My old AC-3 receiver won't decode new DVD players--WHY?  

Have you gone into the DVD players' menu and set it to output Dolby Digital? I don't know why, but even newer players have the default set at Dolby Pro Logic at the analog outputs. Other than that I can't imagine why it wouldn't work....whether it is a new or old player shouldn't matter. Maybe the DVD player is broken?

Hi JHouse,
I think it is that you because you had a Pioneer combo player and receiver it masked the problem that your receiver only process signals from a LD player. I am sorry that I do not know the specifications but this had happen to me too.

When I first got my Sony DE915 DD reciever it had an AC-3 coax input. I got myself a new RCA DVD player with digital coax output. I hooked it up and then...... nothing happen. The AC-3 coax input was for digital streams from a laser disc player not DVD player. I got a different DVD player and it would still not work.. Later I got a preamp and the DVD player works fine.
I think that there may have been a "conversion" circuitry so the output AC-3 output from the DVD/LD player could be recognize by the receiver.

clopez

Joe,

I'm unfamiliar with your older Pioneer combo DVD/LD player, but most AC3 laserdisc players emitted a 12.288mhz QPSK AC3 RF (output directly from the space taken up by the old right analog channel on the laserdisc) which would be fed to an RF-Demodulator. The RF demodulator would then convert the QPSK RF signal to SPDIF. Most older receivers/processors had both an AC3 RF and coaxial SPDIF input. Your receiver probably says AC3 RF input. DVD players never used RF for their digital audio outputs, DVD players provide a co-axial/optical SPDIF output only.

The SONY dvd player that I have has a submenu option for enabling digital audio out.

Check the connection on your receiver for "AC3 RF", if RF is not called out than it is probably SPDIF. If this is the case ensure your DVD players digital output is enabled.

My laserdisc player's AC3 RF output ispatched thru an outboard RF demodulator prior to being passed into the co-axial SPDIF input in my processor.


Hope this helps.
John

Joe,

One other item to check on your new DVD player is that the output should be set to 16 bit if possible. Your older Pioneer receiver if it did accept an SPDIF input will be looking for 16 bit at 48Khz sampling rate.

John

Is this the VSX-99? My brother runs his DVD in via the coaxe DD input for Satelite. At the time they thought that would be the next DD source.......

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Rachael,la gata del disco Grande

The midiman co2 will fix your problem. It changes optical to pcm or rf.
I am using one for my vsx 99.

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Steve P