No 5.1 Surround Sound

[rajmahid]

I just hooked up my HD-XR yesterday, and am thrilled with it. Only one issue...perhaps.

Though I have all the qualifications for 5.1 audio per the FAQ (high-end multi-channel Marantz receiver, HDMI 1.3a hookup, super-fast cable connection, 4-stars on everything, 5.1 Audio selected in the setup, etc.), none of the Netflix HD selections I've watched, so far, provide anything but stereo.

I know not all the material is 5.1, but you'd think at least one of the 6 HD shows & movies I've viewed would have it -- especially when they're HiDef. My cable programs unfailingly read out 5.1/Dolby Surround when it's present int he programming -- but so far not on my Roku. Not even Pandora, but probably because it's lossy stereo only.

Any clues?

Otherwise, it's an awesome gizmo

[philsoft]

Netflix does not supply 5.1 audio. Amazon does on select HD titles.

[jeffrok]

To get 5.1 audio, you can only currently do it with Amazon HD titles that specifically have the "5.1" label on their info screens.

[rajmahid]

Thanks to both of you for the prompt responses! I haven't rented any movies from Amazon yet. Glad it's not some connection issue I overlooked. Too bad Netflix skimps on 5.1 audio in streaming releases.

[jeffrok]

I don't think they skimp on the releases- it's more of a technological problem.. They haven't figured out how to stream 5.1 audio using their current encoding techniques.

[Darrylc]

Continuing with the original thread theme I can't get 5.1 sound out of AOD HD streams. In fact if I have the Roku box set to 5.1 I get no sound at all on HD 5.1 streams. Non 5.1 encodes work fine with this setting. If I set the roku to stereo output, I get stereo sound on the HD streams. Any suggestions on how to get 5.1 to work?

[jeffrok]

You probably have it set up in an incompatible way..

You have to hook the cables up from the Roku to the home theatre, and pass the video from the home theatre to the TV. You can't have the cable(s) going from the Roku to the TV and then passing the audio to the home theatre from there- that won't work.

[Darrylc]

The Roku is connected (directly) to a Denon 1610 via HDMI.

[jeffrok]

My guess is it's a setting on your Denon receiver that is not allowing 5.1 audio to be pass thru..

So you have it set up this way:

Roku -> Denon via HDMI

and then

Denon -> TV for video video HDMI?

just for troubleshooting sake, try an optical audio cable from the Roku to the Denon receiver, and try a 5.1 audio from Amazon..

Continue troubleshooting from there- I'm guessing it's an HDMI audio setting on that specific input on your Denon.

[alusher36]

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Response (Greg McCann) - 05/11/2010 12:01 PM
Hello Andrew,

That doesn't sound like an issue with the receiver at all. It sounds like the Roku box had trouble decoding the 5.1 signal streaming in most likely due to a poorly authored or formatted signal from the source provider. (Amazon VOD) It was able to see the 2 channel LPCM signal, but not the DD. We know it's not a faulty 1910 or Roku box because other titles from Amazon VOD (or Netflix) work properly. I would chalk that up to the specific title's info coming in and not the 1910 or even the Roku. If the 1910's decoder was faulty, it wouldn't be able to decode any DD 5.1 signal from any source device.

Thank you,

Greg McCann
Technical Support Representative
D&M Holdings NA, Inc.

Customer (Andrew Lusher) - 05/11/2010 12:41 AM
Hello, I have been very happy with my AVR-1910. However, recently I discovered a odd audio issue. Let me explain my situation. I have a Samsung LED 46 inch HDTV, DirecTV satellite DVR and a Blu-Ray player. All of these are connected to the AVR via HDMI to the back of the unit and a single HDMI out to the television. I am currently having a problem with audio with my Roku player. When I initially hooked it up, I did not notice any audio problems or video. The Roku has a sound profile setting of 2.0 stereo or 5.1 surround. I had the box setting to 5.1 and noticed no issues, I was able to get Netflix audio, Pandora audio etc. I also was able to get video and audio from Amazon VOD. I recently I wanted to rent a HD movie with a 5.1 audio sound profile from Amazon video on demand and I was
able to get a picture but no sound. When I watch content without the 5.1 audio profile, I am able to get audio. I went back to the Roku sound settings and selected 2.0 audio and I was able to get sound and I was able to rent the HD movie but it lacked the 5.1 sound profile. At first, I thought it was Amazon, I have called my internet provider and was told it was not them. I called Roku but I think it is functioning properly but I don't know. If it is a set up issue with the receiver, please send me detailed instructions on how to set the AVR-1910 so I will be able to hear a 5.1 sound profile. Thanks for all your help with my issue. On a side note, why would I be able to hear 2.0 audio and not 5.1?
Andrew

[philsoft]

I ran into a similar issue a while back. A setting had SOMEHOW (I think it was my son, he denies it, but that's another story) gotten changed. On my Onkyo that setting was labeled "Passthrough audio" or something similar to that. I had to disable that in order to play the 5.1 audio.

[kf9vh]

It would be nice if Netflix streamed in Dolby 5.1 but to be frank about it I set my receiver to Dolby Pro Logic II Movie and it sounds great. Your mileage my vary.

If it causes a streaming problem or they increased the price for Dolby 5.1 I would rather it stay as is.

[gadrago]

I agree with the previous poster. Dolby ProLogic IIx Movie on a AV receiver is a great simulator. I've even found that its playback of a 2-channel analog recording with the ProLogic IIx Movie simulator beats the original DVD playback with true 5.1 Dolby ProLogic encoding.