While this is not strictly the correct forum for this question, I would much rather listen to my fellow brethren on here who, for those amongst you who have one such device, I know will be able to give clear answers on.
It goes thus. I have installed for a client the aforementioned machine: outputting to a multi-channel Rotel power amp via the L,C,R,SL,SR, SW RCA o/p's. This feeds a Bowers & Wilkins Mini-Theatre 5.1 passive loudspeaker and active sub system.
When specifying this system within a basement dig cinema room, I'd had the intention of using the Oppo's Blu-ray/DVD facility as well as with it's simple to use digital pre-amp facility, (no nasty Japanese AV-gimmick sound settings for the client to accidentally run into), with the television connected into the Oppo's optical spdif audio input, which operates with multi-channel sources.
Within the set-up menu of the Oppo 205 is the sound processing of DTS Neo 6, which forms the basis of re-appraising native 2.0 (stereo) digital audio signals, (eg; most of television's broadcast output, bar big tv drama productions and multi-channel cinema-release films) into a left-centre-right, surround pair and sub-bass matrix. However, there appears to be no such reworking going on when this feature is selected on the optical and coaxial spdif digital inputs, for all that comes forth is stereo (L&R) and no sub-bass. Pathetic, given that all televisions have an optical output for AV duties.
I know that if the television were to be playing a Dolby-encoded programme or film, that the Oppo's Dolby 5.1 decoder would kick-into action on these inputs, but I am at a loss as to why they don't have the DTS Neo 6 feature working via spdif - for it is common practice that multi-channel system users listen to 2.0 programme content in a matrix mode on other AV products; one vital factor being to anchor the dialogue to the speaker nearest the television screen.
Am I missing anything on the set-up procedure here or is this pure 'oversight idiocy' on the designer's part with this otherwise well thought of product? Also, does it also happen on the previous BDP-195 model?
As for the alternative approach with feeding sound from the television to the Oppo by using the HDMI2 audio return channel socket on the Panasonic television and connecting into the Oppo's ARC input, well this is completely useless in operation because it requires one to switch the television onto it's HDMI1 input in order to monitor the Oppo's on-screen menu to see the status of same, (the Oppo unit is located within an equipment cupboard and thus it's front display is out-of-sight), then one has to wait while a message tells you of the making of said connection. Once it does, you are invited to select TV (as opposed to the Panasonic's AV button) on your television remote-control handset to start watching the chosen Freeview tv programme. The trouble with this action is that it doesn't always keep the handshake, (for want of a better techno-babble term), when switching-over to TV because there is a marksman-like necessity with the timing of performing this 'pressing of the TV button' action that renders a success-rate of one-in-five attempts in getting the sound to come through. Wholly unacceptable and un-workable for any client in my opinion.
I have had this discussion with the main London Oppo agent with whom the unit was supplied from, but they have little knowledge of these findings, (which is usually the case, - that I am the one who has the rarest of scenario's where problems like these arise; that no-one else has ever had the misfortune of coming across).
If any Oppo users (205 or even it's better facility specced 195 predecessor) on here have any suggestions or useful insight into these problems, I'd be most grateful. Otherwise I'm of the mind to write to Oppo's CEO in China to see if a modded unit cannot be procured, for I am loath to absorb the wastage costs on the weight of a badly engineered product that really shouldn't be.
This oversight sits right up there with the Colt Starrion Turbo, whose namesake was akin to something lifted right out of a Benny Hill sketch as it should've been the Stallion Turbo.
Sorry to be asking in a two-channel forum but I am at my wits end with this product, having stayed late in the night on the job trying to make sense of it all. Any help will be much appreciated.
It goes thus. I have installed for a client the aforementioned machine: outputting to a multi-channel Rotel power amp via the L,C,R,SL,SR, SW RCA o/p's. This feeds a Bowers & Wilkins Mini-Theatre 5.1 passive loudspeaker and active sub system.
When specifying this system within a basement dig cinema room, I'd had the intention of using the Oppo's Blu-ray/DVD facility as well as with it's simple to use digital pre-amp facility, (no nasty Japanese AV-gimmick sound settings for the client to accidentally run into), with the television connected into the Oppo's optical spdif audio input, which operates with multi-channel sources.
Within the set-up menu of the Oppo 205 is the sound processing of DTS Neo 6, which forms the basis of re-appraising native 2.0 (stereo) digital audio signals, (eg; most of television's broadcast output, bar big tv drama productions and multi-channel cinema-release films) into a left-centre-right, surround pair and sub-bass matrix. However, there appears to be no such reworking going on when this feature is selected on the optical and coaxial spdif digital inputs, for all that comes forth is stereo (L&R) and no sub-bass. Pathetic, given that all televisions have an optical output for AV duties.
I know that if the television were to be playing a Dolby-encoded programme or film, that the Oppo's Dolby 5.1 decoder would kick-into action on these inputs, but I am at a loss as to why they don't have the DTS Neo 6 feature working via spdif - for it is common practice that multi-channel system users listen to 2.0 programme content in a matrix mode on other AV products; one vital factor being to anchor the dialogue to the speaker nearest the television screen.
Am I missing anything on the set-up procedure here or is this pure 'oversight idiocy' on the designer's part with this otherwise well thought of product? Also, does it also happen on the previous BDP-195 model?
As for the alternative approach with feeding sound from the television to the Oppo by using the HDMI2 audio return channel socket on the Panasonic television and connecting into the Oppo's ARC input, well this is completely useless in operation because it requires one to switch the television onto it's HDMI1 input in order to monitor the Oppo's on-screen menu to see the status of same, (the Oppo unit is located within an equipment cupboard and thus it's front display is out-of-sight), then one has to wait while a message tells you of the making of said connection. Once it does, you are invited to select TV (as opposed to the Panasonic's AV button) on your television remote-control handset to start watching the chosen Freeview tv programme. The trouble with this action is that it doesn't always keep the handshake, (for want of a better techno-babble term), when switching-over to TV because there is a marksman-like necessity with the timing of performing this 'pressing of the TV button' action that renders a success-rate of one-in-five attempts in getting the sound to come through. Wholly unacceptable and un-workable for any client in my opinion.
I have had this discussion with the main London Oppo agent with whom the unit was supplied from, but they have little knowledge of these findings, (which is usually the case, - that I am the one who has the rarest of scenario's where problems like these arise; that no-one else has ever had the misfortune of coming across).
If any Oppo users (205 or even it's better facility specced 195 predecessor) on here have any suggestions or useful insight into these problems, I'd be most grateful. Otherwise I'm of the mind to write to Oppo's CEO in China to see if a modded unit cannot be procured, for I am loath to absorb the wastage costs on the weight of a badly engineered product that really shouldn't be.
This oversight sits right up there with the Colt Starrion Turbo, whose namesake was akin to something lifted right out of a Benny Hill sketch as it should've been the Stallion Turbo.
Sorry to be asking in a two-channel forum but I am at my wits end with this product, having stayed late in the night on the job trying to make sense of it all. Any help will be much appreciated.
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