Do you have any Dolby Digital related audio issues? *Please Respond*

[SHOMan]

Many of you have seen the ongoing thread about static pops and loss of signal on the Denon 3802 thread.

As the problem is not confined to that receiver, and I want to get some better numbers and feedback related to this issue, I am posting this poll. Please post the brand and model number of your audio gear that is experiencing the problem.

Static like popping noises followed by loss of signal is the main type of problem, but I am interested in any Dolby Digital related issues you may be having. These problems are most likely to happen when starting playback of programs that have Dolby Digital soundtracks. The problem also manifests itself when switching between 5.1 DD material and 2.0 DD material or when pausing and restarting playback.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR HELPING QUANTIFY THIS ISSUE...As I now have been told by a D* advance tech rep that he and his manager have been "kept in the dark" since they offered up solid evidence of this issue (nearly two months ago), I will be taking the issue up with the executive offices. We at least deserve acknowledgement and an honest answer instead of silence on the matter.

IF YOU ARE NOT USING AUDIO GEAR TO PLAYBACK SOUND WITH YOUR HR-10, THERE IS NO NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS POLL.

[ChrisW6ATV]

I have never had even one glitch related to Dolby or other audio from my HD Tivo(s) in over a year of use. I have the HR10-250 connected through an MCM Electronics optical-audio switch to a Sony SDP-E800 DD processor.

[SHOMan]

I have never had even one glitch related to Dolby or other audio from my HD Tivo(s) in over a year of use. I have the HR10-250 connected through an MCM Electronics optical-audio switch to a Sony SDP-E800 DD processor.

It has been reported by others using switching devices that they are not experiencing the problem. Most theories about why the problem exists relate to timeing, and these switches may introduce just enough delay to eliminate the issue.

Heck, it might be worth trying one on my system to see if it corrects the problem. $119 vs fighting D* might be a smart move.

I am using a Pioneer Elite VSX-47TX. It is worthy of note that the R-10 receiver has no problem with the same gear.

[Fish Man]

My connection is via optical cable to a Pioneer VSX-D710-S A/V Receiver.

No problems whatsoever.

When I had a GXCEBOT (Series I SD-DTiVo) connected to this receiver, I would occasionally hear some "funny noises" when switching to, or away from, program sources with DD soundtracks. However, these occasional "glitches" were just that, nothing really major, and always happened only for an instant when switching to or from a channel sending DD or to or from a recording with DD.

With the HR10-250, it's been perfect. No glitches, static, "funny noises" or any other issues whatsoever.

[Lee Bombard]

ChrisW6ATV -

What model number switcher do you have?

[DubC]

This may or may not be related, but:

I used to have a problem similar to this. It ended up being my multiswitch. It would only happen when I changed from some particular channels to others. Something about what frequency each channel was broadcast on and how the multiswitch changed between the seperate frequencies. :confused:

[DeWitt]

No problems here... Using a Sony receiver and an optical cable. (In use over 1 year) I have had issues with other equipment, but the HD Tivo so far has been flawless.

[eroseme]

I was an early poster about this. Pioneer VSX49TXi. Typical behavior: start a program on HD and the high-pitched static blast shreds my 7.1 system and the audio turns off, to be restored by switching to another input then back to HR10-250. Call D* level 2 support twice and was given the typical response (never heard of it - even though it was supposedly written in my record).

[JTAnderson]

I had a problem with a Denon AVR-5600 where I would often get some static when I switched to the HR10-250. If I switched the Denon from digital to analog and back, the static would go away, although it would often take two or three tries. Once it went away, it would stay away until I switched inputs again. This happened with both DD and PCM audio.

Having replaced the AVR-5600 with a Pioneer VSX-59TXi, I have no problems with the HR10-250 digital audio.

[SHOMan]

Thanks for the responses thus far! It will be interesting to see if the ~30 percent holds. It seems that Pioneer has made some change in the Txi series that changes the behavior relative to the TX series.

[georgemoe]

Optical to an Onkyo HT-520R. No problems.

[mulscully]

optical to an RCA surround sound system... No problem....

[dhale]

Optical to a Yamaha DSP-A1. No problems.

[Philbert1]

Optical to Pio Elite 49TX (precursor to the TXi). Exact same problems as Eroseme above:( Have had the problem since day 1 (purchased the HDTivo back in mid '04).

Recently, a few of my non-HD recordings have killed the audio as well (without the static pop). Has happened twice in the last two weeks. Hope this is just a fluke, and that my $1000 HDTivo hasn't killed my $3500 receiver...

- phil

[Budget_HT]

I have owned my HD TiVo for 16 months, connected optically to my Kenwood A/V receiver.

I had one short period of time when I experienced random audio dropouts, affecting all channels and recordings. I switched to analog audio (which beforehand was not even hooked up) and everything worked fine. Went back to optical and heard the same problems.

Then I discovered that the optical cable connector was not fully seated in the receptacle on the HD TiVo. I re-seated the connector and that ended my audio problems. Since it worked flawlessly for many months before the dropouts, I suspect that I may have jarred the cable loose when making or changing other connections nearby.

[Lee Bombard]

I have a spendy Pioneer Elite VSX-49TX receiver and it does not play nice at all with the HD-Tivo. I simply can't use the DD playback for fear of damage to either my amp or speakers.

I am considering trading the amp (it's a few years old now) for a new Elite model VSX-56TXi. Has anyone found this receiver to be compatible with the HD-Tivo?

[jlesterca]

Marantz SR880mkll

Pops like crazy, always has. I have it disconnected. I am going to try some grounding changes and see if it helps. $1,000 rec and a $1,000 amp and I can even listen to them...........

[fertree]

My stutter dropped by 99% when I turned of DD. Now I get an occasional double word, but that's it.

[ethan]

optical to Denon AVR-3805. no problems

[dcpoppy]

I was an early poster about this. Pioneer VSX49TXi. Typical behavior: start a program on HD and the high-pitched static blast shreds my 7.1 system and the audio turns off, to be restored by switching to another input then back to HR10-250. Call D* level 2 support twice and was given the typical response (never heard of it - even though it was supposedly written in my record).

Ditto

[ChrisW6ATV]

ChrisW6ATV -

What model number switcher do you have?
MCM Electronics #24-6590. I no not know if it is OK to put a link here, but it is easy enough to find it.

[dirk1843]

Optical out Denon 3803 for almost 6 months........no problem other than an audio lag that I can not blame on anything. Could be TiVo, AVR, or the station as it comes and goes.....usually on DD 2.0.

[samdu]

I've had a Hughes HDVR2 for quite a while now and acquired a DD compatible amp with optical inputs a while back. I have had these problems since the first time I plugged in the optical cable. I initially thought the problem might be the switcher I have (Pelican), but it happens just as often when the optical cable is plugged directly into the amp. I've switched out the toslink cable with another one (two, actually) and there was no change. I know it's not the switcher and I know it's not the amp. I have absolutely zero problems with my DVD player or my Playstation 2 on the optical connection. I'm about seriously torqued off. I had hoped that the 6.2 software update would fix the problem, but again, no dice. Has anyone gotten a satisfactory answer from DirecTV about this issue? The optical connection sounds SO much better than the RCA connection and I'd like to use it. I mean, it was something I actually paid for, after all. Should I even bother calling DirecTV? Do the newer models of DirecTiVos suffer from the same issue?

[SHOMan]

Samdu,

Yours is the first report I have seen that is reporting the problem on a box other than the HR-10. Have you spoken to a teir two tech about the issue?

The other posters here with problems have the HR-10

[ikey78]

I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-47TX receiver and have experienced the static pop with loss of signal issue since connecting to the HD Tivo receiver. Interestingly I had the exact same problem with a Time Warner Pioneer HD cable box. When they swapped it out for a different brand box the problem went away.

I have disabled DD record and playback which is frustrating because the DD sound is one of the big benefits of HDTV.

I have some Macros programmed into my MX-850 universal remote that get around the problem but it is too cumbersome to use on a regular basis. They work by muting the receiver and changing the inputs.

[JTAnderson]

Well, I also have an HDVR2, and the digital audio was completely useless with the aforementioned Denon AVR-5600. (At least it would work with the HR10-250, where I really needed the digital audio to work, after a couple of tries.)

The HDVR2 digital audio also works fine with my new Pioneer. Clearly the Denon was pickier about digital audio inputs, although I never had any problems with anything other than the two TiVos. I also have a Philips DSR-6000 whose digital audio played fine with the Denon.

[samdu]

Samdu,

Yours is the first report I have seen that is reporting the problem on a box other than the HR-10. Have you spoken to a teir two tech about the issue?

The other posters here with problems have the HR-10

Nope. I looked up information on the problem well before the 6.2 update and found a bunch of posts about people having issues with the HDVR2 and all of the posts that mentioned talking to DTV said that they wouldn't acknowledge the problem. I guess I'll give them a call tomorrow.

[stealthie1]

I've used an Onkyo and 2 different Harmon Kardon's and never had an issue with any of them hooked up Optical to the D*HDTivo.

[Dave E H]

I am using a Pioneer Elite VSX-49TX as well. Same problems everyone else is reporting.

[Replevin]

TOSlink to Sony Pre-Amp, no problems.

[hackyack]

I only get the pop when selecting a show from the now playing list. doesn't matter if it's 5.1 DD or 2.0 I get the pop every time unless i disable the DD playback then all is well.

[orion]

I'll bring this thread back to life since I just got my HR10 and have the similar issue (though I'm not sure if it's exact).

HR10-250
Optical into McIntosh MX-132, McIntosh 7205 Amp
Dolby5.1

Crackling noise on non-Dolby.
Audio cuts out 1-2 seconds when set to Dolby, frequency could be anywhere from twice in a row, or 2 times an hour.
ONLY happens on HD channels.

I have no problems with the same optical cable, port, etc. using XBox or DVD Players.

DTV tech came out to look at it, spent no more than 5 minutes, and said he has no idea.