Sound--High Def.--problem...

[rmosso1]

Yesterday I spoke with a tech fellow at Direct TV. I asked about my sound problems. The short of it is that he related to me that it is a known problem. The problem is that the background noise overcomes and drowns out the actors voices in many high def. movie/programs. It does not happen when I receive an analog broadcast. Is this Bull, or a known problem. I have three different brand new SONY Bravia HIGH DEF 120 hz TV's-52, 48 & 40. The problem is common on all.

The Direct TV tech, on the telephone started giving me somthing about 2000 and something with a Q in it, and way over my head. I just want to hear my programming. The video is awesome, but the audio is often not at all clear.

HELP???

[harshness]

Try switching surround sound modes and see if that doesn't help you recover the dialog.

What do you mean by "analog broadcast"?

[rmosso1]

Try switching surround sound modes and see if that doesn't help you recover the dialog.

What do you mean by "analog broadcast"?

Non High Def. SORRY. DIGITAL, but not high def.

[jtwex]

You need to play around with your sound settings as already suggested because there's no "known" sound problem I know about. Those are some high end TV's (& it shouldn't matter anyway) & the sound should be perfect. Not sure if you're also using home theatre setups but either way the sound should be fine. If your passing everything through your HDMI cable you might try switching to your optical cable for your sound; I love the way mine sounds & I'm not using $150 Monster cables but simply 1.3 barrel stock with optical for the sound.

[Tom Bombadil]

You are using only your TV's built-in speakers on all of your tests?

I would try other cables, such as using the optical output as suggested by jtwex. Or perhaps a different HDMI cable.

Have you tested your TV's HDMI inputs using other devices, like a DVD or Blu-Ray player? If those work properly then you've proven your TV's HDMI connector is working properly, and that the HDMI cable works (given you test the same cable).

[GregLee]

Possibly your TVs are not doing a real good job of reproducing the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound that is often used on HD TV channels. In that case, it may help to tell your D* receivers not to use Dolby Digital sound. For my version of the HR system this is on the Setup > Audio menu. Or, if Dolby Digital is already turned off, try turning it on. (I'm assuming you don't have a 5.1 sound system. But if you do, what most commonly causes unintelligible dialog is a poor or poorly placed center speaker.)

To answer your question, it's bull. I have never had a problem specific to D* in hearing dialog, and I've never heard of such a problem.

[Tom Bombadil]

Typically dialog would be lost if one had a problem with their center channel, when running in 5.1 mode. Then your fronts and surrounds would be playing a lot of the surround sounds with the dialog missing.

But I don't know how this can happen when running to a TV where all of the sound is mixed into 2 channels. Perhaps if there is a problem with the HDMI connectors or cable, where the pin for the center channel is damaged. Have never heard of this in an HDMI setup, but I suppose it is possible.

If one runs the stereo audio channels from the receiver to the TV, then I can't see how it could happen - short of having a TV that has a 3-channel speaker setup and the center channel isn't working.

[harshness]

Sony likes using an SRS simulated surround sound system that sometimes behaves frustratingly like a conventional multi-speaker surround system.

[Tom Bombadil]

Is there an option on the Sony TVs to turn off SRS and go with plain vanilla stereo? I mean, after all, you are talking about el crappo built-in speakers.

[harshness]

I mean, after all, you are talking about el crappo built-in speakers.

My Sony TV (XBR50) has decent detached speakers and a chambered woofer.

The surround settings are usually adjustable in the audio menu.