DTS not working

[Youthman]

I have a Sony RDR-GX330 DVD Recorder hooked up to my Harman Kardon AVR55 receiver via Digital Coax cable. When playing a DTS Concert DVD, on the DVD Player, I can hit the "audio" button on the remote to change from Dolby Stereo to Dolby Digital to DTS. When I switch to DTS, there is no sound. The DVD Player has a DTS Decoder in it.

In the manual under System Menu it says:

DTS (Videos Only)
Selects whether or not to output to DTS signals.
On - Select this when the recorder is connected to an audio component with a built-in DTS Decoder.
Off - Select this when the recorder is connected to an audio component without a built-in DTS Decoder.

In my case, the HK Receiver does not have a DTS Decoder, only Dolby Digital. Based on the above instructions, I should change DTS to "Off" in the System Menu. When I do this and play a DTS Video DVD, when I hit the "audio" button on the remote, it only switches from Dolby Stereo to Dolby Digital but does not give the third option of DTS.

I'm sure it is something simple. Is there something that I am missing?

[wuzzzer]

Your DVD player and your receiver both need to be able to decode a DTS signal.

Are you talking about the System Menu on your DVD player or receiver? If on the DVD player, you might as well turn DTS off since your receiver doesn't know what to do with a DTS signal.

[Youthman]

Ah that stinks. LOL. Good thing this is only a temporary system till we build our house and theater room. The "System Menu" I referred to is on the DVD Player. I was going by what we were taught 7 years ago when I was working for CC and Dolby Digital was the current format. When DVD players first came out, we were taught that you either needed to have a decoder in the receiver OR a decoder in the DVD Player. At that time, the system I purchased, the Onkyo Receiver had a DD Decoder and my DVD Player (a Proscan at that time) did not have a decoder. It was hooked up via fiber optic. Did things change since that time or does it just not apply to DTS? Eventually, all DVD players began being manufactured with decoders but originally, they were not. Just looking for some education here. []

[JohnA]

The Receiver and DVD player both do not have to decode DTS. IF

your receiver cannot decode DTS, the DVD player will but you have to

run 6 audio cables to the receiver and set the receiver to "direct" or

some such setting.

[Youthman]

Looks like John is correct here. In this review of a Denon DVD Player, the article states:

How's That Sound?


Denon is diving headlong into the fray with their reasonably priced
DVD-1930CI deck. Like all good disc players, it performs its own Dolby
Digital and DTS decoding. So, all you need for music and movies is the
multichannel analog input of a home theater pre/pro or receiver, like
the Onkyo TX-SR601 I used during this review. You will of course need
to secure your own sextet of audio cables for the task. If you prefer
to let your receiver or a dedicated decoder crunch the bits to take
advantage of more elaborate formats such as Dolby EX or DTS ES, you can
pass the raw digital signal via coaxial or optical cable.

Seems to be a good explanation of how it works. Thx John.

[wuzzzer]

Sorry, I didn't realize that option was available. Hope you were able to get it worked out!

I helped a co-worker set up his home theater the other night and he had things so messed up it wasn't funny! I was able to get his DTS working so I'm not totally incompetent regarding these things. []

[Youthman]

I never doubted it for one second. []