I am setting up my Harmony 880 to Denon 3806 and I have some issues with audio.
For Watching cable, I connected Optical cable from Motorola box to Denon OPT2 input.
On Denon setup, I assigned VCR2 input to OPT2.

Now using Harmony s/w, I configured to have audio use from Denon and input as VCR2.
But when I power ON with activity 'Watch Cable", I don't get Audio and on Denon screen the it says Analog. Why would this Denon make that as Analog?

Is there a way I can set Denon VCR2 input to AUTO? If I manually set Denon to Auto then I get very thing fine.

Does VCR1 and VCR2 modes means always Analog?

I really appreciate if someone can help configure this setup.

Thanks a lot.

The Denon should remember the setting on the VCR2 input, so one you set it to auto it should stay that way. If not then something is changing it. Check your activity and make sure you're not sending extra commands. Try powering on and selecting the VCR2 input manually in Device mode. If it doesn't do it in device mode but does it with the activity then it's either an extra command in the activity startup or the power/input configuration of the Denon OR another command for another device is toggling the setting back to Analog.

Try doing everything manually with the OEM remotes to see if there is a conflict between components.

Thanks akirby.

I tried changing my Input modes to CD and DBS and they worked fine.

So, looks like with VCR1 and VCR2 inputs, for some reason, always the mode is getting set to Analog and it doesn't stay in AUTO mode. I am not sure if I can set this manually to AUTO mode using Denon setup manually.

For CD and DBS, it says initially in STEREO mode. Is it ok to have in that mode? I have 5.1 audio and Denon can simulate STEREO to surround sound and wondering if being in STEREO I won't be able to enjoy audio from all speakers?

Any suggestions.

Thanks a lot.

You need to check the owner's manual to see if vcr1 and vcr2 are special. Also check to see if you're setting auto mode correctly or if somehow you're resetting auto mode somehow.

FYI: I don't have issues with my Dennon 3805 -- My VCR-2 input is set to auto with a optical input from by Pioneer DVD-Recorder -- It always stays in auto mode. You may want to experiment with the Dennon i-mode command if you are still having it go to analog every time. If so you should be able to add additional commands on the start activity to activate the i-mode command the approprate # of times to get it to auto.

I think I had to add the i-mode command from my Dennon 3805 as it was not in the Database.

You mention both the 3805 and 3806 -- so not exactly sure which unit you have. 3806 has HDMI Video options and the 3805 only has Component.

Thanks broncohead for the information. I have 3805 only with component no
HDMI.

After changing from VCR1 & 2 inputs to CD and DBS, at least I get STEREO mode
which is what I am getting. I am still figuring out how to set those to AUTO to get
5.1 mode.

Can you please let me know the steps how you did 'i-mode' command?
Because if I use Denon remote and set to I-mode AUTO, it works fine but the
moment I change the VOLUME on 880, it puts the mode back to Analog or STEREO.

I wonder if I can set all of the Input modes to AUTO by default using Denon Setup config.

Thanks again.

Did you even bother to read the owner's manual?

You need to select VCR1 input, then select Auto using i.mode on the remote or mode on the receiver. Then switch to VCR2 and select Auto again. Anytime VCR1 or VCR2 is selected as the input it will automatically select Dolby Digital, DTS or PCM. If there is no digital signal detected on the digital input then it will default to Analog.

So it sounds like the optical output from the Motorola cable box either isn't working or the cable box isn't setup correctly or you don't really have the optical input mapped to VCR2. Or perhaps when the Denon switches inputs the cable box hasn't yet enabled the optical output so it's a timing issue.

I am going by past practice with a 2805...Digital Audio Assignment for a component is done in screen 3-1 "Digital in Assign". If you have chosen VCR 2 as OPT 2 and made the proper connection, then it should remain there. Does the cable box have any settings that need to be changed for digital out?
I don't understand this "Auto" that you refer to. Auto is in screen 3-4 and is for video inputs, not audio. How do you have the cable box connected to the Denon with Video connections, component, S-Vid or composite?

The auto setting is for digital audio only. It tells the receiver to analyze the digital audio signal and automatically select Dolby Digital, DTS or PCM (stereo). He said when he manually chooses Auto it works correctly so I assume the digital audio connection and mapping to VCR2 is working. I think it's a timing problem when the VCR2 input is selected there is no signal on the optical 2 input so it goes to Analog.

Ok, I see where you're at now. (The Audio Mode switch, I believe). I think if you get this set right in the Denon, the Harmony should work correctly.
On the Input Setup screen, Digital in Assign 3-1 (on the 2805), you can highlight the component input and select Opt 2 to VCR 2, correct? Have you "saved" that setting by pushing the CH Select Enter button on the remote. This may seem elementary but this was one step I was forgetting. "Auto" should appear on the front panel whenever a digital input has been assigned.I don't have any digital inputs assigned to VCR 1 or 2 since VCR's never had digital inputs to worry about. Do you not have another input you could use? I have my Samsung OTA digital tuner working well on VDP.