Long audio drops.

[Bman72s]

In the past week I have noticed an increase in 5-10 second audio drops. Specifically on ABCHE. The video is fine but there isn't any sound. I have a 6100 hooked to a Sony Bravia LCD. I used to get short video freezes with a continuation of sound as detailed in the 6100 freezing thread. Those freezes are almost gone but this is a new issue. Seems to have happened starting about the time the new HD channels were added. Anyone else seeing this?

[JCM]

YES!!!! on my 9200. This must be the improved service Bell is charging for.

[SJ44]

Also have it occasionnaly on different HD channels.
Seem to be a bandwidth problem.

[Glenn Saunders]

Originally Posted by Bman72s

In the past week I have noticed an increase in 5-10 second audio drops. Specifically on ABCHE. The video is fine but there isn't any sound. ...

Oh Ya - manly HD and I saw it most frequently on Fox (818) with the 9200.

Often it would affect the commericals before the show, but often enough it would extend a minute or more into the show. In a couple cases it went for 10 or 15 minutes. Once I watched the show with CC On but the next time I just deleted it without watching.

Another thing was I've only seen it on recorded shows - never live TV. But then again I rarely watch stuff live.

Glenn

[dm_4u]

Here too...this over compression is starting to be worse that the sim-sub thingee...

[Gillest]

Seen the same thing here but I thought is was a recording issue (I rarely watch TV live). Most of my recordings (HD) on my 9200 have small portions where the sound is dropped. This started when they added the new channels.

Hopefully Bell is reading this tread and will do something about it

[unreal1080p]

I experience the odd audio drop out on networks here and there but they usually go away if you rewind and watch the same segment again.

One exception are the nasty audio drop outs on TMN HD and MPIX HD
(see other thread started by me today --> http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=74263).

[Bman72s]

Since I can't rewind a 6100, once I lose the audio it is gone. BEV just continues to deteriorate at a rapid rate. I guess they figured they didn't have a choice but to add new channels and if they had to further compress things to do it, well that was the price you paid. Thank goodness my 2 years are up in a week. Star Choice here I come.

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by Bman72s

Star Choice here I come.

The grass aint greener. I would call BEV and speak to their retention department and threaten to leave + coherce them into giving you a 9200 or 9242 (even if only a rental) free of charge for your troubles (that way you can rewind ).

I'm sure you will be hapier then going through all the trouble of changing satellite providers and finding out there are problems there too (the least being crappy receivers).

[Bman72s]

I know there are problems with Star Choice as well. However after dealing with "lost" credits , a freezing 6100, and useless customer support I feel I have to try something. I don't want a PVR as my TV is in the bedroom and I don't want to listen to the cooling fan. Also this would not address the compression issue. I left Rogers due to signal strength issues on the line into my house that after 5 attempts was still not rectified. Makes me very hesitant to give them another try. OTA looks like a viable option to me.

[FitzieSensei]

..it isn't just Bell.... I have highdef cable package through local provider, and the high def channels (almost all) are really bad sometimes for audio drops....

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by FitzieSensei

..it isn't just Bell.... I have highdef cable package through local provider, and the high def channels (almost all) are really bad sometimes for audio drops....

Yes. I'm afraid audio drops are common place with High Def broadcasts... making the importance of having a PVR even greater as, very often, it's a sync issue and you can rewind and listen to the same segment again without the drop out. Sometimes, for shows I'm really fanatical about (example 24) I will record the East and West coast to make sure I can listen to the "full" episode. A sad state of affairs indeed. Almost makes you want to hold out for High Def box sets.

[57]

If you can rewind and hear the audio properly then.

1. The problem is not with the source.

2. The problem is probably not with the BEV signal (since the audio is on the PVR).

3. The issue is either with the PVR reading from the HDD.

or

4. The issue is with your connection to the AVR or TV, or the receiving device. Often digital connections can be problematical. Try the analogue audio connection to see if the problem exists there. If it does not, then the problem is either the digital stream, or the connection, or perhaps the AVR/STB combination. There have been some AVRs that have been problematical with digital audio connections.

Although people with the 6100 obviously cannot check the audio by rewinding, the people with the 92XX can assist with the diagnosis and people with the 6100 can check the analogue outputs.

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

We aren't talking about 1-2 second audio dropouts. Those are fairly common with some services. I've seen a couple of FOXW shows that had absolutely no audio for minutes into the recording. Also, Global and CTV keep switching the times of their shows so the recording of the Canadian broadcast often fails. In addition, Global has resumed extending the run times of programs, causing random recording failures due to scheduling conflicts. So the FOX/NBC/CBS/ABC recording is unwatchable due to no audio, the Global/CTV recording fails due to scheduling/conflicts and the show gets missed. It's a sad state when technical issues cause two recording of the same show on different networks to be repeatedly missed. It's not exactly "Full HD" either. I would switch but I don't feel like trading in my 9200s for less capable equipment. It may come to that though.

[SureShot]

I'm just really happy to hear it's not just me. I have had audio issues with Bell for a long while now and I was starting to wonder if it was my equipment or the service it's self. I cannt rewind and hear lost audio like some are able to, if it's not there - it's gone.

I really wish the 9200 was a better functioning machine. Don't even get me started on the HDMI issue... terrible.