Older Yamaha receiver HTR 6260--continued confusion over straight, cinema DSP and surround decode

[MovieHound]

Folks: I am new to the forum but I have reviewed several threads on this subject, yet I still am not sure I understand it all correctly. It seems to me that Yamaha has made their system more complex than it has to be, but that just could be me. My system is a very basic 5.1 setup. Here is my issue:
When I select a show from one of the streaming services, on the display of the receiver I either get "straight" or one of sound field programs such as "drama" (also cinema dsp is visible on the display).
There are limited options when in the "straight" mode--cannot select a sound field program or change the surround decode. The receiver displays "not available" when pushing those buttons on the remote. However, all my speakers are visible on the display and sound is coming from all the speakers and voice audio, for example, is clearly coming from the center speaker. So I assume that the system is running in surround mode. Correct?
Alternately, on a different show, the system defaults to one of the sound field programs like "drama" and the "cinema DSP" icon is visible on the display along with all the speakers. In this situation I can use the remote and change the sound field program and/or select a different surround decode and customize each sound field program. I conclude under this scenario that the incoming audio signal could not be reproduced in surround sound unless the receiver used the internal surround decode features. Correct?
Am I correct in understanding that the receiver when it sees a legitimate 5.1 signal, passes the signal through without additional processing ie "straight"?
Alternately, when the system does not recognize the audio track, it will use its internal surround decoder to simulate surround. Correct?
Therefore, "straight" surround sound is "true" unmanipulated surround audio.
Thanks in advance to all those respond.

 

[dante01]

Yamaha methodology is no more complex than you'd experience via any other make of AV receiver.

SURROUND DECODER modes are those modes commonly associated with upmixing, modes such as Dolby Surround or Neural:X and options such as multichannel stereo.

DSP PROGRAMS are Yamaha proprietary modes that are designed to add additional presence to the audio being portrayed. Some suggest that these programs are a little exuberant though and they don't appeal to everyone's tastes.

STRAIGH will bypass all SURROUND DECODER or DSP PROGRAM processing. It is basically a quick way to dicengage such processing and represent the incoming audio exactly as it was formatted. Use this to toggle between the previously selected mode or DSP Program and bypassing said processing.

PURE DIRECT goes urther than the STRAIGHT mode and also bypasses any room EQ correction and bass manafement being applied by the AV receiver. It also bypasses any video processing and turns off the receiver's front panel display.

If the incoming signal is stereo in nature and you'd like to listen to it as a 2 channel stereo source without any upmixing or DSP Program processing then simply press STRAIGHT and you'd get the native 2 channel audio. Press the DSUR DECODER button to select an upmixing mode you'd like to apply or use the DSP PROGRAMS to add additional DSP processing.

 

[MovieHound]

Thank you Dante, the definitions you provide are clear. I guess my questions are more related to the operation of things. For example, my av receiver default is set to the DSP sound field program "drama". When I start the show to watch, it will frequently automatically switch to "straight". At that point if I push the DSP sound field program on the remote (simply called movie), I get a message saying "Not available". If I push the surround decode button, nothing happens. Why does the av receiver do this? Is it because of the incoming signal that it limits the options.

As I said in the original post, I believe that in "straight" mode, I am receiving surround sound audio because the voice is coming through the center speaker like it should. But why can't I add the sound field program? Is my receiver malfunctioning or is there are technical reason for that?

Thanks.

 

[dante01]

The receiver will not automatically set itself to STRAIGHT. Each source retains the last setting you set the receiver to while using the source. If you for examply has the receiver set to the STRAIGHT mode while using theHDMI 1 input and then switched to the HDMI 2 source and set that to the Surround Decoder mode then the HDMI 1 source would still be set to the STRAIGHT mode when you again selected it and used that input. THe mode you select remains in play until you change it. Note that some modes are not applicable to some audio. For example, you'd not need upmixing if the audio being received already consisted of the full compliment of discrete channels that particular upmising mode was desifned to create pseudo channels for. In such instances, the Surround Decoder mode would be negated, but the mode selected for that source would still be in operation if the format coming into the receiver changes to one that would require that particular upmixing mode.

Simply Press the STRAIGHT mode button to disengage STRAIGHT if engaged and if you'd rather use a SUR. DECODER mode or a DSP Program.

Nothing forces the AV receiver into STRAIGHT mode and you can disengage this mode anytime you'd like to.

 

[MovieHound]

Thank you Dante. I will follow your advice and report back.

 

[MovieHound]

I have taken a video of how my Yamaha av receiver is behaving. Apparently one can only attach pictures and not videos so I will describe what happens:

1. Movie is queued ready to hit play (Emby media server, through Nvidia Shield)
2. DSP is illuminated and "Drama" is selected and illuminated on the receiver display, all speakers are identified
3. Press the play button
4. Display immediately switches to "Straight", however, all speakers are still displayed.
5. Press "Straight" on the remoter, displays "not available"
6. Press "Surround Decoder" on the remote, displays "not available"

The show I am playing has EAC3 audio track, 6 channel. Other shows that are recorded in AAC play perfectly all the time. Some EAC3 movies do play properly--about 25%.

I can't figure out if my receiver is misbehaving, or I have not set it up properly (I have played with a wide assortment of settings) or if my source material is flawed or if the Nvidia Shield is the problem. The result is the same if I use Google TV. I have confirmed that my receiver should be able to handle all the codecs I see in my library.

Comments? All assistance is appreciated.

 

[dante01]

. EAC3 would be DD+ (Dolby Digital Plus). Six channels would equate to 5.1.

No idea as to why STRAIGHT is engaging itself anf it shouldn't be behaving in the manner it is.

 

[MovieHound]

That is my frustration! And I am not sure that I understand how this is all supposed to work.

Fundamentally, if the receiver sees a 5.1 audio signal coming in, is an internal surround decoder still utilized, or is the signal simply passed through.

In very small print in the operating manual it says: "When you play back the Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Express, DTS-HD master audio or DTS-HD high resolution audio sources, this unit does not apply any sound field program (like Drama, Sports, Sci-fi, etc) other than the surround decoder and they are played back in straight decode mode)". So if I read this correctly, for example, if I use the surround decode mode "NEO:6 Cinema" which is a DTS decoder, the sound field program cannot be used and the unit plays in straight mode. CORRECT?

 

[dante01]

If you've a 5.1 speaker layout then upmixing will not be required if the source audio is discrete 5.1 or greater in nature. The SUR.CEDODER modes are mostly upmixing modes and upmixing would only be applied to incoming audio devoid of the full completement of channels you've speakers present to portray.

What is the source audio?
What speakers do you have connected to the AV receiver?
What SUR. DECODER mode is the AV receiver set to?

 

[MovieHound]

The source is a movie that was downloaded. I have verified the audio track with an app called video inspector to confirm that it is EAC3. However, I understand the Netflix uses EAC3(DD+) and the same problem exists when I stream netflix. Things work perfectly when the source audio is AAC.

Left and right front speakers, center speaker, left and right rear surround, and one sub.

When I use the sur decoder button on the remote, there is no difference in performance. However, if I go into the setup mode>DSP parameter>PLII or Neo:6 Cinema>Initialize, it seems to be OK. But if I turn everything off and then back on again, it is the same issue. Clearly one shouldn't have to go into setup every time you turn the system on.

 

[dante01]

The content is a movie that was downloaded, but the source is the device being used to play it. What is that device? A source is the device being used and not the content it is playing.

EAC3 is DD+. There's no requirement to use an external app to determine the apps format. THe format will be displayed on the AV receiver's own display.

I'd suggest what is being related to you by the manual as being the case if you are not able to apply DSP Programs the discrete fmultichannel formats. THis isn;t the case witn more recent Yamaha models and wasn;t the case with higher tor models from the prtopd your model is associated with. Ig this is a kinitation if the model you have then there's nothing you can do to bypass that limitation. You'fd not be abke to use the DSP Programs in association with the audio formats that that model cannot applny those programs to.

In very small print in the operating manual it says: "When you play back the Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Express, DTS-HD master audio or DTS-HD high resolution audio sources, this unit does not apply any sound field program (like Drama, Sports, Sci-fi, etc) other than the surround decoder and they are played back in straight decode mode)". So if I read this correctly, for example, if I use the surround decode mode "NEO:6 Cinema" which is a DTS decoder, the sound field program cannot be used and the unit plays in straight mode. CORRECT?

 

[MovieHound]

Thank you Dante. I am resigned to the fact that my model receiver is not capable. If I cannot live with that, well I guess I am shopping for a new receiver.