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Confusion/ignorance/dissapointment/810H
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Posted by: Gregg S

I have to admit, I am not up on what a DVD recorder can do.

When I got the Pioneer 810 H here is what I expected:

I expected to at least be able to record in surround sound, like I can with my VCR. I can't. Perhaps no DVD recorder can do this yet.

I expected to get two hours of quality at least a little better than VCR at 2 hour mode. At high quality it might be a bit better. I have mellowed on this a bit. I know I can't expect to burn an exact copy.

I played back one of the disks I burned on a different DVD player in the house hooked up to a home theater. I got sound out of one speaker. It was a program that was rated as "stereo". I noticed on the menu of the Pioneer, that none of the programs from DTV are broadcast in anything but stereo at the most.

Is there anyway around this? I was beginning to accept less-than picture quality, but combined with the lack of surround sound that a VCR could record, I am wondering if it is worth it.

Like I said in the subject line, I am ignorant about DVD recording. Is there any DVD recorder that will record DD or at least SS or have I once again early adopted a unit I won't use more than a year or so until one comes along that can do better.

Thanks

Posted by: bedelman

quote:
Originally posted by Gregg S
I played back one of the disks I burned on a different DVD player in the house hooked up to a home theater. I got sound out of one speaker.

This should not be the case. You should check the settings on the Pioneer (there are a number of sound settings) and your connections.

Posted by: Gregg S

quote:
Originally posted by bedelman
This should not be the case. You should check the settings on the Pioneer (there are a number of sound settings) and your connections.

Thanks, can you elaborate? I changed the output to DD, although I didn't think this would make a difference. What should the settings be? Does this unit burn a disk to DD or SS?

Thanks.

Posted by: ccwf

There's no digital audio input, so I don't see how it could possibly record Dolby Digital. I'm sure Bob or someone else will post with exact info on this issue. :)

Posted by: Gregg S

quote:
Originally posted by ccwf
There's no digital audio input, so I don't see how it could possibly record Dolby Digital. I'm sure Bob or someone else will post with exact info on this issue. :)

Thanks, so does this mean even surround sound is not possible? Is this where DVD recorders are still behind VCR? I do know I can get surround sound out of a recorded VCR tape.

Posted by: bedelman

The Dolby Digital output is going to control the output -- not how information is being put on the DVD. I think that you should only be using Dolby Digital if you're using the optical out connection and it's going to a receiver that knows what to do with it.

The only data getting into the Pioneer for something that you would burn is using the left/right channel inputs. So the best you could get would be surround sound which, as I understand it, is really something that's made up out of the stereo signal.

I think the sound settings on the Pioneer all relate to the output modes.

Posted by: crewdoggy

I think you are getting Dolby Digital confused with an earlier format called Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Pro Logic II. In both cases the stereo signal is converted to a surround like format (DPL) or a matrixed surround format (DPLII). Both are analog and many over the air broadcasts use them as well as VHS taped movies. Dolby Digital has separate discrete channels (up to 7) for center and surround speakers. For a more detailed explaination go to http://www.crutchfield.com and check out their tutorial on ALL the current surround modes.

Hope that helps.

Posted by: Gregg S

quote:
Originally posted by crewdoggy
I think you are getting Dolby Digital confused with an earlier format called Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Pro Logic II. In both cases the stereo signal is converted to a surround like format (DPL) or a matrixed surround format (DPLII). Both are analog and many over the air broadcasts use them as well as VHS taped movies. Dolby Digital has separate discrete channels (up to 7) for center and surround speakers. For a more detailed explaination go to http://www.crutchfield.com and check out their tutorial on ALL the current surround modes.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, it is a bit more simple to me. I can record on tape and get what I know is surround sound. I do know the difference with DD. Perhaps it is the DVD player I am playing back on? It will only go out in stereo mode, nothing on the center speaker, or the rear. I know with tape I get all of the speakers going. Like I said, I noticed on the guides, the Pioneer only shows stereo, no surround, no DD. Just stereo. When I look at my DTivo guides, it will list output as DD or surround. I have to think this might be the problem. So I get sound out on the left and right speakers. This is not true with tape. I get all of them, no matter what the sound is called.

Bottom line, I am getting poor sound, and I don't know if it is something I am not setting right, or that I am expecting something that can't happen, or that I need to upgrade my Home theater DVD.

I would be satisfied with Surround, but I am getting at the least stereo. Which makes sense since the guide doesnot list a single program as being sent to Tivo as anything greater than stereo. No DD. No SS.