What could have gone wrong?

[bully]

My HT system doesn't seem to be working right anymore. I only seem to get the center channel (powered by a separate 150 wpc power amp). The L & R don't seem to be making any sound, and the two 15-inch powered subs don't either.
My AV receiver is the Pioneer Elite VSX-99, a first gen AC-3 unit.
The problem I describe is when I'm in Dolby Pro-Logic mode-- which is my basic setting. If I go to "simulated" sound the L & R work fine, and there is no center channel.
When I go into set-up mode, and 'test' tone, all the speakers (except the woofers, which I don't think get a test tone) work as they should.
I'm at a loss for ideas. I haven't made any changes to anything since I set it up a year-and-a-half ago.
I've gone from really far out sound with very powerful bass to something that doesn't get very loud.

[botrytis]

Sounds like the AC-3 chip is gone. Time to replace I think.

Dave

[THOR]

Good excuse to get into real surround sound ;) Get a 6.1 or 7.1 unit with DTS and DD and with pre amp outputs, we all know you got the speakers and the amps to make a 7.1 system that would be the bomb! :thmbsp:

[bully]

I put on the Replacent Killers dvd, and same problem. So, I decided to move the rack out and take a look-see at the connections. As I moved the rack, the sound came BACK!
I did find several cat toys back there in the SNAKE LAIR that is behind the rack--you all know how many wires and cords there are, and many of you with cats know how curious they are with wires and cords.
One thing, though, is I've never figured out how to get the AC-3 AKA 5.1 to work. I've read the dang manual but it could be in Japanese for all I can make out.
I'll tell ya, when I moved the rack and the bass came back it dang startled me. Those two 15-inchers really pack some bad bass.
BTW, the Replacement Killers is the only dvd I have. Maybe I should get rid of all the extra premium channels that seldom have anything worthwhile watching and go back to renting from Blockbuster, etc. You know, I usually fall asleep when I do try to watch a movie. Must be that old fart syndrome.
Crap, I've pondered this for a moon or two, and such a simple cure.
I'll make sure all the connections are nice and tight.

Just a dumb-ass.
:D

[gyusher]

Connections, Connections, Connections. . . I think with HT over 99% of all problems are connections. . . When I hooked mine up everything was fine (still is but. . .) yesterday I too looked ar the back and the weight of all the wires after getting warm so many times has settled to the point that their sheer weight alone was about the rip the back off of my receiver. . . Take measures for support, dont let your receiver carry all the weight alone. All the speaker wires and interconnects must weigh about 20 pounds alone. That is a lot of weight to just hang from the RCA jacks.

When you set it up everything seems fine but watch for all those wires to settle over time. . . It is no wonder that connections are such trouble.

[Matt]

"One thing, though, is I've never figured out how to get the AC-3 AKA 5.1 to work."
IN order for AC-3/Dolby Digital/DTS to work you have to be using the optical interface in addition to the standard left/right RCA's. If you dont have the optical hooked up you are essentially operating in stereo. Most of the better recievers can automatically detect if there is signal present on the optical input and will use it by default.