Onkyo 797 or 898 DD dropouts on Satellite or Digital Cable Feeds (1 Viewer)

[Jay_Leonard]

If I read the Dolby site correctly (and I'd like to think I am)

; it is encoded with Dolby Digital just prior to final transmission.

If, and it is a big if, Onkyo is being straight about the problem being Dolby E related than the problem must be on the distribution side e.g. HBO et al. as we consumer folk should never see Dolby E.
Curiouser and curiouser,
J

 

[Natalie M]

Thats funny, cause yesterday my hubby said he understood that the new Dolby EX format was for commercial theatres. Of course he could be as mixed up as we are.

 

[Natalie M]

This response just in from Onkyo when asked if my receiver is defective.

Thank You for contacting Onkyo USA Product Support.

The issue has been resolved without change any chips. Your receiver does
not need service.

Again, thank you for contacting Onkyo USA Product Support,
if you need further Assistance feel free to call us at 800-229-1687.

And this one:

Thank You for contacting Onkyo USA Product Support.
The receiver does not need a upgrade please play your
disc in DTS,there was problems with the dvd disc software.


So I guess calling them wouldnt work either. I directly asked them if my chip was defective.

 

[Jay_Leonard]

Natalie,
Dolby E not EX. Read the Link. E is a format for distribution PRIOR to brodcast to us the great unwashed. If as Onkyo states that the problem is Dolby E related. than the problem is on the HBO (OR OTHERS) side. the reason for this is according to the Dolby Web site Dolby E is strictly for distribution of the film and should never be brodcast to us consumers.
J
http://dolby.com/graphics/tech/m.gr....rroundfig7.gif

 

[Natalie M]

OK, at least that part is clear. What do you guys think of Onkyo's latest response to my email?

 

[Jay_E]

If, and it is a big if, Onkyo is being straight about the problem being Dolby E related than the problem must be on the distribution side e.g. HBO et al. as we consumer folk should never see Dolby E.

The fact that keeps getting forgotten is that only receivers with the ceratin revision of Crystal DSP chip have the problem. The overwhelming majority of receivers (including my 5 year old Yamaha) do not have ANY problem with the audio from the HBO movies or the certain DVDs. If Onkyo is so certain that the DSP is not "defective" then why are they using a different one in their newer receivers. The DSP manufacturer (Crystal / Cirrus Logic)has already documented the problem (defect) in their chip. They sent this confidential application note to all of their customers. Onkyo knows for a FACT that this DSP chip does not function properly with certain legitimate Dolby Digital bitstreams. Any offical statements to the contrary by Onkyo is a bold face lie. Just because studios decided to stop using a specific encoding scheme doesn't change the fact that the DSP chip does not work properly.

Jay

 

[Jay_E]

Here is some information regarding the Cirrus Logic application note:

The technical brief from Cirrus Logic is a one page pdf; its code is "DS339TB2", issued in january 2002. I only have print out myself.
Its a technical brief about the CS49300 Family DSP named "Concerning Decoding of External AC-3 Bitstreams Encoded using the Dolby Digital Extended Bit Stream Syntax".
The decoder software is clearly behaving in the wrongfull way, i.e. its not opperating according to Dolby specifications.
Alas, recalling 100.000's of products is big expense so Dolby has more or less agreed to change the behavior of the new extended bitstream syntax so the problem will not appear again.
However, products with mutes on these discs are still defective.
Espen B

Here is a linkto the post.
I also have received some information from someone at Dolby Labs regarding the HBO problem. I will post it once (if) I get the OK from him/her.
Jay

 

[Natalie M]

OK folks, on HBO on dish right now, is The Net and Tombstone and there is dropout.

My husband and I think the best way to solve this riddle would be to rent the movies that have had dropout, i.e. Shrek, The net, and tombstone. Play them In DD 5.1 and see if the dropout is still there. If it isnt, then its obviously a broadcast problem. Might be worth looking into.

 

[Jay_Leonard]

I think that there are two problems.

1, the DVD problem effecting the three discs discussed related to DD 5.1 and EX flags.

2, the brodcast problem.

I recall in one of the earlier posts that Dolby made a statement to the fact that the DVD's were formatted correctly. So by extension we can say that The Onkyo Cirrus processing is the culprit.

I have not seen anything on the Dolby website stating that the HBO brodcasts are being formatted correctly. ( I would think that even if they are not the reason for the problem brodcast to consumers of Dolby E flags would not be standard formatting)

So it is possible (Not definite, but possible) that the Cirrus/Onkyo is operating correctly in this case.

 

[Natalie M]

Only one way to find out, by renting the same movies that had the dropout. My husband believes that the Onkyo is not at fault when it comes to broadcasts. Hopefully, If I have time this weekend, I can test that theory.

 

[Charles_H]

I own shrek and it does not dropout.

 

[Natalie M]

Well, thats a good sign, because it had Dropout on the HBO premiere.

 

[Charles_H]

From another forum concerning Discovery HD :
------

Talked to Discovery and they got a software patch from Dolby for their AC3 encoder. The idea was for the patch to take care of the extended flags that the Onkyo receivers were seeing and going into mute for a moment. I believe the patch was applied early this week.

Ken
------

Sounds like Dolby is in fact moving on this.

 

[Jay_E]

I got a message from someone at Dolby Labs a couple of days ago stating that they have modified their software encoder code to fix the HBO problem. Roger Dressler from Dolby Labs posted info on this thread. Once HBO starts using the new encoding software this particular problem should go away. Onkyo sure is lucky that Dolby keeps bailing them out by changing their software. I wonder what the next occurance of a Dolby Digital problem caused by the buggy Crystal DSP will be? I can't help but think we have not seen the end of this. We can always hope though.
Jay

 

[Charles_H]

My sentiments exactly. Dolby was more or less forced by Onkyo (maybe others) to revise their software.

Hopefully Dolby will start testing any updates to their software with an x9x Onkyo before it is released, but I would not blame them if they did have to start doing something that caused dropouts on the onkyo for the greater good of the home theater industry.

That is why as soon as the new 900's come out, or the replacement for the Harmon Kardon 8000, I will be upgrading.

 

[Natalie M]

Unfortunately for me, my Onkyo is less than a year old, and I cant afford another upgrade. I will stand by Onkyo at this point, cannot say what will happen in the future if more problems arise. I just hope this is the last of it, because Onkyo told me my receiver is not defective. Just a matter of time.