Denon AVR 589 setup questions

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casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#29232 29-Dec-2008 23:59

Got a Denon AVR 589 + Speaker set today after trying out the Yamaha 195 set of a similar type but went with this instead.

Anyway - there are a couple of odd limitations that I wanted to check

1) Our Sony RDR-HX950 DVD/HDD has HDMI and Coax out - in the manual for the Sony it says to choose either HDMI OR Coax - the Denon will accept only Video over HDMI and needs optical or Coax for the digital audio.

Hooking up both the HDMI and the Coax DOES work though - does this make sense or could it be a lesser form of Coax digital output (we're using a standard RCA cable - should I get proper coax?)

2) Also we have a Zinwell Freeview HD box - this also has HDMI, Coax and Optical out. Hooking up the Coax to the second coax port on the Denon produces no sound. Hooking up the standard Audio L/R out to the Denon does produce sound. Is this because the Freeview HD signal is not carrying any Digital audio to output over Coax?

gumdigger

429 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#186630 30-Dec-2008 09:39

1) Yes some entry level recievers only do passthrough so yes you need to use hdmi for video and coax/optical for audio. RCA will work but i would highly recommend a proper coax i.e. 75 ohm.

2) FREEviewHD produces dolbyDigital out on few shows such as CSI, Prison break, movies etc. so its best you use optical for that.

if you only use audio L/R it will only do stereo i.e. you will get equal sound from all speakers.

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#186660 30-Dec-2008 12:39

about the freeview - will the optical connection still send through normal audio for shows that aren't dolby?

Why wouldn't the coax output from the zinwell send through the audio yet the optical will?

gumdigger

429 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#186662 30-Dec-2008 12:50

yes optical will send any audio, multichannel or stereo.

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#186761 30-Dec-2008 22:55

How come the optical from the zinwell will do this but the coax won't?

billgates

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Uber Geek
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Trusted

#186771 31-Dec-2008 00:31

Just wondering which store did you buy the reciever from?

Do whatever you want to do man.

gumdigger

429 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#186780 31-Dec-2008 07:29

casewindow: How come the optical from the zinwell will do this but the coax won't?

i dont think the zinwell has coax out does it? is there a blck or orange colored single rca plug that says digital? if there is then go ahead it does the same thing as optical.

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casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#186790 31-Dec-2008 09:41

Yeah it has both.

I hooked it up again and now it just works - wierd. TV1 & TV2 say stereo but TV3 says dolby digital on the receiver. I guess like you say only a few shows take advantage of it as I didn't notice anything special from 'Rachel Ray' when I was testing it out just now.

Anyway - seems that everything is hooked up now

Sony RDR-HDX950 -> HDMI & Coax -> Denon AVR589 (Sony manual says it can't do this but it can)
Zinwell Freeview -> HDMI & Coax - > Denon AVR589
Zinwell Freeview -> RCA AV -> Sony RDR-DHX950
Denon AVR589 -> HDMI -> Sony Bravia 40" D series