sky dd dropout

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Discussion

ukwill

Original Poster:

8,868 posts

206 months

Monday 1st October 2012
quotequote all
Is anyone else experiencing audio dropouts when watching sky programs with DD audio?

Its really beginning to piss me off now.

If I turn my amp off (Denon AVR1910) then I dont get dropouts. But part of the Sky HD experience is DD, so thats hardly a solution.

Amp is connected to the Sky box via digital audio and hdmi. Amp acts as hdmi switch for sky/ps3 with hdmi out to the tv.

Ive seen a shedload of posts on the net about this but it doesnt appear that there is any conclusive answer - and from what I've read, it's affecting just about ever amp manufacturer.

Any ideas? Really pissing me off considering the monthly cost.

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
Bad news.

Up to circa 2007 or so DD on Sky was fine. I had a top of the range Onkyo amp and it sounded great.

Then, I got the dropouts. Every 30- 60 seconds for a second or so. Randomly - and if you record and play it back the dropouts are at different times.

I reported it to Sky then, and found a number of people in the same boat. They blame your stuff, then admit there just so happened to be a change in the way that they compress the DD signal.

If there isn't a solution 5 years later, I don't think it will happen. I tried everything, including converters from optical to co-ax, and even new box(es).

If it is the same thing you will find it affects all of the Sky DD programmes, but none of the BBC channel DD will be affected - that's how I know its conclusively a Sky transmission issue.

Dr Doofenshmirtz

15,165 posts

199 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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I had this problem with my old white (non-HD) Sky+ box. But since getting an upgrade to an HD box the problem went away. So I suspect (in my case I know) it's an issue with the Sky box rather than the decoder Amp.
You could try threatening to leave Sky unless they give you a new box - you pay enough for it!

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I had this problem with my old white (non-HD) Sky+ box. But since getting an upgrade to an HD box the problem went away. So I suspect (in my case I know) it's an issue with the Sky box rather than the decoder Amp.
You could try threatening to leave Sky unless they give you a new box - you pay enough for it!
That's what I did.

I had a brand new box - not a refurb - new dish and cabling. Essentially a new install. Problem remained.

Onkyo and Denon are the two that have the problem. My new Onkyo's fine though, but it is a year old.

ukwill

Original Poster:

8,868 posts

206 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all

Thanks for the info chaps. I'm really pissed off that sky have said nothing about this. Effectively this means I've got a perfectly good denon amp that is incompatible with sky. I will be phoning sky. Not very happy.

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
ukwill said:
Thanks for the info chaps. I'm really pissed off that sky have said nothing about this. Effectively this means I've got a perfectly good denon amp that is incompatible with sky. I will be phoning sky. Not very happy.
Good luck with that.

They don't call them $ky for nothing!

As mentioned above, the acid test is that BBC channels in DD are totally unaffected - even though they are coming from the same box, same connections etc.

Depending on who you talk to, they will either deny all knowledge or be fully aware.

danyeates

7,248 posts

221 months

Monday 8th October 2012
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Every so often DD programs fail to output sound to my Onkyo 876. It never drops out during a program, but sometimes fails to output sound after rewinding. Very annoying. Tempted to threaten to leave if they don't upgrade me to a 1TB box. Especially seeing as Virgin fibre is being installed in the area.

ukwill

Original Poster:

8,868 posts

206 months

Friday 12th October 2012
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Does this also happen with Virgin? If not I'm moving.

ukwill

Original Poster:

8,868 posts

206 months

Friday 12th October 2012
quotequote all
Sod it, have just given notice to sky. Will give virgin a go.

ukwill

Original Poster:

8,868 posts

206 months

Friday 26th October 2012
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Virgin installed today. And happy to say, no more audio drop outs. Yay!