# The Fifth Element-stereo only



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

I'm starting to replace my DVD library with Blu-ray discs. A couple of weeks ago I ordered some from Amazon. One of them was The Fifth Element. last night I fired up the projector to watch it and noticed the audio was stereo only. Even though I would choose 5.1 in the menu it would only play back in stereo. I even tried it on my other bedroom system and got the same results there. 
Has anyone else encountered this with this movie? I plan on returning it for a replacement, but I'm just wondering if it's a common thing with these discs that are sold for under $10 on Amazon, or did I just get a bad disc?


----------



## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

Hey jd371, I hate having problems like that. Are you choosing DD 5.1 in the set up menu of the DVD & does the package specifically state *"Dolby Digital 5.1"* on the label. Many DVD's are only stereo, don't know about BD discs.


----------



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

Tonto

The choices in the menu are English PCM 5.1 (uncompressed) and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, I tried both and just get stereo. I have a Sony TA-E9000ES pre amp in my main theater and I see on the display that only the right and left speakers are active. In the bedroom I have a Pioneer VSX-41 receiver and when I play the disc in there it just plays in Pro-Logic mode. I also checked the settings on both blu-ray players and everything looks fine. 
I put in the DVD this morning and that one plays fine. I'm getting the replacement in a couple of days. Hopefully that one is better. 
There is a couple of seconds before the menu screen of the movie studio logo and that is 5.1, but the menu and movie just stereo. 
I was about 15 min into the movie last night when I noticed no surrounds or bass.


----------



## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

Sounds like a bad disk, we'll see when you get the new disc. Bet it will play great. Did the package say "DD 5.1" in the fine print, just curious?


----------



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

Tonto

The package does have the official Dolby Digital logo as well as their Dolby TrueHD logo. 
Should get the other one by the end of the week. I'm going to check the other movies too...300, Alien, and The Thing (Carpenter). I'm buying movies 5-6 at a time updating my library so I can't watch every movie I get, but I'll give each one a quick check to make sure everything is fine.


----------



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

Bad disc. The French language is in Dolby Digital.


----------



## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Weird - let us know if the new disc runs into the same issue as this is one I have on my wish list to add to my BR collection as well.


----------



## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

The Sony pre/pro is a non-HDMI unit, I believe. Is that correct?

What models of Blu-ray players are you using?

Some players have separate settings for how lossless Dolby TrueHD tracks and lossless DTS-HD tracks are downmixed for digital audio. You need to make sure that both types are "bitstreamed" and not converted to PCM. If you have enabled "mix secondary audio" enabled, that forces PCM in most players. When sent over a digital optical or coax connection, PCM is limited to stereo, which is consistent with what you've reported.


----------



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

selden

You are correct. The Sony doesn't support HDMI. I use it just for audio and send direct feeds to the projector and flat screen. 
The blu-ray players are a Sony BX-37 in the theater and a Samsung (can't remember the model # and not at home right now) in the bedroom. I did check all the settings and even enabled each one. 
The only time I did get DD is with the French language enabled.


----------



## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

jd,

Just to confirm:
on the Sony player, the audio settings would be
BD audio mix = Off
Dolby Digital (coax/optiical) = Dolby Digital
DTS (coax/optiical) = DTS
Audio DRC = Wide Range (shouldn't matter)
Downmix = Surround


----------



## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

jd371 said:


> selden
> 
> You are correct. The Sony doesn't support HDMI. I use it just for audio and send direct feeds to the projector and flat screen.
> The blu-ray players are a Sony BX-37 in the theater and a Samsung (can't remember the model # and not at home right now) in the bedroom. I did check all the settings and even enabled each one.
> The only time I did get DD is with the French language enabled.


If you are selecting DD-TruHD and do not have HDMI connected, the BDP can not transmit the signal. Only HDMI can handle the bandwidth required for DTS-MA and DD-TruHD; a Toslink/coaxial digital connection can/should carry the regular DD signal though.


----------



## jd371 (Feb 24, 2012)

selden said:


> jd,
> 
> Just to confirm:
> on the Sony player, the audio settings would be
> ...


Yep, these are the settings.



wgmontgomery said:


> If you are selecting DD-TruHD and do not have HDMI connected, the BDP can not transmit the signal. Only HDMI can handle the bandwidth required for DTS-MA and DD-TruHD; a Toslink/coaxial digital connection can/should carry the regular DD signal though.


My thought exactly...I should be getting DD through the Toslink.


----------

