Testing the digital audio output (1 Viewer)

[MarkMel]

Hi,

I have a Scientific Atlantic digital cable box and would like to use the digital audio out to go into my new Yamaha RX-V1400. When connected, I am not getting any output from the jack. I tried my upstairs box and got the same result. The analog RCAs work fine. I was also sure to enable the digital out in the box's setup menu.

I have a multimeter. Is there a way I could measure the output of the jack? How, and what readings would I expect if it was working? And, what readings should I expect if it's not?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Jeff Gatie]

First, make sure you have assigned the digital input on the Yamaha to the correct input mode (i.e. TV/Cable/Sat). On some receivers, you must do this before it will process digital. On others, the digital in is hardwired to the input mode, with these you must make sure you are using the correct digital in. Before breaking out a multimeter, I'd start with this. 99% of the time, turning on the digital out on the box and assigning the digital in on the receiver solves the problem.

 

[MarkMel]

Jeff,

Thanks. Yes my coax on the RX-V1400 are assignable. And I did make sure the input I was using was assigned. I even ran my DVD's coax thru the input that I assigned and that worked fine. I believe the problem is at my cable box. I want to test it before I bring it to the cable co and ask for a new box.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Doug_B]

How about tuning to a station that actually has digital audio output? Not every station will provide it. (I believe all analog stations won't, don't know if all digital stations do). If you have digital music stations, I would think they're a good bet to spit out audio on the dig audio jack.

Doug

 

[MarkMel]

I did not think about some channels being digital and others being sent analog. Interesting. My reciever tells me if the audio signal it's receiving is analog or digital. I will try hooking up both the RCA and coax digital outs tonight and start flipping channels to see which are dig and which are analog.


Thank for the help, this forum is great.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Now I don't know, but is the Digital cable box similar to a satellite receiver. Is there an audio screen menu that you can get into with the cable remote. I know on the some satellite boxes, you have to select PCM or Dolby Digital. In my case you have to select PCM/Dolby Digital. The PCM will allow you to receive analog signals through your receiver's digital coax connection as well as Dolby Digital 2.0 upto 5.1 broadcast offered by the various channels. Like I said I'm not sure but figured maybe there's a chance here.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

We have heard many complaints that the digital-output of your CATV box only becomes active for the 'digital' stations, typically channels 100 and above.

Use your DVD player first as a more reliable source to make sure your receiver is setup correctly for a digital signal. Then hook up the CATV box and scan through the channels that are 'digital'.

 

[David Judah]

Doug is right. I have a SA box and it does the same thing. You have to hook-up the analog and the digital cables, set your receiver to auto, and then it will first go digital if a signal is available and then default to analog if it's not.

DJ