Sound Dropouts?

[PMKS]

2 Months ago I called DirecTV tech support about the audio dropouts, was mainly seeing it on the History Channel, KPRC-2 HD feed out of Houston, Showtime ( all HD feeds ) , and Encore East HD.

Well, the KPRC-2 HD feed seems to have been fixed in the last couple of weeks, and I haven't noticed it recently on the History Channel and the Showtime HD feeds. Encore East HD still has a problem every once in a while.

Using a HR22-100 w/ optical cable to a Pioneer A/V receiver.

The problem may still occur on other channels that I'm not watching, The KPRC-2 HD dropouts were so bad I would switch the HR22 audio settings to regular audio just to watch the Tonight Show.

 

[egnlsn]

EVERY HD channel we watch has dropouts. Locals, CNN, HBO, just to list a few. Have been ever since we were installed 3 years ago. I thought it was my A/V receiver, which is fed via optical from one DVR and coax from the other, as neither of my TVs that are fed via HDMI exhibit the issue. If it were my A/V receiver, though, I could correct that by replacing it.

 

[marquitos306]

After the upgrade it is getting better, don't remember the last time I had a dropouts.

 

[mprimeau]

I had dropouts the other day watching hockey. I watched on a RSN in HD and experienced it several times...really annoying. the only time I remember it on E* was when commercials came on and stuff.

 

[PMKS]

EVERY HD channel we watch has dropouts. Locals, CNN, HBO, just to list a few. Have been ever since we were installed 3 years ago. I thought it was my A/V receiver, which is fed via optical from one DVR and coax from the other, as neither of my TVs that are fed via HDMI exhibit the issue. If it were my A/V receiver, though, I could correct that by replacing it.

If you are on a channel with bad audio dropouts, go to your menu audio options and turn off dolby digital, and see if it fixes the problem.

 

[egnlsn]

From what I've read here and over at the other forum, that would resolve the dropout issue, but then I would have the issue of no DD5.1 audio. I guess it's a choice between the lesser of 2 evils.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I wonder if maybe this is related to Onkyo. I have three identical boxes, and the only one I'm having this problem with, is the one connected to my Onkyo. I have tried a HDMI and a coax connection, and the dropouts are consistent. My next step is to swap boxes, and see if that changes anything. If or when i do this, I'll report back here.

 

[markd]

I had dropouts last night on the three or four hd channels I was flipping threw. I do have an Onkyo receiver. And I can stop the dropouts if I switch off DD5.1 in the HR24. I have a Front Projector so I can't hook straight to it and get sound since it has no speakers. If replacing the Onkyo receiver would fix it, I would do that. But from the other threads it seems to happen not only with Onyko receivers.

DTV really needs to get this fixed. I'm not listening to a HD show in stereo if it has DD5.1.

 

[mprimeau]

I wonder if maybe this is related to Onkyo. I have three identical boxes, and the only one I'm having this problem with, is the one connected to my Onkyo. I have tried a HDMI and a coax connection, and the dropouts are consistent. My next step is to swap boxes, and see if that changes anything. If or when i do this, I'll report back here.

My receiver is an Onkyo also...good thinking!!! Has anyone else had issues with other receivers?

 

[Russell Jorgensen]

I have Pioneer Receivers and I get drop outs too. It doesn't matter what brand receiver you have it will happen if you use optical or coax cable for 5.1 digital sound. This is Directv's problem not yours. They either can't fix the problem or don't care too because it would cost to much. When my commitment runs out with them if the problem still exists I am going to drop their service. I never had this problem with Dish Network or with cable.

 

[96corvette]

I have Pioneer Receivers and I get drop outs too. It doesn't matter what brand receiver you have it will happen if you use optical or coax cable for 5.1 digital sound. This is Directv's problem not yours. They either can't fix the problem or don't care too because it would cost to much. When my commitment runs out with them if the problem still exists I am going to drop their service. I never had this problem with Dish Network or with cable.

this is the very reason I am not moving over from Dish, do not understand why so many have with this problem

 

[Ramy]

I have an Onkyo and the dropouts happened no matter if I use optical for sound or HDMI.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I have Pioneer Receivers and I get drop outs too. It doesn't matter what brand receiver you have it will happen if you use optical or coax cable for 5.1 digital sound. This is Directv's problem not yours. They either can't fix the problem or don't care too because it would cost to much. When my commitment runs out with them if the problem still exists I am going to drop their service. I never had this problem with Dish Network or with cable.

Ok, I guess you just saved me some work. Thank you.

 

[n4uaj]

I have an Insignia receiver..it happens with it on hdmi and component rca jacks and also drops out just using the tv audio so it is definitely on DTV's end not ours

 

[cparker]

It's not your AV receiver and it's not your satellite receiver. I have reason to believe this is caused by the Dolby stream retransmitting the record level of the center speaker channel. Since this is happening at D* and E* and on various receivers (that understand Dolby Digital decoding), I also believe it's in the stream being fed to the satellite providers. If it's in the feed it *should* be happening to cable subs as well but their equipment has to be understanding and decoding Dolby in order to see this blip. I don't know any cable subscribers who can test it. Does a cable STB split video and audio? Can a cable sub send their audio to an AV receiver? I don't know.

If the receiving end doesn't understand Dolby, then the blip won't happen.

I really think this isn't D*'s fault or E*'s fault at all. I think it's in the stream. You're thinking it's your satellite receiver or provider because it only happens when you're watching TV ... not when you're watching a DVD or Blu-ray or anything. MUST be D*'s fault. Reasonable assumption unless you span several providers, lots of different equipment, etc. Now it's no longer a D* problem. What's the common denominator? The FEEDS to the providers with Dolby.

This is why you can experience the audio drop on recorded material. And skip back and hear it again at the same spot. You recorded the Dolby stream and it's recorded... period. You get exactly what the stream is doing.

Just my 2 cents and my current theory.

 

[96corvette]

Since this is happening at D* and E*

NO sir not happening on Dish, how I know? because I have had Dish/Comcast 3 plus years, so I can say that with a fact, VIP 722 :up as I have said many times this audio problem is stopping me from going to DTV

 

[peano]

Ditto for me. My 722k works flawlessly with DD5.1 material. This is a Directv problem.

 

[cparker]

I just moved from Dish and I can tell you from 1st hand experience that it happens on Dish as well. I had a 622 and a 612 and it happened on both.

 

[peano]

Must have been your equipment. I don't see any huge threads about Dish DD5.1 issues here or the other site. But there are for Directv.

 

[cparker]

Must have been your equipment. I don't see any huge threads about Dish DD5.1 issues here or the other site. But there are for Directv.

I beg to differ. I just went into the E* forums and searched on audio and came up with several threads. Some were just volume level changes, but several were about audio drops or skips. Not looking for an argument. Just pointing out that this issue does exist on both sides.

I just bought a new AV receiver with much newer technology in terms of signal processing. Maybe that WILL fix it as the signal processing may handle whatever is causing the blip in audio, but that doesn't negate the fact that there appears to be an issue in the stream.