No digital audio output from RCA home theatre system - advice anyone?

Question

I am running a coaxial digital cable from my DVD player into a RCA RT2280 home theatre digital input. When I set the DVD input setting to "coaxial" on the RCA, the display shows dolby digital with all channels lit up, but outputs no sound. If I swtich it over to "analog" I can get the stereo sound output. I have also tried with an optical cable with the same result. Stereo "analog" works for all sources, so I know the speakers are fine. Since the receiver recognizes when it is receiving digitial sound, I know the DVD player's output jack is working. What could be causing the receiver not to output sound in digital mode?

Answer 1

You have isolated the trouble to your RCA unit. I would suspect a D/A converter inside the RCA has failed. Unfortunately, you are going to need a repair, or a replacement.

Answer 2

First, if there is a button on the remote to select Dolby Digital, try that. Normally the RCA receiver should automatically detect DD, and the fact that the display shows it indicates that is probably happening. I suspect there is a fault somewhere.



The fault could be in either the DVD player or the RCA. It is possible for the A/V receiver to detect DD and display it, but not be able do decode it because of some defect. If you can get a hold of any other digital audio source (cable box, satellite receiver or other DVD player), then you can isolate the problem.

Answer 3

Well you were sold on Philips huh? Nothing wrong with the HDTV or PS3. I think your only option for getting sound through from PS3 is the digital coaxial in. I didn't see that your sound system has an HDMI in. If it does, do what the first answerer said. Otherwise if you can return it and exchange for a sound system that has HDMI in and HDMI out, then you'll be cooking with something. The HDMI shouldn't be limited to 1080i either, although I think this simply has to do with the DVD player that acts as the receiver. If you look further, always look for 1080p or just HDMI, don't get anything that stops at just 1080i. We have a Sony with 3 ports HDMI in and one HDMI port out. We get HDTV cable and the PS3 all going through our sound system. There wasn't a DVD player, but we didn't need one, we have a PS3, the best player on the market. If it's too late to consider something else, digital coaxial in looks like your only good option, although I've never had any good luck getting sound out of digital coaxial, myself though tried a couple times. Some impairment on my knowledge of it and the audio world, but I couldn't make it work. You can find a digital coaxial cable at a retail store like Target or Walmart, no need to get the monster cable at BB or CC.