Audio dropout on HD recording with 722/optical?

[weber24601]

I have a new 722 DVR with an optical connection to my Sony stereo receiver. I've noticed that on HD recordings (particularly on the new SciFi HD), the audio will briefly drop out, then recover in less than a second. It sometimes happens 2-3 times in a 1 hour show, and its correlated with the recorded program. (I can rewind the show and I will lose the audio at the same place).

Has anybody else noticed this?

 

[GNASH]

I have a new 722 DVR with an optical connection to my Sony stereo receiver. I've noticed that on HD recordings (particularly on the new SciFi HD), the audio will briefly drop out, then recover in less than a second. It sometimes happens 2-3 times in a 1 hour show, and its correlated with the recorded program. (I can rewind the show and I will lose the audio at the same place).

Has anybody else noticed this?

We have had a 722 since October with an optical connection and have never noticed audio drop outs. We have noticed that on non-HD Channels (or when non-HD commercials come on HD Channels) that the audio volume level will change.

Geoff

 

[KAB]

I have a new 722 DVR with an optical connection to my Sony stereo receiver. I've noticed that on HD recordings (particularly on the new SciFi HD), the audio will briefly drop out, then recover in less than a second. It sometimes happens 2-3 times in a 1 hour show, and its correlated with the recorded program. (I can rewind the show and I will lose the audio at the same place).

Has anybody else noticed this?

Of course. Nothing new or abnormal. It happens. On cable, on OTA, on Direct, on Dish. It comes from the source. Get used to it.

 

[bobinstaller]

just a thought..did you remove the little condoms from each end of the optical cable when you installed it?

 

[peepoop]

I have noticed half-second audio dropouts on Battlestar Galactica...using HDMI for audio.

Not many, though...maybe one or two per episode.

 

[kvnfl]

During OTA programs, when signal strength dips, the audio drops out. Can be very annoying on windy days. You might want to check your signal strength. And if you haven't done it in a while, make sure all your RG-6 connections are tight. A 7/16" box wrench is all you need. Make double sure any outside connections that you can easily reach are tight.

 

[llzel]

my optical out (on my 722) was bad. Sometimes I would hear background music and noise but no dialog, called dish and they UPS's a new one, never a problem again

 

[treiher]

I had the same exact problem with the first 722 unit I received, except the audio dropped out all together on HD channels and recordings. I checked the optical cable connections, but it's hard to suggest it was a connection problem because all the SD audio came through just fine, through the same cable, some of which is Dolby Digital. When I called about the problem, the sent out a replacement right away, no questions asked.

 

[weber24601]

Thanks everybody for their posts. Sounds like it's not unique to my setup, I notice it most during Battlestar Galactica, once or twice per episiode as someone else mentioned. It definitely has to do with signal strength, because sometimes the picture blurs slightly the moment after the audio dropout.

Hopefully this will improve over time as the technology gets better.

 

[KAB]

Thanks everybody for their posts. Sounds like it's not unique to my setup, I notice it most during Battlestar Galactica, once or twice per episiode as someone else mentioned. It definitely has to do with signal strength, because sometimes the picture blurs slightly the moment after the audio dropout.

Hopefully this will improve over time as the technology gets better.

Nothing to do with signal strength. It happens here all the time and I have near perfect signal. It is either coming directly from the SciFi feed or the Dish uplink. You are a newbie. Regardless, one or two dropouts per show is nothing!!!

 

[EricBskiVT]

I've got direct LOS to the broadcast towers at 13.5 miles with signal strength in the 90s. I get audio dropouts whether using the TV speakers or my receiver. Sometimes we lose the center channel (dialog) for several minutes. During those times we've switched over to Dish HD locals and found the same problem. It occurs at the source. Hopefully, as the technology matures, we'll see (hear) less of this.
KAB knows of what she, er, he speaks!

 

[KAB]

KAB knows of what she speaks!

What HE speaks, just for the record.

 

[weber24601]

No question that I am a newbie to HD viewing. I do know a few things about communications signals though...

Frankly I'm amazed that the community puts up with this kind of audio imperfection once or twice an episode (or more!). After all the fuss about trying to decide whether or not to get a 720p vs. 1080p television and 9-bit vs. 10-bit color planes and Plasma vs. LCD, this kind of issue is far more annoying than watching TV with my old SD set.

But I guess that's why people are also spending $$$ for blu-ray players to go with their new TVs...

 

[EricBskiVT]

What HE speaks, just for the record.

Sorry, you used to have an avatar of a nice looking woman, so I jumped to conclusions. Thanks for the heads up before it got really embarrassing.
My original post has been modified.

 

[KAB]

Sorry, you used to have an avatar of a nice looking woman, so I jumped to conclusions

Harpo Marx is NOT a nice looking woman.

 

[volzjr]

I got my 722 over the winter, and hooked up the audio through the optical out, and all was fine for a few months. About a month ago I was experiencing short, intermittent drop-outs on some, but not all programs. I happened to have another cable on hand, much longer than I needed (6 foot long) , but I figured I'd try it. Swapped the cables and haven't had a drop out since. Something to think about...

 

[EricBskiVT]

How about OTA or Dish local HD? That is where we are seeing the audio drops.
Once I get an Onkyo TX-SR606, I will eliminate all my coaxial/optical connections except for the one from the TV itself, as I will be HDMI only.

 

[mrhoni]

In the last week or so I have noticed audio drop outs. I have to start eliminating possible causes. I am using optical audio from 722. I need to check my connections.

Tonight watching a recorded show from external drive. I could rewind and replay and the drop out was not in the same place.

I watch little live so I'll have to pay attention to drop outs live, recorded, recorded on external HD AND I have the same basic setup on another 722 hooked into the audio system.

BTW, I was not having audio drop outs until recently, all was fine, so I don't know if it might be one of 3 pieces of equipment that are failing.

 

[mrschwarz]

I have noticed it in the last couple of days. I have a 722 and I apparently just received 511 software. Another undocumented 'feature'?

 

[Dr. Cool]

Started having the dropouts

I started having the audio dropouts about 10 days ago, never had them before. It's a VIP622, I have it for more than a year. The dropouts only happen with my local PBS HD channel, received OTA. It's sure not a signal problem. Signal is 100 and image is perfect. The audio drops out for less than 1 second. It happens about 5 times in every hour of recorded program, only in HD (not in SD), and does not repeat itself after I rewind. Apparently it happens only when I use the optical connection of my Yamaha receiver and with Dolby Digital content. The dropouts may take from 1 minute to half an hour to happen again, but they inevitably happen. I wonder if there's anything special about the PBS Dolby Digital coding that my equipment can't digest. I'll try a few setup variations and report the outcomes.