Problems with the HTR 5640

[depressed]

I wouldn't bother you with this, but the Yamaha customer service still hasn't responded to my question. Here is the deal:
2 weeks ago I bought the Yamaha YHT 540 that includes the htr 5640 receiver.
I hooked it up correctly and tested the channels they all seem to be fine. I just don't get enough sound on the surround speakers. I bought heavier gauge wires for the speakers hoping this would correct it. It didn't. Also the display on the receiver indicates the numbers of speaker involved, and it's weird because the manual says that the number of speakers indicated on the display is supposed to be the numbers of speakers active, on my display it always shows 2, even though I can here the sound from the subwoofer or the surround speakers.
It also seems that the receiver doesn't "recognize" the coding of the dvd sound. I was told by a friend to test the receiver and speakers with the movie "Underworld" and I did, I just think that the surround speakers aren't active/loud enough although I set them at +10 db's. Cut to the chase, does anyone here own the htr 5640 or perhapse has a phone number of the Ymaha support/technicians? Any suggestions how to improve this?
The nearest Best Buy store has the htr 5640 on the display shelf, but they would connect it to a dvd so that I could see how that unit is set up.
Btw, what movies would you suggest for testing the home theater, and where can I find a list of 6.1 encoded movies?
Thanks!

[hershon]

I don't know if this is any help, you probably thought of this and checked it out, but their should be a way to set the DB level for each speaker and the distance each speaker is away from you. Maybe the DB level was set too low and the distance too close or far.

[kexodusc]

My advice is to get that manual out and start all over again from scratch. Check all cable/wire connections to make sure the speakers are connected properly (ie: positives to positives, negatives to negatives). Even check your DVD manual to see if you have to change a setting on your DVD player - most DVD players do, it might say Bitsteam or PCM or something to that effect, consult the DVD manual for digital output to a receiver.
Make sure you've told the yamaha that you have more than 2 speakers. There are speaker options for "large", "small", and "none". You don't want it set to "none" obviously.
Also, make sure the inputs into your receiver are set to automatically read your DVD/CD players. If you're using a digital cable from the DVD player, you may have to let the receiver know this.

Yamaha's are arguably tops in the quality control department, but even they're not 100% perfect. Try from the ground up again with the manual (ya just need to read them these days). If you're problem still persists, come back and let us know.
Good luck.

[paul_pci]

1. The number of speakers displayed on your receiver are NOT the number of speakers active. The L /R you see, for instance, refers to how the audio you are playing is encoded. So for instance, most tv programs are programmed in stereo, but you can play it back in all five channels through Dolby Prologic II, yet the receiver will only indicate the L/R speakers. Now, if you are playing a DVD movie and you only have the L/R showing, my first suspicion would be poor communication between DVD player and the receiver. Make sure that you have selected the correct audio playback (i. e. Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS is available) in the DVD's main menu or through the audio button on the DVD player's remote.

2. To check to see if your rears are putting out the volume you want them to, I would suggesting playing something like the radio in all-channel stereo and compare the rear's volume to the mains.

3. Many folks new to Home Theater are often disappointed by a lack of or low volume coming out of the rear channels, thinking the sound coming from them should be just as loud as the front three channels, but that is often just not the case. Action movies are more likely to send a lot of sound effects to the rear channels, but many movies just don't have that type of sound gonig on. Think of a quiet drama. There's not going to be much, but perhaps slight ambient sound coming from the rear channels because nothing is blowing up.

I also agree with kexodusc that it wouldn't hurt to go back and double check your settings. For instance, when I first set up my receiver I had sound coming out of all the speakers except the main L/R, and I'm thinking, what the hell? I failed to toggle the A/B speaker switch correctly. As in my example, there's always room for profound idiocy even when everything is hooked up correctly.

[depressed]

Thank you for the answers. A suggested, I consulted the manual again. More confusion. For instance, it says:
" Use the Audio jacks on this unit for a video component which does not have optical digital output jack. However, multi channel reproduction cannot be obtained with audio signals input from the Audio jacks."

There is one more note: "Use the optical connection to enjoy 5.1 - channel surround sound found on DVDs recorded in the Dolby Digital or DTS Digital Surround format."

Both of these notes are extremely small, and even after I read them, I had trouble finding them so that I can type them up here.
It's no big deal, I'll buy the optical cable, I 'm just glad that the included DVD player luckily has an optical output.I find this weird beacuse I played the movie "Underworld" and it didn't sound too bad. What should I expect once I get the otical cable?
I guess this answers all my questions, but it's still weird because my friend bought a cheap HTIB in Walmart, we hooked it up and it works great without the optical connection. We played the "Black Hawk Down" DVD, and it was amazing.
So, is it normal that a receiver requires otical cable, or what's the deal with it?
One last question: If you don't know where I can find a list of 6.1 encoded movies, can you at least name a few so that I can try it out? Thanks again!

P.S For Paul_pci: Do you have the same receiver as I do?

[markw]

" Use the Audio jacks on this unit for a video component which does not have optical digital output jack. However, multi channel reproduction cannot be obtained with audio signals input from the Audio jacks."Yep. If you use these analog two channel "Audio jacks"' you'll never nave more than two channels of audio. DPL will work but you'll never hear DD or DTS.



There is one more note: "Use the optical connection to enjoy 5.1 - channel surround sound found on DVDs recorded in the Dolby Digital or DTS Digital Surround format."Yep again. You need to pass a DIGITAL signal for DD or DTS. These can be optical like they say but many receivers also allow a coaxial input, which works just as well.



What should I expect once I get the otical cable?I expect you'll be spending more time reading your manual.




So, is it normal that a receiver requires otical cable, or what's the deal with it?Yep for the third time. It's either optical or a coaxial means to feed the digital signal to your receiver.

Welcome to the wunnerful world of HT. Learn to love your manual. You're gonna be reading it a lot.

[kexodusc]

I might add...once you get that digital cable (either the coaxial, or optical, whichever) you enter a whole 'nuther world...
Enjoy.

[Woochifer]

I would suggest that you get a copy of the Sound & Vision Home Theater Setup DVD. That goes over all of the setup details that you need to cover in order to get your system setup correctly. It has a set of audio tests that will confirm that you have everything done right, and lets you fine tune it for optimal performance. Also, the video tests on that DVD are very helpful.

[paul_pci]

Yeah, I originally bought the Yamaha 5650 last year around Thanksgiving, but in the following month I found an incredible deal on the Yamaha RX-V3300 I just couldn't pass up. So, I'm pretty familiar with the unit you're tinkering with. Once you figure it all out, you'll be pretty happy with it. Oh, and it's not luck that the DVD player has an optical out, it's essential for digital surround sound.

You might also want to check out www.hometheaterforum.com. They have good FAQs on home theater basics and setup.

Good luck.

[Woochifer]

It's no big deal, I'll buy the optical cable, I 'm just glad that the included DVD player luckily has an optical output.I find this weird beacuse I played the movie "Underworld" and it didn't sound too bad. What should I expect once I get the otical cable?
I guess this answers all my questions, but it's still weird because my friend bought a cheap HTIB in Walmart, we hooked it up and it works great without the optical connection. We played the "Black Hawk Down" DVD, and it was amazing.
So, is it normal that a receiver requires otical cable, or what's the deal with it?
One last question: If you don't know where I can find a list of 6.1 encoded movies, can you at least name a few so that I can try it out? Thanks again!

As others have stated, you need a digital cable in order to get true surround sound. What you currently have is just the analog L/R output and the output to the center and surround channels in that mode is nothing more than processed extraction from a two-channel signal.

Most DVDs nowadays have 5.1 discrete surround, which means that you got six full range channels built into that feed. The biggest jump in all of audio is when you go from two-channel direct or two-channel Pro Logic up to 5.1 discrete. With just the analog L/R feed, the center channel is extracted from L and R channels, and the surround track is a limited range encoded signal. With 5.1, every track is full range and independent. The center channel no longer depends on the presence of the L and R channels, and the surround channels are split full range sound. This is a huge jump up from what you're getting right now.

The way to get that is through a digital cable (either optical or coaxial), and because the digital soundtrack is part of the DVD format, EVERY DVD player on the market has some form of digital output.

Don't worry about 6.1 just yet. Get your 5.1 setup right first, and once you're established there, then feel free to branch out. Right now, you're not even out of the 2.0 Dolby Surround stage yet, so take one step at a time.

[depressed]

And again, thanks...
I tried as suggested with the digital coaxial cable. Didn't work, and it was said in the manual, too.
Too tired and too eager to look for a better deal:
On my way home from work I picked up the optical cable from Best Buy: $48.26
Rented the movie "Phone Booth": $2.11
Playing the movie: Priceless!!!
Awesome! Turns out the decision to pay more for the HTIB then my friend was the right one.
I can't describe what i listened to. Loved the fact that the receiver/dvd recognized the DTS encoding and played a little clip of Yamaha/DTS.
Minor tweaks required, as the sound from the DVD is actually on the Digital tv source. Can't get enough of dynamic sound going from/to surround/main speakers.

I am truly grateful for the time and effort you guys put into helping me. I admit I'm a spoiled child whem it comes to tech, I forget all my other problems if my computer/HTIB isn't performing the way I want it to.
Bye, social life...

[kpzbee]

Sure glad your making headway! As the others said, it will be worth it when you get there. Just take your time, it will work out. Just think of this as a learning expirence! ;)

[paul_pci]

Great to hear things are shaping up.


I suspect that the coaxial digital cable did not work is because, if memory serves me correctly, that input is not preassigned to "DVD" whereas one of the optical inputs is. Therefore, you would need to meander through the maze of the setup menus to "re-assign" the coax input to "DVD." Now, you don't need to do this because the difference between optical and coaxial will be negligible, but knowing how to reassign inputs may be useful in the future.

Have fun.