Recommendation needed on 7.1 DVD player

[BRANDONH]

Hello All,
I have a 7.1 Ultra THX receiver.
In order for it play back the 7.1 signal I need a DVD player with 7.1 analog outputs.
I am having a hard time searching the net for one that specifically has the analog 7.1 outputs.
Does anyone know of any DVD players with this feature?
i.e.: brand name, model number and who has them preferably online.
Thanks
Brandon

[Rycher]

None exist in the WORLD........yet. ;)

[Ryanm]

I'm not sure i understand your dilemma, given it's THX badge (I know this doesn't mean a whole lot, however) I would assume it does it's own 7.1 decoding. My Yamaha HTR-5760 does 7.1, and doesn't require a 7.1 dvd player to decode anything, and mine doesn't even have a THX badge. I say that because most of the reciever manufacturers that bother even sticking a THX badge on their recievers put them on recievers capable of doing their own decoding. Now if you're planning on doing DVD audio or SACD then you need a DVD player with 5.1 decoder built in. And unless you matrix it (basically not entirely discrete) then there aren't any 7.1 dvd's to my knowledge, only 5.1.
So I'd like to help with recommendations, unfortunatly you haven't given enough information to determine what it is, that your problem is with your reciever exactly.
Could you provide a link to the specs of your reciever?

[BRANDONH]

All I am looking for are 7.1 DVD players but here is the link to my receiver
Link:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_4155_36908,00.html
The owners manual will not load even though I am a registered member.

[Ryanm]

Ok i didn't bother with the manual but the specs say Dolby Digital and DTS decoders,
*Exactly* what is it you are trying to do? Pls explain *WHY* it is that you need a 7.1 DVD player?
Your reciever already does 7.1 decoding, I'm still not understanding why you need a 7.1 DVD player.
In effect you are saying, to state an analogy: I already have a ford explorer, but I need a dodge durango............
Why?

[BRANDONH]

I have a 5.1 DVD but when I put in a doby ex disc the receiver does not recognize the additional channel. I read the book and it states for 7.1 play back I need a player with 7.1 analog outputs.
I have found one in the meantime but would like more to look over:
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=DV-SP800&class=DVD&p=i
rear view:
http://www.onkyousa.com/zoom.cfm?class=DVD&m=DV-SP800#
notice the analog outputs.
But the price ouch 999.00 at some places.

[markw]

7.1 is not a "real" format. The most discrete channels currently available is 6, and there's not a whole heckuva lot on those, either.

Those last two channels are derived from the original 5 (or 6) channels in the receiver itself. Feed a digital signal into a receiver capable of extracting those two "phantom" channels, set it up correctly and you're good to go.

this is analog outputs from the specs of the onkyo you mention:

2.0 V RMS, 420 ohm, pin jack (5.1 ch) x 1, pin jack (L/R) x 2

Please note that it doesn't mention 7.1 outputs.

Maybe in a few years but, not now.

[Ryanm]

You do have 7 speakers? I don't know if the reciever has auto setup, but mine does, and if you set it up without the extra speakers and then hook up the speakers later, you have to rerun the setup, because it will effectively set itself for 5.1.
If you are using 7 speakers, and the reciever doesn't have an auto setup, my advice would be to call pioneer customer service. My guess if it's even remotely similar to my reciever is that it has an auto detect and will set itself according to what information it recieves from the DVD player.
You are using a digital coax cable or an optical cable correct?
If you're using a disc such as LotR (any extended version) the default output is dolby digital 5.1, you have to select DTS ES from the menu within the movie.
You do not need a 7.1 DVD player, as MarkW said 7.1 isn't a true *discrete* <-- key word, format. Maybe in a couple of years but atm it's not a true *discrete* format.
The reciever will *matrix* <-- another key word 6.1 into 7.1 so long as you have the speakers to support 7.1.
I will also suggest that if you are having problems with the reciever outputting DTS ES or DTS at all, go into the menu of the dvd player to make sure that it is outputting the DTS signal (my parents dvd/vcr wasn't and when I put in pearl harbor and set it for dts I got no sound from the surround sound system i bought my dad for christmas, as a result I did some searching and found out that DTS output was turned off within the VCR/DVD menu).
Just some suggestions and advice.

[Woochifer]

First off, you do not NEED a 7.1 DVD player. No such thing exists, and even receivers claiming to be "7.1" completely misuse that terminology because the channels do not represent discrete channels. Just because a receiver has seven output channels does not make it 7.1, just as Pro Logic/Dolby Surround is not a 4.0 or 5.0 format.

As markw pointed out, 6.1 DTS ES is the only format beyond 5.1 that you can get right now. 99.9% of the DVD titles on the market right now are NOT 6.1. Receiver/processor manufacturers went to a split back surround output a few years ago because we hear sounds behind us differently and having two speakers slightly off-center was found to be more effective at filling out the soundfield than one center speaker directly behind the listener. There's nothing special about it, just a monophonic signal that gets split into two back surround speakers rather than one.

Of course, you don't need a DVD player to do this, and in most cases, you're better off just letting your receiver take care of all the digital format decoding and back surround processing. Right now, the main use for the multichannel analog inputs on a receiver is for DVD-A and SACD, which are both strictly 5.1 formats.

At some time in the future, the eight-channel analog input on your receiver might make use of all those channels, such as when HD-DVD and Blu-ray players roll out next year. Both of those high res formats include DD+ and DTS-HD, which allow for additional discrete outputs. The early HD-DVD and Blu-ray disc players might come with 7.1 outputs to take advantage of the scalability of the new audio formats, or they might not. It all depends on if any discs actually get mixed and mastered into 7.1 or above.

Bottom line is buy the best DVD player that fits your actual needs and listening habits, rather than obsessing about filling every plug on your receiver. If you plan to buy DVD-A and SACD discs, then go with a universal player with 5.1 analog output. If you're primarily concerned about movies, then just get a DVD with decent picture quality and use the digital audio output. You might have 7.1 disc player choices in a couple of years if HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs start getting mixed with 7.1 discrete audio tracks. But, I wouldn't hold my breath. DD EX and DTS ES have been on the market for almost five years, and only about 100 titles are available in each of those formats.

[LEAFS264]

The integra DPC-8.5 has outputs for 7.1 channel sound.