Motorla DVR: no digital surround sound?

[hammyoni]

I have a motorola DVR cable box, that does just fine for HD tv, but even with the optical cable connected, when I turn my home theater in a box receiver on...it doesnt put out dolby surround sound. It plays though my speakers but its not surround as indicated on my receiver. When I turn the tv on with the receiver, and bypass the cable box (cable directly into the TV), and if its a show with surround sound supported, it will actually do the dolby surround sound, just what I want. I just cant get it to work with the DVR box any ideas?

[JohnnyRose]

If your STB is a Moto 6412 III, you are using the HDMI connection and your firmware is 12.18, you can not get Dolby Digital from your STB. You need firmware 12.22.

Check the threads for details and all other information on this subject. There is plent of info.

[QZ1]

Does 6412 PI (what I have) or PII have any issues with Dolby Digital?

[mixmaster7]

Something I have noticed with my dual tuner DVR is that one tuner will play the Dolby Digital 5.1 and the other won't. Try this out and see if this might be the problem.

[hammyoni]

did you have to take the old box in? or is it updated through the cable? Do you have to arrange this before taking in the old one? Thanks...i just hate calling Insight...

[jacmyoung]

I had an issue with losing DD5.1 a few times in the last month, and was told I needed to turn off the 6412 then turn it back on, that did fix my problem.

[walford]

I have absolutly no problem with my 6412 II usning optical of course I have to set it up to output AC3 digital format instead of the default PCM digital format.

[DrDetroit]

Hammy -- I have the 6412 phase iii stb connected to a Sony HTiB via optical. I often experience the problem of having "digital" appear on the receiver yet no surround sound.

Here is what I have found and I am sure others will concur --

While you'll see the DD for Dolby Digital, not all digital broadcasts are Dolby Digital 5.1. For example, ESPN broadcasts DD 2.0, not 5.1, however, my receiver will always display "digital." I have seen movies on both HBO and Starz HD channels that also are DD, but not DD 5.1.

My resolution has been to simply change the surround field on my receiver from Auto Format to Pro Logic/Pro Logic II and the center and rear channels will kick in. Give this a try.

Similar to jacmyoung, I, too, could not get DD 5.1 a couple of days last month on Comcast here in Detroit. Calling Comcast did not help and I simply waited it out and the next day all was good.

Edit --
Walford, how did you make that change to output AC3 instead of PCM?

[walford]

My 6412 II from Cox uses Passport/Echo software and my 6412 remote from Cox has a settings button just to the left of the left arrow key. You select this and then more settings and then digital audio and you get to switch between AC3 and PCM. With other providers and softare I do not know how to make the change with other 6412 software packages.

[hammyoni]

I und that not all shows are in 5.1, but if i switch to cable HD, I can get my receiver to pump out 5.1 and it is indicated on the receiver with no changes. Then I switch the same show, in this case it was the NFL Playoff game which is indeed in 5.1, and through the STB it would not work.

[walford]

With my 6412 II and my low cost HTIB audio system I often have to reset the digital audio input channel on the HTIB in order to get 5.1 back after a changing channels or pausing or doing an instand repay on the 6412. I had to do this during both of the NFL games this past weekend.

[bdjeep]

Originally Posted by walford

With my 6412 II and my low cost HTIB audio system I often have to reset the digital audio input channel on the HTIB in order to get 5.1 back after a changing channels or pausing or doing an instand repay on the 6412. I had to do this during both of the NFL games this past weekend.

I have the same problem with my 6412 III. I have to cycle through input modes on the HTIB to "reset" the optical input. Does anyone have a solution?

[bdjeep]

Originally Posted by bdjeep

I have the same problem with my 6412 III. I have to cycle through input modes on the HTIB to "reset" the optical input. Does anyone have a solution?

Searching through some other threads, I have found that this is a firmware problem. The workaround is not to use HDMI with a separate audio out. I switched back to component video and everything works fine. The latest firmware supposedly fixes this, but I don't have it yet.

[walford]

If I understand you correctly you are saying that if use compoent
1080i or 720p between your 6412 and your TV and you use Digital AV3 output to your audio system that you never loose the AV3 signal and have to resync your audio amplifier. Is this correct?

[bdjeep]

Originally Posted by walford

If I understand you correctly you are saying that if use compoent
1080i or 720p between your 6412 and your TV and you use Digital AV3 output to your audio system that you never loose the AV3 signal and have to resync your audio amplifier. Is this correct?

Yes, this is correct. With the HDMI connected to the TV I would get flaky audio through the optical connection into the HTIB. Sometimes it was AC3, but as soon as the channel was changed to a non-digital audio program OR I did any DVR function (pause, replay, etc.), I would lose the AC3 audio for good. Sometimes I would lose the audio completely. (Comcast box has no way to set PCM vs. AC3)

With the component video connection, everything seems to work as expected. It is AC3 when it should be and PCM when no Dolby audio is available. No need to reset the HTIB and recorded DVR programs now play with 5.1 surround.

It kind of sucks that I have to settle for either digital audio OR digital video but not both. The 6412 does not do as good a job as my TV in scaling the video content, and the audio system doesn't sound nearly as good with the analog stereo connections. The 6412 is a very buggy piece of equipment, and I can't say I'm thrilled with it.

[billodom]

Originally Posted by walford

If I understand you correctly you are saying that if use compoent
1080i or 720p between your 6412 and your TV and you use Digital AV3 output to your audio system that you never loose the AV3 signal and have to resync your audio amplifier. Is this correct?

That is my experience. I am actually using Motorola's 6416 DVR provided by Verizon FiOS TV, but from all indications it appears to share much of the same design characteristics as the 6412III. I am glad somebody is posting about this because so far I haven't been able to find definitive answers. I talked to Verizon about this and apparently Motorola and Verizon are working on it. I just had FiOS TV installed this past Tuesday, the 24th. I have a DLP HD monitor with an HDMI input. The Motorola box kills the digital audio out to an AV receiver--coax or optical--when connecting via HDMI. It seems like this is a defect of the software. In other words, if I went out and bought the Yamaha RX-V2600 receiver with HDMI switching, the Motorola box would still not pass digital audio. Or would it? I have vacillated back and forth between component and HDMI. For now I am settling on keeping the HDMI connection because it gives me 1:1 pixel mapping on my display and reduces overscan to 1.5 percent. In my case I am willing to give up discrete digital audio for the incrementally better PQ provided by HDMI. Connected via component, the Dolby AC-3 works flawlessly on the 6416. The minute I plug in the HDMI cable, the digital audio disappears, replaced by Dolby Pro Logic II, still digital just not discrete. Unplugging the HDMI cable does not immediately restore AC-3 but changing to another program with AC-3 brings it back.
I hope we can keep this thread alive until someone gets a solution. Thanks.

P.S. I notice bdjeep posted in between us.

[bdjeep]

Originally Posted by billodom

I hope we can keep this thread alive until someone gets a solution.

Firmware 12.22 supposedly fixes this problem on Comcast boxes, but you can't get it until they decide to roll out the update for your local market. I'm not sure if calling customer service will do anything to accelerate this.

[Mitch57]

I have the 6416 and I have firmware version 12.31. I still have the problem when I'm using HDMI to my TV and an optical connection to my receiver. Is there a workaround for this? I loose sound all together and sometimes have to pull the power cord to get it back.

[DSperber]

The SA8300 has a similar issue when using HDMI-to-HDMI cabling from DVR to TV and optical audio from DVR to receiver. Since the TV cannot accept DD5.1, it tells the DVR to send PCM 2.0 and that also is what gets sent out over the optical cable to the receiver, even though the optical audio path to the receiver should have nothing to do with the HDMI path to the TV. Not good.

If your TV has a DVI option, how about an HDMI-to-DVI cable from DVR to TV, so that the TV cannot accept audio and the DVR will not "shut down" Dolby Digital. You should therefore get DD out the optical cable to your receiver.

If your TV does not have a DVI connector, how about a proper combination of DVI-to-HDMI adapters and a matching pair of HDMI-to-HDMI cables (or a single HDMI-to-DVI cable and single DVI-to-HDMI adapter), so that you have an HDMI-to-HDMI connection path from DVR to TV but no audio. Again, the TV cannot therefore tell the DVR to shut down the Dolby Digital audio, which should then mean your optical path to the receiver should again be Dolby Digital.

Note that my 6412-II (which has DVI, and not HDMI), does not have this problem. Digital audio out the optical connector is always unaltered Dolby Digital as provided by the program content.

[JLHeureux]

Originally Posted by DSperber

The SA8300 has a similar issue when using HDMI-to-HDMI cabling from DVR to TV and optical audio from DVR to receiver. Since the TV cannot accept DD5.1, it tells the DVR to send PCM 2.0 and that also is what gets sent out over the optical cable to the receiver, even though the optical audio path to the receiver should have nothing to do with the HDMI path to the TV. Not good.

If your TV has a DVI option, how about an HDMI-to-DVI cable from DVR to TV, so that the TV cannot accept audio and the DVR will not "shut down" Dolby Digital. You should therefore get DD out the optical cable to your receiver.

If your TV does not have a DVI connector, how about a proper combination of DVI-to-HDMI adapters and a matching pair of HDMI-to-HDMI cables (or a single HDMI-to-DVI cable and single DVI-to-HDMI adapter), so that you have an HDMI-to-HDMI connection path from DVR to TV but no audio. Again, the TV cannot therefore tell the DVR to shut down the Dolby Digital audio, which should then mean your optical path to the receiver should again be Dolby Digital.

Note that my 6412-II (which has DVI, and not HDMI), does not have this problem. Digital audio out the optical connector is always unaltered Dolby Digital as provided by the program content.

I also have the SA 8300 HD from Comcast in Maryland (Howard County) and confirm this behavior. For over a year, I used component cables and had multi channel sound for all the HD channels that offered it. But recently, I purchased an HDMI cable in the hope of getting even better video reception although I was very happy with the VQ of the components connection. I did not see any obvious improvement in the VG and decided to leave the HDMI cable to reduce the clutter in the back. Only today did I notice that I was no longer getting multichannel sound to my receiver for the stations that used to offer it. All I was getting was 2 channel (PCM-48). But when I disconnect the HDMI cable from the TV, the multichannel sound returns. My TV is a 42" Sony KDF-E42A10 with a single HDMI input (bought in 2005)

I could do the kludge mentioned in the above message or go back to my component cables. But I would like to know if this is a bug in the way SA/Comcast programs the SA 8300 or is this done on purpose by the designers of the SA 8300 and its software. Either way, it is a bummer.

[tdkme]

Originally Posted by JLHeureux

I also have the SA 8300 HD from Comcast in Maryland (Howard County) and confirm this behavior. For over a year, I used component cables and had multi channel sound for all the HD channels that offered it. But recently, I purchased an HDMI cable in the hope of getting even better video reception although I was very happy with the VQ of the components connection. I did not see any obvious improvement in the VG and decided to leave the HDMI cable to reduce the clutter in the back. Only today did I notice that I was no longer getting multichannel sound to my receiver for the stations that used to offer it. All I was getting was 2 channel (PCM-48). But when I disconnect the HDMI cable from the TV, the multichannel sound returns. My TV is a 42" Sony KDF-E42A10 with a single HDMI input (bought in 2005)

I could do the kludge mentioned in the above message or go back to my component cables. But I would like to know if this is a bug in the way SA/Comcast programs the SA 8300 or is this done on purpose by the designers of the SA 8300 and its software. Either way, it is a bummer.

so in order to receive digital audio with a stb is to not use hdmi, and to use component and then connect digital audo connector?

[JayinChester]

I have the opposite problem--and my cable company Atlantic Broadband doesn't know what PCM even is! I'm using component video only--and optical SPDIF audio out only. I get 5.1 Dolby (which IS analog) only--and cannot get a true 44.1 PCM output from this box. It's not on the new TV Guides menu option. It worked fien under an older menu/software system. I am an audio engineer by trade--and pulling my hair out. Any help is greatly appreciated. Please e-mail direct to jayj@atlanticbb.net. I'll never find this thread again!

Originally Posted by bdjeep

Yes, this is correct. With the HDMI connected to the TV I would get flaky audio through the optical connection into the HTIB. Sometimes it was AC3, but as soon as the channel was changed to a non-digital audio program OR I did any DVR function (pause, replay, etc.), I would lose the AC3 audio for good. Sometimes I would lose the audio completely. (Comcast box has no way to set PCM vs. AC3)

With the component video connection, everything seems to work as expected. It is AC3 when it should be and PCM when no Dolby audio is available. No need to reset the HTIB and recorded DVR programs now play with 5.1 surround.

It kind of sucks that I have to settle for either digital audio OR digital video but not both. The 6412 does not do as good a job as my TV in scaling the video content, and the audio system doesn't sound nearly as good with the analog stereo connections. The 6412 is a very buggy piece of equipment, and I can't say I'm thrilled with it.

[oxbow]

Bump
is there a fix to this problem yet??