Sony HT-DDWG800 Home Theatre Sys REVIEW

[godfarter]

Originally Posted by super-saint

Will this ever go on general sale or do Pixmania have exclusivity ?

There were other online companies that were selling the DDWG800 when I was searching but they were few and far between.

More importantly though, Pixmania was the cheapest, hence buying from them.

You can search "sony ddwg800" and view the shopping results search you will see at least 3 other companies apart from pixmania selling it.

Not sure about exclusivity but I guess you could wait until the others decide to pick it up - last i checked my local sony store didn't even have/know about this model

[godfarter]

Alright guys, I wonder if someone can help me here.

My Media Center PC is now attached to the DDWG800 via

1. HDMI (graphics card) to the "DVD" HDMI Input of the Receiver
2. Coaxial Cable (sound card) to the "DVD In/Coaxial" Input (Assignable) of the Receiver

I have been trying to no avail to try and reassign
Amp Menu>5-Audio>D Assign>DVD COAX>DVD- DVD

so that my amp will output the display via hdmi and audio via coaxial. At the moment I can only get display but no audio.

I could attach my HDMI directly to the TV and get both display and audio but that would mean having to do one more step when I want to use my computer.

Surely this Audio Assign feature of the Amp should be able to bypass the automatic assumption that the HDMI carries both video/audio signals?

[amx]

I've been trying to do the same, I don't think there is a way.

If you don't use SA-CD/CD you could assign COAX to that then select DVD wait for picture then select SA-CD/CD to get the sound.

[Naaktgeboren]

This may be of some help but my friend had a similar problem with another Sony amp.

He was using an ATI card and this was the cause of his problems, he was advised to have the card selected in its properties, he also had to ensure that the audio pass through drivers were working (you can check by using your dxdiag from command prompt, this field will be visible under one of the sound tabs for example ATI sound device)

I will be able to check this with him properly tomorrow, this may give you some food for thought meanwhile.

I hope you get it sorted.

[Kasreyn]

Thanks for the review godfarter. It really helped getting me on the right track for what i need . I'm starting from scratch with no previous receivers or speakers. So I was looking for something modern with HDMI audio. Also I didn't want to spend a fortune on speakers. Plus I live in an apartment, there are other people living there I guess . I found this thread just browsing for systems there seemed current and in stock.

It seems like a great system, i really like the plentiful video and audio I/O. Though I already identified a problem, the hight of the receiver. I'll have to construct another layer furniture under my TV to fit it in . I'm not sure but the length of the rear speakercables can become a problem because the room doesn't have a left side wall. I'll have to route them on the right side. I'd prefer the speakers to be wallmounted but I might be forced into buying some stands.

In the manual there's a picture of how to mount the speakers. Do the rear speakers have to mounted so they face your left/right ear, or can they be mounted so they face the back of your head?

[RottenFox]

you need to have a read of this site,and go through the interactive part:
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_e...oomlayout.html

thats what you are ideally looking for.

failing that,as it mentions,you have to set the delay,etc of any speaker out of position,to counter for being so.

[godfarter]

Originally Posted by Kasreyn

I'm not sure but the length of the rear speakercables can become a problem because the room doesn't have a left side wall. I'll have to route them on the right side. I'd prefer the speakers to be wallmounted but I might be forced into buying some stands.

Hi, Kasreyn, glad I could be of some service

I route my rear speakers via my RIGHT wall only, so yeah be prepared to get longer rear cables. The Audio Purists might scoff but I got a good deal on ebay for a pair of 20M OFC cables so maybe you could start out there

Speaker stands I got a set of 4 BLACK ones off Amazon for £49.99...matches the speakers perfectly and its good because you can change about the position of the speakers until it suits your surroundings - my left rear speaker was initially routed via the left wall but now both rear speakers run via my right

Originally Posted by Kasreyn

In the manual there's a picture of how to mount the speakers. Do the rear speakers have to mounted so they face your left/right ear, or can they be mounted so they face the back of your head?

I don't think it is absolutely necessary for it to face your left/right ears, just facing the back of your head in the back of the room will be fine.

Just remember that the distance of the rear speakers should not be too far away from the center of the room. Use the Digital Calibration Microphone to calibrate and if you do not get any WARN commands, the Receiver would have successfully optimised the gain/output settings so that you get the best possible surround sound.

The microphone is quite sensitive too, I put my rear right speaker in the corner of the room and a lamp shade was partially blocking it - only after realigning the speaker to have clear "sight" of the microphone was I able to complete the calibration successfully.

I also use my rear speakers quite a bit as the dining table is near them in the back of the room - so when I want to enjoy a tv dinner I just switch the speakers to multi-stereo mode so I don't have to turn up the volume to strain to hear the centre/left/right speakers.

I live in a flat too so I was initially worried about whether the sub-woofer would rattle the neighbours below - so far no complaints when I turn it up half-way. I love the sub - its so important as part of the full experience.

[godfarter]

Thanks for the replies/suggestions guys, RE HDMI/Coaxial Assigning.

I'm still waiting for Sony Tech Support to reply - it's been a week not even a word from them except the auto-response email I got when I first submitted the ticket

Originally Posted by DogZillaNL

He was using an ATI card and this was the cause of his problems, he was advised to have the card selected in its properties, he also had to ensure that the audio pass through drivers were working (you can check by using your dxdiag from command prompt, this field will be visible under one of the sound tabs for example ATI sound device)

Thanks man, but all my audio pass through drivers are fine, besides I'm using NVIDIA

Although my graphics card has an optical INPUT, my media center's motherboard sound card only has analog and coaxial outputs - so short of buying the clunky coaxial/optical converter on ebay, I don't think I can practically pass-through the audio via my hdmi

Originally Posted by amx

I've been trying to do the same, I don't think there is a way.

If you don't use SA-CD/CD you could assign COAX to that then select DVD wait for picture then select SA-CD/CD to get the sound.

Nice one! it works! With your method we can keep remote control steps down to the bare minimum

It's frustrating that my multi-monitor software keeps auto-detecting when i change receiver modes and "unplugs" the hdmi such that when I want to switch back to the computer display I have to manually go to my primary computer monitor and enable the secondary display again

[pool182]

Will this work ok with dvd recorder and sky hd also if I buy a new hd player will I get 5.1 sound on it

[MurphmanL]

Does the HT-DDWG800 have subwoofer control / levelling?

Im looking to get it for a bedroom but dont want the woofer to be 100% active as it will quite literally thump into the floor, to be honest it would probabl be better to just have the woofer working at the lowest possible level...

Its either that or a logic 3 5.1 sound bar as the bass wouldnt be on the floor !

Any ideas?

[nev555]

Originally Posted by MurphmanL

Does the HT-DDWG800 have subwoofer control / levelling?

Im looking to get it for a bedroom but dont want the woofer to be 100% active as it will quite literally thump into the floor, to be honest it would probabl be better to just have the woofer working at the lowest possible level...

Its either that or a logic 3 5.1 sound bar as the bass wouldnt be on the floor !

Any ideas?

Yes. It has an active sub with a knob to control the loudness of the booms

[super-saint]

Using this system with a PS3, will i see the benefits of DTS HD MA 5.1 ?

[andy_scouser]

Just ordered one of these, to completement the Sony 40" KDL-40V3000 and the Sony PS3.... my god it seems everything electrical in my house has gone Sony!

I have a question or 3 if i dare.

In order for TV freeview audio to go through the system ill need an optical connect from the TV?

Im hoping I will still get a good sound listening to music, I currently have a NAD amp, marrantz 63 K1 cd player and a set of mission M73i floorstanders. Will this system play music as well?

Is it worth using the missions as front speakers at all?

Im actually thinking this may replace all of my system, using the ps3 for playing cd.


Thanks all..


Andy

[sunderland]

Multi Channel Linear PCM for true High Definition sound
does this mean i wil get the hd sound on my panny bd30 blu-ray aswell as 5.1dd and dts,sorry for sounding daft but lost with all these sound formats,p.s great review aswell

[pool182]

Would like to know this as well i have a samsung le32r41bd lcd will this be TRUE HD IN 5.1 with hd dvd player