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Replacing my Denon AVR-987

post #1 of 18
2/24/12 at 8:30pm
Thread Starter 
After a long time I finally upgraded my TV to a Lg 55LW5600. Well, my issue now is that my Denon AVR-987 doesn't accept the latest HDMI specification. Because of this I don't do the HDMI switching through it (although before I used the component switching). Now, I have all video sources connected to my tv and the audio outputs to the receiver but the problem is that it won't decode some of the "new" sound modes. I would like to get a new receiver but I don't know which one. I looked into the Onkyo 709 but after reading the thread about it I don't think I will. At the same time I don't want to downgrade models like to a Denon 1912. I'm trying to find a Denon 3311CI used at a good price but didn't happen yet. What do you guys recommend? My speakers are the old JBL Studio S36 series.

Thanks in advance!
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post #2 of 18
2/24/12 at 8:54pm
What does the Denon actually lack? From what I'm finding about it, it's an ES/EX receiver that does HDMI upconversion. That's pretty universal. Aside from a Blu-ray player, it will accept and work with anything else you've got. With the Blu-ray player, either set it to put out a Legacy bistream, or MPCM (I can't find anything that says "yes or no" if the 987 will do LPCM via HDMI) if supported. If your player has multi-ch outputs, you could use those, if bass management isn't an issue (in other words, if your scenario allows this to work).

Very unlikely you'll "gain" anything by decoding TrueHD or dts-HD over AC-3/DTS, absolutely nothing if you can do MPCM or MCH.
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post #3 of 18
2/25/12 at 7:19pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walbert View Post

What does the Denon actually lack? From what I'm finding about it, it's an ES/EX receiver that does HDMI upconversion. That's pretty universal. Aside from a Blu-ray player, it will accept and work with anything else you've got. With the Blu-ray player, either set it to put out a Legacy bistream, or MPCM (I can't find anything that says "yes or no" if the 987 will do LPCM via HDMI) if supported. If your player has multi-ch outputs, you could use those, if bass management isn't an issue (in other words, if your scenario allows this to work).

Very unlikely you'll "gain" anything by decoding TrueHD or dts-HD over AC-3/DTS, absolutely nothing if you can do MPCM or MCH.

First of all, thank you for your reply.

I believe that the HDMI inputs in the AVR-987 are v1.1. I'm connecting all my video sources straight to the tv and then using the optical outputs of the sources through the receiver but sometimes it won't decode them right. That's basically the problem I'm having,
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post #4 of 18
2/25/12 at 7:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

First of all, thank you for your reply.

I believe that the HDMI inputs in the AVR-987 are v1.1. I'm connecting all my video sources straight to the tv and then using the optical outputs of the sources through the receiver but sometimes it won't decode them right. That's basically the problem I'm having,

What do you mean by "won't decode them right" - is something defective?
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post #5 of 18
2/25/12 at 7:43pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walbert View Post

What do you mean by "won't decode them right" - is something defective?

Sometimes, while playing some DVD's or Blu-ray's thorugh my Blu-ray player, I don't get the dts light "on" and it shows only two lights "on" for the channels that is receiving audio signal.
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post #6 of 18
2/25/12 at 10:32pm
Very odd. The Blu-ray player is set to legacy bitstream I assume?

Tried re-setting either the Denon or the BDP?

Are these discs with a DTS track? (Does this Denon have an "Auto" mode that can pick between DTS and Dolby?).
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post #7 of 18
2/26/12 at 6:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

At the same time I don't want to downgrade models like to a Denon 1912. I'm trying to find a Denon 3311CI used at a good price but didn't happen yet.

You may also want to consider the Denon 991 (similar to 3311CI) or the Denon 2112CI both of which use Audyssey MultEQ XT.

Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

First of all, thank you for your reply.

I believe that the HDMI inputs in the AVR-987 are v1.1. I'm connecting all my video sources straight to the tv and then using the optical outputs of the sources through the receiver but sometimes it won't decode them right. That's basically the problem I'm having,

As noted, you can set the BDP to PCM and still pass the decoded HD audio to the 987 over HDMI, otherwise, there should be no reason the 987 cannot play the lossy DD/DTS audio tracks if properly selected on the BD.

Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

Sometimes, while playing some DVD's or Blu-ray's thorugh my Blu-ray player, I don't get the dts light "on" and it shows only two lights "on" for the channels that is receiving audio signal.

This means the 987 is receiving a stereo 2.0 signal.
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post #8 of 18
2/28/12 at 12:27pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walbert View Post

Very odd. The Blu-ray player is set to legacy bitstream I assume?

Tried re-setting either the Denon or the BDP?

Are these discs with a DTS track? (Does this Denon have an "Auto" mode that can pick between DTS and Dolby?).

How do I know if the discs have a DTS track?
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post #9 of 18
2/28/12 at 1:50pm
^^
Check the Setup or Language menu on the DVD.
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post #10 of 18
3/1/12 at 10:32pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsmoothie View Post

^^
Check the Setup or Language menu on the DVD.

On some of the DVD's there is no Setup Menu.
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post #11 of 18
3/2/12 at 4:54am
Hmmm ... you're missing the point. Generally every DVD/BD has some type of menu (Setup, Language, or whatever, doesn't matter) that can be selected to see the various audio tracks used on the disc. If there is none, your BDP itself will have some sort of status display of what audio track is playing. And as a last resort, you can check the information listed on the DVD or BD box itself.
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post #12 of 18
3/2/12 at 10:14pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsmoothie View Post

Hmmm ... you're missing the point. Generally every DVD/BD has some type of menu (Setup, Language, or whatever, doesn't matter) that can be selected to see the various audio tracks used on the disc. If there is none, your BDP itself will have some sort of status display of what audio track is playing. And as a last resort, you can check the information listed on the DVD or BD box itself.

I know what you mean but some of the discs don't have a setup menu.
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post #13 of 18
3/3/12 at 1:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

I know what you mean but some of the discs don't have a setup menu.

There should be an "Audio" button on your remote (for the player) - tap that; it will cycle through available audio tracks on the disc (many DVDs have a single audio track though, so don't be surprised if it gives you option 1 out of 1).
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post #14 of 18
3/4/12 at 11:25pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by walbert View Post

There should be an "Audio" button on your remote (for the player) - tap that; it will cycle through available audio tracks on the disc (many DVDs have a single audio track though, so don't be surprised if it gives you option 1 out of 1).

Regardless, it looks that you think that I shouldn't need to replace my AVR-987.
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post #15 of 18
3/5/12 at 7:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by laszlomdq View Post

Regardless, it looks that you think that I shouldn't need to replace my AVR-987.

Not at all. If the decoder is having trouble and/or isn't doing what it should be doing, I'd entirely agree with replacing the unit. The explanation of the "audio options" was simply a means to try something if you weren't sure on what was being suggested.

You haven't specified whether or not you tried troubleshooting from the player, but if we assume you did, replacement is probably the unfortunate reality. I'd take jds' advice regarding a suitable Denon replacement.
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post #16 of 18
3/8/12 at 7:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by walbert View Post

Not at all. If the decoder is having trouble and/or isn't doing what it should be doing, I'd entirely agree with replacing the unit. The explanation of the "audio options" was simply a means to try something if you weren't sure on what was being suggested.

You haven't specified whether or not you tried troubleshooting from the player, but if we assume you did, replacement is probably the unfortunate reality. I'd take jds' advice regarding a suitable Denon replacement.

Sorry for replying back late. For me it's very difficult to see if the receiver is doing it's job right or not.

Let me ask you a question: if I only use the audio portion of this receiver for the purpose of having 5.1 audio should it decode correctly the audio track of any existing blu-ray movies? Will I be missing anything as far as audio of any of the blu-ray movies of today?
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post #17 of 18
3/9/12 at 4:12am
^^
As I mentioned before, if you set the BDP to decode the audio (HD or otherwise) to PCM, then the 987 should have no problems playing it. The front panel will read "Mult CH IN" and the audio quality will be the same as if the AVR was able to decode it). As long as you can get the 789 to do this successfully, there's no reason to replace it.
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post #18 of 18
3/12/12 at 8:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsmoothie View Post

^^
As I mentioned before, if you set the BDP to decode the audio (HD or otherwise) to PCM, then the 987 should have no problems playing it. The front panel will read "Mult CH IN" and the audio quality will be the same as if the AVR was able to decode it). As long as you can get the 789 to do this successfully, there's no reason to replace it.

It is very weird and annoying that the receiver reads Dolby Digital or Direct and it also depends of the discs.

Thank you very much for your help.
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