We did a theater for a guy who moved into an existing home that already had 4 rooms speakers with volume controls. The previous homeowner took the head end equipment and the new homeowner wanted to run 2 zones off of an old Yamaha RXV-640. Main zone in MBR and Zone 2 in Study, Dining Room, and Patio. Using an MX-850 to switch sources. However, I can turn zone 2 on and off discretely but I cannot switch zone 2 sources. Zone 2 follows Main zone source selection. Even the factory remote set to control Zone 2 will not switch zone 2 sources. Any ideas?

You need to setup the system to be ready to control zone2 via remote for second sources:

Press **

Press Codeset

Enter 2999

Press **

Press the desired Input for Z2

Press **

Now Z2 second source can be accesses via pressing ** then the source.

I've set up about 15 of the 640 in the past couple years. I updated one system just yesterday. It kinda sounds like an internal problem if you have the RCA's connected correctly. You might try the steve garn #3 download in the 850 files. They're for the multizone Yamahas.

Keep in mind, "Speakers B" is NOT multizone. You need an outboard amp connected from "Z2 Out".

Is the display indicating Z2 discretes at all?

Things to check even though it nearly doesn't make sense to do so:

1) RCA's connected from "Z2 out" of Yamaha to outboard amp (not "rec out" etc.)
2) RCA's (analog) connected from ALL equipment needed for Z2 sources (Tuner should work of course, anyway).
3) Be sure you don't have anything connected the wrong way thru any "rec out"'s

Thanks Tweeter. I did that with no results.

Steve, Zone 2 out is going to external amp but I will check the cables when I go back to fix the problem. I will also try your codes. I tried codes for the RXV657 from the URC database and they did not switch sources. It just seems odd that unit will show "Zone 2 on" and "Zone 2 off" on the display but will not show any zone 2 source information. Of course, since he is an ipod freak I think I have talked him into getting a new RXV659 and the iPod docking station. This is the best solution in my opinion.

Thanks for the responses. Have a great weekend everyone.

fyi. I believe the Yamaha Ipod adapter is a WDS-10 which isn't shipping yet. It will use the TV as the monitor for playlists etc and will be a charger as well. Seems like a very cool upgrade.

Yes I have some ordered though I have it on my pricelist as a YDS-10. I have gotten our new demo unit in. I just hope the proprietary connector stays in better than HDMI cables do...especially when the customers children go to yanking the docking station from the family room cabinet or something like that.

I too think it will be a cool upgrade but you can't use the wheel on the iPod when it is being controlled by a remote.

On the not so distant Yamaha receievers - Check on the front panel to see if there is a manual "SOURCE/REMOTE" switch. If the knob is on any choice but source/remote the Zone 2 output choices will not switch, ie if the knod is on DTV you will only get the DTV sound to output from the Zone 2 RCA jacks