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HT Receiver connection question

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FrankC

(i)

I've just upgraded my 10-years old HT Yamaha decoder to the new Yamaha RX-V1. The back panel of this behemeth is so full of connectors, I don't even know where to start. I was reading the manual last night and it suggested that for LD players with AC-3 output, you should connect a digital cable from LD's AC-3 output to Yamaha's AC-3 input, but you should also connect the digital and analog outputs from the LD to the respective inputs on the Yahama. Why so many connections for the audio portion? The manual explained that the analog cable is required if you want to record movies from LD to VCR. I also have a DVD player too with AC-3, digital, and analog output. That's a lot of cables! What's the optimum solution?

Follow Ups:

AC3 is different for DVD than for laserdisc John C. - Aussie 23:32:46 10/20/00 (2)
Hi Frank
Just recently been through this. I'm not familiar with your Yamaha but a couple of things might help. In the discussion below I am assuming your Yamaha has an inbuilt processor.
(1) Laserdisc output for AC3 is different from the analog & digital outs and is a separate digital output. It it not available from all players but if there, must be fed into a demodulator and then to a digital input of your Yamaha if you want Dolby Digital surround sound. From your post it appears your Yamaha has a built in demodulator so requires the extra input. Our system uses an external Yamaha demodulator which then goes to the processor. Our processor must be switched seperately to this input just as your Yamaha must be selectively switched to that input. If you do not have Dolby Digital laserdiscs then forget about it.
(2) AC3 or DD comes out of the DVD player with the normal digital out. However some DVD players need to be specifically set up to give this output. Check your DVD manual about this.
(3) the audio input for a videorecorder must be analog so the analog out from your Yamaha must be plugged into audio in of your recorder.
(4) Older laserdiscs do not have a digital sound track and only put out an analog signal. This must therefore be connected to an analog input.
So, you have 3 possible outputs from a LD player - analog, digital, AC3. Your Yamaha must therefore be switched between them. Note that your LD & DVD players probably have digital to analog internal processors as well so you have a choice which to use. If you plug the analog out from your DVD player into the Yamaha and switch to it, you will be bypassing the internal Yamaha processor but will not get Dolby Digital surround sound so this is an unattractive option. However if you switch the Yamaha to take the digital output from the DVD player you will be bypassing the DVD processor & using the internal Yamaha unit to get DD multi channel sound. (This assumes your DVD player does not have an inbuilt DD decoder. If it does then it will have mutiple outputs which are better ignored).
You can do the same for the LD player - use its internal processor or bypass it in favour of the one in the Yamaha (normally the preferred option).
You will end up with a rats nest of cables, some probably hard to plug in & out because the sockets are so close. Take it a step at a time (DVD player first, then LD player etc, checking the sound each time) & it will work out fine.
Good luck & good listening.
Peace at AA
John
- Re: AC3 is different for DVD than for laserdisc Kevin Korom 13:33:30 10/21/00 (1)
  I would just add to John's excellent post that my past experience with Yamaha HT processors (had a DSP-A3090 before my DC-1) is that you need all the hookups, especially for LD.
  You need the AC-3 hookup for any LDs with this feature. You need the PCM digital connection for all other digital LDs, including DTS discs (you want to use the digital tracks if the disc has them). Finally, you need the analog hookups for any old LDs you might have that lack digital tracks, or if you wish to listen to an audio commentary track, etc.
  Once you have all these hookups done, using it is actually much easier. The processor should auto-detect the LD input in this order: AC-3, PCM/DTS, analog. So with all these hookups, all you need do is press "play" and you're ready to rock & roll (unless for whatever reason you prefer using one of the other tracks, which can easily be selected manually). Ease of use is one of the reasons for the conplicated hookup options:-)
  Regards,
  Kevin
  - Many Thanks to both of you! FrankC 09:39:11 10/23/00 (0)
    Now it's making some sense.

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