Rx-v2090 + ddp-1??

So I just picked up a Yamaha RX-V9020 from GW, and I must say I am pretty impressed with it so far. I am just using it as a stereo receiver. Amazingly, everything seems to work, right down to the motorized volume control.

I'm not usually a fan of HT recievers, but this one seems to toe the line between HT and good solid analog stereo. It feels well-built, and the fact that it is 100% functional nearly 20 years later speaks to that. I suppose with an MSRP of $1500 it better be solid!

It does seem to herald from an awkward era in surround sound technology. I have heard of 7.1 surround, but never 7-ch ProLogic (I), which apparently entails 100W front mains, along with 35W "front effects", 35W "rear effects", and 100W center channel which built to support two center speakers, in case your TV is really wide. And the discreet 5-ch inputs means that its not entirely obsolete if I want true 5.1 surround with an external decoder.

Anyways, I do have a question. It seems that this receiver is often paired with the DDP-1 AC-3 processor. The GW had both, but I didn't bother with the DDP-1. It is my understanding that it was built specifically for laserdisc players and it doesn't support things like 44.1kHz PCM streams from CD players. Is the DDP-1 completely obsolete? Or should I go back and get it? Would I be able to use it as a DAC with my computer, or with a DVD player? I need to go back to GW anyways to search for the remotes.

Update: bought the DDP-1. For $15 extra i figured it was worth the risk. I can't get any sound out of it other than the test tones, though. No sound from my DVD player for dolby digital or cd audio with the ddp in PCM debug mode. Not sure if broken, or if setting up wrong. No LD player to test with.

Oh well.

You should read this thread:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=201237

Electone said:

You should read this thread:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=201237

Click to expand...

Thanks. That thread is what prompted me to go back and get the DDP-1. I have been able to put it in diagnostic mode, I just haven't been able to get any sound yet. Could be a bad digital source, could be a broken processor. I'm going to order a digital out hook up for my computer so that I can take advantage of the S/PDIF connecton on my mobo. I know that I can get a 44.1kHz PCM signal from that. I am really hoping to be able to use this as a DAC for my computer.

I'm not sure about this AC-3 business. My DVD player has two options for audio output "PCM" and "BITSTREAM". Would bitstream output AC-3? Also has a down sample on/off option (no word on what it is downsampling to) and a DRC on/off (Democratic Republic of Congo?). No combination of these settings (I think I tried them all) resulted in sound with either a CD or a DVD.

One more thing... When I put it in diagnostic mode and connect a digital source, the second line which reads "DIR UNLOCK/A2" flickers like it is trying to display another message. It goes to fast for me to read what the other message is. Has anyone here who has one of these seen this kind of behavior?

If I were to guess, I'd say your DDP is faulty. As far as AC-3 (Dolby Digital) from your DVD player, you want to set that to "Bitstream" so that the DDP can decode the raw signal. If you set your DVD to PCM, the DVD player is decoding the Dolby Digital signal and sending it out as PCM. Leave the downsampling off and DRC means Dynamic Range Compression - I'd leave that off as well to get the full dynamic range.