Check this out.. Everyone complants about the system.
Copyed from Fulltimedremer's post.
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Let me preface by saying, I do not have the DVD/CD/Stereo that you have. I do have some experience with Dolby 5.1 stereo equipment. Let me see if I can add any light to the subject:
1. While playing CD's, I get sound out of the three front speakers (beneath the player) and the subwoofer, but not the rear speakers (over the couch).
In order to get sound from the rear speakers you need to have a Dolby 5.1 encoded CD. If the CD does not have a Dolby 5.1 logo on it you are not going to get 5 channels of sound plus the sub-woofer. (Dolby 5 = left, center, right, left surround, right surround. .1 = subwoofer - low frequencies and effects.) If your CD is Dolby 5.1 encoded you will get sound from all speakers including the sub-woofer.
2. While playing the stereo tuner, I get sound out of all the speakers.
Many FM Radio Stations include Dolby 5.1 signals in their programming, so this should give sound from all speakers.
3. While playing a DVD, I either get the background (mood) music out of all the speakers, but no voice sound, or voice and normal movie sound out of the front speakers and nothing out of the rear speakers. I've played with the audio function on the DVD player, but get either/or, not both.
When playing DVD's there are several variables to consider -
1. How is the DVD audio encoded - PCM (Stereo), Dolby 5.1 (Surround), Dolby Pro-logic (Surround), Dolby Pro-logic II (Surround)
2. From the Start Menu on the DVD you may need to setup the audio to match your particular DVD Player - In this case choose Dolby 5.1.
3. A DVD encoded with dolby 5.1 may not have continuous sound from the surround speakers. Surround is designed to give spatial qualities to the movie. For example:
You may hear a door open and close behind you.
You may hear an emergency siren in the right rear speaker, move to the right front speaker, move to the center, move to the left and then to the left rear.
You may hear ambient room noises, background conversations, etc.
I'm sure I haven't covered all the variables, but hopefully this will help you to understand Dolby 5.1 a little better. I would rent a good adventure movie with lots of explosions, etc. that is endoded with Dolby 5.1 and see if you hear the special effects in the rear surround speakers.
For more info on Dolby 5.1 and future audio encoding check out their website:
http://www.dolby.com/
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