No sound out of optical output

[ridinghigh9]

Hi,My new TIVO 250gb series 3 has no sound on the optical out put. I am using a B&K premap, that worked fine with comcast HDDVR optical out. I have a pioneer elite 1540 hooked up using HDMI for the TV, any sugesstions before I take it back and get cmcast box back?

Tnx

GARY

[GoHokies!]

I've never heard of a preamp for a digital signal, but if you've verified that it works with another source, and you're using the same cable, and you're sure that both ends are securly connected, then it sounds like you have a manufacturing defect.

Just exchange it for a working one, why get a Comcast box back?

[jeffsinsfo]

I think this is a B&K problem not properly seeing the DD stream from the TiVo. I have a B&K Ref. 30 pre/pro and have the same problem when my Series 3 is set to output DD.

Try the following:

1. Change the setting on the Series 3 to PCM. If your set up works like mine, you'll hear sound.

2. Change the setting on the Series 3 back to DD. No sound, right? Well, keeping the Series 3 set to DD, change the settings on your B&K. For example, if you have it set to play Surround+5 channels for the input that your Series 3 is connected to, select Surround+4 channels. You may have to do this a couple of times (for example, change to Stereo+2 channels then Surround+5 channels), but by "forcing" your B&K to look for the Series 3's DD stream again you should be able to hear audio. Unfortunately if you change the channel, switch the recording you're playing back, or even jump ahead in a program on the Series 3, the B&K will lose the DD stream again. Rather annoying, isn't this?

Because I can get the B&K to recognize the Series 3' DD stream by changing the B&K's processing/speaker settings, I assume the problem is with the B&K and not the Series 3. (Though I've never had a problem with any other digital product, so one could say that this is yet another "issue" that is a TiVo shortcoming without being an outright failure.)

I've thought about trying to update the firmware in my B&K pre/pro to see if that fixes the issue, but I've been too lazy to do so. In the meantime I've just been listening to the Series 3's PCM output.