dvd_newbie

We're getting ourselves a DVD player for Christmas, and know nothing about them. I've been doing some web research today, and have learned quite a bit, but am confused as to which is the best way to go: Is it better for the DVD player to have a built-in decoder or to have the receiver have the decoder? I can get a Pioneer DV-626D player with decoder for 5.1 DD and DTS though my employee discount program for $299.00 which seems to be a very good price, compared to online prices for that model. But I can get a Toshiba SD-1200 with AC3 output (I assume that means just an output, it doesn't decode?) for only 159.99. But then I need a decoder receiver, right? And here is a very ignorant question: If I get the Pioneer (which has S video output, our TV has S video input) with the built-in decoder, can that go right to surround speaker set, or do I need an DD ready receiver in-between the player and speakers?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help this girl learn!

cloud

To put it simply it is better to have it in the receiver. Three main reasons being they are usually better then the decoders in DVD players, you don't have to worry about having six seperate audio cables going from your DVD to your receiver, and having a decoder in the receiver will allow you to use it with other components like a satellite receiver, Playstation 2 etc.

By the way if you do go the route of a DVD player with a built in decoder then you have to make sure that your receiver is DD ready.

P.S. The S-Video is only for video. As far as sound is concerned, if you want surround capability you will either need:

a)DVD player with built in decoder.
Receiver which is DD ready.
Speakers.

b)DVD player.
A receiver that can decode DD
Speakers.

Option "b" is better. Not to confuse you but you should also might want to make sure that your setup will also handle DTS, which is said to be a better surround sound format then DD and is becoming more common on DVD's.

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[This message has been edited by cloud (edited November 30, 2000).]

stevek

I'm no expert but here's my take on it. The only advantage I see to having a built-in decoder is if you have a receiver that has only one input (coaxial or optical) for Dolby Digital. That same receiver (like my Sony) may also have a 5.1 input (6 audio RCA-type inputs corresponding to the six channels). In my case I have a DVD player and a DirecTV receiver that both have an optical output for Dolby Digital with only one optical input on the A/V receiver. I could use the optical input for DirecTV and use the built-in decoder to output Dolby Digital to the receiver using the 5.1 inputs (I don't currently do this because there are hardly any DD broadcasts on DirecTV right now). If you have a receiver that has multiple DD inputs, then it seems to me to be a moot point.

With respect to your second question, I'm not aware of how you would output directly from the DVD player to the speakers without using a receiver, but I would defer to others who know more about it.

In my opinion I would go for the cheaper DVD player and use the savings toward a decent DD/DTS receiver.

Johnny Zhivago

Receiver... 1) Buy a player that will pass a DD and DTS stream and then 2) buy a receiver with a DD/DTS decoder built in. My advice... Get yourself a DTS compatible system now, from the get go, or you may regret it later when you have DTS DVD's in your collection.

dvd_newbie

Thank you all for your help! I think we'll go ahead and get a DVD player that passes both DD and DTS. I suppose I don't even have to get the receiver now, if I want to save a bit and get a higher end model. Our TV is a 27" Bell Howell model 15284, at least 6 years old, ahead of its time I think for having an S-Video input. And it has a kind of surround system built-in, with a single output labeled "Surround Speaker". In the diagram in the manual this does indeed look like a single unit speaker system with a right and left side, and shows only a 1 plug cable. Must be an optional speaker for the TV.
Anyway, my point is that with a DVD player with S video output, I can get good video and ok sound now, while I wait to get a good receiver and speaker system.
Thanks again...