Sony STR-DE915 not compatable with coaxial sound??

Jack Hoying New member Username: Jmhoying Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2004	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 03:15 GMT Hello, I was given a JVC XV-N3SL DVD player for Christmas and didn't try to hook it to my Sony STR-DE915 receiver until last night. The DVD only has digital coaxial output (other than analog output) but the Sony receiver has an AC-3 input for coaxial digital audio. Is there a way to convert the digital audio signal to be compatible with AC-3. (The receiver does have optical inputs) Thanks for any help, Jack
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 172 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 03:41 GMT Jack, AC-3 (Audio Code number 3) is developed by Dolby Laboratories. It is a digital compression technology of an audio signal which, when decoded and reproduced, sounds the same as the original signal, and of course the surround sound. They used to refer to this system only for the home theater system and Dolby Digital to use in theaters. The difference being their data rates. I can see where you got confused, because it was not until recently that they just started using "Dolby Digital Surround". You know then what I'm getting at? You're AC-3 IS the coaxial digital audio. cheers
Jack Hoying New member Username: Jmhoying Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2004	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 03:59 GMT Berny, Thanks for the reply, but from what I've read tonight on other sights, AC-3 and coaxial digital audio are not compatable. Something about the sampling rates 96mhz vrs. 32mhz?? Not sure of those numbers, but it was something like that. Jack
geekboy New member Username: Geekboy Post Number: 147 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:23 GMT Jack: I don't know what folks are telling you or what you've read. How exactly does your receiver's digital input jacks read? I ask this because some of the older receivers have two "coaxial" digital inputs. One of them is "Digtal RF In" and the other is "Digital In". There IS a difference between these. The one you must use with your DVD player is the one NOT labeled "Digital RF In". The RF jack was used for Laserdisc players, like my converted Pioneer D501, which output their AC3 (Dolby Digital) bitstream as a modulated RF signal. I'm not going to try to explain it any more than that. As Bernie wrote... AC-3 is the same thing as Dolby Digital Surround. My old Kenwood actually has "AC-3" stamped on the back of it. I hope that helps.
geekboy New member Username: Geekboy Post Number: 148 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:25 GMT Jack: you can also use the digital optical inputs for the receiver. My old Kenwood doesn't have the optical inputs... it's 6 years old.
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 175 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:26 GMT I think that is where you are getting confused. They really haven't changed the data rate for the home theaters, just the name and they rarely use the term AC-3 anymore. Dolby Digital in theaters is different from Dolby Digital Surround in HOME theater receivers. Dolby AC-3 is the former term for what is now Dolby Digital Surround in home theater receivers. They wanted to avoid the confusion, which happened anyway. Here's the gist of it, Dolby Digital AC-3 is coding for the audio programmers that produces Dolby Digital Audio Surround. Oh man, I remember when I first got my Technics with Dolby AC-3 and I was ticked off when they started coming out with Dolby Surround. I thought they were very different formats I was able to use it anyway, until I started changing systems again and realized they were the same. hopefully i didn't confuse you any further cheers
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 176 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:33 GMT geekboy, don't even get me started on that Digital RF, aaargh! I still have those stupid laserdics, i just realized that the those things were actually bigger than VHS tapes and a lot less portable. I just wish they could stick with one format. I was so excited with that danged AC-3 when it came out, much like those THX logos on the front of the receivers. cheers
geekboy New member Username: Geekboy Post Number: 149 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:36 GMT Berny (and I apologize this is getting a tad off topic): You should have seen the look on my face after the DIY kit to make my Pioneer D501 laserdisc player able to suck off the AC-3 signal! My first laserdisc and, of course, first Dolby Digital Surround experience, was Disney's Toy Story! Man oh man. Gotta remember... it was November 1997 and it just came out. One of the first LDs with Dolby Digital! Awesome... I still have it.
Jack Hoying New member Username: Jmhoying Post Number: 3 Registered: 01-2004	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 13:08 GMT Thanks for all the replies. I just checked the receiver again and the RCA jack for digital in is marked AC-3 RF (for laser disk). The only other digital inputs are optical, which my DVD player doesn't have. I've looked at the possibility of using some sort of modulator, but the price is more than the DVD player cost. I might just buy a different DVD player and make sure it has optical output. Jack
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 178 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 13:34 GMT oh no, I was afraid of that! You know, a better option would be to get a different receiver to accomodate upgrades, instead of changing equipment to accomodate the older receiver. Do you have heat problems with your Sony? I ask because it was a common problem for that particular unit and its subsequent failure due to heat. Hope you find a better alternative. cheers
Jack Hoying New member Username: Jmhoying Post Number: 4 Registered: 01-2004	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 21:18 GMT Although I'm going shopping for a new receiver, I did find a converter that will convert digital coaxial to optical (or optical to coaxial). And it seems to be priced reasonably enough at $79.00 US. http://m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=c6dd338f6c8a68ea09fbfcf54039be6 b Thanks, Jack
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 181 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 22:24 GMT Jack, I believe radio shack also has a unit that can do that. I don't remember how much it costs, though. cheers
Jack Hoying New member Username: Jmhoying Post Number: 5 Registered: 01-2004	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 22:51 GMT I just checked Radio Shacks on-line store and see that they have one available for just $15.00 US. I would have to wonder what kind of quality loss their would be?? http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=15-1228 Thanks, Jack
Berny New member Username: Project6 Post Number: 182 Registered: 12-2003	Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 22:55 GMT it seems reasonable enough...do you have a local radio shack? I mean, you can try it out, and if you don't like it and it does not work the way you thought it would, you can always return it.

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