# Silly question about digital output on DVD players **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678 "2007-06-04T10:01:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/1 "2007-06-04T10:01:56Z")
I just bought a different DVDplayer and noticed that the sound feels quite different then the one I had before. But since I am using the Digital output of the player, the amplifier takes care of the decoding to analogue. So then there really shouldn’t be a difference between two players, should there? I had a Yamaha DVD S-250 and now bought a Samsung DVD-HD870. By the way : I really like my new player, especially the upscaling to 720P or 1080i, but the sound comes over a little weak. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/2 "2007-06-04T13:12:06Z")
Just because it’s digital output doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same thing. Check your player setup. I had one once that would default (because it was set up that way, I changed it when I figured it out) to the PCM audio track if there was one, bypassing completely the you-would-think-it-would-be-default Dolby Digital stream. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/3 "2007-06-04T13:29:59Z")
After looking at the [manual](http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/200701/20070127140002218_HD870XAA.pdf) for your player, also be sure to check your “dynamic compression” and PCM down sampling settings to see if either of those might be the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/4 "2007-06-04T13:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] After looking at the [manual](http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/200701/20070127140002218_HD870XAA.pdf) for your player, also be sure to check your “dynamic compression” and PCM down sampling settings to see if either of those might be the problem. [/QUOTE] I turned both these off and set the DVDplayer to output Bitstream. Maybe I should check the settings of my old one, maybe that had a weird setting on it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/5 "2007-06-04T13:58:08Z")
That was going to be my next suggestion! Edit: also, be sure your receiver is still set up right. I’ve come across some that will reset to some factory default when you disconnect an input source. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/6 "2007-06-04T14:24:33Z")
I have a Yamaha amplifier with an optimizer. Basically you put a microphone at your listening position and let it run. It then sends out some test-signals and determines the distances, delays and everything. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-question-about-digital-output-on-dvd-players/406678/7 "2007-06-04T14:27:10Z")
That will set up your delays, but there may be other settings in the menus. What model is it?