5.1 sound from Cable Box via an Onkyo TX-NR656 Amp/Receiver

[GregDC]

I have a Cable box (Cisco) that connects to my Onkyo via a HDMI cable. My Onkyo is set up to output 5.1 surround sound. However I do not hear the TV programs through anything but the middle speaker. Do I have something setup wrong? And any idea what that would be?

Thanks
GregDC

 

[americanaudiophile]

Assuming you have set up your receiver as per the manual.
1. Check the audio menu of the cable box. It may be set to output in stereo. Select Dolby Digital. The front panel of the receiver should indicate that it's getting 5.1
2. Select Dolby Digital as your surround mode for the input you connected the cable box. That sets the receiver to do digital surround sound when the program has it and analog surround sound when it doesn't. All programming will have strong center channel output as that is where dialogue comes from. Most programming will have little to no surround sound but will have left and right front sound. Some programming will be in mono which would only come from the center channel.
You can select a surround sound mode for a mono input that will give you more sound from the other speakers. If you select 5.1 stereo all the speakers will play all the time. That's not accurate for movies but what you like is what you should use.