2011 speaker no voices in back

[swatmama5]

When I play DVDs ( 2011 factory installed RES Ex-L)on my system, the speaking parts of the movies only come out of the front speakers. Which isn't bad if we all want to listen to the movie, but I don't want to crank up the volume while I'm driving so my kids in the back seat can hear the voices. I would also like to put the fader to the rear, but when I do this they don't get any voices... just the music part of the movie. Is there a way to adjust this?

[gewf631]

On my '11 Touring, the only way to "hear" the DVD, is through the headphones, or when I hit the [Mode] button on the steering wheel, as you've mentioned. I think it's designed this way, so the front seat passengers can listen to one audio feed, without trying to block-out the feed from the rear.

[hondapilotjim]

Originally Posted by swatmama5

When I play DVDs ( 2011 factory installed RES Ex-L)on my system, the speaking parts of the movies only come out of the front speakers. Which isn't bad if we all want to listen to the movie, but I don't want to crank up the volume while I'm driving so my kids in the back seat can hear the voices. I would also like to put the fader to the rear, but when I do this they don't get any voices... just the music part of the movie. Is there a way to adjust this?

ask the dealer to give you the audio manual that you didnt get and then have someone read it to you.

[swatmama5]

oh, is that how you figured it out?

[noanswer]

Warning: NON-smartass answer...

Cut and paste from page 317 of the owner's manual online...

(when using RES)

"Rear Speakers:

When you turn on the system, the rear speakers are automatically turned off if the rear system selects a different entertainment source than the front system. You will see the Rear Speakers Off icon in the audio display. The sound for the rear system is sent to the wireless headphones. If you want to turn the rear speakers on again, press and hold the REAR PWR button until the Rear Speakers Off icon goes off.

NOTE:The rear speakers are connected to the front system, so they will always play the source that the front system is set to."


Seriously though, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least skim the owner's manual, and refer to it for issues like this.

That said, this post will also serve as "search fodder" for the other self appointed moderators to bash newbies over the head with when they ask this question in the future.

Just doing my part.

[swatmama5]

Originally Posted by noanswer

Warning: NON-smartass answer...

Cut and paste from page 317 of the owner's manual online...

(when using RES)

"Rear Speakers:

When you turn on the system, the rear speakers are automatically turned off if the rear system selects a different entertainment source than the front system. You will see the Rear Speakers Off icon in the audio display. The sound for the rear system is sent to the wireless headphones. If you want to turn the rear speakers on again, press and hold the REAR PWR button until the Rear Speakers Off icon goes off.

NOTE:The rear speakers are connected to the front system, so they will always play the source that the front system is set to."


Seriously though, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least skim the owner's manual, and refer to it for issues like this.

That said, this post will also serve as "search fodder" for the other self appointed moderators to bash newbies over the head with when they ask this question in the future.

Just doing my part.

thanks, I do appreciate it. I read the owners manual and have done all of this. Maybe I should have been more clear with the issue. The issue is mostly with DVD's that have the Dolby surround sound on them like Disney DVDs. The music portion of the DVD comes out of the rear speakers, but characters talking comes out only the front speakers. So the only way for my kids in the rear to hear what they are saying is to crank up the volume. Not sure if there is a way to make the sound system mono... that is not addressed in the manual

[noanswer]

Originally Posted by swatmama5

thanks, I do appreciate it. I read the owners manual and have done all of this. Maybe I should have been more clear with the issue. The issue is mostly with DVD's that have the Dolby surround sound on them like Disney DVDs. The music portion of the DVD comes out of the rear speakers, but characters talking comes out only the front speakers. So the only way for my kids in the rear to hear what they are saying is to crank up the volume. Not sure if there is a way to make the sound system mono... that is not addressed in the manual

From your description, it sounds like the Pilot is decoding Dolby Digital and trying to play it like a traditional home theater setup where the voices are in the front and effects are in the rear.

If this is the case, the only thing I can see that would help is on page 326 in the manual where it tells you how to change the "Audio" setting.

If that doesn't help (and this is a long shot), see if you have the DOLBY PROLOGIC II Logo or "PL II" on the radio display when you have a movie playing. If so, go in to the menu as described on page 265 (or 233 if you don't have NAVI) and turn it off.

Other than that, some other owners will have to chime in as to their experiences. You can't be the only one to have this problem!

Good luck!

[hondapilotjim]

Originally Posted by hondapilotjim

ask the dealer to give you the audio manual that you didnt get and then have someone read it to you.

ditto

[hertzy31]

I have had some DVDs that i have to change the defualt audio by using the DVD settings menu.

My son is too young to wear headphones so I just bought Laptop speakers and plugged them into the headphone jack.

[noanswer]

Originally Posted by hondapilotjim

ditto

Wow...

It's too bad you can't change your member status. "Registered User" is almost an insult for you.

"Relentless Thread-crapper" would be exponentially more appropriate.

Opportunity missed.

[cmaz54]

Originally Posted by swatmama5

thanks, I do appreciate it. I read the owners manual and have done all of this. Maybe I should have been more clear with the issue. The issue is mostly with DVD's that have the Dolby surround sound on them like Disney DVDs. The music portion of the DVD comes out of the rear speakers, but characters talking comes out only the front speakers. So the only way for my kids in the rear to hear what they are saying is to crank up the volume. Not sure if there is a way to make the sound system mono... that is not addressed in the manual

swatmama5, any resolution to this problem? I'm having the same issue with my '11 Touring. Anybody else having this problem?

I've tried changing the audio setting (p326 of owner's manual)...no help. I've tried adjusting the center channel and fader. Also, no help. The Dolby PLII is does not apply DVD's. I can't seem to force the system to play all sound to the rear. It always plays the voice track on the center channel which only plays in front.

Anyone have a solution?

[samelcamel]

As far as I am aware, there is no "standard" way of fixing this. This is a side-effect of having a SURROUND SOUND movie system in the Pilot.

In a standard 5+1 surround sound setup, the voice channel is the main center-channel in the setup. The Pilot's center channel is above the radio up on the dashboard. If you want to attempt to bypass this, the movie must support a 2.1 sound setup that can be accessed through the menu. You will have to change the menu setup for each movie from 5.1 to 2.1. Many movies to not give you the ability to do this though.

The only other way I can think of to get around this requires you to use software on your home PC to copy the movie to a DVD-R and convert the audio in the movie to 2.1.

Sorry if everyone doesn't want to hear this. It's just a bad design flaw in the actual functionality of the stereo system.

-Sam

[noanswer]

Originally Posted by samelcamel

As far as I am aware, there is no "standard" way of fixing this. This is a side-effect of having a SURROUND SOUND movie system in the Pilot.

In a standard 5+1 surround sound setup, the voice channel is the main center-channel in the setup. The Pilot's center channel is above the radio up on the dashboard. If you want to attempt to bypass this, the movie must support a 2.1 sound setup that can be accessed through the menu. You will have to change the menu setup for each movie from 5.1 to 2.1. Many movies to not give you the ability to do this though.

The only other way I can think of to get around this requires you to use software on your home PC to copy the movie to a DVD-R and convert the audio in the movie to 2.1.

Sorry if everyone doesn't want to hear this. It's just a bad design flaw in the actual functionality of the stereo system.

-Sam

I don't think that would help either. Because they're employing a version of Dolby Pro Logic II that takes 2.0 (stereo) signals and outputs a "simulated" surround playback. I thought that disabling DPLII like I listed above would be the ticket, but I guess not.

With a long history dealing with home theater equipment, and I've seen both the good and bad effects off surround processing.

This implementation, with good intentions I'm sure, isn't the best application of the technology. This was probably and unintended result with using the technology. They probably decided to "green light" it without a work around to avoid yet another layer of menu settings in the system. Although, I think this would have been an easy fix.

I'm curious, the EX-L doesn't have the same audio system as the Touring, I wonder if this issue exists there as well?

I guess the next step would be to engage the folks at Honda's office in Torrance, CA and see if they can give an answer. Sometimes they will dig into the engineering pool and gather some insight to specific issues.

To me, this is a big one if you have a baby and an older child that doesn't always want to wear the headphones (like we do). And parents that want to keep their sanity on long trips.

The only solution I know of is to have the RES users wear the headphones and spare the rest of the occupants the misery of repetitive Dora lameness.

[swatmama5]

Originally Posted by cmaz54

swatmama5, any resolution to this problem? I'm having the same issue with my '11 Touring. Anybody else having this problem?

I've tried changing the audio setting (p326 of owner's manual)...no help. I've tried adjusting the center channel and fader. Also, no help. The Dolby PLII is does not apply DVD's. I can't seem to force the system to play all sound to the rear. It always plays the voice track on the center channel which only plays in front.

Anyone have a solution?

Sorry just checking back after a long time... I see there are not real solutions yet. Sorry, still suffering with this issue too.

[hondapilotjim]

Originally Posted by swatmama5

Sorry just checking back after a long time... I see there are not real solutions yet. Sorry, still suffering with this issue too.

ask the dealer to give you the audio manual that you didnt get and then have someone read it to you.