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Help w/ Onkyo 605 and Multi Channel

post #1 of 9
12/31/07 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
I just opened up my Onkyo 605 and ran the speaker setup. I then put in 300 since it has a Dolby-HD into my A3 (the settings on the A3 are Bitstream and the "Digital Out HDMI" settings is on PCM (I did it on Auto as well).

After selecting Dolby-HD in the 300 menu I pushed the Multi Ch button on the far left of my receiver and there is ZERO sound. The only other mode I can change it to is Multi Ch Direct, which from my understanding, cuts off the sub.

As of now I can only play the disc using regular Dolby, DTS, PLII, and Neural Sound I think it was...but no Multi.

Any help or suggestions?

I have the A3 connected to my receiver via HDMI and then HDMI out directly into my TV.

Help! =)
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post #2 of 9
12/31/07 at 7:40pm
The multi channel button on the far left of the receiver, I believe, is for the 5.1 analog inputs. Go into setup, choose listening mode presets, and make sure that multich PCM is set to multich. Once it is, try running your system again. It should display multich on the front of your receiver.

If the A3 passed HD audio via bitstream over HDMI, then make sure (again in listening mode presets in the settings menu) that you designate dolby digital TrueHD and DTS-HD correctly.

Sorry I can't be more specific. I have an XA2 and an Onkyo 805, so things should be somewhat similar, but I'm sure someone else can chime in more accurately.
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post #3 of 9
12/31/07 at 7:49pm
Your A3 must be set to PCM output, not bitstream. Remember bitstream is compressed sound (like a zip file on a computer) and PCM is uncompressed. As of now the A35 is only HDDVD player that can output a DD-TrueHD bitstream. Your A3 can send a uncompressed PCM TrueHD single, but not a bitstream one.

Since your A3 cannot send a TrueHD bitstream, it is sending a regular Dolby Digital bitstream. This is why you can play the film w/DD, DTS, etc, but not TrueHD. If you set your A3 to PCM, the A3 will decode the TrueHD from bitstream and transmit it to the SR605 as PCM. Your 605 will then show "Multicannel PCM" as the input source. The TrueHD light wont come on, but you ARE gettting the same high def sound. Also don't hit the multichannel button on the receiver; this changes the input to to multichannel analog inputs on the back of the reciever, unless you have 6 analog RCA cables going from the A3 to the receiver, you'll never hear anything out of those

Read the official SR-705 thread FAQ for more info
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post #4 of 9
12/31/07 at 8:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by austinlvfr View Post

Your A3 must be set to PCM output, not bitstream. Remember bitstream is compressed sound (like a zip file on a computer) and PCM is uncompressed. As of now the A35 is only HDDVD player that can output a DD-TrueHD bitstream. Your A3 can send a uncompressed PCM TrueHD single, but not a bitstream one.

Since your A3 cannot send a TrueHD bitstream, it is sending a regular Dolby Digital bitstream. This is why you can play the film w/DD, DTS, etc, but not TrueHD. If you set your A3 to PCM, the A3 will decode the TrueHD from bitstream and transmit it to the SR605 as PCM. Your 605 will then show "Multicannel PCM" as the input source. The TrueHD light wont come on, but you ARE gettting the same high def sound. Also don't hit the multichannel button on the receiver; this changes the input to to multichannel analog inputs on the back of the reciever, unless you have 6 analog RCA cables going from the A3 to the receiver, you'll never hear anything out of those

Read the official SR-705 thread FAQ for more info

Thanks both for the explanations...

I just changed the HDMI output to PCM and I'm still only having the option of DD, DTS, etc.

When I check the display I get the two readings:

DVD HDMI Through

PCM fs: 48mhz

Any idea?
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post #5 of 9
12/31/07 at 8:20pm
Okay, if you're seeing HDMI through, then most likely the receiver is defaulting to the 2-channel PCM capabilities of your display. Go back into the settings menu on the receiver, under Miscellaneous (or hardware, I can't remember without doing it), and set HDMI audio passthrough to "off". This will enable the receiver to accept the multichannel PCM and convert it to analog to output. Once this is done, the front of your receiver should say "multich" and all of the speaker icons should be lit (right now, probably only 2 are lit).
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post #6 of 9
12/31/07 at 8:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by schroedk View Post

Okay, if you're seeing HDMI through, then most likely the receiver is defaulting to the 2-channel PCM capabilities of your display. Go back into the settings menu on the receiver, under Miscellaneous (or hardware, I can't remember without doing it), and set HDMI audio passthrough to "off". This will enable the receiver to accept the multichannel PCM and convert it to analog to output. Once this is done, the front of your receiver should say "multich" and all of the speaker icons should be lit (right now, probably only 2 are lit).

Wah-Lah! Awesome!

"DVD MultiCh"! Thanks a bunch! Now I can enjoy my True-HD and DTS-HD!
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post #7 of 9
12/31/07 at 8:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quick question and I'm sure the answer will be, "choose what sounds best."

What method is preferred (possibly the consensus) for the following sources:

Xbox 360 (gaming in general) which will be hooked up via HDMI

FM Radio

TV Input (Optical Cable from TV to Receiver)

Thanks again!
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post #8 of 9
12/31/07 at 9:17pm
Choose what sounds best.

For TV (I have DirecTV), I have the optical set to bitstream, so dolby digital defaults automatically if it gets a signal. With other stations that broadcast only 2-channel, I usually use PLIIx Movie.

I never listen to FM radio, but with XM radio, I usually use Direct (2-channel). I also prefer Direct with CDs or any other music source.

I don't have an Xbox, but make sure your receiver defaults to Dolby Digital if bitstream is used from the Xbox to the receiver. Otherwise, that really is up to you.
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post #9 of 9
1/1/08 at 9:46pm
I have the XA2 and the 605- the multichannel button on the far left is only for the analog 5.1 channel inputs, which the A3 does not have. You need to hit the DVD button so that your getting the HDMI audio from the A3. It'll then say PCM multi-channel or else Dolby TrueHD.
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