Cable box keeps resetting dynamic range to "narrow"

JeffStickney · 01-05-07, 07:30 PM

I have Cox cable, Motorola DCT6416, and every day when I watch TV I find that the dynamic range in the audio settings has been reset to "narrow". I reset it to "wide" and it is fine- until the next day. When I find it is "narrow" again. I hate squashed compressed sound is there any way to get this setting to stick. I suspect it's the passport echo firmware getting its daily updates. Is anyone else having this problem and is there any way to get this setting to stick?

miniz · 01-05-07, 08:10 PM

get a new box. Sounds like a bug in the software.

jpurkey · 01-09-07, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffStickney

I have Cox cable, Motorola DCT6416, and every day when I watch TV I find that the dynamic range in the audio settings has been reset to "narrow". I reset it to "wide" and it is fine- until the next day. When I find it is "narrow" again. I hate squashed compressed sound is there any way to get this setting to stick. I suspect it's the passport echo firmware getting its daily updates. Is anyone else having this problem and is there any way to get this setting to stick?

Are you losing power, maybe even briefly? I have FiOS and the Motorloa STB will default to heavy audio compression with even the briefest of power interruptions. Others have reported the same thing so it isn't a faulty box. It seems to be the one and only setting that isn't preserved. Luckily for me the power is pretty stable here. But if you have any power fluctuations that might be the problem.

clar2391 · 01-25-07, 09:02 AM

I'm having the exact same problem. It seems to be related to the new software, since I didn't have this problem before the recent update. Not only does the setting impact the analog output, but also the digital output. I can't see where I could be getting a power outage every night, but I guess that anything's possible.

JeffStickney · 01-25-07, 05:22 PM

It couldn't be a power outage because once mine reset itself mid-show. I was watching and suddenly it got louder. I checked the settings and sure enough, dynamic range was reset to narrow. On the old software dynamic range wasn't even a setting option. Does anyone know who makes this software? They need to receive some complaints.

clar2391 · 01-26-07, 11:44 AM

My Motorola is rented from Cox cable, so I thought that I would give it a shot. So I sent an e-mail to their technical support address. As expected, they didn't have an answer and all they could do was suggest that I call them during business hours to discuss it. Not sure where to go from here.

JeffStickney · 01-26-07, 06:52 PM

Passport echo's website:
http://www.pioneerdigital.com/passpo...ssportecho.asp

Motorola's website:
https://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/contact.asp

I don't think the cable company would be much help because the software bug is either in motorola's firmware or in passport echo.

clar2391 · 02-22-07, 08:17 PM

I haven't had to correct the Dynamic Range setting on mine for 2 days now. I hope this means that it's been fixed via software update or something.

HuskerHarley · 02-26-07, 05:16 PM

We (TWC Lincoln customers) have three choices: Narrow, Normal & Wide.

What exactly does it do & which setting is recommended? (I"m sure WIDE, based on the replies up above),,,I'm wondering why the choice is there????

Does the setting matter if you run RCA/analog or Digital/Optical-Coax through a Pre or receiver,,,Or for that matter, using the on-board TV speakers?

HH

clar2391 · 02-26-07, 05:27 PM

Wide seems to do what it says...gives the widest differences between the soft passages and the loud passages. I guess Wide would be another way of saying that it doesn't alter the audio--passes it as-is from the source channel. Narrow sounds very compressed to me, everything seems loud. On my unit, the setting impacts both analog and digital outputs.

01-05-07, 07:30 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
JeffStickney Hokie Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 314	Cable box keeps resetting dynamic range to "narrow" I have Cox cable, Motorola DCT6416, and every day when I watch TV I find that the dynamic range in the audio settings has been reset to "narrow". I reset it to "wide" and it is fine- until the next day. When I find it is "narrow" again. I hate squashed compressed sound is there any way to get this setting to stick. I suspect it's the passport echo firmware getting its daily updates. Is anyone else having this problem and is there any way to get this setting to stick?

01-05-07, 08:10 PM	#2 \| Link
miniz OFFICAL HOME OF HDTV Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Small Town X, HDTV Land Posts: 2,221	get a new box. Sounds like a bug in the software. __________________ "PLEASE HELP STOP HDTV ABUSE! FEED YOUR HDTV AN HD SIGNAL!"

01-25-07, 05:22 PM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
JeffStickney Hokie Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 314	It couldn't be a power outage because once mine reset itself mid-show. I was watching and suddenly it got louder. I checked the settings and sure enough, dynamic range was reset to narrow. On the old software dynamic range wasn't even a setting option. Does anyone know who makes this software? They need to receive some complaints.

02-22-07, 08:17 PM	#8 \| Link
clar2391 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 28	Mine appears to be fixed I haven't had to correct the Dynamic Range setting on mine for 2 days now. I hope this means that it's been fixed via software update or something.

02-26-07, 05:16 PM	#9 \| Link
HuskerHarley AVS Special Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Lincoln,Neb Posts: 1,283	We (TWC Lincoln customers) have three choices: Narrow, Normal & Wide. What exactly does it do & which setting is recommended? (I"m sure WIDE, based on the replies up above),,,I'm wondering why the choice is there???? Does the setting matter if you run RCA/analog or Digital/Optical-Coax through a Pre or receiver,,,Or for that matter, using the on-board TV speakers? HH Last edited by HuskerHarley; 02-26-07 at 05:17 PM.. Reason: SP

01-25-07, 09:02 AM	#4 \| Link
clar2391 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 28	I'm having the exact same problem. It seems to be related to the new software, since I didn't have this problem before the recent update. Not only does the setting impact the analog output, but also the digital output. I can't see where I could be getting a power outage every night, but I guess that anything's possible.

01-26-07, 11:44 AM	#6 \| Link
clar2391 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 28	My Motorola is rented from Cox cable, so I thought that I would give it a shot. So I sent an e-mail to their technical support address. As expected, they didn't have an answer and all they could do was suggest that I call them during business hours to discuss it. Not sure where to go from here.

01-26-07, 06:52 PM	#7 \| Link
JeffStickney Hokie Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 314	Passport echo's website: http://www.pioneerdigital.com/passpo...ssportecho.asp Motorola's website: https://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/contact.asp I don't think the cable company would be much help because the software bug is either in motorola's firmware or in passport echo.

02-26-07, 05:27 PM	#10 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
clar2391 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 28	Wide seems to do what it says...gives the widest differences between the soft passages and the loud passages. I guess Wide would be another way of saying that it doesn't alter the audio--passes it as-is from the source channel. Narrow sounds very compressed to me, everything seems loud. On my unit, the setting impacts both analog and digital outputs.