Center channel dropped out. Why? (1 Viewer)

[bmeyer6472]

Last night I was watching my first Blu-Ray movie, The Bucket List, and several times during the movie, the sound on the center channel dropped down so low that you could barely hear it. The other channels seemed to be working fine. The player is a Sony BDP-S550 and the pre/pro is an Integra DTC 9.8. Connections are HDMI. The drop outs did not occur at the exact same places when re-playing the disc, but relatively close, like in the same scene; and switching from one surround mode to others had no effect. Have there been problems with some Blu-Ray discs similar to this? I got the disc from Netflix. Incidentally, the multi-channel sound has always worked fine until this.

If this is an old subject, I apologize - I'm new here, and I'm new to HD also. If anyone has an idea what may be going on, I'd love to hear it.

Bob

 

[Carlo S]

Have you tried using a different cable?

 

[bmeyer6472]

I had all the cables off today, but haven't tried it since I put it back together. Wife in hospital, so not much time right now. Is there a history of HDMI cables working sometimes and not others? I thought they either worked, or not. But thanks for the suggestion. If it continues, I may buy a different cable and try that.

Bob

 

[Carlo S]

I myself dont use HDMI, as I cannot anyway.

Maybe it could be a problem with your HDMI cable, maybe a problem with your speaker wire? It could be something very simple, but then again it may not.

Since you only mentioned the centre channel, maybe it could be the speaker wire, the centre speaker itself, or the actual connection on the receiver where the centre speaker connects?

You mentioned you tried switching from one surround mode to another? Like setting up the system without use of a centre speaker?

 

[bmeyer6472]

It can't be the speaker wire, as the center speaker has been working fine for years, and nothing in the wiring has been changed. My suspicion is that it has something to do with the HDMI, or possibly a problem with the disc. When I get time I'll watch another blu-ray movie and see if it happens again.

Thanks for the input. Any other ideas out there?

Bob

 

[Nathan Eddy]

I think this player is junk. I just posted last night about my frustration and continuing audio problems in another thread. Sometimes it plays the DTS-HD, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it won't play the center channel info at all (the entire soundtrack will be there, but no voices). Sometimes it plays audio out of sync with video. This is pure crap. I haven't changed anything with my setup, the problems have no logical cause. I've seen several others have audio problems with this player. I really wish I hadn't bought it at Circuit City, I'd try to get my money back.

 

[bmeyer6472]

Wow! I sure hope this player isn't 'junk', although I've experienced similar problems at times with other products. Maybe if the problem IS with the player, a future firmware update will fix it. If not, well, there goes another few hundred bucks. I'll keep using it for a while and see what happens. I originally wanted a Panasonic player, but the one I wanted was discontinued, so the Sony was my second choice. Maybe I goofed. Again.

Anyone else with opinions on this player?
Bob

 

[bmeyer6472]

OK everybody - after hearing and reading about the problems with this Sony player, I just bought a Panasonic DMP-BD35 player to replace it. Nothing I hate more than sitting down to enjoy a movie and then having to fuss and fiddle with the equipment, and the Panasonic was my first choice anyway.

Thanks to those who wrote to help me out - hopefully the new player will be trouble free. Anyone want a used once Sony BDP-S550?

Bob

 

[Bob_L]

I think "disc from Netflix" is the operative concept here. My suspicion is that there was some damage to the disc in one location -- you indicated that the errors came in generally the same place -- and that the error correction in the player failed in slightly difference places in the same scene, which accounts for the inconsistency in the dropouts. I think I would have watched more than one BD before getting the new player -- although that Panny is an excellent player and, in fact, the one I would have recommended in the first place.

 

[bmeyer6472]

I also considered that the disc could have been the problem, but I closely inspected the disc and there was no discernible damage. Not mentioned in my original post is the fact that I tried to play the disc again after I first posted and was rewarded with the same result, only in an entirely different place on the disc, which leads me to suspect the player. (It sailed right through the original problem area) Whatever, the Panasonic is on its way to me, and I've begun arrangements to return the Sony. They are supposed to contact me tomorrow - hopefully the return will be approved. If it goes well, I will post a positive comment about the company that sold it to me.

Thanks again to all who tried to help.

Bob