Analog output from digital source?

[douglasbjordan]

I have a Denon 2805 receiver. I have connected an optical line to it from my DVD player. Is there any way to get this digital signal converted to analog and sent out of the receiver's Tape Out or other analog outputs? (Without additional hardware, that is. =)

I suspect there is not, but I just wanted to double check. The product manual (can be found at http://www.usa.denon.com/catalog/pdfs/AVR2805%20DFU.pdf ) isn't terribly straightforward on this. The only information I could find on analog outputs was in the section on multi-source recording on page 37. The product manual notes say:
- Recording sources other than digital inputs selected in the REC OUT mode are also output to the multi source audio output jacks.
- Digital signals are not output from the REC SOURCE or audio output jacks.

I suspect that this means that even in regular (non multi-source) recording, the receiver will not convert the digital source to two channels and put it on the Tape Out line. This is consistent with what I have been seeing when I tried it -- I just wanted to check with you guys first to make sure there wasn't some hidden receiver setting or something I'm missing out on.

Thanks in advance!

[Slosh]

Yeah, it's idiotic. Pre-amp/processors will do what you want but not A/V receivers (in my experience). If you're not using the front pre-outs you'd be able to send the decoded signal to a cassette deck, etc. Of course, the volume control would be in the signal path but that shouldn't be much of a problem. And obviously you would need to set the receiver to stereo mode when recording 5.1/6.1 DVDs to an analog recorder.

[N. Abstentia]

My Onkyo 898 does this (outputs analog from the preamp outputs) and my Nakamichi before that also did...I would imagine any A/V receiver would do it? That's what the preamp outs are for!

[Slosh]

That's what the preamp outs are for!

No, they're for connecting to an external amp. Record outputs are different because they are line-level and have no tone control, DSP, etc. applied.

But I agree that a digital source should be decoded and sent to the analog record outputs. My Marantz receiver does the same thing as the Denon receiver mentioned above, which is a shame because its DACs are better than my CD, DVD, and Dish Network receivers' own DACs yet I'm forced to use their analog outputs to record to a VCR or cassette deck (which I almost never do but that's beside the point).

My pre/pro in my main system does send decoded digital signals to its analog record output. Hell, it even sends the front L/R signal of the 5.1 analog input to its record out. Why most A/V receivers don't is beyond me.

[eqm]

you should be able to run a pair of rcas from your dvd player and have both the optical and analog run simultaneously. hit the "mode" button on your denon 2805's remote to switch the dvd input to "analog" and you should be hitting paydirt. remember you should have some pretty good processing on the denon's analog inputs so you will still get what you want.

hope this helps