you have 5.1 inputs on your receiver and 5.1 outputs on your DVD player, you can use 6 analog cables and hear DD and DTS.

[nicholtl]

Michael, all THX Surround, THX Ultra, or THX Ultra2 engages is a 7.1 surround field, where the two back-rear channels share the same information. This sound field can only be applied as a post-surround process after DD 5.1, DD ES 6.1, DTS 5.1, or DTS ES 6.1 have been selected.

So THX is not a discreete surround sound format like DD or DTS is, but an additional layer of surround information that is added on top of the fact.

[cjgeraci]

Yohannes, everyone is correct in their recommendations so far regarding analog outputs vs. digital outputs of your DVD player as to the various options available by using both approaches.

There is also one other thing to consider. When you hook up to the analog output of your DVD player, you are relying on the Digital to Analog Converter (or DAC) from inside the DVD player to convert the digital sound into a smoother analog sound (or more like vinyl). When you run a digital output out of your DVD player to your receiver, you are using the receiver's DAC to do the same. The issue becomes which device has the better-sounding DAC - your source (DVD or CD) or your receiver (or pre/pro).

As a result, some of us run the analog outputs out of the source for music (except for DVD-Audio, SACD) or use an outboard DAC - and the optical output for discrete music and movies. Why? For music, sometimes we are all trying to tame the digital beast (and be more like vinyl) and therefore, we are searching for the best DAC. You can hook up both analog and digital and keep both options, depending on the situation.

So, while you should run a digital output to get the most out of movies, etc., it may be worth also trying your analog outs to see what quality of music results.

On the other hand, most DVD players have DACs of lesser quality than certain receivers so maybe the gibberish I just spouted will not really matter.

Carl.