Here is the problem. I am watching a DVD that has 5.1 Dolby Digital. I get sound out of front and rear speakers and the subwoofer. However, nothing comes out of my center channel speaker. Now, when I run the little test program on my reciever, it makes the proper noise in the center channel speaker. So clearly the speaker is fine and its connection to the receiver is fine. So I feel there is something wrong with either the way the DVD players is sending out the center channel signal, or there is something wrong with the way the receiver is receiving that signal from the DVD player. Anyone have this before, or have any thoughts? Thanks
Have you checked the setting of your receiver? Most units have a few different settings with respect to how they treat the center channel. This is so that people who do not have a center channel speaker can benefit by hearing crisp vocals out of 5.1 channel setup. You may find that the amp is set to phantom center channel. In which case, it thinks the center speaker is not there and is sending all of the vocal range split between the front L and R speaker. Good luck
@gdodd ... behrad is right; if the center channel is set to "phantom" you won't hear the center channel but, depending on the model, it could well sound when you "test" the speaker septup. Also, go into the DVD player's audio menue. Strange as it sounds, "5.1" can mean different things. If you've set your DVD player to 5.1, its probably referring to the six analog channels made up of regular RCA jacks; its not talking about 5.1 through the optical or coax. If you have the DVD audio menu set to 5.1, try the other choices. I know that sounds wierd but believe me, "5.1" can get confusing and mean different things.
I have changed the surround sound, in the DVD menu,to be set for RCA cable hookups. I am going to buy a coax cable and then test it. I am also going to look into the phantom setting on my reciever. Thanks.
@gdodd12...The pic below has all the audio out connections: it has two digital (coax and optical) and it has two channel analog. Virtually all DVD players as well as receivers made in the last few years have these. Notice though that I've circled six RCA audio outs: Not all DVD players have these nor do all receivers accept them. When you go into your DVD player's audio menu and you choose "5.1" what you are doing is choosing the audio from these six RCA plugs ... they are, front R, front L, Center, Surround R, Surround L and Sub (sub is the ".1"). WHen you choose 5.1 from your DVD player's audio menue, you're choosing this form of audio which is a whole different thing than the audio from the coax or optical. You'll find yourself using the digital outs for most of the DVDs you watch but with really big budget movies, the 5.1 option from your DVD player menu can be awesome! Rather than a more processed sound, these are designed and recorded for each channel with the sound effects in mind. Films like Saving Private Ryan, the Star Wars movies and other big budget movies where sound effects got as much attention as visual, then this setting is just astonishing but not a lot of movies put the big bucks in the sound tracks.
I understand how all that works. Right now I have mine hooked up with RCA cables. For my dvd player, selecting dolby digital only works if you are using the digital outputs. I am not since I am using my rca cables. I think one of my rca cables is bad though. The one that was on the center channel is now on the sub, and it is not working too well. So I have ordered a digital cable and it should take care of everything.
Well, it appears to be working again. Not sure why. I went into the config menu and made sure the Center Channel was set to "On". It was, so I turned it off and then back on. After that it worked. I don't know if that really did anything or not. I really think my composite cables might be flaky.
Sure sounds that way, like you've got a short or something. Good cables are really important for a good quality sound. I don't mean going out and spending a years salary for those rediculously overpriced cables, but good ones are important...throw them out if they're cheapies or old and battle worn. I did the same thing myself; I'm one of those pack rats who saves everything and kept running into problems because of bad cables so I finally got the cob webs out of my wallet and bought all new ones.
