Equipment:
Onkyo SR605 receiver
Toshiba A2 HD-DVD player

Dilemna:
Can't seem to get "Dolby Digital Plus" to appear on the receiver while watching Transformers HD-DVD.

I have an HDMI cable between the receiver and the player, but the receiver's display only shows "Multichannel" at 96kps.

Any suggestions? Thanks guys..

Edit: Title change

Do you have to select it in the setup menu?

For the other discs I've played with (Training Day, FMJ come to mind) that have TrueHD tracks, I've had to select them on the setup menu. I believe you can do this during the movie (switch back and forth if you want to).

Another thing it might be is the audio options for HDMI in the player setup. I think there may be a bitstream vs. PCM or something as options for audio over HDMI... Take that with a big grain of salt, though, since I use the analog outs and not the HDMI. But I'm pretty sure that and the manual will get you in the ballpark.

No, because the only HD audio track on Transformers is DD+, so no other options are available...

Now, I must admit that I have no idea what PCM, Bitstream, PCM downmix, 48kps, 96kps, etc., really mean. I have always, in the past, just chose whichever option in the DVD player menu settings allowed me to hear dts-ES, DD-EX, and the like.

So, in regards to my Toshiba A2 HD DVD player, should I choose PCM, Bitstream, or PCM downmix from the HDMI cable?

Also, my Onkyo SR605 receiver is supposed to be able to handle DD+, so this is why I'm baffled. I've tried EVERY SINGLE possible option in both menus (receiver & player).

Also, when I play LOTR extended version at dts-ES, the "2-ch" is displayed on the DVD player.. how is that so?

These may seem like elementary questions/remarks, but I have been struggling with this thing all day, and I'm stumped!

Sounds like you have PCM selected which means it converts to PCM. If you want to send the original signal directly from the disc you need Bitstream.

Thanks for the feedback, gentlemen. I will see how many minutes/hours I can burn trying to get these things set up properly... all this for 5.1 DD+ !!

Well, reading the manuals and playing around with the menu settings some more didn't help.

So, I resorted to upgrading the firmware on my Tosh A2 from 1.2 to 2.5. I'll see if that helps.

Don't mean to spam my own thread, but here goes anyway:

..just got off the phone with Toshiba. Apparently, my Toshiba A2 HD-DVD player is decoding the DD+ signal as it is sending it to my DD+ enabled Onkyo SR605 receiver. Since the receiver is trying to decode the DD+ signal as well, they are cancelling each other out.......

Interesting. I'm about to give up and return everything, and go back to DD-EX and dts-ES and be done with it for another year after everything is straightened out, unless you guys have anything else to tell me.

Well, to put that better, if the player is decoding it, then the receiver is NOT. I don't own this player, but Bitstream should be the answer. Perhaps the low end model does not offer unaltered output?

Everything is straightened out. You just aren't reading your manual very carefully (and I'll admit that the HD-A2's manual isn't very clear sometimes).

The HDMI setting on the HD-A2 has three options: Auto, PCM and Downmixed PCM. There is no bitstream option.

When the HD-A2 is connected to a receiver that has a built-in decoder for DD Plus, etc., the proper HDMI setting is Auto. Period. That's what you want. This is covered on pages 24 and 53 of the HD-A2's manual.

From here, you just need to figure out what the Onkyo's proper setting should be.

Agreed, and I do have the HDMI setting on the A2 to "Auto".. that's what is so strange. But, I will take your advice and look into the Onkyo settings should be, albeit the only setting for the HDMI-1 Port In is already proper.

Thanks to all for responding. Good day.