Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide - Page 1338

Hello, I am still using my sony PS3 for blue ray with my D2. I am not a 3d guy. Is there any reason newer blu ray players would have a better picture these days? I know the load time would be better but I am not sure about any other reason to get a blu ray player other than that (different sound formats that the oppos offers does not interest me).

So, is there any real picture enhancement with current blue ray players or should i just stick with the PS3?

Thanks

-Bob

Wow this thread does not seem too active" where's bob my go to guy"

I am selling my anthem avm 40 and I love it as its the best ever but now I have the D2. I have lost the disk for the avm40 that contains the mic serial number. Can I send my friend the mic and D2 arc kit to work with the avm 40?

I had the mrx300 for a short time and knew that I could use and did use my avm40 ARC kit for running my mrx so the D2 kit should in theory work with the avm40 ?

I've noticed a couple of odd things on my D2v ...

 

1.  All the blue lights, "out of the blue" start to rapidly flash on and off. A quick press on the remote silences that motion and they become steady as before. In my case, they are off since i turn off the display.

 

2. Yesterday, i lost audio but not video while watching TV. I tried everything i know to try to resolve the problem, inclduing resetting my cable box, turning the D2v or and off mutliple times, switching inputs around etc.

 

Eventually, the problem was Dolby Volume. I turned it on, i lost all audio for that input!!! I turn if off, audio comes back....really weired. So i left it off, thinking i wouldn't miss it much anyways.

 

So today, after watching "Les Miserables" bluray(superb musical, audio and video A++++), i lost all audio and video when i switched inputs from bluray to TV input. I thought my D2v was completely dead as i saw outputs from the Oppo and cable box when connected direcly to the TV.

 

Half-hour later, i rest the Dev and reprogrammed it. All audio and video has come back so far (fingers crossed). Me-thinks some flash bit/bytes were corrupted and needed to be re-flashed(?). I'm running v3.09f

 

3. My D2v seems to have increased HDMI handshake sequences whichblank audio and video for a few seconds. I'm watching a TV program thru my cabel box or a movie on bluray and voila! ...HDMI handhake right in the middle of the program. Very frustrating indeed...

My original posting about my Panasonic display and JVC projector confused the underlying causes. This reply clarifies those issues, and clarifies the symptoms that I saw.

Quoting the D2v manual: "MAIN on-screen display is available via HDMI1 output by default. On-screen display comes from HDMI2 and Component (processed) if "preferred" is changed to "component" in menu 1 submenus."

The manual is hopelessly vague on this point, but any of you can verify the following:

(1) HDMI 2 Output does have OSD if you enable the component option in the menu 1 submenu as described in the quote from the manual, see above.

(2) This has nothing to do with whether you are running Component cables, which further adds to the confusion -- and why I was confused by my results.

(3) This applies to the HDMI #2 Output, and we are not discussing the Component Output in this regard.

(4) In addition, it does not matter if the piece of electronics that is connected to the D2v is connected via Component or only through HDMI. I tested both -- as can all of you. Devices connected with Component and not with HDMI (in my case a Tivo) can get OSD if the the submenu is changed as described above. Devices connected only with HDMI (in my case a Sony DVD player, again, ONLY connected via HDMI to the D2v) also can utilize OSD with HDMI 2 Output if the submenu is set as called for by the manual.

Anyway, this result has nothing to do with whether the display is connected via component or HDMI. The manual is confusing in that regard. It behaves PRECISELY as I described it above. If you connect to a display or projector using HDMI 2 output; use an HDMI cable; do NOT use component; but change the submenu to component -- then you will have OSD from an HDMI connection and HDMI cable when using HDMI Output #2.

My confusing results between a projector and plasma TV had nothing to do with those sources. My original posting confused these issues, because I was looking at two display devices connected to the two different HDMI outputs, and I thus did not narrow down the issues.One was connected to HDMI 1 output and one was connected to HDMI 2 output, and their behavior corresponded to the above. When both were connected to HDMI1 output by using a splitter to send the signal from one output to more than one source, then both the Panasonic plasma and the projector had OSD.

So now we know -- yes, you can get OSD on HDMI 2 output, but you have to change it component in the submenu. That is the case even when using HDMI and NOT using a component cable. This option in the D2v also offers an added advantage -- if you want to use a display and not have OSD, then don't change the submenu as described in the manual. In my case, I have a smaller TV in an office near the home theater. So I sent that TV the HDMI signal via HDMI output #2. But I then want to mute the signal on Main in the home theater room as I would otherwise hear both it and the TV in the office. But I don't want to see "Mute" flashing on my TV screen in the home office. So I use HDMI Output #2, but did NOT change the menu, which effectively wiped out the OSD.

So now I can mute the sound in the home theater, where "mute" would flash on the screen, but get video and sound on a TV in my home office, without any flashing OSD.

And to solve the original problem described in my first post on this issue, I now have both the Panasonic display and the projector both connected to HDMI 1 Output and both have OSD.

I hope this information is useful for all of you.
Edited by Emosewa09 - 3/2/13 at 3:36am

Those who are new to these pre-pro processors might find the attached Word document to be helpful as you learn how to use your new unit.

I'd like to thank Bob and all of you for the great service that you provide through this forum. You provide invaluable information that is not covered in the D2v manual, and my understanding of the D2v has greatly improved as a result of the comments posted in this thread.

My first step was to read all of the links posted by Bob at the beginning of this thread. But I often wanted to go back and read a specific comment again, but coudn't quickly find it among the long list of the posts. So I copied and pasted almost of the linked posts recommended by Bob, at the start of this thread, into a Word document, which is attached -- and might be helpful to anyone who just purchased one of these pre-pros as I did.

Several caveats. I copied and pasted quickly, and might have missed a post or two. I also did not include the posts about upgrading ARC for those with older units, as that was not of concern to me when I started my copying and pasting. I did include the posts about how to upgrade firmware though. I also tried to differentiate between a posted question and Bob's response by inserting "response," but I might have missed that in a few cases. Finally, I tried to broadly divide the posts between audio and video.

So the bottom line is that I prepared the Word document quickly, and while it might be useful for others, I don't claim I picked up all the posts or pasted correctly.

What is most noteworthy is the sheer length of the document. Using 11 point type, it is 120 pages long. That underscores the number of clarifying posts made by Bob and all of you for the direct benefit of new owners of these processors, such as myself. The amount of information is incredible and it is very comprehensive.

And the credit for those posts goes to Bob and to all of you. All I did was copy and paste without any edits or other comments

The document also underscores the underlying weakness of the D2v manual -- a point I already made to Nick. I initially compared the D2v manual to the Lexicon MC12HD manual. The Lexicon manual is far more comprehensive in how it covers operational issues. Where the D2v manual is really skimpy and inadequate is on ARC and all ARC associated issues, including how to set up one or more subwoofers. Compare the D2v or ARC manual to the coverage of those issues in this forum and in the attached Word document.

Nick responded that some owners wanted a manual that is shorter and easier to understand. Frankly, I doubt that, and believe that most of us would rather have a manual that is more comprehensive rather than less so. After all, the D2v is $9500 at MSRP. Anyone who buys it is looking for a very sophisticated and complex piece of electronics, and wants to have a full understanding of the subtle operation of the unit.

Nick needs to only compare the attached Word document to the manual, and prepare a list of the issues that are not adequately covered by the manual. Frankly, another example of the inadequate manual is provided in my post directly above this one. The manual provides only two sentences -- yes, two brief sentences -- about OSD using HDMI 2 Output. And that sentence is very vague and confusing. That explains why the experts in this forum also apparently did not fully understand how OSD operates. How could they, given the inadequate coverage in the manual?

Nick, again, go through the Word document, especially on ARC, to see areas where the manual could be improved. Alternatively, consider covering the more technical issues in a separate manual or in separate web pages in the support section of the Anthem web site.

AVS Recommended Posts on Anthem processors.doc 396k .doc file
Edited by Emosewa09 - 3/3/13 at 9:18am

No, It will not work.

AVS Recommended Posts on Anthem processors.doc 396k .doc file [/quote]

Wow, thanks for this

I have 2 D2's and one set of ARC software.
Anthem Tech Support told me that there would be no problem using the ARC software on my PC to calibrate the 2nd D2.

I believe you have to make sure that the D2 serial number and the microphone serial number are correctly entered into the 2 files
used for the Anthem Room Correction. The are stored under C:/"USER" /Program Files/ Anthem/ Anthem Room Correction

 

Great post indeed Emos! ...I see you don't post much but when you do, you do indeed have gravitas behind your posts! 

Many thanks! I prepared the word doc for my own benefit, but then realized that everyone might benefit from it, especially a newbie like me. I'm sure I will have questions in the next few days as I use ARC for the first time, so I hope the favor can be returned.

By the way, the user name "Emosewa" is a high compliment delivered about my home theater by a gaggle of 12 year old boys. A friend of mine has a 12 year old son, and the son brought his friends. They were pretty wowed by the front speakers (Mangnepan 20.1) that are twice as tall as they are. And 9 speakers and 3,000 watts of power.

They prompty announced that my home theater is Awesome! And then Pure Awesome! At that point the 12 year olds had run out of compliments.

By the time they got home to their mothers, they decided that Awesome simply doesn't do justice to describe the experience. Especially when they discovered that the Dbox chairs moved underneath them. When they walked in the door their mothers asked "so, how was it?" The boys announced in unison, "the home theater is Emosewa!"

"Emosewa?" asked the mothers, not understanding?

The boys explained. Emosewa is Awesome spelled backwards!

So, once I get ARC up and running, I will report on whether ARC is merely awesome, or Pure Awesome, or reaches the high standard of Emosewa. Emosewa is indeed a high standard for the D2v and ARC to aspire to. . . .
Edited by Emosewa09 - 3/3/13 at 9:17am

Many thanks to Bob and anyone else who responds. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Bob, I am using an Oppo BDP-105 with the D2v. I would prefer to set up the Oppo once and then be able to not worry about it. I'd also prefer to have the option to play HDCD discs. So that means setting the Oppo to LPCM, and if the Oppo has the option, to send 192khz to the D2v.

(1) Is there any disadvantage to doing this? I believe that means that the Oppo will be decoding the high-rate Bitstream formats rather than the D2v, but does that matter? Except that the front panel of the D2v won't show what format is playing, and you just have to assume that the Oppo is doing its job properly. But I am used to that, as I sent LPCM to a Lexicon for years because the MC12 doesn't decode those formats.

(2) The Oppo does have an "auto" option. I tried that, and the D2v shows "PCM" when playing a CD, and then it shows the high-rate Bitstream format when playing that on a Blu-Ray disc.

I also set the Oppo to Bitstream to see what that does, and the D2v still shows PCM when playing a CD using Bitsream from the Oppo. So it is hard for me to tell what is happening, If I use the "auto" option in the Oppo, is it sending an LPCM signal to the D2v when playing HDCD, in which case it is decoding properly? Or is the Oppo sending a Bitsream singal, in which case the HDCD is not being decoded by the Anthem?

I can't tell, since the D2v says "PCM" under all options when playing a CD -- (a) when the Oppo is set to Bitstream (and presumably sending the wrong signal with no decoding for HDCD) or (b) when the Oppo is set to Auto or (c) the Oppo is set to LPCM.

So what is happening when the Oppo is set to Auto and playing a CD? Is it sending LPCM with HDCD to the Anthem, or is it sending Bitstream with no HDCD to the Anthem?

(3) The Oppo also has a separate section for high quality analog stereo decoding, and it sends that out via balanced connectors, which make it a good choice for the D2v since it has balanced stereo analog inputs. I assume, but don't know, that the analog signal that Oppo outputs on the stereo analog balanced outs is then already properly decoded for HDCD.

(4) Also, I hooked up the 6 channel analog outs from the Oppo to the D2v, but only now realize that the D2v is crippled in that regard. Put simply, the D2v processes signals for both sides and rears, and has outputs to speaker amps for both side and rear speakers. So the D2v has outputs for both side and rear speakers -- the equivalent of 7.1. But since the D2v only has left and right side INputs for 6 channel analog multichannel, but no rear inputs, there is nothing to connect the Oppo 7.1 rear connectors to. It was a really dumb design move by Anthem -- to include both side and rear speakers -- but right next to those outputs, provide only 5.1 INput for multichannel. So the Oppo L and R surround signal goes only to the side speakers, not the rear, when direct analog is utilized. The rear speakers are silent.

I realize that SACDs are 5.1, or 6 channel including the LFE channel. So technically there are no rear channels anyway. It nonetheless provides a much better sound experience when the rear speakers are utilized for SACDs. It would have been nice if Anthem provided 7.1 connectors, since Oppo has 7.1 analog outs, and the the D2v has that many speaker connections in any case.

(5) I then changed the 6 channel selector from Direct Out to instead using DSP processing. At that point all speakers are playing. But does anyone know what is exactly happening? Is the Anthem D2v sending the same identical signal to both sides and rears?

Or does the signal differ to sides and rears, which is what Lexicon does with their L7 processing?

Many thanks for any responses and help
Edited by Emosewa09 - 3/3/13 at 12:58pm

^ Lots of questions. Some would probably be better placed in the OPPO 105 Owner's thread, but no matter.

1) The OPPO BDP-105, unlike earlier OPPO players, will do HDCD Decoding even if you have HDMI Audio Bitstream set for output. Basically the Bitstream setting tells the OPPO that it is OK to send Bitstream if the content happens to be Bitstream, but if the content is LPCM then it remains LPCM. CDs and HDCDs are LPCM. So you can set HDCD Decoding ON in the OPPO (the correct choice to use with the D2v), and STILL have the flexibility to use either HDMI Audio LPCM or HDMI Audio Bitstream. Generally speaking the quality will be the same either way, but there can be some differences in approach that you might lead you to want to experiment with both ways and decide for yourself. For example, a 1.0 (monaural) Bitstream can not be sent as 1.0 LPCM (due to technical details), so if you set the OPPO to LPCM output you will get 2.0 LPCM -- what's called dual-channel Mono.

The main reason I prefer to use HDMI Audio LPCM as my default setting with the OPPO is that it lets me leave Secondary Audio set to ON in the OPPO without having to worry about loss of audio quality. Secondary Audio mixing requires the primary audio track to be decoded (just as for LPCM output), but if you have selected Bitstream output, and if the primary was a Bitstream track, then the result AFTER mixing has to be RE-encoded back into a Bitstream for output. No consumer product has the horsepower to encode a lossless Bitstream on the fly like that, so what the OPPO 105 does is output a high bit-rate, but still lossy, DD or DTS track as the re-encode. Thus if you set Bitstream output you should leave Secondary Audio OFF in the OPPO *EXCEPT* when you actually want to use it -- typically for Picture-in-Picture Commentary tracks found on some Blu-ray discs.

The OPPO will send HDMI LPCM up to 7.1 channels up to 192KHz and up to 24-bit to the D2v. However, the OPPO has no "surround sound processing" for HDMI. That means it will not raise a smaller number of content channels to a larger number of HDMI audio output channels. The OPPO also does not "up-sample" audio for output. I.e., if you play stereo content like a CD the OPPO will send stereo LPCM to the D2v. In particular it will send 2.0 LPCM 44.1KHz 16-bit. If you play an HDCD with HDCD Decoding ON, the OPPO will send 2.0 LPCM 44.1KHz 24-bit. The 20-bit dynamic range of the decoded HDCD track is packed into 24-bit output with padding zeroes. In either case, the D2v itself up-samples that 44.1KHz input to 192KHz before doing other processing (such as ARC). Whether it outputs to 2.0 speakers. 2.1 speakers (including the Sub), or more speakers depends on the Speaker Configuration you've set as part of your ARC setup, and the Surround Mode you have selected for use on that input when playing stereo content.

---

2) You should not use HDMI Audio AUTO in the OPPO. Set LPCM or Bitstream explicitly. AUTO is designed for older processors that can accept traditional, lossy DD and DTS Bitstreams but can not accept lossless TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. The AUTO setting lets the OPPO still send DD and DTS Bitstreams to those processors, but automatically switches to LPCM output when playing TrueHD or DTS-HD MA tracks.

As stated above, if the source audio track is LPCM (as from a CD) then the output from the OPPO 105 will be LPCM.

---

3) To get HDCD decoding, you need to set HDCD Decoding ON. This is true even for the Analog outputs of the OPPO.

---

4) The Analog platform for the D2v is dated in that it only accepts 5.1 input, although you can process that up to 7.1 output. At the time it was designed, Analog content sources with even 5.1 output were rare. Some folks enamored of the whiz-bang features in the latest "Receivers", would say even 7.1 is not enough. They want 11.2 output with Height speakers and other such gewgaws.

I use the 5.1 Analog input all the time as part of Beta Testing the OPPO 105 with my D2v, and I think it sounds terrific. When playing 7.1 tracks, the OPPO will down-mix the Rears into the Sides. If you happen to have a 7.1 speaker configuration you can use, e.g., PLIIx-Movie to expand that 5.1 input back up to 7.1 speaker output. How good that sounds will depend on how aggressively the original track mixed content into the Rears.

You mention SACDs. Even if the D2v had 7.1 Analog input, the OPPO still would not place any audio in the Rear channel outputs when playing a 5.1 SACD. So you aren't losing anything in that regard. And of course you can apply, e.g., PLIIx-Music to expand the 5.1 Analog input to 7.1 speakers output if you prefer. My personal recommendation would be that you do *NOT* do that. Listen to 5.1 SACDs using the 5.1 subset of your speakers. But this sort of choice is entirely personal preference.

---

5) When you have the 6-Channel Analog input set to ANALOG-DIRECT then the D2 acts as "just" a pre-amp. That is, it passes the Analog input to the outputs without doing any processing other than Volume control. In particular, there is no ARC processing, because ARC operates in the Digital domain.

If, instead, you set ANALOG-DSP, then the 6-channel Analog input is re-digitized as it enters the D2v. The resulting Digital audio signal is then processed in all the ways the D2v can do, with the last step being conversion BACK to Analog for output. ANALOG-DSP is required to allow ARC to function for an Analog audio input. ANALOG-DSP also lets the Surround Sound processing Modes function if you choose to use them.

When you have 5.1 Analog input with a 7.1 speaker configuration there are a variety of Surround Modes you can choose between in the D2v to specify how audio gets generated for the Rear speakers. Press the Mode button on the D2v remote and use the Arrow keys to cycle through the possibilities. Setup > Mode Presets lets you specify the default Surround Mode for each input according to each type of input audio format. So when you decide which Modes you like to use most of the time for different types of audio input, you can go into Setup > Mode Presets for each Source and set the desired defaults. You can still use the Mode button and the Arrow keys to make changes on-the-fly if you like.

The simplest Mode is NONE. If NONE is used with 5.1 input, then the Rear speakers will stay silent. The other Surround Modes are described in the Manual. None of them is as simple as just copying the Sides into the Rears.

Personally I find ARC to be an absolutely essential piece of what the D2v does for audio, even for Analog audio input. So I use ANALOG-DSP with the 6-Channel Analog input (and also have Room EQ set to ON to enable the currently Uploaded ARC solution). I don't have the Dedicated Stereo Analog outputs of the OPPO 105 wired separately. Instead I use the RCA L/R jacks of the 105's Dedicated Stereo Analog outputs in lieu of the normal Left-Front / Right-Front RCA jacks from the multi-channel set. This can be done by setting Stereo Signal > FRONT LEFT/RIGHT in the OPPO. I don't use the XLR outputs of the 105 in my configuration.
--Bob

Bob, do you find there is somehow an increase in sound quality using the Oppo analog outputs even though it is being subject to additional cabling, re-digitized by the Anthem ADC, processed, then sent to the same DAC that it would be if you went directly digital?

I agree about not raising 5.1 music to 7.1 as this kind of music has often already had enough tricks applied to it by the mixing engineers. I don't like to hear a blaring sax behind my head, for example. For movies it's a different matter of course.

^No. I don't find much difference at all using the Analog vs. HDMI -- both going through ARC. They both sound excellent.
--Bob

That's what I thought.

Thanks!

My apologies, I didn't consider where to post, but your detailed response is really valuable. As usual, you not only responded to my questions, but you raised other issues, and provided responses, that I had not even considered. As always, thanks very much!

Bob
Could you explain this further ?
Is what you are saying is that you use the normal analog stereo outputs instead of the Multi channel L/R analog outputs as your stereo inputs to the D2v ?
And the advantage ?

^ The 105 has a separate Analog board dedicated to the stereo outputs. But it also offers a setting to configure those to respond to the same settings as the LF/RF jacks of the multi-channel Analog set.

So you can cable the 6-Channel Analog and, for LF/RF, use instead the L/R of the special stereo board.

Now when you do that the D2v has no way of knowing that what's coming might be only Stereo instead of 5.1 with silence, for the moment, in the Surrounds. So you can't apply stereo surround processing as you could if you used any of the stereo jack input pairs.

But I prefer to listen to 2.0 music, and many 2.0 movies, in a 2.1 speaker configuration (with ARC feeding the Sub), and that just happens as a natural consequence of the 6-Channel Analog input only actually having audio in LF/RF. So, voila!

Meanwhile, for multi-channel tracks, I get the output of that special stereo board in lieu of the normal LF/RF. So that's a win, too.
--Bob

Hello, I am still using my sony PS3 for blue ray with my D2. I am not a 3d guy. Is there any reason newer blu ray players would have a better picture these days? I know the load time would be better but I am not sure about any other reason to get a blu ray player other than that (different sound formats that the oppos offers does not interest me).

So, is there any real picture enhancement with current blue ray players or should i just stick with the PS3?

Thanks

-Bob

I theory, this one will be a bit better than your PS3 and most other BD players:

http://www.hometheater.com/content/panasonic-dmp-bdt220-blu-ray-3d-player
But more importantly, whether you will notice the benefit would depend more on your player and display settings. Plus there is the whole world of video calibration that you could get into.

I don't have a dealer here in Houston and don't want to ship.   Can I get a 3d board from Anthem and put it in my self?

 

You should be able to do so and the install is fairly straigt forward from what i can tell. If you're comfortable swaping out boards in your PC then you should have no problem with the 3D swap. Why the switch to 3D now...do you have a 3D TV?

 

- David

 

So you run your Left/Right from the main stereo boards full range but the surrounds and center are crossed at some frequency when playing MCH media?

 

Or do you switch back and forth between LF/RF and Stereo downmix when playing MCH content and 2.0 content?

Hello one and all,

A while back I had asked a question concerning wiring my home theater. I am in the middle of DIY home theater build that is finally closer to the finish than the beginning but with a year in that really is not much to brag about. But the question I had posed was options between running XLR to two amplifiers position next to each L&R speaker, or traditional speaker cable for a long run to my two front L&R speakers. There were a multitude of posts, and of course a variety of recommendations all backed up by reasonable data.

I have finally made up my mind that all of my speakers will be wired with speaker wire directly from my equipment rack. Since it is not plausible to centrally locate the equipment rack that means the distance to each speaker is not consistent by pair. So my long winded question is this. Would a situation where my front left speaker has a 75ft run and my right had a 50ft run have any effect on the sound? Basically I am asking if I need to keep the speaker cable runs per pair the same length?



Gerard

David, I just changed to a Sony HW50 Projector and it has 3D.  My sources are Oppo 83 (gonna go to a 103) and DTV - all sources go to D2V via HDMI and HDMI1 our to the projector and HDMI2 our to a 60" (non 3D TV).  I only have one run to the projector (HDIM).   If there is a better way, Im for it.

NO WAY

Emphatically stated by Drhankz. And justifiably so

Makes no sense. A 50' run and a 75' run of speaker cable. First consider the cost the cost of a decent speaker cable. And yes both sides should be the same length.
Before you actually do this I would make this recommendation. Get a set of decent balanced cables such as Mogami Gold and the speaker cable in a comparable length to test from a dealer.
I do not believe you will hear any difference.
If you just happen to have a decent audiophile setup of speakers and amps you might find the balanced setup better.
I went from a 25 ft length of high cost speaker cables to a balanced setup of Mogami and the result was impressive.
Less noise, quieter background and cleaner highs.
Think also about this.
Would you run a 75 ft length of speaker cable to drive your subwoofer or a simple run of interconnect ?

 

You should be fine with the board swap yourself. Other might know whwther its done before or after a FW upgrade, if you are using the latest FW.

Also read up on post #40114 from Emosewa on how to get OSD from both HDMI1 & 2 outputs. Very informative post.

The Analog output from the OPPO is set to be full range for all channels regardless of whether I'm playing stereo or multi-channel content (Stereo Signal FRONT LEFT/RIGHT, all speakers LARGE, Sub ON, Down-mix 5.1). That means the only output on the Sub line is from LFE, which of course only exists in multi-channel content. The 6-CH input of the D2v is set to ANALOG-DSP with Room EQ ON. That means that ARC takes that input and applies bass management. So for stereo content, only the LF/RF input lines are active on the 6-CH input, but ARC produces 2.1 output from that (silence to the other speakers). For multi-channel content, ARC preserves the LFE coming in on the Sub line and adds bass steered from the other speaker channels.
--Bob