[rrhardy]

I wonder if anyone here with the Pioneer 49TX or TXi receiver has connected the (relatively) new Hughes/DirecTV HD-TiVo (HR10-250)? And whether anyone with the newer Pioneer (59TXi) has tried it? I have the 49TXi and, like several other posting at the TiVo Community HD-TiVo forum, I have severe audio problems when I connect via TosLink (optical cable) and enable DD out on the TiVo. Whenever the TiVo switches to DD5.1, almost without exception, the receiver emits extremely loud crackling and popping noises, then looses the stream (no audio). A lot like some have posted with B&K models and cable boxes that use digital audio. I can get the audio stream back if I just switch inputs on the receiver (like briefly to DVD input, then back to TiVo). I've reported this to DirecTV and will also call Pioneer, but wondered if anyone trying this combination DOES NOT have the problem and whether it might have been "fixed" in the 59TXi. Apparently some other models (Kenwood) have also reported the problem with the HD-TiVo. At the moment, the only "fix" is to disable DD out (kind of defeats part of the purpose of getting a $1000 settop box...

 

[graphicguy]

Nope....no such problems with mine, but I don't have TIVO either.

 

[MrMcGoo]

I do NOT have TIVO, but I do have a Dish PVR that records 5.1 audio on the hard drive. I do not have any problem on my 49TXi via a Monter Interlink 200 Toslink. My 49TXi did not operate at all with the brand X Toslink that I tried first. The Monster has a spring loaded ferrule and is thicker than the brand X. It could be that the brand X was defective or broken. This is the only instance where the expensive cable was clearly superior.


Bill

 

[rrhardy]

Quote:

Originally posted by MrMcGoo I do NOT have TIVO, but I do have a Dish PVR that records 5.1 audio on the hard drive. I do not have any problem on my 49TXi via a Monter Interlink 200 Toslink. My 49TXi did not operate at all with the brand X Toslink that I tried first. The Monster has a spring loaded ferrule and is thicker than the brand X. It could be that the brand X was defective or broken. This is the only instance where the expensive cable was clearly superior. Bill

I'm using a Monster cable on mine (that has the problem) and another poster on the TiVo forum tried 3 different cables of "escalating" quality and none made a difference. I don't think that ANYONE with a 49TX or 49TXi has posted that they DON'T have the problem with the HD-TiVo. And I suppose too few have the 59TXi to expect that someone with one of these also has the TiVo AND is a member of this forum! Oh well...

 

[fitsman]

I also have the HDTivo. I never had an issue with the sound with my old DirecTivo (DSR6000), but I did have an issue with this one. My issue was the other way though. If my AVM-20 locked in on a DD2.0 signal, and then I went to a PCM signal (all non hd channels) it would not UNLOCK from DD2.0. If I quickly switched inputs back and forth on the AVM20 it locked ok.


The fix. Loaded the latest software rev from Anthem 2.13 at the time, that had 3 different settings for locking in on digital signals. I used the one they recomeneded for Satellite receivers and I have not had an issue since.


The HDTivo is different from all the other satellite boxes and does cause some problems.


When I was having issues with MY Mits TV and the AVM20 not locking in on its DD coax output, I came accros a quick fix for it. If you get one of those cheap Toslink to Coax converters, I think that might fix your issue. Not a great fix, but until either DirecTV or Pioneer come up with a firmware fix, it might be your only answer.

 

[rrhardy]

Quote:

Originally posted by fitsman The HDTivo is different from all the other satellite boxes and does cause some problems. When I was having issues with MY Mits TV and the AVM20 not locking in on its DD coax output, I came across a quick fix for it. If you get one of those cheap Toslink to Coax converters, I think that might fix your issue. Not a great fix, but until either DirecTV or Pioneer come up with a firmware fix, it might be your only answer.

I wish this was true - I did get a cheap ($25) Toslink to Coax converter and it made no difference. Someone who had the problem with an older Pioneer receiver "fixed" the problem by running the optical cable into an Audio Authority auto-sensing switchbox (and incidentally using the coax out). This box is $150-$200. I actually have one on order (desperate!) - but another poster on the TiVo forum with a 49TXi says he already tried this "fix" and it did not work in his case - makes me doubtful it will help me...

 

[MJBVIDEO]

I have a 55txi and a HD-Tivo but they are not installed yet. Hopefully I'll get to it within a week and I'll try to remember to post my results here.

 

[sergiohm]

I do not have Tivo either but I do have two different Dish Network boxes connected to the 49Txi (one is a DVR the other is HDTV) both are connected to the optical input and I've had no problems (the HDTV Dish Network receiver 811 has a known problem that sometimes the audio disappear through the optical input and you need to reset the unit - it happened to me once or twice).

So, I'd say it is most likely a Tivo issue.

Have you tried it with another receiver ?

 

[rrhardy]

Quote:

Originally posted by sergiohm I do not have Tivo either but I do have two different Dish Network boxes connected to the 49Txi (one is a DVR the other is HDTV) both are connected to the optical input and I've had no problems (the HDTV Dish Network receiver 811 has a known problem that sometimes the audio disappear through the optical input and you need to reset the unit - it happened to me once or twice). So, I'd say it is most likely a Tivo issue. Have you tried it with another receiver ?

The HD-TiVo does not have this DD stream problem (the loud screechs) with most other receivers/preamp controllers - only Kenwood and B&K (in addition to Pioneer) have been mentioned, as I recall. I connected my HD-TiVo to an old 5.1-capable Yamaha receiver I happened to still have and ran the 6 preamp level outputs into the Pio 49TXi and this works OK - I get DD5.1 sound and no clicks/pops/screechs. But it's kind of "inelegant" as a permanent solution...

 

[graphicguy]

Since this issue is popping up with a variety of manufacturers, I'd be of the mind that it's a TIVO related problem, or at the very least TIVO HD boxes.


There has been quite a big of talk in the B&K forums about "dirty bit streams". While I'm of the opinion that even though there is supposed to be a standard for all of this, it's clear that the way one company defines/implements the standard may be quite different than the way another company defines/implements it.


Depending on the implementation, one component may not work with many other components. In this instance, however, it sounds like the TIVO box is the offender and not playing well with others.

 

[rrhardy]

Quick update, anyone looking to fix this issue with the Audio Authority AV Switcher should probably look elsewhere - as someone else already found out, it DID NOT fix the HD-TiVi/49TXi DD5.1 audio problem for me...