Pioneer VSX-1016 Troubleshooting

[jeffre...@descommcorp.com]

A customer call me for help on his pioneer VSX-1016 Receiver. He added a new Blu-ray Player to his home theater system but no audio is coming through the speakers. Before going to the home I began to do some research on the unit first. I found a link to a pdf manual here. 

When I got to the home I ask some key questions about the original installation. I was attempting to see if the installer was a professional or a hobbyist. I took pictures of all connections from listening to the customer it appears he thought it was a good installation. I gave him my analysis without disparaging the previous guy.  I told him his configuration did not take of advantage of the digital features of the receiver. All audio in and out was analog. The components connected to the receiver are DVD Player, Sci Atlanta Cable box, Pioneer Blu-Ray player. The current configuration, HDMI out on the receiver was not being used HDMI was coming from the DVD Player. 

It was time to fix this and make it right. After careful review I saw he had HDMI out on both DVD Player and Blu-Ray Player and Digital Coaxial audio out as well. I connect the HDMI out from the DVD and Blu-Ray player to receiver HDMI inputs (1, and 2). The HDMI out to TV Input 7(HDMI). I got Nothing I thought i would be quick and a snap. I peeled open the manual and found that HDMI ports are assignable and was probably disabled for the current setup. Chapter 9 of VSX manual labeled "The Input Assignment menu" tells how to assign the HDMI ports to Input selection buttons on the receiver. Once that was done I got glorious HD output on the TV. I did not have sound well I did not have digital sound. I moved the audio out from analog outputs to coaxial on both units and did the same receiver inputs from analog to coaxial inputs. This unit had two coaxial inputs. This did not work be default either I had to go back to Chapter 9 of manual to setup the coaxial port for those inputs. Now, We have video and audio at the best quality available for that medium and player. 

The customer was quite pleased with the outcome. The problem was the output did not seem as loud as before. I did not spend much time on that. My time was budgeted so I moved on to other tasks.

I hope this will help others

J. White