Help with weird HD audio problem

[dlfl]

I just substituted a TiVo HD for an S2DT unit. Pending other HD upgrades I am just using it as a more expensive version of the S2DT in exactly the same SD setup: TW (analog) cable and an SD TV.

However I've noticed an audio problem that wasn't there with the S2DT:

On some programs (mostly old BW movies on TCM) there are random popping (or clicking) noises in the audio. By process of substitution of cables, TV's, previous S2DT, etc., I've eliminated any possible cause of this other than the DVR itself. The popping noise is in the recorded video and is still there if you play back on a PC after TTG transfer. The noise is quite objectionable in some cases.

I'm on my second sample HD now. I returned the first one as defective after talking to TiVo tech support. The problem seems to be exactly the same on the second unit -- so I'm suspecting it's a design issue in the analog tuner circuitry, something that is sensitive to the particular signal characteristics of particular movies as encoded by my cable provider. I can of course hope the problem won't be there for digital sources coming through cable cards, when I get them.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? Has anyone heard of design changes TiVo might have made to the analog tuners that might not have made it into the units I've tried? These are the 20 Hr units so they may have been in stock for a while (?).

[lafos]

The TiVo HD is still current production, so the age shouldn't be an issue. I have two HDs on analog cable (one also has an antenna), and I havn't noticed any popping, clicking, etc., and I record some old movies from TCM. It might be something to do with your signal. There are differences in tuner sensitivity between the S2s, S2DT, and S3 boxes I have. The newer ones, particularly the S3 and HD, have better picture quality on analog.

The fact that you see the same issue on two TiVo HDs seems to suggest that the problem is external to the TiVo.

[dlfl]

.........The fact that you see the same issue on two TiVo HDs seems to suggest that the problem is external to the TiVo.
In my first post I said I had eliminated anything but the HD unit as the cause. I didn't give all the details of how I did this (just to save space) but here they are:

1. Feed the cable coax directly into the TV -- no popping noise.

2. Substitute old S2DT for new HD -- no popping noise. (All other hardware the same.) After all, the reason I notice this popping is I have used the S2DT for three years on the same inputs and never had the popping.

3. Feed audio out from HD RCA connectors through a different set of RCA cables to a different audio chain (cordless headset) and the popping is still there.

Given this info I conclude it has to be the HD (and the TiVo tech support person I talked to had to agree).

Granted the HD may be current production but they could have made engineering changes on the tuner circuits during the production run.

Anyway, thanks for your response.

[dlfl]

I noticed my signal strength is pegged at 100 so in case excess signal is causing the problem I've ordered an assortment of cable attenuators. The only info I can find related to this is cases where attenuators are needed for Verizon FIOS service (whereas I have TW analog cable). My video and audio are both excellent other than the audio popping noise.

Anyone have any comments on this theory? I really don't know anything else to try other than just returning the unit and reverting back to SD (ugg!).