"Broken" optical port

[terinjokes]

Hey guys!

My grandmother has been a fan of TiVo since we got her addicted way back in the early Series2 (we have since switched to DirecTV, and thus the DirecTV-branded HD DVR) and has recently bought an HDTV and an HD Tivo.

Fast forward to today when I went with her to Best Buy to pick out a Home Theater system, to replace the AV equipment that is older than I am. We came home with a nice Panasonic model and temporary HDMI and optical cables (until the newegg models come in).

I got to hooking up the new equipment, and I found something horrid. The HD TiVo's Optical jack was broken. Rather, it still lit up, but it wasn't flush with the case, so I couldn't attach the optical cable. The TiVo is probably 2 and a half months old, what should I do to get this fixed? (In the interim, I did hook up using White/Red component cables, but that's not a digital connection, and pretty much wastes the money spent on the Home Theater equipment)

[Worf]

Does it work if you hold the cable into the jack? If so, a bit of tape works... It's possible it's just a little bit recessed and the cable won't "catch" properly. It happens often enough on other equipment...

[newskilz]

I'm guessing you are wanting to run the optical cable for audio to your surround sound? What if you run the HDMI cables to your TV (completely digital), then use the optical from the TV to your surround sound system? That way, you have digital audio from whatever is coming to your tv to the surround sound system. Of course this is if your TV has an optical out. Would this solve your issue... other than the tivo being "broken" anyway?

[terinjokes]

I tried just plugging the cable in anyways, but I couldn't get it to work. I see a red light on the other end of the cable, but IDK if it's getting the hole signal. (No audio from the home theater system when I try)

I'm guessing you are wanting to run the optical cable for audio to your surround sound? What if you run the HDMI cables to your TV (completely digital), then use the optical from the TV to your surround sound system? That way, you have digital audio from whatever is coming to your tv to the surround sound system. Of course this is if your TV has an optical out. Would this solve your issue... other than the tivo being "broken" anyway?

We want to be able to listen to music channels without having the TV on.

[Lrscpa]

Remember that most new optical cables have tiny plastic covers on the optical "lead" that needs to be removed.

[pjohnson]

Hey guys!
I got to hooking up the new equipment, and I found something horrid. The HD TiVo's Optical jack was broken. Rather, it still lit up, but it wasn't flush with the case, so I couldn't attach the optical cable. The TiVo is probably 2 and a half months old, what should I do to get this fixed? (In the interim, I did hook up using White/Red component cables, but that's not a digital connection, and pretty much wastes the money spent on the Home Theater equipment)

I would contact TiVo. If the unit is less than 3 months old, and the optical output is broken, it should be under complete warrenty. See
tivo.com/buytivo/dvrlimitedwarranty.html, where it states

"90 days free labor / one year parts exchange".

Phil

[terinjokes]

Remember that most new optical cables have tiny plastic covers on the optical "lead" that needs to be removed.

OK, now I feel like an idiot. I thought that was part of the cable. Why doesn't the box say to remove them? Holding the cable in gives me a digital signal. Does the TiVo have a test to make sure i have all 5.1 channels going through?

I would contact TiVo. If the unit is less than 3 months old, and the optical output is broken, it should be under complete warrenty. See
tivo.com/buytivo/dvrlimitedwarranty.html, where it states

"90 days free labor / one year parts exchange".

Phil

I plan on it. They were closed by the time I got the Cable Tele-Internet Modem plugged back in last night. I think it's very close to that 3 month mark.

[bkdtv]

OK, now I feel like an idiot. I thought that was part of the cable. Why doesn't the box say to remove them? Holding the cable in gives me a digital signal. Does the TiVo have a test to make sure i have all 5.1 channels going through?I think that's assumed, since virtually every optical cable has shipped with those "covers" for at least the last five years.

If you are receiving 5.1, your surround system should tell you. Note not every HD channel offers 5.1 at all times.

[flynz4]

I think that's assumed, since virtually every optical cable has shipped with those "covers" for at least the last five years.

If you are receiving 5.1, your surround system should tell you. Note not every HD channel offers 5.1 at all times.

Even though the optical cables have shipped for 5+ years... there is a huge percentage of the population that has never use them. I would guess (pure speculation) that the majority of people have never used an optical cable.

I agree that it would be good design for cable manufactures to indicate that the protective cap should be removed. I also think it would help if the made it some color other than clear.

/Jim

[Gavroche]

WARNING: GavRant ahead!

I think that's assumed, since virtually every optical cable has shipped with those "covers" for at least the last five years.

If you are receiving 5.1, your surround system should tell you. Note not every HD channel offers 5.1 at all times.

Ok, a bit off topic, but what's even worse is when the HD channels provide a 5.1 signal and then transmit only stereo audio over it. I HATE THAT!!! Why can't they transmit that damned thing as 2-channel Dolby Digital?

But NOOOOOOOOO they have to go an mess with me by transmitting only 2 channels in 5.1 audio, so my receiver won't be able to go into Pro-Logic to decode it.

It makes me just as mad as when HD channels broadcast letterboxed material as a 4:3 signal WITHIN their 16:9 HD picture, meaning that on the Tivo you can't use the "zoom" feature to correct it.

Maybe I should start a crusade, and start sending complaints to all the channels that CONTINUALLY do this crap.

(RANT OVER - we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.)