Issues with NC 7100 + HD DVD

[hays0023]

I have always been using the analog inputs between my NC 7100 and my Toshiba HD-A1 with a splitter to take advance of 7.1. Last night, I decided to watch a movie but apply Dolby PL IIx, but there was no sound. I played around with the surround modes and was able to get sound with all other modes, but no PL IIx. If not familiar with the HD-A1, it will process the Dolby Digital +/TrueHD and convert to DTS for bitstream out. I thought it may have been the player, but when I tried a DTS cd, it worked fine and was able to apply PL IIx. The same with a normal DVD, but no luck with HD DVD.

Any suggestions???


Any help is greatly appreciated! ;x(

[psychdoc]

Sorry, no answers here. I still would love to hear about the sound of your system once this is figured out. I also have the NC 7100 so I really want to know how to somehow utilize the new sound formats even if it just striaght out of the DVD player. Let us know how it sounds and if it is better than the PLIIx from a standard DVD. I doubt much can be done but.......

[hays0023]

After a discussion with Parasound, it was deemed that my software needed to be upgraded. I do have to say that via the analoges, the sound is INCREDIBLE for True HD. Since I have been unable to listen to the DTS stream, I will comment once my preamp has been returned.


Thanks.

[bhuskins]

and what disc are you playing tha has Dolby True HD encoded on it?

[hays0023]

I have watched Batman Begins, V for Vendetta and End of Days. The sound detail in Batman is just phenomenal. Of course, I have had to use the analog inputs, but still breath taking! It was a bit tricky to calibrate for the .1 channel on the HD-A1 is about 10db low, but once dialed in, it was just great.

I have to say that even some of the Dolby Digital + tracks are a step above the standard DD tracks. The Fast and The Furious : Tokyo Drift really came to life...Scared every one of my cats...they would not come out until the next day :-)

[Chris D]

Now, wait a tick... I thought the 7.1 multichannel inputs were straight pass-through, and you could NOT use any processing on them, including DPLIIx. My guess would have been that when you were playing a disc with DTS or DD, you were unknowingly using your digital connection (coax/optical) and not multichannel analog.

You asked Parasound about this?

(and I understand the underlying question about TrueHD)

[hays0023]

You are correct. The 7.1 in are pass-through. The HD-A1 will decode within the player, so I have been using the 5.1 in and a pair of Y-splitters to get 7.1. I have to wait to see if there is any difference in sound quality between the analog Dolby Digital +/True HD in compared to the re-coded DTS track with PLIIx overlayed. Hopefully, I will not be without my 7100 for too long. I am guessing about 2 weeks....I will keep everyone posted!

[Chris D]

The HD-A1 doesn't have the capability of adding DPLIIx processing before sending the sound out of the multichannel outputs, does it?? Otherwise, you wouldn't be getting any processing at all.

[hays0023]

Thanks Chris. It does not have processing. It is either straight from the analog to the amp or, the HD-A1 will convert the DD+/TrueHD to a DTS stream for the preamp to decode. From this DTS stream, I could then apply PLIIx. That is what I want to compare...how does the raw analog DD+/TrueHD sound compared to the re-encoded DTS with PLIIx applied.

Thanks!

[eduardw]

I’ve had a similar problem with my 7100 and indeed a software upgrade fixed the problem.

See topic http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=14122