Setting up my DENON 3803 - ** 2 problems * ADVICE NEEDED **

Kevin*Harley · 03-24-2003, 03:42 PM

Two questions/problems setting up my Denon 3803

1) Finished connecting my system today but can't seem to get a good picture with standard cable.
I am running the cable from the wall into a Panamax 4300 surge protector then into a Motorola Cable box - then connected to the Denon 3803 with S. Video and Fiber. Sound is fine but the picture has faint horizontal waves moving up the screen.
When I run the cable directly into the TV the picture is perfect.
I replaced wires, bypassed surge protector and still get the same results. The cable box is brand new and worked fine alone.

The operating manual mentions " picture may flicker in the horizontal direction" and if this happens, " connect a commerically available video stabilizer." From what I understand this is applicable only when using the component video terminals and playing video tapes.

Image is fine until I run it through the Denon ????????

2) My Sony DVD player is connected to the 3803 with S. Video and Fiber ( Video Input is set to S Video / Digital In is set for Opt 1 ). Signal is set for AUTO. Image is perfect and I think I am getting Dolby Digital but the Prologic light is not comming on.
(The DVD Player (Sony CDP-CX153) is 5.1 capable and I am setting the Audio on the DVD to Dolby Digital. I have also tried various DVD to make sure it wasn't the DVD itself)

Any suggestions ??

Thanks in advance

Lee Carbray · 03-24-2003, 04:08 PM

If your DVD looks fine through the Denon I would suspect the s-cable or the input connection. Try switching the cable one for the DVD one and see what happens. If the problem is still there try hooking the cable up through the same input you are using for the DVD.

As far as I know if you are decoding Dolby Digital the Prologic light should not come on. A dolby digital light should come on though. Do you have a test disk like Avia or Video Essentials. If so do the channel set up. If you get disrete sound from each speaker then it is working.

Kevin*Harley · 03-24-2003, 05:19 PM

Good idea on the S.Video input. I will do that tonight.

I called Denon directly and they suggested I do a hard reset on the microprocessor. ( Holding down the "Auto" and "PCM" button while unplugging the power cord ) ??????

Sounds to me like they have no idea ?

Have you heard of this?

Kevin*Harley · 03-25-2003, 04:58 PM

I switched out the cables and got the same results. I then connected the cable through the AUX then the DVD input and it looked the same. When I ran it from the cable into the Denon with RCA the problem was solved. Not sure if that makes me happy or not?????

S. Video connection works with everything but TV.
Has anyone had problems with S.Video for TV on the Denon???

BrianWoerndle · 03-25-2003, 07:12 PM

I have seen many instances where cable boxes look better through composite. Digital cable is so compressed, that it takes a low quality wire to cover up all the compression flaws. The S-video wire is probably just bringing out the digital compression.

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MatthewJ S · 03-27-2003, 12:06 AM

another vote for the 3803

Kevin-L · 03-27-2003, 01:43 AM

are they purple and greenish lines? or just lines

Mike Up · 03-27-2003, 01:50 AM

Kevin,

Sounds like you have a ground loop problem. Make sure all components are on the same breaker and make sure the coaxial cable(from the cable company) is grounded to electrical ground at your circuit breaker grounding rod. Cable companies usually skimp and don't ground properly.

If your coaxial cable isn't grounded correctly, the Denon could had been the one component that had a path of lower resistance to ground from any other component(including those in other rooms) hooked to that coaxial cable. I had that problem with other video components. I had to make sure that the cable was seeing the same "1" ground so that it's shield could act as a ground and not a circuit.

Good luck.

Mike Up · 03-27-2003, 01:53 AM

Kevin-L,

He's not using up-conversion but running S-Video in and then out, according to his post. Sounds like a ground loop.

Have a good one.

Kevin-L · 03-27-2003, 02:01 AM

Mike Up i was just curious ive "heard" of people having still a weird problems with those nice lines not using the component outputs. Just tryin to see if they were normal lines or not