Digital and/or RCA Connectors - do I need both ?

[Speedcheese]

Apologies in advance if this appears to be a simple question.

I have a DVD Player which supports analogue (L/R RCA) sound output as well
as digital (coax/optical) output. I also have a receiver which can decode
dolby, DTS etc.

From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need to
two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ? My DVD player manual
gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends both ?

I can see the case for just connecting digitally with just one interconnect
but I wanted to see whether there was any advantage/disadvantage in
connecting the two-channel RCA connectors too ? In particular, if there is
any disadvantage in doing so.

TIA.

[John Howells]

"Speedcheese" <speedcheese@dsl.pipex.com> wrote

> From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
> connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need to
> two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ?

No.

> My DVD player manual
> gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends both ?

In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection, so I
cannot imagine what configuration that might be!

John Howells

[rdclark]

Speedcheese wrote:
> Apologies in advance if this appears to be a simple question.
>
> I have a DVD Player which supports analogue (L/R RCA) sound output as
well
> as digital (coax/optical) output. I also have a receiver which can
decode
> dolby, DTS etc.
>
> From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
> connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need
to
> two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ? My DVD player
manual
> gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends both ?
>
> I can see the case for just connecting digitally with just one
interconnect
> but I wanted to see whether there was any advantage/disadvantage in
> connecting the two-channel RCA connectors too ? In particular, if
there is
> any disadvantage in doing so.

One situation in which you'd use both is when you use your DVD player
both for DVDs and for music CDs. In that case, you might want the
receiver to default to "surround" on the digital audio input, and to
"stereo" on the analog, eliminating the need to manually switch every
time you listen to a CD.

Also, most digital receivers won't feed the headphone jack (or the tape
outs) with a stereo downmix of a multichannel digital input,
particularly when the speakers are on. In that case, adding the analog
connections from the player will permit simultaneous multichannel
through the speakers plus stereo from the headphone jack and tape out.
How this all works will vary a lot from one receiver to the next.

Personally, I use the analog outs from my player to feed a stereo
system in the kitchen.

RichC

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:36:01 -0000, "John Howells"
<john@howells-99.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection, so I
>cannot imagine what configuration that might be!

If the player could play SACD and/or DVD-A discs, you would need the
analog cables in addition to the digital cable.

Kal

[Large Farva]

"Kalman Rubinson" <kr4@nyu.edu> wrote in message
news:vvap11506hrib16bc010frilcaqs222qhb@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:36:01 -0000, "John Howells"
> <john@howells-99.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection, so I
>>cannot imagine what configuration that might be!
>
> If the player could play SACD and/or DVD-A discs, you would need the
> analog cables in addition to the digital cable.

That would be the six channel analog cables though..just to clarify. Not the
2 channel.

[Uptown Audio]

You can also use analog two channel connections to take advantage of
converting stereo recordings to many surround formats such as DPLII,
Neo6, etc. Many digital feeds will only downconvert to a couple of
options.
-Bill
www.uptownaudio.com
Roanoke VA
(540) 343-1250

"Kalman Rubinson" <kr4@nyu.edu> wrote in message
news:vvap11506hrib16bc010frilcaqs222qhb@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:36:01 -0000, "John Howells"
> <john@howells-99.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection,
>>so I
>>cannot imagine what configuration that might be!
>
> If the player could play SACD and/or DVD-A discs, you would need the
> analog cables in addition to the digital cable.
>
> Kal

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 18:01:33 GMT, "Large Farva" <none@nospam.com>
wrote:

>
>"Kalman Rubinson" <kr4@nyu.edu> wrote in message
>news:vvap11506hrib16bc010frilcaqs222qhb@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:36:01 -0000, "John Howells"
>> <john@howells-99.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection, so I
>>>cannot imagine what configuration that might be!
>>
>> If the player could play SACD and/or DVD-A discs, you would need the
>> analog cables in addition to the digital cable.
>
>That would be the six channel analog cables though..just to clarify. Not the
>2 channel.

Yes, for multichannel. Of course, there are folks who play SACD/DVD-A
in 2channel and, for them, only 2 analog cables would be needed. ;-)

Kal
>

[Jeff Rife]

rdclark (rdclark2@comcast.net) wrote in alt.home-theater.misc:
> Also, most digital receivers won't feed the headphone jack (or the tape
> outs) with a stereo downmix of a multichannel digital input,
> particularly when the speakers are on. In that case, adding the analog
> connections from the player will permit simultaneous multichannel
> through the speakers plus stereo from the headphone jack and tape out.

I agree about the tape out...most receivers don't convert digital to analog
for these outputs at all...regardless of whether the digital in is 2-channel
or more.

But, I have had a few different DD (and DTS) receivers and they all *never*
output to headphones unless the speakers are off, but once the speakers are
off, you get whatever you choose as input (analog or digital) sent to the
headphones. I think this is pretty much universal.

--
Jeff Rife | "Hey, dogs guard.
| Cats watch...and judge."
|
| -- Salem the Cat

[Youra nama]

"Speedcheese" <speedcheese@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in
news:421c9d3c$0$5559$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com:

> Apologies in advance if this appears to be a simple question.
>
> I have a DVD Player which supports analogue (L/R RCA) sound output as
> well as digital (coax/optical) output. I also have a receiver which
> can decode dolby, DTS etc.
>
> From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
> connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need
> to two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ? My DVD
> player manual gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends
> both ?
>
> I can see the case for just connecting digitally with just one
> interconnect but I wanted to see whether there was any
> advantage/disadvantage in connecting the two-channel RCA connectors
> too ? In particular, if there is any disadvantage in doing so.
>
> TIA.
>
>
>

ok rca analog but better
"coax" are analog RF converted
'digital' is best
digital-digital-digital no loss
analog-digital-analog loss
or any combo of above A-D-A/D-A-D
and you lose even more when you transfer to RF coax

thats why we like computer copying .. all digital

preference computer, digital,s-video,rca,rf(stay away) coax

"Speedcheese" <speedcheese@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:421c9d3c$0$5559$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com. ..
> Apologies in advance if this appears to be a simple question.
>
> I have a DVD Player which supports analogue (L/R RCA) sound output as well
> as digital (coax/optical) output. I also have a receiver which can decode
> dolby, DTS etc.
>
> From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
> connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need to
> two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ? My DVD player
manual
> gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends both ?
>
> I can see the case for just connecting digitally with just one
interconnect
> but I wanted to see whether there was any advantage/disadvantage in
> connecting the two-channel RCA connectors too ? In particular, if there is
> any disadvantage in doing so.
>
> TIA.
Only if you have whats called "zone 2 " speakers.
Or "b" speakers. These extra speakers only play analog sounds
For instance my CD player has a digital cable to play music through my main
system, and also has the left/right in case I want to listen through my "b"
speakers in another room.
If you just have the one room dont worry about the left/rights
>
>

[Darrel Christenson]

>>From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
>>connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need to
>>two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ?
>
> Only if you have whats called "zone 2 " speakers.
> Or "b" speakers. These extra speakers only play analog sounds

Or you run everything though your receiver and might
want to copy a dvd to tape, since your vcr probably
doesn't have digitial ins you would need the RCA ins
from the dvd player to the receiver and likewise out
to the vcr.


drc :)

"John Howells" <john@howells-99.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:383m72F5l3i3sU1@individual.net...
>
> "Speedcheese" <speedcheese@dsl.pipex.com> wrote
>
> > From an interconnects point of view, I assume that I need a digital
> > connection to take advantage of the dolby/DTS etc but do I also need to
> > two-channel RCA outputs connected to the receiver too ?
>
> No.
>
> > My DVD player manual
> > gives both options and, in one configuration, recommends both ?
>
> In five years I have never needed an additional analogue connection, so I
> cannot imagine what configuration that might be!
>
> John Howells
> If you use your "b" (or satellite) speakers you often will only get an
analog signal through them, so you need the analog for those, but you're
right, with just one listening area the analog outs are often extraneous
>