# Audio cutting out?



## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

Is anyone experiencing problems with audio cutting out occasionally? Today I've had it happen on a couple of channels. It's really short (less than a second), and isn't happening frequently, but enough to notice. I'm not sure if this is actually in the broadcast (seems unlikely, since I've seen it on two channels, but I didn't notice it earlier today on other channels), or something with the TiVo or something with the cable signal, or what.

I also noticed some glitches (both audio and video cutting out) in one of the programs I recorded, but I attributed it to a signal problem at the time. But now I'm starting to wonder.

None of these are happening frequently enough to be a big disruption, but I'd like to figure out the root cause.


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## MikeO (Jan 24, 2001)

sharding said:


> Is anyone experiencing problems with audio cutting out occasionally? Today I've had it happen on a couple of channels. It's really short (less than a second), and isn't happening frequently, but enough to notice. I'm not sure if this is actually in the broadcast (seems unlikely, since I've seen it on two channels, but I didn't notice it earlier today on other channels), or something with the TiVo or something with the cable signal, or what.
> 
> I also noticed some glitches (both audio and video cutting out) in one of the programs I recorded, but I attributed it to a signal problem at the time. But now I'm starting to wonder.
> 
> None of these are happening frequently enough to be a big disruption, but I'd like to figure out the root cause.


Same here... I noticed it more when I was in the guide scrolling around while the show was in the background..

I blew it off to "digital cable issues" maybe something?

m


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## ahaley42 (Sep 12, 2006)

I had the same issue watching football today and wrote it off to a live broadcast. Perhaps a signal issue?


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

I've been seeing it during football also (on ABC and FSN Northwest). I know that ABC (with the Oregon/Oklahoma game) was definitely having at least some signal issues, because the announcers mentioned it. But that was right after there were a bunch of big glitches, with video glitches included. The audio problems continued sporadically throughout the game. Then I switched to FSN and heard a cutout almost immediately. However, I haven't heard another for a while. I just started the same game recording on the S2, so if it happens again, I can go in the other room and see if the S2 also got the dropout. Even then, that doesn't totally pinpoint the cause, since the S2 is recording from analog and the S3 is recording from digital.


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

Ok, I just had one I completely confirmed was not in the signal. I didn't even need to go look at the S2 to check (good thing, since I was looking at a different channel). I rewound and played back the same thing again, and the second time the cutout was not there.

I was using the guide at the time, and had just dismissed the "switch to channel X to start recording Y" dialog (I told it to stay on the same channel and cancel the recording). So it was workign harder than normal.


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

Argh! But now I just had two cutouts that *do* recurr when I rewind and replay.

ETA:

It's clearly exacerbated by making the TiVo work harder, so I'm convinced it's a problem with the TiVo now. In scrolling through the guide just now, I had a large number of cutouts. Most of them didn't happen again when I replayed that spot, but a couple did. I don't know if those were in the signal, or if the TiVo actually messed up the recorded version for those. I also had a HUGE video and audio breakup, which lasted about 7-8 seconds. Not sure if that's also caused by the same thing or just a coincidence (I've seen those happen a few times on the HD channels even with the Comcast box, but it's pretty rare). I messed up and lost the buffer on that one before I had a chance to try to replay it.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

sharding said:


> It's clearly exacerbated by making the TiVo work harder, so I'm convinced it's a problem with the TiVo now. In scrolling through the guide just now, I had a large number of cutouts.


If they happen in the same place, it would seem to be a stream problem.

I hope it turns out to be something else - it would be very disappointing if the CPU (which we already know to be a generation or two old) isn't up to handling the demands of dual HD streams and basic interface work.

However, I can't believe this wasn't found by someone in the beta group, so I'm hoping it is a stream problem or something else ...


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## nandopr (Jun 6, 2003)

sharding said:


> Is anyone experiencing problems with audio cutting out occasionally? Today I've had it happen on a couple of channels. It's really short (less than a second), and isn't happening frequently, but enough to notice. I'm not sure if this is actually in the broadcast (seems unlikely, since I've seen it on two channels, but I didn't notice it earlier today on other channels), or something with the TiVo or something with the cable signal, or what.
> 
> I also noticed some glitches (both audio and video cutting out) in one of the programs I recorded, but I attributed it to a signal problem at the time. But now I'm starting to wonder.
> 
> None of these are happening frequently enough to be a big disruption, but I'd like to figure out the root cause.


Same problem here.


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

jfh3 said:


> If they happen in the same place, it would seem to be a stream problem.
> 
> I hope it turns out to be something else - it would be very disappointing if the CPU (which we already know to be a generation or two old) isn't up to handling the demands of dual HD streams and basic interface work.


It's not a problem in the stream, if I play back the same spot and the dropouts don't happen again. That's what happens most of the time.

Also, these have been happening when it's only dealing with one HD signal and one SD signal, so it's not even as bad as two HDs. Also, it's happened a few times when I'm not doing anything at all with the interface (though it's definitely much worse when I'm using the interface). I'm guessing it's doing something in the background at those times, but we don't have enough visibility into the system to see what.

If it really is a CPU constraint, they could potentially improve it by reducing the priority of the UI tasks. It's important for the UI to feel responsive, but not at the expense of proper recording and playback. I'm really hoping it's not an i/o constraint (reading/writing two streams while reading guide data, for example), because that may be harder to fix. But obviously this is all just speculation. It could be something different entirely...


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## montivette (Sep 7, 2006)

I have noticed audio drops too mainly however when in the guide area. When I get out of the guide and start watching the same channel I no longer hear them. 

I was however watching a PBS HD channel listening to a band play when all of the sudden I had no sound and the guy on stage was moving kind of funny (almost skipping/floating across the stage. I watch this for 20 or 30 seconds, then I went back and replayed it and the guy moved normally and there was sound. I went back to live signal and everything seemed fine again.


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## bubba1972 (Mar 28, 2005)

It can't be the Tivo's fault. After all it is THX certified. I even saw the THX engineers in Shannon's video making sure it was super awsome


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## Georgia Guy (Feb 21, 2003)

Same problems I've been having for a year....no, not the S3. The exact same audio problems are one of my major gripes with the Moto6412 Comcast box. 
Avoiding that bug is also the major reason I was planning on getting an S3. Now, I'm going to pass up the attractive "lifetime" transfer deal and wait and see how this all plays out.

If I paid such big $$$ for an S3 and got the same extremely irritating problems, I'd probably go postal. Also, it sounds like the S3 has the 6412's OTHER extremely annoying bug... the lagging remote response. Arrrrggh. Whay pay big bucks for the same problems?


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

Well, I dunno. I haven't noticed any lagging remote response on my S3. But I didn't have any audio cutouts on my 3412 either, so maybe I'm just lucky. I also haven't heard any audio cutouts today, but I haven't intentionally tried to trigger them.


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## Gregor (Feb 18, 2002)

I heard plenty of audio cutouts today from my 6412 on football and Nascar. Problematic with live broadcasts, I guess.


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## Sixto (Sep 16, 2005)

Same problem here. While watching football in HD. Then bring up the guide and scroll around. An occasional audio drop. Only when playing in the guide.


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## cuyahoga (Nov 15, 2002)

I noticed some audio cutouts as well. I don't have my cable cards yet (my Series 3 / CableCard story so far ) so I'm just on analog cable.

The audio cutouts were throughout the TiVo, not just TV but when I went into the menus there were no sound effect there as well. I haven't really been able to replicate the lack of sound on-demand, but it has happened more than once.

I'm also not quite sure when it came back, but the audio always did come back.


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

cuyahoga said:


> The audio cutouts were throughout the TiVo, not just TV but when I went into the menus there were no sound effect there as well. I haven't really been able to replicate the lack of sound on-demand, but it has happened more than once.


This sounds like an entirely different problem, and it's not one I've experienced at all (and I've been using the TiVo heavily since Friday afternoon). What I'm talking about are dropouts in program audio, lasting for a second or less. I've never completely lost audio, nor have I had any problems with the TiVo sound effects (other than the already discussed fact that they don't work in a Dolby Digital program).


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## cuyahoga (Nov 15, 2002)

sharding said:


> This sounds like an entirely different problem, and it's not one I've experienced at all (and I've been using the TiVo heavily since Friday afternoon).


Its quite possible that its different. I just did my hookup today and although it went pretty well, there could be a configuration issue on my end.


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## MtMan56 (Sep 17, 2006)

Qualifier--I'm no AV technician, just a semi-knowledgeble hobbyist....

So... I may be way off base, but I'm certainly experiencing frequent, significant, and fairly consistent volume changes. S3 is connected to a Kenwood Sovereign VR-5900 via optical input. I'm not experiencing any discernable video problems.

While watching an 'in progress' recording of the Florida-Kentucky game tonight on ESPN-HD over Comcast in Denver, the volume fluctuates constantly but there does seem to be a pattern. Game breaks with brief highlights of another game, sideline reporters, commercials, some instant replays and shots of booth commentators are most often at volume levels lower than the nominal level. I pulled out my db meter and measured a "normal" level in the range of 65-69 db range. When the drop outs occur, it quickly falls to 50-51 db and below (off scale)which is barely audible in this environment.

One interesting note that seems valuable from a diagnostic perspective is that the screen wipe graphics that are accompanied with a sound effect are heard at pretty much normal levels. For example, it goes like this...

Live game = "normal" volume
game break = major audio drop out
screen wipe = "normal" volume whooosh (perceived as loud burst)
brief return to game break = same audio level as the initial drop out
return to game = "normal" volume returns

The reason I say Dynamic Range Control (DRC) even though there is no setting that I can find, and nothing in the manual, I know various manufactuers have from time to time implemented "commercial break volume control" to keep a tv from screaming at you as if you were in the kitchen while the commercial was being played. Maybe the S3 is misinterpreting changes in audio channel balance as an increase in volume that needs to be moderated??

More important information (maybe this whole thing was my problem)...

As I continued to analyze the pattern, I decided to try to change the setting that I noticed under Settings>Audio>Dolby Digital. The manual says "*Dolby Digital*. If you have an A/V receiver or home theater system that supports Dolby Digital audio, use this setting to choose how the DVR will record and output digital audio."

Now, my receiver is clearly capable of decoding DD, but I happen to currently have it hooked up to only a front left and front right speaker. While set on DD to DD, the receiver displayed "Dolby Digital". I changed the setting to DD to
PCM and low and behold, the problem seems to have gone away. Receiver now displays Stereo. I have a second S3 connected to 5.1 system that I haven't spent as much time with yet or I might have discovered this sooner.

The change correctly impacts recordings made prior to the setting change.

Hope it holds and hope it may help someone else.


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## bocktar (Sep 24, 2001)

I've also found that while scrolling through the guide quickly that audio temporarily cuts out. It returns as soon as I stop scrolling.

This is definitely on my list of things to talk w/ support about.


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## Goofball (Jun 23, 2004)

bocktar said:


> I've also found that while scrolling through the guide quickly that audio temporarily cuts out. It returns as soon as I stop scrolling.
> 
> This is definitely on my list of things to talk w/ support about.


Ditto here. Noticed it today, went back after exiting the guide and replayed the section that was cutting out while in the guide and it was fine.

Also, I am getting multiples/echo of the TiVo sounds when I switch tuners or other things during live TV. Probably just needs a bit of tweaking in the audio priority/driver in the system. Overall this is annoying at times but not anywhere near a showstopper.


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

sharding said:


> Is anyone experiencing problems with audio cutting out occasionally? Today I've had it happen on a couple of channels. It's really short (less than a second), and isn't happening frequently, but enough to notice. I'm not sure if this is actually in the broadcast (seems unlikely, since I've seen it on two channels, but I didn't notice it earlier today on other channels), or something with the TiVo or something with the cable signal, or what.
> 
> I also noticed some glitches (both audio and video cutting out) in one of the programs I recorded, but I attributed it to a signal problem at the time. But now I'm starting to wonder.
> 
> None of these are happening frequently enough to be a big disruption, but I'd like to figure out the root cause.


i have these exact same problems.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Sixto said:


> Same problem here. While watching football in HD. Then bring up the guide and scroll around. An occasional audio drop. Only when playing in the guide.


Ive got this too. Moving around in the Guide causes momentary sound dropouts both analog and in the bitstream. Backing up and replaying doesnt repeat the dropouts.

I also have another audio issue where audio goes away completely and requires a couple channel changes to get it back. I started a thread on it to see if anybody else has see it.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

bocktar said:


> I've also found that while scrolling through the guide quickly that audio temporarily cuts out. It returns as soon as I stop scrolling.
> 
> This is definitely on my list of things to talk w/ support about.


Hate to be a broken record, but I'm noticing these, too, when scrolling in the program guide. I've had my S3 for 11 days now, but this just started cropping up in the past four or five days. Annoying.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

I've had the audio cutouts today in the NASCAR race, but I used to have the same kind of issues with my moto..

The answer in the past was "change the channel and come back" and sure enough when I did that today it also worked.

We may all have multiple causes of cutouts, mine just appear to be a different treatment of the issue the moto used to have.

Diane


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## chipvideo (Sep 25, 2006)

I have the same audio dropouts while surfing the guide. I also have complete dropouts for no reason on my HD channels while recording or watching live. I have full signal strength of 97 everytime I look. Never had this problem with any comcast dvr's ever.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TiVo tech support....are you reading this?


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

yeah, this seems to be a serious common problem. Let's see some notes from tivo.


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## FlippedBit (Dec 25, 2001)

Sounds like a problem but not too serious to me. Watching live TV while surfing the guide? If I'm doing that I am not overly interested in what I'm watching anyway. I really hate watching live TV, which is why I like TiVo so much. Is anybody reporting problems with recorded programs? How about watching one recorded program while another is recording? If so, then I will wait before getting an S3.


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## Ken7 (Apr 29, 2004)

Sixto said:


> Same problem here. While watching football in HD. Then bring up the guide and scroll around. An occasional audio drop. Only when playing in the guide.


I get exactly the same thing....only when in the guide. This is a Tivo glitch pure and simple.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

I paid extra attention this evening, 

yup.. audio drops out occasionally while perusing the guide, exactly as described.

It's completely different then the "HD stream dropouts" I get occasionally that go away when I change the channel and return.

Diane


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## LostInAustin (Sep 15, 2006)

Yes, I get audio dropouts, too. I'd say it happens roughly every 15 minutes or so, and the audio is only out for less than a second. The dropout is still there if I rewind and play it back, though. 

Signal strength is 96+ when I check, so I'm not sure if I want to get the cableco involved just yet...


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The one that happens when scrolling through the guide is definitely a bug, however the rest are most likely broadcast problems. For example I noticed yesterday while watching the Pitsburgh game, that the audio kept cutting out every 30 minutes or so. After paying attention I noticed that every time this happened my receiver was switching from DD5.1 mode to PLXII mode or vice versa. This seemed to happen whenever they were just about to switch over to whoever for an update on the other games. This also happens any time my local affiliate decides to superimpose their logo on the HD feed.

Basically if you can rewind and repeat the problem then it's most likely a broadcast problem. If you rewind and the problem does not repeat then it's a TiVo problem.

Dan


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> The one that happens when scrolling through the guide is definitely a bug, however the rest are most likely broadcast problems. For example I noticed yesterday while watching the Pitsburgh game, that the audio kept cutting out every 30 minutes or so. After paying attention I noticed that every time this happened my receiver was switching from DD5.1 mode to PLXII mode or vice versa. This seemed to happen whenever they were just about to switch over to whoever for an update on the other games. This also happens any time my local affiliate decides to superimpose their logo on the HD feed.
> 
> Basically if you can rewind and repeat the problem then it's most likely a broadcast problem. If you rewind and the problem does not repeat then it's a TiVo problem.
> 
> Dan


Well... when I was watching the fox pregame sunday, I flipped of to the guide and searched for a show and started it to record. When I flipped back to the fox pregame the audio was gone completely... I switched the tv to the TWC DVR and fox had sound... flipped back to Tivo... no sound. channel up/channel down... still no sound. channel up channel up channel down channel down.... sound. So its not the network..... could be cablecard or could be tivo. Im betting... tivo firmware bug.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

When that happens look at your receiver. I bet it's stuck in some odd mode causing it not to have any audio.

Dan


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> When that happens look at your receiver. I bet it's stuck in some odd mode causing it not to have any audio.
> 
> Dan


If you are talking to me... I had both the receiver and the tv on. so no audio via HDMI to TV or via optical to receiver. I believe receiver was indicating no input but dont recall. I believe I was getting tivo sounds from the tv but cant state for certain. Will have to pay more attention to that next time it happens.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

That's odd! I've had this happen once or twice, but it's always been the receiver not the TiVo. For me if I simply switch the receiver to another input, then switch back it fixes itself. And if I use the TVs speakers, via HDMI, it works fine.

I've never had the symptoms you're describing.

Dan


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

WIth mine the audio dropouts are definitely not the signal. Its the tivo. I have had these channels with the exact cablecard for over a year in my tv and have never had the problem once. I can live with the occasional audio dropout but not every 3-4 minutes for a second each time.


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## razor237 (Feb 1, 2002)

I would be surpriced if the audio drop out with the guide up & on an HD channel has to do with the HDCP and tvio adding the guide and the noise on top of a HD protected signal/program is messing somthing up 

I have had this happen yet but after work i will see if it happens to me 


-Mike


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## MisterUCLA (Mar 31, 2002)

I was doing some tests right now on OTA HD. I get about a 93 signal on this particular channel.

Just bringing up the guide caused a slight audio dropout 1 out of 5 times.

Now, quickly scanning the guide for about 10 seconds caused the video to break up and sometimes the audio to go away.

My audio receiver indicated no sigal coming in.

The broken up video was recorded. I guess it interfered with recording the stream.

Pressing pause then play caused the Audio to come back.

hope that helps.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

MisterUCLA said:


> I was doing some tests right now on OTA HD. I get about a 93 signal on this particular channel.
> 
> Just bringing up the guide caused a slight audio dropout 1 out of 5 times.
> 
> ...


You say that the audio breakup was recorded, but then say hitting pause, then play caused it to "come back". If it was recorded, it would drop out at the same spot every time and not "come back" no matter what you did. Please clarify.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> The one that happens when scrolling through the guide is definitely a bug, however the rest are most likely broadcast problems.


Before the stations when to full power last year, some of them were prone to frequent audio dropouts even though picture didn't seem to be disrupted. Perhaps the occasional dropped bit doesn't disrupt MPEG as much as DD.

It became much better with a stronger, less variable signal. The signal stregth meters on digital tuners do measure received power so much signal quality. Stick a splitter on the antenna cable and the signal values usually drop relatively little.


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## MisterUCLA (Mar 31, 2002)

Bierboy said:


> You say that the audio breakup was recorded, but then say hitting pause, then play caused it to "come back". If it was recorded, it would drop out at the same spot every time and not "come back" no matter what you did. Please clarify.


I said sometimes the audio went away. As in it went silent. This is separate of the audio/video breakup.

So . .

Audio/Video Breakup.
Cleared the guide
Perfect video with no audio.

Pressing Pause then play brought back the audio.

Rewinding and playing showed the audio/video breakup.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

MisterUCLA said:


> I said sometimes the audio went away. As in it went silent. This is separate of the audio/video breakup.
> 
> So . .
> 
> ...


Sounds pretty close to my situation....

I used guide and then search function.... returned to channel and found no sound. Channel up channel up channel down channel down and audio came back. I didnt rewind to check buffer but I will next time!!!


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## rehr0001 (Sep 17, 2006)

cyuhoga,

I have the exact same problem and described it here in the 2nd post

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=316954&highlight=rehr0001

I can replicate it over and over again by switching between an analog cable station and a digital station (OTA or digital cable). Everytime I go from digital to anaolg, the sound is gone. To get it back, all I have to do is change dsp modes (dd to logic7, dd w/thx, etc). The only way to avoid it is to use DD to PCM in the audio setting (which will eliminate your 5.1 sound). What kind of receiver do you have?


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

MisterUCLA said:


> I said sometimes the audio went away. As in it went silent. This is separate of the audio/video breakup.
> 
> So . .
> 
> ...


MisterUCLA,

Is the audio disappearing from both the TV output AND the receiver or just one of the two? My issue is with both outputs disappearing.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

MisterUCLA said:


> I said sometimes the audio went away. As in it went silent. This is separate of the audio/video breakup.
> 
> So . .
> 
> ...


OK, thanks for clearing up my confusion  .


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

SCSIRAID said:


> MisterUCLA,
> 
> Is the audio disappearing from both the TV output AND the receiver or just one of the two? My issue is with both outputs disappearing.


Well... ive been running an experiment. Ive been getting the momentary audio drops while watching recoreded shows and then with live football pregame. I started the 8300 and the S3 both on the pregame. I just had a 1 sec audio dropout during the manning breakfast commercial. I went to the 8300 and backed up and there was NO audio burp at all....


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

SCSIRAID said:


> Well... ive been running an experiment. Ive been getting the momentary audio drops while watching recoreded shows and then with live football pregame. I started the 8300 and the S3 both on the pregame. I just had a 1 sec audio dropout during the manning breakfast commercial. I went to the 8300 and backed up and there was NO audio burp at all....


Watching some recorded HD and see these glitches every 5-10 mins. audio stops and then restarts with some image pixilation. Also watched some SD recordings and also had lots of little audio drops but didnt see any video impacts.

Sucks...


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## Ken7 (Apr 29, 2004)

OK, I'm getting more concerned now. I was watching Prison Break and was getting audio dropouts every few seconds for awhile. It did not repeat later when I played back the buffer and it was not occurring on my Motorola FIOS PVR. Before I had only seen it when in the guide. Me thinks there's an issue here. 

Oh yes, signal strength on this OTA channel was 92.


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## nerd (Sep 18, 2006)

Arrgggg....

Audio drop-out and minor pixelation on Studio 60 on NBC tonight!


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## Ken7 (Apr 29, 2004)

If the audio dropouts continue when I get my CCs installed (just using OTA HD now), I'll return the S3 while still in my 30 day return period.


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## mahk (Mar 1, 2005)

Similar issue here -- for me it seems to be live HD broadcasts.

On some occasions, when watching a live HD broadcast the audio will drop every few seconds or so.

Pressing pause, waiting a couple of seconds, and then pressing play (thus watching the broadcast a few seconds behind) clears up the problem.

Happy to have found a workaround, but not really acceptable for an $800 product.

Hopefully this can be fixed in the upcoming software update!


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## razor237 (Feb 1, 2002)

I tired to duplicate the trouble and couldnt...... i was watching my hd shows and brought up the guide and scrolled through the whole thing and no drop outs at all, I tried this on diffrent shows and couldnt get it to happen 

-Mike


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## pmiranda (Feb 12, 2003)

Probably a dumb suggestion, but make sure your optical connections are clean and well-seated. I used to have audio dropouts all the time with an old cable box and isolated the problem to a bad cable.

I sure hope my receiver's optical input works. I haven't used it in years since almost everything seems to use the cheaper coax digital audio connections. Maybe when I get my S3 box in the mail I'll have an excuse to upgrade my whole system


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

razor237 said:


> I tired to duplicate the trouble and couldnt...... i was watching my hd shows and brought up the guide and scrolled through the whole thing and no drop outs at all, I tried this on diffrent shows and couldnt get it to happen


I can't always reproduce it either. In fact, I haven't seen it happen on its own in quite a while. But I can occasionally make it happen. I'm guessing that it has to do with how much work TiVo is doing behind the scenes. When I can make it happen, it's extremely clear that it's happening as a result of scrolling through the guide, but scrolling through the guide doesn't always make it happen.


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## mahk (Mar 1, 2005)

pmiranda said:


> Probably a dumb suggestion, but make sure your optical connections are clean and well-seated. I used to have audio dropouts all the time with an old cable box and isolated the problem to a bad cable.
> 
> I sure hope my receiver's optical input works. I haven't used it in years since almost everything seems to use the cheaper coax digital audio connections. Maybe when I get my S3 box in the mail I'll have an excuse to upgrade my whole system


In my case, the problem is happening with the HDMI cable -- have tried multiple cables with the same result. It's definitely the Tivo.


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## Ken7 (Apr 29, 2004)

pmiranda said:


> Probably a dumb suggestion, but make sure your optical connections are clean and well-seated. I used to have audio dropouts all the time with an old cable box and isolated the problem to a bad cable.


In my case I used the same cable that has been giving me flawless audio and once it's hooked up to the S3, I get dropouts. I put that same cable back to my Motorola box and the dropouts disappear. So at least in my case it's clearly the S3.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

I noticed audio dropouts today after using the guide.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

mahk said:


> Similar issue here -- for me it seems to be live HD broadcasts.
> 
> On some occasions, when watching a live HD broadcast the audio will drop every few seconds or so.
> 
> ...


Yes, this is when it happens to me--live HD broadcasts.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

jauburn said:


> Yes, this is when it happens to me--live HD broadcasts.


I have the same kind of momentary audio skips sometimes accompained with video pixilations. For me it happens on both live and recorded shows. Seems to be limited to digital channels... HD and SD. I dont believe I have seen it on an analog channel (<98).

I sure hope Tivo is working on this.


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## TostitoBandito (Sep 18, 2006)

I have seen this occur on any channel while I am using the guide. I have definitely had it happen on channels under 100. My setup is currently not HD either, so this is all on SD content.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

TostitoBandito said:


> I have seen this occur on any channel while I am using the guide. I have definitely had it happen on channels under 100. My setup is currently not HD either, so this is all on SD content.


Is it SD analog or SD digital? The way to tell is whether you are asked for quality level when you try to record it.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TostitoBandito said:


> I have seen this occur on any channel while I am using the guide. I have definitely had it happen on channels under 100. My setup is currently not HD either, so this is all on SD content.


There is separate thread on this, but most of those reports are scrolling in the guide while viewing HD content.


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## TostitoBandito (Sep 18, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> Is it SD analog or SD digital? The way to tell is whether you are asked for quality level when you try to record it.


Well I have digital cable if that is what you are asking and they are standard definition channels.


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## rodneys (Sep 7, 2002)

I am experiencing the same dropout problem. It happens about 10-20 times during a half hour show. Some shows play perfectly fine and have no dropouts. Others it is happening frequently as I just mentioned. When the audio goes away, it is for a second or less each time. This is really annoying.


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## MacGuruTX (Sep 20, 2006)

Occurring for me as well, notice it on playing recorded HD programs. Usually only happens once or twice during an hour long show for me, but not always.

I'll have to pay attention to whether it is recording or not in the background.


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

I don't have the problem when viewing the guide at all. Mine occurs when watching a program out of the clear blue. It also is occuring on the recordings. The picture is slightly pixellized for a second with no sound, then everything is fine. Repeat the process every few minutes.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

tunnelengineer said:


> I don't have the problem when viewing the guide at all. Mine occurs when watching a program out of the clear blue. It also is occuring on the recordings. The picture is slightly pixellized for a second with no sound, then everything is fine. Repeat the process every few minutes.


I can get dropouts either randomly as tunnelengineer states but also in the guide as I move up and down. So far the dropouts seem to only be occuring on digital channels both SD and HD. Havent noticed any on analog SD. How about you guys... digital only?


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## sharding (Feb 11, 2001)

SCSIRAID said:


> I can get dropouts either randomly as tunnelengineer states but also in the guide as I move up and down. So far the dropouts seem to only be occuring on digital channels both SD and HD. Havent noticed any on analog SD. How about you guys... digital only?


Mine is digital only, but all of my channels are digital, so I'm not sure how much that tells me...


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

sharding said:


> Mine is digital only, but all of my channels are digital, so I'm not sure how much that tells me...


Understand. TWC Raleigh doesnt make the digital simulcast channels available for cablecards. You have to use their box for digital versions of basic.


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## wbradney (Mar 4, 2003)

SCSIRAID said:


> Well... when I was watching the fox pregame sunday, I flipped of to the guide and searched for a show and started it to record. When I flipped back to the fox pregame the audio was gone completely... I switched the tv to the TWC DVR and fox had sound... flipped back to Tivo... no sound. channel up/channel down... still no sound. channel up channel up channel down channel down.... sound. So its not the network..... could be cablecard or could be tivo. Im betting... tivo firmware bug.


I've seen this too. Not the 'just for a split second while in the guide' variety. It happened for me while watching a movie (nothing being recorded) -- I flipped on the guide and then flipped it off again -- sound disappeared. Checked the S2 on the same channel - sound is OK. Back to the S3, still no sound. Channel up/Channel Down fixed the problem.

What's concerning me most is what happens during recording. Is this a problem with capture or playback? If it's a capture problem it's going to be a real pain to lose audio half way through a recorded show.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Has anybody called this in to Tivo support and gotten it escalated to engineering? If not... we should all do so.


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## chipvideo (Sep 25, 2006)

tunnelengineer said:


> I don't have the problem when viewing the guide at all. Mine occurs when watching a program out of the clear blue. It also is occuring on the recordings. The picture is slightly pixellized for a second with no sound, then everything is fine. Repeat the process every few minutes.


Happening to me on both my series3.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

I called this issue into Tivo... Got runaround from CSR Aaron who ended up telling me to work with forum folks or call cableco. I asked for supervisor and got Bobby who agreed that this needed escalation to engineering. If you have this issue too you might want to call in and lend your voice.


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## ehardman (Feb 18, 2004)

I am also having this problem; audio dropouts with occasional pixelation.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

ehardman said:


> I am also having this problem; audio dropouts with occasional pixelation.


1-877-367-8486

Let 'em know.......


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## ehardman (Feb 18, 2004)

SCSIRAID said:


> 1-877-367-8486
> 
> Let 'em know.......


I just got off the phone with Tivo tech support. After asking to have my case escalated, they put me on hold and then came back and told me they are aware of the problem, that it is a software issue and they are working on a fix to be available in about two weeks.

As a temporary work around, they suggested changing the audio setup from Dolby Digital to PCM. Of course, you will lose Dolby Digital audio but they said it should stop the audio dropouts.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

ehardman said:


> I just got off the phone with Tivo tech support. After asking to have my case escalated, they put me on hold and then came back and told me they are aware of the problem, that it is a software issue and they are working on a fix to be available in about two weeks.
> 
> As a temporary work around, they suggested changing the audio setup from Dolby Digital to PCM. Of course, you will lose Dolby Digital audio but they said it should stop the audio dropouts.


TivoJerry told me to do that too and it did absolutely nothing. No change in behavior.

With me, I usually listen directly to the TV and only use the receiver and 5.1 when something 'special' is on. I hear the audio dropouts in both places.... 5.1 to receiver and directly from the TV with PCM.


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## PPC1 (Sep 16, 2006)

I have noticed the intermittent audio drop outs. I have not taken the time to try to isolate the circumstances in which they occur. Slightly annoying, but not nearly so much as a partial recording.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

I'm glad to here they are aware and got a fix in the works. I'm not switching my digital to listen to pcm, no way. Just fix it.


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## southerndoc (Apr 5, 2003)

Are you guys also experiencing periodic black images? A lot of times when my audio cuts out, it's followed by a black image that lasts a 1/4 of a second maybe.


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

nope, just slight pixelization for a split second. Most of the image is fine.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

tunnelengineer said:


> nope, just slight pixelization for a split second. Most of the image is fine.


Ditto.....


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

I added a 4way splitter to reduce the signal level to around -7 dbmv. Also changed the sound setting to Dolby Digital -> PCM. Still getting dropout. Watching the Military Channel which is SD Digital. Also saw one event on HDNet and verified that it was not present on the SA8300 HD.... 

So what do we know....

1) Not likely due to RF overload
2) Not likely due to Dolby Digital setting
3) Not likely a cableco problem since 8300 doesnt do it


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## dsm363 (Jun 26, 2002)

I've been getting the occasional recording (even live TV) where there is no audio. Usually one of the cablecards isn't authorized properly so I have to call the cable company to send the signal. Today while recording comedy central, it again is recording perfect picture with no sound. The other tuner has audio though. Thing is, this isn't consistent. Both cards work most of the time. Hopefully this software fix solves this.


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## Thanatox (Jan 27, 2005)

intermittent audio drop outs on Live and recorded shows on Cable and OTA channels. This wasn't a problem until a few days ago. (Software Update?)


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

Last night I watched my first digital recordings. No drop outs or pixelation. Oddly enough when I've experienced sound drop outs was during analog recordings.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

dsm363 said:


> I've been getting the occasional recording (even live TV) where there is no audio. Usually one of the cablecards isn't authorized properly so I have to call the cable company to send the signal. Today while recording comedy central, it again is recording perfect picture with no sound. The other tuner has audio though. Thing is, this isn't consistent. Both cards work most of the time. Hopefully this software fix solves this.


1) Try stopping the playback and then restarting....
2) Try changing the audio setting from Dolby Digital to Dolby Digital -> PCM


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## Flippemous (Oct 5, 2006)

geekmedic said:


> Are you guys also experiencing periodic black images? A lot of times when my audio cuts out, it's followed by a black image that lasts a 1/4 of a second maybe.


For sure, I'm getting video and audio dropout on my Series 3. I've seen it at various times, audio dropout/pixelation/brief image freeze/momentary black screen.

Monday night while watching Studio 60 in HD it was so bad it made the show unwatchable, I mean the picture and sound weren't dropping out, it was more like they were just flashing on screen. Backing up did not help as it has a few times before (but not always). However, I later realized that I was recording two HD programs at the same time while watching the recorded HD program, so I honestly think the CPU and/or the Hard Drive was just overloaded. Can't process 3 HD shows at once.

An audio dropout here and there might be overlooked, as with a little pixel out here or there (although not acceptable in the long run) but this time I'm afraid the Series 3 didn't perform it's basic function of allowing us to watch a recorded show. Nothing wrong the the signal by the way 100% on all channels.

I HAVE to say though, that even with that extreme problem, this box is 10,000% better than the Comcast HD DVR I so happily gave back. That thing was so bad I almost drove by Comcast and threw it through the window.

Cheers


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## ehardman (Feb 18, 2004)

Flippemous said:


> Monday night while watching Studio 60 in HD it was so bad it made the show unwatchable, I mean the picture and sound weren't dropping out, it was more like they were just flashing on screen.


I had the exact same problem Monday night. I called Tivo support and they tried to tell me I had TWO bad cable cards. I didn't buy it.

By Tuesday, all was back to normal and I haven't had the problem again. Go figure.

Edit: It's back.


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## tivo_madness (Jun 20, 2005)

Having audio dropouts when playing back recorded HD content. When I rewind for and play it back, the audio is fine. 

Just thought I'd toss my 0.02 in there.


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## Skeuomorph (Sep 26, 2006)

When the TiVo and cable cards were installed, the installer certified the signal at the end of the cable (physical wire) feeding the TiVo. TiVo itself reported signal on most channels in upper 90s, but on two of the HD channels in lower 70s.

Last week, all shows had an audio dropout problem, or the grey zero length problem, IF, and ONLY IF, BOTH tuners were in use *and* BOTH were recording HD, and at least one was recording (or failing to record) CBS-HD (the channel with 72 strength per TiVo).

After eliminating a -3.5db and a -7db splitter from the chain between cable drop and the TiVo room, CBS had signal meter of 82 - 84, all others still in 90's, and this week there have been no audio glitches, no video blockiness, and no grey recordings, when HD 2 channels recording at once.

Focus on this first: http://www.swhowto.com/VideoLoss.htm

What other things receive, what the cableguy's meter says, and even what other channels do and don't work, may not be important. Just try eliminating, or bypassing, a splitter or two and see what happens.

Please note: the same thing can happen if your signal is too hot. In which case, it may be improved by adding a splitter.

YMMV, but this seems to have resolved the intermittent reception problems.

I have not, however, been able to avoid HDMI DolbyDigital failure after 1 - 2 days, and have had to fall back to optical only for DolbyDigital.


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## jkj (Sep 26, 2006)

tivo_madness said:


> Having audio dropouts when playing back recorded HD content. When I rewind for and play it back, the audio is fine.


Same for me.... all settings on default.

I do have a booster on my Comcast cable built into the splitter.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Still getting random audio dropouts on SD and HD Digital channels. Tried an experiment last night to see if it could be related to the cablecards. I scheduled a recording on two SD Digital channels at the same time. Showtimes were in the middle of the night so there would be nothing else going on (me watching something else or doing searches etc). Just watched both and they both contain audio dropouts. The dropouts were at different time offsets into the programs. So..... this seems to rule out the cablecards (unless they both have a problem which is very unlikely).

FWIW....


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## Myphsto (Oct 22, 2002)

I have this problem as well. Normally only happens on HD channels, both live and recorded content, and usually comes with a very tiny video glitch (like a couple pixels screwy).

The cable signal is next to perfect, I have a amp in the basement and each outlet in the house is about as good as the signal gets. Never had this issue with the digital HD cable box prior to replacing it with tivo series 3. According to the signal strength meter on the tivo, it's reading between 95 and 98 on all channels I've had the issues on.

Anyone know if tivo is aware of this problem? I don't blame them for wanting to blame the cable companies for many of these issues-- as I've had my share of cable company related issues with the series 3. In this particular case, it almost seems like a error correction issue on playback-- even if the original video feed had a glitch in it from the cable company tivo should be able to handle a small error. I know the HD cable box did, even during bad pixelation due to previous issues I never had audio dropouts on the HD cable boxes.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Myphsto said:


> I have this problem as well. Normally only happens on HD channels, both live and recorded content, and usually comes with a very tiny video glitch (like a couple pixels screwy).
> 
> The cable signal is next to perfect, I have a amp in the basement and each outlet in the house is about as good as the signal gets. Never had this issue with the digital HD cable box prior to replacing it with tivo series 3. According to the signal strength meter on the tivo, it's reading between 95 and 98 on all channels I've had the issues on.
> 
> Anyone know if tivo is aware of this problem? I don't blame them for wanting to blame the cable companies for many of these issues-- as I've had my share of cable company related issues with the series 3. In this particular case, it almost seems like a error correction issue on playback-- even if the original video feed had a glitch in it from the cable company tivo should be able to handle a small error. I know the HD cable box did, even during bad pixelation due to previous issues I never had audio dropouts on the HD cable boxes.


I have the video pixelations too.. just before the audio resumes. Tivo is aware... I have a case open with them. Wouldnt hurt to call them yourself to get it on record so they dont think its just me.


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## msantti (Sep 12, 2006)

I have experienced the problem with mine also.

Only have noticed it on Universal HD, TWC Houston.

I had one channel (can't remember which) freeze up on me and required a reboot.

Hope the software update addresses the audio problem.


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## southerndoc (Apr 5, 2003)

I just watched a TiVo'd Law & Order tonight. It seems my audio dropout is getting worse. It was happening at least every 5 minutes, lasting 2-3 seconds at a time.

I have a feeling this has something to do with the hard drive buffer causing the dropouts.

As a workaround around this, it would be nice to turn off the live TV buffering to reduce the number of constant writes to the drive (e.g., it's always buffering the active tuner plus recording the other channel for a scheduled recording). I think the hard drive may have a problem keeping up with the bitrate when live TV is tuned to an HD station and the other tuner is recording a scheduled show in HD as well.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Got a call from Tivo today asking questions about this so it sounds like they are starting to work on it. I had previously reported the problem and got it escalated to engineering.

Cross your fingers......


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## puckpooch (Sep 24, 2006)

FWIW, I've been getting audio dropouts on my S3 also, but they are not just on the HD channels. From all of the reports here, its starting to look like there are audio dropout issues on the Series3.


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## Necro (Sep 26, 2006)

Here is what I've noticed. When watching football yesterday, I heard the sound cut out several times. Sometimes it would even switch over to analog (I can see it on my receiver). Last night, I had the game one in the other room on the S3 tivo. After 30 minutes, I noticed there was no more sound coming from that room so I went in to see the Tivo playing the game, but no sound. If I changed tuners and back, it was there. Something must be wrong with how Tivo is handling the dobly digital encoding. 

Here's why: I changed the sound to PCM in the Tivo menu and everything works just fine now. No more skipping sound and no more sound loss. Why would I have to do this?


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

I have also noticed the occasional audio weirdness both live and recorded on the S3 (without using the guide). But this issue pales in comparison to the slowdown of my Humax-burning TiVo... I want to get rid of it, really. I think I've been fairly patient, but need a software update from TiVo like real soon.


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## sfox7076 (Oct 9, 2006)

A lot of this type of stuff happens with audio receivers that automatically detect what kind of input you use for sound and the optical digital cable. My pre-amp allows me to tell it to auto select the sound input, select analog only or digital optical/coaxial only. I noticed audio drop outs until I put it on optical only. For me it wasn't the recording as when I watched the same item over the analog outputs, the sound was fine.

Shawn


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

sfox7076 said:


> A lot of this type of stuff happens with audio receivers that automatically detect what kind of input you use for sound and the optical digital cable.


My S3 uses HDMI direct to my HDTV, no amp or receiver in the mix - yet audio glitches occur.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

davezatz said:


> My S3 uses HDMI direct to my HDTV, no amp or receiver in the mix - yet audio glitches occur.


Which is exactly the same as my situation.


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

It is not a receiver fault, it's a Tivo problem. Period. 

Just about every possible problem has been proven to be fine except the tivo. There is somehting going on with the unit that is causeing these dropouts. It needs to be fixed.


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## proudpapa (Jan 2, 2004)

I am having the same problem too - have the Tivo engineers acknowledged the problem and/or do they have a fix yet ? - I was out of town and just got back.


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## FlippedBit (Dec 25, 2001)

Me too. Do you think it would be worth while to take a poll on this?


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## BigFrank (Sep 21, 2006)

I too have been getting occasional audio dropouts (along with the slight video glitch) . 

I hope this is a software problem that TiVo engineers can (and will ) address soon.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Well, despite hope... the 'b' firmware update didnt effect the audio dropouts. I did see in another thread that someone was able to eliminate a similar problem with a 'DC Blocker' on the cable input. Looks like I have some more experimentation to do....

Don


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## sobenski (Sep 19, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> I have the video pixelations too.. just before the audio resumes. Tivo is aware... I have a case open with them. Wouldnt hurt to call them yourself to get it on record so they dont think its just me.


Me three. It happened to me for the first time in my HD recording of LOST from last night. It happened every 10 seconds or so over a 15 minute period in the middle of the recording, and was exactly the same upon rewind/replay. I don't think it was a digital cable glitch; my neighbors watched live with no problems. I guess I'll call TiVo about it....

It's weird that it's only started for me now; I've had the box for almost three weeks.

PS - the recording problem I experienced happened when I wasn't even watching the Tivo, so it's probably unrelated to the Guide problems others have mentioned here.


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## Cormode (Feb 27, 2003)

my 2 cents

All video recorded by OTA. The local CBS affliate is 1080i and about 7 miles away - 99- 100% signal all the time

When watching 1080i (w/ DD5.1) the reciver reports an audio dropout every 2 min and 38 sec. Sometimes I can't hear it because of a natural lull in the program audio, but the yamaha reciever always complains visually.

If I hit the skip back button the drop out does not happen again at the same point.

After hitting the 30 second skip, or pausing playback the first dropout will occur a random amount of time, then the 2:38 cycle is repeated.

When watching digital brodcast sent from the NBC tower as 480i (w/ 2ch DD) no dropouts ever.

Occasionaly dropouts on a more distant tower with accompaning video glitch. This is a stream issue since it is constant if I hit the skip back button.


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## tunnelengineer (Jul 21, 2006)

still a problem on my tivo as well.


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## PatMcNJ (May 22, 2006)

I also have the sound loss, usually when I go into the Guide OR even when I go into the Tivo menus. I KNOW it happened a few times as soom as I went into the Tivo menus, because I even lost the "beep" my Tivo makes as I go thru the screens...... Both times I thought I hit mute or something by mistake, but no...... I also lost sound when changing a station a couple of times. I have to go into other input options, then back to the Tivo and it comes right back........ Annoying, it has happened about 5 times in 2 days. 

Glad to hear Tivo is working on it.


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## skitime (Sep 14, 2006)

I've been getting audio dropouts occasionally also. I'm using OTA, and the most recent was just from watching a reccorded show. There was still the background noise, music, etc. on the surround and front speakers, but nothing on the center channel. Turning the HTR off and using the TV's speakers, everything was OK. This has happened on different channels, both live and recorded shows.


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## eisenb11 (Sep 6, 2006)

Count me in on the audio dropouts as well. I'm using cablecards only.

The audio dropouts are usually followed by a short burst of weirdness in the video.

The cable guy says my lines are perfect. The S3 is indicating about 97% strength on all channels.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

eisenb11 said:


> Count me in on the audio dropouts as well. I'm using cablecards only.
> 
> The audio dropouts are usually followed by a short burst of weirdness in the video.
> 
> The cable guy says my lines are perfect. The S3 is indicating about 97% strength on all channels.


Welcome to the club


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## wackymann (Sep 22, 2006)

I've never seen this, but I am using analog video/audio to my TV. I do have my digital audio hooked up to my receiver, but I honestly haven't used it once. I'm not really into surround sound - the 2 speakers on the TV are enough for me. Good luck to everybody in getting this fixed... it sounds like it would be really annoying.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

wackymann said:


> I've never seen this, but I am using analog video/audio to my TV. I do have my digital audio hooked up to my receiver, but I honestly haven't used it once. I'm not really into surround sound - the 2 speakers on the TV are enough for me. Good luck to everybody in getting this fixed... it sounds like it would be really annoying.


I too am using audio direct to the TV via HDMI. The problem occurs in that config too.


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## Danny Andrews (Feb 13, 2004)

I'm getting audio hiccups with the guide open also. Last night, however, a different weirdness.
I had the baseball playoffs on. I was in a different room and heard the audio stop. When I looked at the TV it was in a weird slow motion. I pushed play. Nothing happened. Checked analog station on coax straight to the TV and it was fine. Back to the Tivo, still in slow motion. Pushing skip to end and other buttons would not work. Changed to the other tuner, it was OK. Back to baseball. Skip to end sent me to beginning of buffer. Another press skipped about a minute and the picture froze. I had to go to the other tuner each time to get it to work again. Each time their was 2 spots it would freeze the picture. I changed channels and then back to the game and everything has been OK since. Any thoughts?


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## rodalpho (Sep 12, 2006)

Count me in too. Unmodded S3, TWC NYC with two cablecards. I get audio dropouts lasting 2-3 seconds on all channels, HD and SD. When I hit instant-replay they are still there. So the problem is either in my cable signal or the tivo... and I've had digital cable for years with no dropouts, so I would have to say it's probably the tivo.


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## Darthnice (Apr 29, 2002)

I'm having a problem with ABC in HD. The signal is strong, but the audio is completely missing from recordings sometimes. If I switch the audio to PCM, then tune around a bit to other digital and analog stations, then tune back to ABC, the audio returns. At that point I can set the audio back to Dolby Digital and I get 5.1 decode in my receiver again. It really is like the TiVo is throwing away the audio in this case, because the recordings that occur like this continue to have no sound.

I've only seen this behavior on ABC with the TiVo-S3, and the SA8300HD never had this problem.

I'm fairly confident at this point in my investigations that it is a TiVo audio bug I'm battling.


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

same here.... with some glitches repeatable in playback....

Not a good feeling for $800.


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## ehardman (Feb 18, 2004)

I hadn't experienced the audio dropout problem since about the time software version 8.0.1b installed. I was hoping that this was helping with the problem.

Last night, I was watching a previously recorded HD program while the Tivo was recording HD programming on both tuners. There were random audio dropouts of about 1-2 seconds. The dropouts were not nearly as severe as they used to be, but they were still annoying.

I can't help but wonder if the problem is related to an I/O bottleneck since the Tivo was working at maximum capacity at the time. This is beyond my ability to analyize, but I think it is worth noting.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

I'm affected also.

Is it related to not being able to handle the bandwidth of two recording streams and one playing stream? The problem happens on all sources (OTA HD, Cable HD, Cable Digital, Cable Analog), but I believe it happens more often with the higher bandwidth sources.

And for me it always recurs at the same spot after instant replay. So if it is an I/O problem, it happens during the record phase, not just playback.

The behaviour is always the same: audio loss for 2-3 seconds, followed by a second of video pixellation/breakup.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Well, as I noted in a different topic, I had this problem and made it go away using the same technique that I used to get the very same problem to go away when I was experiencing it on an EyeTV-500:

I stuck a DC/LF blocking filter onto the S3's cable inputs.

I'm fairly convinced that at least in my case, it's either some crazy DC coupling problem between the TiVo and all the other things I have connected to that amplified splitter, or perhaps some sort of grounding problem. The result is the same on both the S3 and the EyeTV-500, which is a 1-2 second audio dropout accompanied by a minor video pixellation/breakup, that happens every 90-180 seconds. Drives me nuts.

Were I superstitious (as if I don't already sound that way), I'd believe it's some ghost rubbing his feet on the carpet, static zapping my F-connector every couple of minutes.

But, in the case of both my S3 and my EyeTV-500s (actually, I experienced this on two EyeTVs), it was neither a case of the recording device having insufficient bandwidth to the disk, nor was it strictly speaking a cable feed/signal strength problem. It was instead some sensitivity to some environmental glitches in my cable/video/HT system.

(Where did I get these filters? Comcast, back when they were still MediaOne in my town used to put them on all the outlets that weren't connected to the cable modem, but Comcast has since removed them, so I have a bunch laying around. And yeah, my cable modem is on the same amplified splitter as the S3 and EyeTV-500s, so it might be a source of the noise.)

And I'm sorry I can't be much more help than that, because since I'm not an EE type, I really don't know what I'm talking about. It's just that when I had the problem with the EyeTV, I took a flier and screwed in one of those filters and the problem went away, so when it happened again with the S3, I tried the same solution and saw the same success.


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## Georgia Guy (Feb 21, 2003)

Got numerous audio dropouts last night watching an HD recording of Jericho. Every 30 seconds or so, audio would drop for about a second. I disconnected the optical to my receiver, and used straight rca audio connection to the television, and got the same results. Very annoying.

The WAF, which was previously somewhat strained when she asked me what the S3 cost, fell right through the floor. She was NOT happy with the screwed up audio. Me either.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

David Bolling said:


> I'm affected also.
> 
> Is it related to not being able to handle the bandwidth of two recording streams and one playing stream? *The problem happens on all sources * (OTA HD, Cable HD, Cable Digital, Cable Analog), but I believe it happens more often with the higher bandwidth sources.
> 
> ...


Ive never seen it on analog.... only digital SD and HD. For me.... The amount of time the audio is off is greater on digital SD than for HD. This may suggest it is a buffer getting lost. A given amount of SD data would represent more 'time' than the same amount of HD data.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Well, as I noted in a different topic, I had this problem and made it go away using the same technique that I used to get the very same problem to go away when I was experiencing it on an EyeTV-500:
> 
> I stuck a DC/LF blocking filter onto the S3's cable inputs.
> 
> ...


Are those blocking filters metal? Can you tell if the threads of the input are connected to the threads of the output? I ask to try and determine if they are blocking only the center conductor of the coax or whether they are totally isolating both center conductor and shield. I added a Power Inserter on my cable which would block any DC on the center conductor but NOT the shield and it didnt make any difference. I dont have a true isolator and they arent cheap... (30 bucks on ebay).


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

It's a metal barrel, about twice the diameter of the F connectors (female on one end, male on the other), and it looks for all the world to me (from memory, since I don't actually have one in my hand right now) that the shield is contiguous/unaffected, so I assume it's center conductor only. I can take another look when I get home tonight.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

Is this the DC blocker thing you're talking about?

http://www.hometech.com/video/atten.html#GC-DCBLOCK


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Nope. Like I said, twice the diameter of the F connectors.

And I could be wrong about the DC blocking part of it, but I'm pretty sure it filters anything under wherever channel 2 shows up.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

more like this, but as I say, I'm not 100% on the range that it filters.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

Are there any markings on yours that would allow us to look it up?


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

You know, last time someone asked me that, I couldn't find any, but now with my glasses on, the following pops right out:

TNB6-40P10/18


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> You know, last time someone asked me that, I couldn't find any, but now with my glasses on, the following pops right out:
> 
> TNB6-40P10/18


Looks like a 10-18Mhz trap.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

A 10-18 trap, or a 0-40 with a window at 10-18?


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## MJedi (Jun 17, 2002)

Georgia Guy said:


> Got numerous audio dropouts last night watching an HD recording of Jericho. Every 30 seconds or so, audio would drop for about a second. I disconnected the optical to my receiver, and used straight rca audio connection to the television, and got the same results. Very annoying.
> 
> The WAF, which was previously somewhat strained when she asked me what the S3 cost, fell right through the floor. She was NOT happy with the screwed up audio. Me either.


Wife and I were watching the recording of Grey's Anatomy in HD, and I counted 3 instances when the audio dropped for 1-3 seconds. I rewinded and there was still no audio in the same instances. Like your wife, mine was annoyed at that. I just kept quiet, and she didn't think to blame the TiVo. I currently have the S3 connected to the receiver with the optical cable, and I was going to try RCA, but your experience showed it won't make a difference. I tried setting the audio option in TiVo from Dolby Digital to Dolby to PCM, and that didn't fix it either. So it looks like the recording itself didn't have the audio.

However, I've watched 2 recorded shows from Discovery HD and there wasn't an audio drop in either of them. Is it just the local HD's?


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## Georgia Guy (Feb 21, 2003)

MJedi said:


> However, I've watched 2 recorded shows from Discovery HD and there wasn't an audio drop in either of them. Is it just the local HD's?


Since Comcast is taking almost 2 weeks before coming to plug in the cc's, I presently only have local, over the air HD. We watched 3 shows in HD last night, and only got minor dropouts (probably 5 times) during one show, ER. 
The rest played perfectly.

Good move, ignoring the problem and protecting the Tivo's reputation in your wife's eyes.......wish I had thought of that


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## FlippedBit (Dec 25, 2001)

I'm only getting the dropout about once every 3-4 hours. Bugs me that it is a TiVo problem but I can live with it. I don't have any splitters. The only thing between the S3 and the cable company drop is a grounded inline coupler that the cable company put in so that they could run a ground line to the power companies grounded meter box.

Also, I believe the DC Blocker is a just a coupler with a capacitor in series with the center conductor. This acts as a high pass filter. The smaller the capacitance, the lower the cutoff frequency.

A description I found for a gizmo similar to the one reported above is:

Item FILTER/TRAP, WINDOW 
Description 15-18 MHz, Return Path, Noise Suppression Use in/for: Aka: In... 
Model TNB6-40P15/18(N)(ABSS) 

This is more than just a high pass filter. I think a simple low pass filter would be best.

Has anybody else confirmed that an inline filter improved their dropout issues? I would have thought the the S3 would have filtering built in. Isn't a filter the first stage of a tuner? I don't know but it seems like a good tuner would deal with noise.


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## jasonpot (Sep 15, 2006)

I'm affected as well. Unmodded S3 with two cable cards from Cox. Component Video, Optical Audio. Occurs on the HD locals. Very annoying, sometimes unwatchable. Rewind and the audio drops are still there. Everytime the audio drops its accompanied by a moment of pixelation in the picture.


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## PatMcNJ (May 22, 2006)

I will call Tivo next week. Tonight, I really got a handle on the latest incident, becasue I was watching TV as it happened. I was watching TV, and when 10:00 came around, I had Tivo set to record both Law & Order and Numbers in high def. Well, sound immediately dropped on one tuner as both tuners tried to jump in at exactly 10:00 to record. Lost sound on the HD CBS channel, which seems to give me the most trouble (signal from NYC). The other tuner HAD sound on the HD NBC channel. I ALSO have my HD cable box still hooked up, with component inputs, and I could quickly verify that the CBS HD station WAS working with sound. My Tivo is set with HDMI. After 10 minutes, I could not get sound back, and I stopped the recording. STILL no sound on that tuner, until I changed stations, and then returned to CBS HD. THEN I had the sound, and hit record, and I was fine. 

I really think they will be able to fix this, as it seems to be software related to my inexperienced mind..... because the unit CAN record 2 high def stations..... I have had it drop out before when pulling up the guide, but the guide was not involved. I think I should try recording only one high def at a time, but that is ANNOYING, I spent alot of $$ to record in high def!


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

has anyone gotten any farther than Tivo opening a case?

I got them to admit my proble was isolated to the S3. They offerd the standard responses( reboot, check connections, switch off Dolby, etc), but in the end- said they'd research the issue further and put me on a priority list for a firmware fix.

:-(


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## raober (Sep 10, 2006)

I found a page with some low pass filters listed:

http://www.dbs-online.com/items.asp?FamilyID=227&this_Cat1ID=268&Cat2ID=44

Would one of these possibly work? I assume that the correct choice would depend on the bandwidth that your local cable company chooses.

This problem reeks of an imperfect signal somehow. I would get similar dropouts when trying to get a weak signal OTA. Still, it is strange that watching live TV via either cable or OTA does not cause these breakups, but watching a recorded digital stream does...at least for me.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

It would seem to me that you want a high pass filter, but that's just me.

Yeah, I agree that the problem (at least the one I had) reeks of an imperfect signal.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

toots said:


> Yeah, I agree that the problem (at least the one I had) reeks of an imperfect signal.


Except that my SA 8300 right next to the Tivo can record from the same channel flawlessly. Each are fed the signal from the same two-way splitter. Others who still have the cable DVR have also reported the same thing.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Except that the two devices are sensitive to different things.

As previously noted, I had EXACTLY the same problem with my EyeTV-500.

Why the EyeTV and the Series 3, and not the Moto cable box? WTF knows, but it does sort of suggest that since the EyeTV and Series 3 suffered the same problem, and since the solution that worked (for me) in both cases was electrical, it's probably not a software problem on the TiVo.

My feeling is that the cable boxes have better isolation on their cable inputs than do the S3 and the EyeTV-500.


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

toots said:


> Except that the two devices are sensitive to different things.
> 
> As previously noted, I had EXACTLY the same problem with my EyeTV-500.
> 
> ...


Yes- but I had none of these issues with any of my 3 S2's or my cable DVR's..... seems topoint to Tivo.


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## Kashisti1 (Oct 14, 2006)

I'm not an expert, but it seems to me one would want to use a high-pass filter to filter out any noise on the line. Low-pass filters are generally used for inserting local feeds on certain blocks of analog channels, aren't they?

Also, I think there are two separate issues here. I think there is one problem where bringing up the guide causes audio cutouts. I have that problem. Also, completely separately, I have problems where the audio cuts out and then the video pixelates for a few frames. I think these are two separate issues because I've never had the video pixelate after the sound cutout on the Guide operation. The video only pixelates when the Tivo is sitting there on its own.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Yeah, they're two separate issues. I've been talking about the latter; the one with audio dropouts while navigating the program guide, I just take as a given.

One doesn't see the issue on S2s largely because the S2 doesn't decode digital channels. And, the cable input design on an S2 could well be different from the S3's.

The fact that it happens on S3 TiVos AND EyeTV-500s suggests that it's probably not a software problem on the S3 TiVo, because no matter how badly the software is implemented on the TiVo, it cannot affect dropouts on an EyeTV-500.

And, since I was able to eliminate the problem with the S3 in the same way I eliminated it on the EyeTV-500, again, it's not looking like a software problem because in case I didn't mention it, I made the problem on my S3 go away without changing any software or software parameters.

As for high pass vs low pass - depends on where in the EM spectrum the noise is. If it's LF noise, you'd want a high pass filter.


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## JanS (Oct 18, 2004)

MJedi said:


> Wife and I were watching the recording of Grey's Anatomy in HD, and I counted 3 instances when the audio dropped for 1-3 seconds. I rewinded and there was still no audio in the same instances. Like your wife, mine was annoyed at that. I just kept quiet, and she didn't think to blame the TiVo. I currently have the S3 connected to the receiver with the optical cable, and I was going to try RCA, but your experience showed it won't make a difference. I tried setting the audio option in TiVo from Dolby Digital to Dolby to PCM, and that didn't fix it either. So it looks like the recording itself didn't have the audio.
> 
> However, I've watched 2 recorded shows from Discovery HD and there wasn't an audio drop in either of them. Is it just the local HD's?


 The boyfriend and I were watching something I think it was FX (analog 36?) and the audio dropped out and I held my breath and let it pass. He already thinks the S3 is too much trouble to bother with 

Cheers,
--jans


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## JanS (Oct 18, 2004)

But I'm also in general seeing audio drops out without being in the Guide. I notice them mostly on HD locals IIRC. Most of the time they are brief and I dont' go fiddling since we're usually in the middle of watching something and while I don't mind playing and seeing if I can isolate something, my bf would rather watch what we're watching.

I'm going to start paying more attention and take notes as well.  

I did see the case where most of a recording had no audio. It started out with audio and once it dropped out it stayed out. And I did rewind in the recording and it was still missing. 

I have the TiVo using HDMI directly to my HDTV, i.e. no amp, receiver, etc. in the path...

I also notice that there has been more audio dropouts of late then in the first coupla of weeks or so..

Cheers,
--jans


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## tome9999 (Oct 17, 2006)

I am joining the audio drop out club. Just got my series3 carded today and recorded some shows and tivo suggestions kicked in and recorded some shows.

Was watching an old X-Files show and twice during the show audio stopped and the picture pixelated (well, not really pixelated, but big blocks appeared) lasted about 3-5 seconds and then back to normal. It was in the recording.

I wasn't watching anything while that show was recorded but I am not sure if it was recording one or two programs at that time.

It was also recorded on my series1 with no audio drop out so I am sure it is a Tivo series3 issue. It isn't a cable signal strength or broadcast issue in my case or I would have seen it on the series1.

-Tom


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

toots said:


> The fact that it happens on S3 TiVos AND EyeTV-500s suggests that it's probably not a software problem on the S3 TiVo, .


Have you tested your eyetv and S3 and seen dropouts at the exact same moment?

Furthermore- if the S3 is *SO* sensitive to signal issues- this should have been built-in..... those eyetvs are cheap- but for the premium price you pay for S3- the quality should be better.


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## tome9999 (Oct 17, 2006)

BTW, my cablecard firmware is version 4.05 on both cards. I don't know if that would have anything to do with it but it might be an interesting thing to check. 

Can others who have audio dropouts post their CC firmware - or confirm that you have something other then 4.05?

-Tom


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

tome9999 said:


> BTW, my cablecard firmware is version 4.05 on both cards. I don't know if that would have anything to do with it but it might be an interesting thing to check.
> 
> Can others who have audio dropouts post their CC firmware - or confirm that you have something other then 4.05?
> 
> -Tom


I have the problem on SA cablecards.... I dont think this is a cablecard issue. Also have the problem on unencrypted channels which the cablecards arent involved in.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

lowepg said:


> Furthermore- if the S3 is *SO* sensitive to signal issues- this should have been built-in..... those eyetvs are cheap- but for the premium price you pay for S3- the quality should be better.


That's a sentiment I'd sure as heck agree with. And, most of the point of my posting is simply to point out that it (the non-guide related audio dropouts) is probably NOT going to be solved by software, which means we're doubly screwed.

But, as for having the EyeTV and TiVo demonstrate the same dropouts at the same time: Don't need to. I have problem "A" with the EyeTV and deploy solution "B", and the problem goes away. I see problem "A" re-appear, this time on the S3, and again deploy solution "B", and again, the problem goes away.

Right now, I'm not feeling very highly motivated to re-introduce the problem, even for testing purposes.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

For the people experiencing the audio dropout/pixelation problem AND who are using splitters, are you using "DC pass thru" filters? 

Unless I'm mistaken, normal splitters block DC signals, so I'm wondering if the "DC/LP blocking filter" works because of the low pass filter rather than the DC blocking.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

I've got my S3 behind an amplified splitter that passes DC both directions. (It's supposed to be DC-1GHz). I think it may be the cause of my noise problems that have plagued my S3 and EyeTV, both of which experience the periodic (period = 90-240 seconds) 1-2 second audio dropout with slight pixelation on screen. I have solved both issues with filters that I'm pretty sure are blocking DC. I'm also pretty sure it's a high pass filter. (Why? Because if it was filtering HF, I'd expect to see some of my digital channels to quit working, somewhere around Showtime HD and TNT-HD. I know these stations in particular, because they're the highest frequencies I regularly watch - as verified by the service menu on my Motorola cable boxes - and they're usually the first to go when the HF starts rolling off.)

In general, I'd say that a low pass filter, which implies some HF blockage, would be a disaster on the Comcast cable system I subscribe to, given that they're extended clean out to at least the upper 700 MHz range, and probably higher.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

So does the "LP" in "DC/LP blocking filter" mean it's blocking low frequencies?

Just curious. I'm more inclined to see if my surge protector with coax connections solves or reduces the problem (someone mentioned this fixed it and then said it only reduced the number of occurrences). If that doesn't work, I may try to get one of these blocking filters to see if it helps.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

TexasAg said:


> So does the "LP" in "DC/LP blocking filter" mean it's blocking low frequencies?
> 
> Just curious. I'm more inclined to see if my surge protector with coax connections solves or reduces the problem (someone mentioned this fixed it and then said it only reduced the number of occurrences). If that doesn't work, I may try to get one of these blocking filters to see if it helps.


I added a DC Block to my S3 setup and it made NO improvements in the dropouts.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

TexasAg said:


> So does the "LP" in "DC/LP blocking filter" mean it's blocking low frequencies?
> 
> Just curious. I'm more inclined to see if my surge protector with coax connections solves or reduces the problem (someone mentioned this fixed it and then said it only reduced the number of occurrences). If that doesn't work, I may try to get one of these blocking filters to see if it helps.


Im going to guess... but the filter may block 6-40Mhz but have a pass window between 10 and 18Mhz. The 6-40Mhz window is the 'return path' window for cable TV. That would make this a high pass filter relative to current cable systems which go up into the 800Mhz range. 5-42Mhz is the range where cable modems and 2way cable boxes 'talk back' to the cableco. Older cable systems may have done something different in this frequency range.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

SCSIRAID said:


> Im going to guess... but the filter may block 6-40Mhz but have a pass window between 10 and 18Mhz. The 6-40Mhz window is the 'return path' window for cable TV. That would make this a high pass filter relative to current cable systems which go up into the 800Mhz range. 5-42Mhz is the range where cable modems and 2way cable boxes 'talk back' to the cableco. Older cable systems may have done something different in this frequency range.


Did some more digging and if you look at the nomenclature of similar filters...

http://www.ppc-online.com/products/trap_line/CBR.php

The 10/18 may be channel numbers instead of frequencies....

Toots, with this filter installed... can you tune channels 10-18? Are they analog or digital on your system?


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Well, with the CC installed, everything's digital, so it flat doesn't tune any analog channels.

On the S2 TiVos and regular TV: no problem tuning analog channels 10-18 (with 14-18 being cable analog channels 14-18, which "in real life" are frequencies between channels 6 and 7).

Anyway, so much for the DC blocking idea.

SIGH.

Don't know what magic there is about the filters I'm using, nor can I say with 100% certainty that the dropouts I'm getting are for the same reason as the dropouts others are getting.

I will say that if I put the cable modem behind one of those filters, it appears to be able to receive (the receive light blinks), but it never establishes connection, indicating to me that whatever it's sending is getting filtered.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Well, with the CC installed, everything's digital, so it flat doesn't tune any analog channels.
> 
> On the S2 TiVos and regular TV: no problem tuning analog channels 10-18 (with 14-18 being cable analog channels 14-18, which "in real life" are frequencies between channels 6 and 7).
> 
> ...


Well.... that seems to support that its really Mhz instead of channel since if you filter 6-40 Mhz then the cable modem sure isnt gonna work....

Ive sent PPC an info request to see if they have any info on those filters.

Got any more of those filters? Ill volunteer to test one and see what it does with my S3.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Well, with the CC installed, everything's digital, so it flat doesn't tune any analog channels.
> 
> On the S2 TiVos and regular TV: no problem tuning analog channels 10-18 (with 14-18 being cable analog channels 14-18, which "in real life" are frequencies between channels 6 and 7).
> 
> ...


Also... in my area... 6-18 IS analog even with cablecards. &^*@#$^ TWC.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

Just trying to narrow down a cause here. Do the people having this issue use cable modems? Could it be interference from the cable modem (any correlation between the drop-outs/breakups and when you are web surfing)?

I have Fios service, so I don't use a cable modem. But I'm not sure how the cable signal is handled in the box that interfaces with the fiber optic line, so I can't rule out interference on mine.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

It also happens with OTA HD, so no cable or cable modem involved there.


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## Kashisti1 (Oct 14, 2006)

Just to clarify for everyone, a low-pass filter lets frequencies (or channels, really, with a low-pass filter) below a certain level pass through and filters the rest out. A high-pass filter lets frequencies over a certain range pass through and filters the rest out. I'm fairly certain this is the type of filter that would make a difference. The filters would keep any feedback from any uploading source (such as a cable modem or a FIOS modem) off the line going to the Tivo. I don't think the DC blocking would have much to do with it. So, if I'm correct, my guess is that there is feedback in the line caused by some device that is 2-way, such as a cable modem, that causes interference on the Tivo. I think the problem is 2-fold...there is a problem with the signal coming in, possibly from another device on the coax chain, and also the Tivo is having a hard time dealing with that signal. If someone doesn't want to invest in a high-pass filter, I suppose one could also try turning off the power to any source of possible interference, like a cable modem, that's on the chain. 

Has anyone else tried using a high-pass filter between the coax cable line and the inputs on the Tivo?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

Are all of you reporting these audio dropouts using HDMI for sound? If you hook up the stereo outputs to TV/receiver are the droupouts there as well? It could possibly be an HDMI-related problem which is why I ask. With stereo outputs I do get droupouts occasionally while browsing the grid guide, but have not had dropouts otherwise.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

I'm using the digital audio connection (optical, I think) from the S3 to my receiver.

And no, I'm not using a low pass filter, 'cause I'd lose channels if I did. I'm using whatever that high pass filter I listed earlier on the coax cable input (which is to say that it's screwed into the "cable in" F connector, and the cable is in turn screwed into it). If it were indeed a low pass filter, I'd be in here complaining that I can no longer get Showtime HD and a bunch of others.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

moyekj said:


> Are all of you reporting these audio dropouts using HDMI for sound? If you hook up the stereo outputs to TV/receiver are the droupouts there as well? It could possibly be an HDMI-related problem which is why I ask. With stereo outputs I do get droupouts occasionally while browsing the grid guide, but have not had dropouts otherwise.


My dropouts occur via either connection... optical to HT Receiver AND HDMI to TV.


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## Kashisti1 (Oct 14, 2006)

I'm using HDMI connected to the TV, but I also get dropouts with the optical cable. Personally, I'm not too bothered by the audio dropouts...I can live with those, though they are annoying. I'm very concerned by the video dropouts and the blockiness and dropped frames. The problem is showing up on live content, as well as recorded content, and as near as I can tell, the "blockiness" looks exactly the same when I replay the content. My guess is that it's an issue with a less than perfect signal combined with the Tivo being unable to handle that less than perfect signal.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

SCSIRAID said:


> Im going to guess... but the filter may block 6-40Mhz but have a pass window between 10 and 18Mhz. The 6-40Mhz window is the 'return path' window for cable TV. That would make this a high pass filter relative to current cable systems which go up into the 800Mhz range. 5-42Mhz is the range where cable modems and 2way cable boxes 'talk back' to the cableco. Older cable systems may have done something different in this frequency range.


OK... Here is the story on Toots' filter....

It is a 6 pole 0-40Mhz band reject filter with a passband notch between 10 and 18Mhz.

This means that it passes everything EXCEPT 0-10Mhz and 18-40Mhz. This filter effective cleans up what the cableco's call the 'return path'. One of the guys in the other forum referred to the return path as the 'sewer'. If the Tivo tuner is sensitive to low frequency stuff then this filter may help. However, most amps dont apply gain to these frequencies and splitters have relatively high isolation numbers so Im still puzzled as to why this works for toots. The cableco's use these filters to protect them from us... not the other way around.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

I'm trying to get my hands on one of those "digital cable filters." I think I can get one for a couple bucks. These are the things that allegedly let you steal PPV movies from normal STBs by filtering out the signal sent from the STBs to the cable system when you order stuff. They claim to be high pass filters that filter everything below 54MHZ (or 40MHZ or whatever depending on which one you get). 

I think they operate by letting everything in and blocking 0-54MHz going out, so I think I'd need to turn it around and let everything out (which is nothing since the Tivo isn't 2-way) and block 0-54MHz coming in. If I can get one, I'll test it out and see if somehow the Tivo is picking up signals in this range.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Thanks for clearing that up, SCSI. 'splains what it does, but doesn't 'splain why it works for me, no.

Color me distinctly puzzled.

And yeah, the "protect them from us" line is exactly how the comcast tech 'splained it to me.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Thanks for clearing that up, SCSI. 'splains what it does, but doesn't 'splain why it works for me, no.
> 
> Color me distinctly puzzled.
> 
> And yeah, the "protect them from us" line is exactly how the comcast tech 'splained it to me.


Here is the spec for the updated version of that trap...


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Ive ordered some High Pass filters. Unfortunately they come in 25 packs but fortunately they are cheap.

http://www.ppc-online.com/products/trap_line/ingress/SHP.php

I'll have 24 extra so if anybody wants one... PM me. Cover cost and shipping.

More lots of 25 are avaliable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=190035927276&rd=1&rd=1

If there are ***** in the url... replace with ebay dot com as forum filters it out.


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## raober (Sep 10, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> Ive ordered some High Pass filters. Unfortunately they come in 25 packs but fortunately they are cheap.
> 
> http://www.ppc-online.com/products/trap_line/ingress/SHP.php
> 
> ...


Cool! Please report back when you receive one. I'll be one of the first in line if it works...


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## gavilon (Sep 21, 2006)

Filters, shmilters. I'm using a straight through connection here. Coaxial cable to S3 (w/2 cable cards), S3 to TV via HDMI and the dropouts are getting more frequent and longer in duration on both HD and non-HD channels. 

What's Tivo doing about it? I read earlier in this chain that they were hoping for a fix in two weeks from Oct 2. It's now 2 weeks and nothing do I hear from the Tivo team.

I had a dream last night (in HD) that Tivo had a section on their site listing known bugs, what they were doing about them, possible workarounds and projected dates for fixes. Oh well, it was just a dream.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

gavilon said:


> Filters, shmilters. I'm using a straight through connection here. Coaxial cable to S3 (w/2 cable cards), S3 to TV via HDMI and the dropouts are getting more frequent and longer in duration on both HD and non-HD channels.
> 
> What's Tivo doing about it? I read earlier in this chain that they were hoping for a fix in two weeks from Oct 2. It's now 2 weeks and nothing do I hear from the Tivo team.
> 
> I had a dream last night (in HD) that Tivo had a section on their site listing known bugs, what they were doing about them, possible workarounds and projected dates for fixes. Oh well, it was just a dream.


And I believe your 'known bugs and status' webpage is a reasonable expectation. If they arent working on the 'big ones' with reasonable targets for solutions (dropouts, black screen, partial recordings) then they should let us know that fact so we can make reasonable decisions on whether or not we keep the box. All we have today are 'hope' that fixes will come.


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## 2farrell (Jul 12, 2002)

One thing I have noticed when the Audio cuts out when going through the guide is the Video freezes for a fraction of a second.
It's very hard to see but if you look carefully you notice it especially on busy moving images.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Just to be clear, just about anything I've had to say about audio dropouts do not apply to the dropouts while in the guide.

The guide problem is a problem, but it's minor compared to the dropouts you get while actually trying to watch the show.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Just to be clear, just about anything I've had to say about audio dropouts do not apply to the dropouts while in the guide.
> 
> The guide problem is a problem, but it's minor compared to the dropouts you get while actually trying to watch the show.


Me too....


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## Kashisti1 (Oct 14, 2006)

And I agree with others on this thread that it doesn't appear to be a CableCard issue. That being said, however, I used my S3 for 2.5 weeks before Cox could come out and install my Cards. I did not have the audio/video problem a single time in those 2.5 weeks. And I know it's not a matter of me not receiving digital channels during that time period because (A) I could view unencrypted QAM HD channels w/o issue, and (B) now that I have my Cards, the problem occurs as often on analog channels as it does on digital channels. I'm wondering if that points to a processor/workload problem. I can only assume the S3 needs to work harder with two CableCards in than it does getting analog cable only. In other news, I got the dreaded, endless "CableCard Firmware Upgrade" message, so I'm getting new cards installed today at 3:00. If by some freak chance it makes a difference, I'll post as much.


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## funshop (Oct 28, 2006)

Not sure if this has been posted already: regarding the sound dropouts followed by screen pixelation (for me on some HD channels), I was able to take steps to temporarily stop it!

When I see the pixelation and sound drop, I go to the settings are and select the channel option to check the cable signal level. After S3 asks me if it's OK to stop live tv recording, the cable signal strength screen comes up. That causes the pixelation to stop and all looks good. When I return to live TV, no pixelation or sound drops happen.

I'm not sure what this proves, but I think it is the S3. Getting it replaced this week.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

SCSIRAID said:


> Ive ordered some High Pass filters.


Have you received them yet?
Did they fix your problems?


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

David Bolling said:


> Have you received them yet?
> Did they fix your problems?


Got 'em yesterday. They are installed and I should know something tonight when I check recordings. I have shipped the ones that folks asked for including yours. My wife is dropping them at the post office this morning.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

funshop said:


> Not sure if this has been posted already: regarding the sound dropouts followed by screen pixelation (for me on some HD channels), I was able to take steps to temporarily stop it!
> 
> When I see the pixelation and sound drop, I go to the settings are and select the channel option to check the cable signal level. After S3 asks me if it's OK to stop live tv recording, the cable signal strength screen comes up. That causes the pixelation to stop and all looks good. When I return to live TV, no pixelation or sound drops happen.
> 
> I'm not sure what this proves, but I think it is the S3. Getting it replaced this week.


Well, that's pretty interesting.

One wonders if it's a matter of the tuner being unable to stay locked on the channel. Wonder if TiVo's able to collect any sort of diagnostics on this sort of thing...


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

David Bolling said:


> Have you received them yet?
> Did they fix your problems?


Well... Sadly, the High Pass filters had no effect on the dropouts followed by pixelations.

Bummer....

I guess I should put the remaining 20 filters in the trick or treat bowl.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

crap.

sorry.


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## rodalpho (Sep 12, 2006)

I really wish tivo would step up and make a statement about this. It would be great to hear "we're aware of the problem and are working on it".


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

rodalpho said:


> I really wish tivo would step up and make a statement about this. It would be great to hear "we're aware of the problem and are working on it".


ditto.


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

funshop said:


> Not sure if this has been posted already: regarding the sound dropouts followed by screen pixelation (for me on some HD channels), I was able to take steps to temporarily stop it!
> 
> When I see the pixelation and sound drop, I go to the settings are and select the channel option to check the cable signal level. After S3 asks me if it's OK to stop live tv recording, the cable signal strength screen comes up. That causes the pixelation to stop and all looks good. When I return to live TV, no pixelation or sound drops happen.
> 
> I'm not sure what this proves, but I think it is the S3. Getting it replaced this week.


Any luck with the new S3?


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## Kashisti1 (Oct 14, 2006)

I finally had Cox come out again...they replaced both of my CableCards. They also, however, replaced my Radio Shack powered splitter w/4 outputs with a split at the wall leading to the cable modem and an isolating amp for the TV signal only. Dropouts still occur for me, but much less often.


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## Bodie (Mar 12, 2003)

I noticed some today and haven't even installed cable or cards yet, so it was on an OTA only box. Changing channels to dump the buffer didn't correct it, but I didn't dump both buffers since the wife thought that was more of an interruption than the dropouts.


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## tivochiguy (Feb 16, 2004)

I noticed my first cut out last night after having my Tivo for a week. I never had cut outs before the Series 3. For what that's worth...


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## Photovore (Jun 22, 2005)

Same with me...Had the S3 for 2 weeks and last night watching recordings, experienced several drop-outs. This is the first time. Didn't happen before with the older software? No cable cards. straight through coax and no splitters.


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## damonnoah (Aug 19, 2003)

Hi everyone,

I'm starting to have the audio drop out for several seconds at a time and terrible video pixelation. In fact, I recorded studio 60 the other night and a good 5-7 minutes was terrible both video and audio issues. I called TIVO and they had me switch my Audio to Dobly PCM and said to watch and see if the problem continues. the lady kept telling me the the cause of the problem are my cable cards but i have a hard time believing that since the problem doesn't exist while watching Live TV or at least I haven't seen the issue. She told me to continue watching and see if the problem persists and to call back.

She said this is the first she's heard of the problem but i have a hard time believing that as well and blaming the cable cards seems a bit like passing the buck to me.

Damon


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## JimPa (Oct 25, 2006)

Count me in on the audio dropouts too.


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## Brad Smith (Nov 5, 2006)

Count me in on audio dropouts, too. I've noticed the menu bugs, and also a brief freeze of picture + audio dropout + pixelation. Happens about once every 15 minutes via cable or OTA.


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## tivochiguy (Feb 16, 2004)

I'm on my 6th drop out. Audio drops for about 2 seconds.


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## JimPa (Oct 25, 2006)

JimPa said:


> Count me in on the audio dropouts too.


Well, extended audio dropouts have left.

I still have a Motorola 6412p3 and found a very rare audio dropout on it too. May be that its a signal problem moreso than having been a S3 problem.


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## PatMcNJ (May 22, 2006)

The audio dropouts that bothered me _seemed _ to be triggered by the Tivo being set to record two HD non premium stations beginning at the same exact time. These would hit one tuner, usually the CBS-HD station for some reason. I only was able to get sound back on that tuner by stopping recording, changing stations and going into of out of Tivo menus (frantically since I wanted it to record that CBS program). Sometimes it would take 5 minutes to get it back. Now, it does not happen EVERY time 2 programs are set to begin at the same time. And after getting the tuner sound back, I could hit "record" again and it was ok recording the 2 stations at once in high def.

My options seemed to be, recording one program in non hi def. NO, I paid good $$ not to do that, so I now have one program begin one minute early. So far so good. If does not happen more than 1-2 a week, so it will take time to see if this cured my Tivo.

Of course I have the very short dropouts while using the program guide, that seems minor compared to the longer dropouts. Despite this, I LOVE this Series 3, I am so happy to be back to using Tivo again (got plasma in July)for live and recorded high def TV.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

tivochiguy said:


> I'm on my 6th drop out. Audio drops for about 2 seconds.


Ive had about 6... thousand... Virtually every digital channel recording has at least 1 dropout and many cases quite a bit more. The SD ones are the worst as they last much longer.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Yeah, six sounds rather tame.

FWIW, on my cable system (Comcast, southern New Hampshire), I tend to get audio dropouts near the end of the hour on both CBS and NBC. Not on the series 3, but on everything. It's so frigging predictable that just as we're about to wrap up who done it or what disease of the week it is, I get a 1-2 second audio dropout.

When I talked about them on the S3, I was referring to the variety that happen every couple of minutes and only on the S3 and EyeTV.

Then again, I think we've firmly established that I officially don't know what I'm talking about on the topic, so take everything I say with a grain.


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## mgaulin (Nov 9, 2006)

Kashisti1 said:


> ... they replaced both of my CableCards ... and also replaced my Radio Shack powered splitter w/4 outputs with a split at the wall leading to the cable modem and an isolating amp for the TV signal only. Dropouts still occur for me, but much less often.


Hmm, that's interesting. My coax cable is split like crazy, so maybe an isolating amp would help me with the same problem.

It's too bad (sort of) that they replaced both things at once... now we don't know which one helped.


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## Brad Smith (Nov 5, 2006)

I have Time Warner Cable in Lincoln, NE, and I'm experiencing what is perhaps the most annoying examples of the audio dropouts right now. Both tuners are active and recording. Tuner 1 is recording channel 107 (KETV DT) for the Nebraska football game, the other tuner is recording channel 117 (ESPN HD) for the Michigan game. While watching the Nebraska game, I get an audio drop every 10-15 seconds. Switching over to my TV's tuner (also cablecard), I don't experience any dropouts. If these audio dropouts continue, I will have to return the TiVo. It's just unacceptable for a device of this cost to have issues doing what it is designed to do: record television.


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## calitivo (Dec 6, 2002)

Count me in. No problems for 1 month and now they are occurring. Every 30 seconds or so, but only only a select number of channels. Cmon Tivo, fix this.


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## Derow (May 20, 2005)

Brief (but numerous) audio cut outs and video pixelation for me as well.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

I have this problem, too.


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## gr0m1t (Apr 8, 2003)

i had not had this problem when i was connecting to an old sd tv using composite (yes, it's that old) for video and optical for audio. i've had it set up that way for about 3 weeks or so.

but i just got a sony xbr2 yesterday and saw this behavior (the momentary audio cut out followed by brief pixelation) connecting with hdmi for video and still using optical for audio.

just making an observation. many of the issues i've read about i had not seen until i actually hooked it up to an hdtv. don't know if it's the difference in the tvs, the connections, or just a coincidence.


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## lowepg (Sep 21, 2005)

latest from Tivo:

Yes, its a known problem
No, they dont have a fix
Yes, there is a software update coming soon
yes, they will replace my tivo if I dont want to "wait and see"


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

Based on gr0m1t's post, does anybody suffering the cutout problems have the S3 connected by component cables, or is everyone using HDMI?

I am using HDMi and have the occasional cutouts, but it's not easy for me to gain access to the back of my TV to hook up component cables. Just wondering if the component cables might eliminate the problem before I try it.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Component.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

OK, so how's this for weird. I was having the audio cutout/pixelation on 2 channels last night (both of the HD channels that I watch local news on).

I waited a little while and it didn't get better. For whatever reason, I went in and told the S3 to call in, and it started its pretty lengthy call process. I think it was downloading new guide data or something, since it took a little while. 

Anyway, while it was doing that, I returned to live TV and the cutouts had stopped. 

Not sure if it is related. I'll wait and see if I have a channel doing it pretty regularly again and then initiate a call-in to see if it helps.


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## MadScience (Dec 31, 2003)

I just decided to browse the forums today to see if I was the only one having random audio drop-outs in recorded shows ... AND sporadic video pixelation. Misery loves company, I guess. Glad I'm not having this issue all alone. (I feel like hugging somebody.)

Hope the update to fix this comes soon. Otherwise a call for a replacement might be in order.


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## rodalpho (Sep 12, 2006)

Replacement won't help, unless you mean replacing it with a sa8300hd. _Everybody_ has this problem.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

Well, I finally figured out that "Tuner 0" has been causing my problems. Everything on "Tuner 1" works fine, including local HD channels. On "Tuner 0", when on a local HD channel, the diagnostic screen shows the signal strength jumping from the 70s to the 90s and occassionally losing signal lock. It's not the CableCard since I've swapped the cards and the problem stays with "Tuner 0."


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## Sy- (Sep 29, 2005)

Has there been any progress on this issue of audio dropouts? I was watching Heroes and Studio 60 last night and had many pixelation/audio dropouts. I was thinking that perhaps it may be a hard drive issue as I have replaced my hard drive with a 500 gig WD with Acoustic Management turned on. The acoustic management supposedly drops the hard drive performance a bit, not enough to affect the performance of the S3 (atleast I thought).

Also last night while watching Studio 60 I turned on the QAM tuner on on the TV and watched the same HD feed as it was piped directly to my tv. A couple of times I was able to notice very very slight pixelation but the audio was unaffected. When I turned back to the tivo input and rewound to that same spot in the broadcast I would get the 2 second audio dropout and severe pixelation on the S3 (100x worse that what I was able to see on the qam feed direct to my tv). 

What does this mean? I dunno! But I sure hope they fix it soon!!!


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Sy- said:


> Has there been any progress on this issue of audio dropouts? I was watching Heroes and Studio 60 last night and had many pixelation/audio dropouts. I was thinking that perhaps it may be a hard drive issue as I have replaced my hard drive with a 500 gig WD with Acoustic Management turned on. The acoustic management supposedly drops the hard drive performance a bit, not enough to affect the performance of the S3 (atleast I thought).
> 
> Also last night while watching Studio 60 I turned on the QAM tuner on on the TV and watched the same HD feed as it was piped directly to my tv. A couple of times I was able to notice very very slight pixelation but the audio was unaffected. When I turned back to the tivo input and rewound to that same spot in the broadcast I would get the 2 second audio dropout and severe pixelation on the S3 (100x worse that what I was able to see on the qam feed direct to my tv).
> 
> What does this mean? I dunno! But I sure hope they fix it soon!!!


One thing I did was to install a UHF antenna in the attic and reset the Tivo to use both cable and OTA. I moved my Network HD season passes from QAM/Cable to ATSC/OTA sources. With very limited watching so far it appears that where I used to get several breakups per show on QAM sourced recordings, I got zero on the ATSC/OTA sourced recordings.... Again... this is with limited viewing insufficient for any conclusions. I will continue to watch closely and report back what i see. Recordings of encrypted HD and SD sourced from QAM continue to have the dropouts... This seems to be pointing (at least so far) towards QAM as the 'issue'. Whether its SW or HW is not clear but I must say im starting to be concerned that its a HW issue.

I too sure hope they fix it or at least tell us what is going on soon!!!! The silence from Tivo on these widespread issues is really annoying.


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## pmiranda (Feb 12, 2003)

FYI, Some audio dropouts people see are not TiVo's fault... Here's a thread will many tales of dropouts on other boxes as well. If you have the means of telling if the dropouts are seen on other devices as well, that would be helpful for figuring them out...
Austin HD thread at AVSforums


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

I've recorded the same show with my Comcast DVR fed with the same signal as is going to the Tivo. The Comcast DVR has never given me these dropouts, while my Tivo does at least once for half or more of my recordings.


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## raober (Sep 10, 2006)

From what I can tell, my problem simply stopped. My local NBC and CBS affiliates were the most at fault for sound probs/pixelations, but everything I've recorded on these channels over the last few weeks has been nearly perfect...only one very brief audio hiccup at most. I even occasionally record two HD shows at once with no problems.

People on the AVS forums were complaining about poor quality on the CBS HD channel in particular around here. Maybe our Suddenlink office finally cleaned up the signal or something?

I'm still convinced that all these problems are caused by imperfections in the signal that the Series 3 tuners are way too sensitive to. Can that be fixed by a software update? I don't know.

Oh, and things still aren't perfect...still missing analog channels 45-51 on one tuner occasionally...


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

wdave said:


> I've recorded the same show with my Comcast DVR fed with the same signal as is going to the Tivo. The Comcast DVR has never given me these dropouts, while my Tivo does at least once for half or more of my recordings.


My experience is exactly the same as wdave's...

My experience is that any program sourced from QAM is likely to have these dropouts... wdave.. does yours mirror that?


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Just how sensitized I am to this:

Watching a cable channel this morning while getting dressed, etc, and I had multiple audio dropouts. Since I was otherwise occupied, didn't notice whether there was any picture breakup.

So, I says to myself, "Gulp. It's starting again." I mean I haven't had this problem since the first week when I implemented that fix that doesn't work for anyone else, and since it doesn't work for anyone else, I've been half expecting the problem to come back at any time.

Then, I noticed that the picture also looked pretty soft. Sure enough, the dropouts were happening on an older S2 TiVo, no cable box, analog feed.

Hey, sometimes a dropout's just a dropout. Which makes this specific problem even nastier to chase.


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## Jerry_K (Feb 7, 2002)

No audio dropouts on Live TV or Recordings. I do get the stutter on guide browsing, but usually don't care what is in the background. 

OTA only.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Jerry_K said:


> No audio dropouts on Live TV or Recordings. I do get the stutter on guide browsing, but usually don't care what is in the background.
> 
> OTA only.


I switched local HD's from QAM over cable to OTA via an antenna in the attic. My dropouts on those channels stopped when I did that. The rest of the QAM stuff that I record (both HD and SD) still exhibit the dropouts... so based on my experience... if you are OTA.. you are 'immune'. Im really hoping this is a SW problem but Im a bit worried that it might be a HW issue with the QAM tuners. I anxiously await the 'November' FW update....

Hey toots.... ya want a filter??? Ive got a bunch!


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Sigh.

I'm really sorry about that, but I did think it would help.

I wuz wrong.

I'm REALLY sorry about that.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> Sigh.
> 
> I'm really sorry about that, but I did think it would help.
> 
> ...


No Worries!!! Just pullin' your leg. The filters were cheap!!! If it had worked.. we would have been heros!


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## JimPa (Oct 25, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> ...snip... Im really hoping this is a SW problem but Im a bit worried that it might be a HW issue with the QAM tuners. I anxiously await the 'November' FW update....


Which November?


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

JimPa said:


> Which November?


Thats why I put it in quotes  . I did call Tivo today to check in on my open service case for this issue. They indicated that they believe that it is a firmware issue and that the upcoming firmware update will fix it. If it doesnt, they will give me a new Tivo. He told me that the FW update was in test and should be deployed in 2-3 weeks but that seems to be the 'standard' answer. ALso said that the new FW will add WPA support and Live Event padding in addition to the Recently Deleted folder.


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## funshop (Oct 28, 2006)

The new S3 worked well for a couple of weeks....then the pixelation problem came back. I called Tivo again today and they are betting the new software upgrade will fix this problem. Let's hope!


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## PhantomDilbert (Nov 6, 2005)

Did not notice this before, but now am getting similar symptoms on ESPN HD. I swear every 10-20 seconds. Very irritating. So I browsed through some of it, is it a function of the TiVo or digital signal or not determined?


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## Sy- (Sep 29, 2005)

funshop said:


> The new S3 worked well for a couple of weeks....then the pixelation problem came back. I called Tivo again today and they are betting the new software upgrade will fix this problem. Let's hope!


_*They*_ said that there is a new software fix that will fix this problem? Yay... I hope they don't sit on it too long. I can't stand watching NBC in HD.


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## sxrxrnr (Nov 11, 2004)

I fought this battle with Direct TV for over a year with a pair of HD 250 receivers. Was told continuosly that was my wiring, my dish, trees blocking the signal, and all other BS. I have 4 other non HD Tivo's that never had the problem. However Direct Tv HD receivers were running software that was several releases back from what was on their SD units(yes, I know). About 4 months ago the HD 250's were upgraded to about the same software release level as was on the SD units. No more problems and the slow doggy HD units were now as responsive as the SD units. Miracle, I guess my trees moved by themselves.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Sy- said:


> _*They*_ said that there is a new software fix that will fix this problem? Yay... I hope they don't sit on it too long. I can't stand watching NBC in HD.


Agree totally.... Its a really annoying problem. For me.. its effect on the 480i digital channels is even worse than the QAM HD's. The magnitude of the dropout is longer and you lose more audio. I record a lot from The Military Channel and The Science Channel and they are a real challenge to watch. Standard analog and OTA HD is just fine though... Switching to the OTA antenna for HD locals improved my sanity quite a bit.

And yes... they told me that they expected the FW update to fix the problem. I remain skepticial but open minded. At least they have said if it doesnt fix it they will give me a new unit.


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## JimPa (Oct 25, 2006)

My limited experience is that audio dropouts and pixelation are symptoms of the same problem. What I have experienced is that with too high a signal, you start having audio dropouts and as it gets worst, you start getting the pixelation. It also varies with which channels are involved depending on something the cable company does to the box near the street. A cable tech once explained to me that by changing something at the box, it'll make some channels better and other channels worst.... a balancing act.


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

JimPa said:


> My limited experience is that audio dropouts and pixelation are symptoms of the same problem. What I have experienced is that with too high a signal, you start having audio dropouts and as it gets worst, you start getting the pixelation. It also varies with which channels are involved depending on something the cable company does to the box near the street. A cable tech once explained to me that by changing something at the box, it'll make some channels better and other channels worst.... a balancing act.


My dropouts occur only on local HD stations through the CableCards, even with 9db of attenuation on the cable coax line (I have Fios and needed the 9db since the signal strength is very high). It happens even with the attenuation, and the signal strength is not too high once I added the attenuators.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Tivo called me this evening to get some additional information on my open case with this issue. I went thru the whole drill of what I had tried and the results. They wanted to insure that the problem was what they thought it was. Based on our discussion, the rep was confident that the issue I (and some of you) are seeing is fixed in 8.1. He went further to explain that its not really a dropout in signal but in fact an MPEG stream decoding issue. He said further that they had found quite a few idiosynchricies with mpeg provided by cablecos digital channels. One specific example was the strange FF actions seen by FIOS customers.

I dug a bit and was told that 8.1 is close to ready. Based on reading between the lines, I also think there are gonna be some disappointed folks with what is NOT in 8.1. 

So overall... looks like good news. Rep was also a nice guy and we had a nice conversation. Thanks Tivo!


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

You know what? That makes sense.

Color me convinced.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

There are enough bug fixes warranted that I wouldn't be the least surprised if 8.1 is just to address those and no "catch up" to the latest S2 software features. On the flip side if 8.1 is mostly "fluff" new features and no bug fixes that would make me pretty upset.

Specifically some bugs I suffer from:
- Toxic channel syndrome (NBC HD 4.1 LA broadcast)
- Audio dropouts - most notable when scrolling around the grid guide
- General slowness with grid guide and Now Playing list
- Occasional momentary video blackouts (which if I skip back and play through same section that just blacked out are not present again)
- A few other minor things I forget about right now...


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

toots said:


> You know what? That makes sense.
> 
> Color me convinced.


That also would mean that things that are recorded already and have 'dropouts', should play fine after 8.1 is installed.


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## FlippedBit (Dec 25, 2001)

If they fix this problem I will then be completely happy with my S3. This will be the first plus in the Tivo column since the release of the S3, but it would help let me forget all of the negatives racked up by TiVo before and after the S3 release.

I'll have to identify and save some dropouts so I can test the theory that 8.1 fixes the dropouts in recordings, and that it is not a recording/signal processing bug. 

Thanks for the update.


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## Sy- (Sep 29, 2005)

I don't know about you guys but 8.01c fixed my audio dropout/pixelation problems!


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

Well that's just hella good nooz.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

Sy- said:


> I don't know about you guys but 8.01c fixed my audio dropout/pixelation problems!


Well... It did nothing for mine... exactly the same as prior to the update.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

SCSIRAID said:


> Well... It did nothing for mine... exactly the same as prior to the update.


Same here. I've had several audio dropouts happen to me today.


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## SCSIRAID (Feb 2, 2003)

wdave said:


> Same here. I've had several audio dropouts happen to me today.


Misery loves company.....

Hopefully that means that c didnt contain the fix.... Somehow I doubt that we will see 8.1 or a fix before January.


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## IzzyB68 (Dec 8, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> Misery loves company.....
> 
> Hopefully that means that c didnt contain the fix.... Somehow I doubt that we will see 8.1 or a fix before January.


Well I was hoping I would not get these issues, but my brand new S3 had audio dropouts last night. When I was watching a movie on ABC Family and when my husband was wathcing lor dof the rings on TNT HD. So it happened in both digital and HD. I have not seen it with Analog and it doesn't happen all the time (Las Vegas in HD was fine)

I unfortunatly have the partial recording issue, happened once with a Lifetime Movie. It got 1 hr and 35 minutes and then stopped...strange part is that it is Analog and nothing was taping on the other tuner...strange.

I am hoping 8.1 comes out soon, also hoping these issues are fixed through software before my 90 day warrenty is up. I would hate to find out it is the unit after the 90 days is up.


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## monkeydust (Dec 12, 2004)

Just watched a movie I recorded last night. Had an audio dropout (accompanied with the video garble afterwards) about every 4 minutes or so (maybe even more than that).


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## mgaulin (Nov 9, 2006)

SCSIRAID said:


> Well... It did nothing for mine... exactly the same as prior to the update.


I still have audio drop-outs (as others have reported too), but I've noticed that the visual pattern is sometimes different (more "blocky", like the whole screen is divided into quadants), and occasionally I get the video weirdness but without the audio drop-out, or with a very short audio drop-out.

The problem is definitely not fixed, but it does seem that the update did something to make things a bit better.


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## rocco86 (Apr 19, 2003)

There are different audio symptoms being discussed here. Can anyone hazard a guess as to why some of them are directly related to commercial breaks? (i.e., sound drops out when broadcast switches to commercial and comes back one or two commercial breaks later - at the end of the break). This kind of symptom leads me to believe its a transmission or cable box related problem and not a Tivo problem.


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## krstone (Jun 2, 2003)

FWIW, over the past few weeks, I have noticed far less (almost none) audio dropout and pixilation.
Ken


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## leopapadopoulos (Jan 18, 2003)

I also experience the problem of audio cut outs with the HD3, but they are usually accompanied by "pixelization" the TiVO is clearly not keeping up with processing necessary to prevent these. They need to optimize the software to prevent this problem. I am afraid that this HD3 may not be powerful enough from a HW perspective to handle HD. I am an early adopter and I hope I didn't waste my money.


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## ashu (Nov 8, 2002)

Check signal strength. The S3 has GOBS of excess hardware capability. This is either a signal strength/quality issue, or a software issue ... both of which are fixable!


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## Necro (Sep 26, 2006)

OMG the S3 was killing me last night during Heroes. Audio/Video kept cutting out. Here's what I found:

Change the channels and back = Starts working for a little while
Turn down the volume = Starts working
Turn up the volume = Starts cutting out again.


I'm using optical out to a receiver so the volume level should not bother it... I'm ready to chunk this thing in the river.


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## crazywater (Mar 7, 2001)

To add to the confusion, last night I had the following occur. I was recording American Idol at 8PM on the Fox HD channel, recorded all the way through successfully. Then "House" recording kicked in on the same channel. House recorded with absolutely no audio at all through the entire show. When the show was over and the recording stopped there was still no sound on the channel. I changed the channel to the SD version and there was sound. Changed back to the HD channel and no sound. Finally restarted the TiVo and sound returned.


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## cab2 (Sep 17, 2004)

has anyone else seen this? I have minor audio cutout problems on my S3. Not as bad as when I originally bought the unit, so the last update has helped some, but still have minor cutouts and pixilation on the S3. I know this is a known issue as evidenced by this theread and they are hopefully working on it.

But now, this week, I'm seeing the exact same thing on my 80 hour S2. Almost identical to what i see on the S3, but I think the pixelation is just a little bit worse on the S2 when I get a cut out.

I'm begining to wonder if I now have a new problem with the cable company over and above any issue with the S2 / S3. My S2 has been perfect for a long time. Just started noticing this, this week. If it makes any difference, I use TW in the general austin tx area.

thx


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## TexasAg (Apr 2, 2006)

leopapadopoulos said:


> the TiVO is clearly not keeping up with processing necessary to prevent these. They need to optimize the software to prevent this problem. I am afraid that this HD3 may not be powerful enough from a HW perspective to handle HD.


Well, I and many others here can record 2 HD streams while watching a recorded HD program, so the S3 clearly has enough processing power to handle this.

I did have a similar problem with Verizon Fios. I had the dropout-pixelation problem on only my local HD channels and only on one tuner. Not real sure what fixed it. It happened when I wasn't using an OTA antenna, which I am now. When I wasn't using the antenna, a terminating resistor from Radio Shack seemed to help. I also added an attenuator on the cable input. Others here haven't had any luck trying these, so like I said, I'm not real sure what fixed it.


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## dsm363 (Jun 26, 2002)

I've been having the issue where the analog channels with be without sound at times. Even when it's recorded. If I switch both tuners to a HD channel then switch one of the tuners back to that same analog channel, the sound returns and playing back that same recorded program now has sound.


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## bsaunder (Dec 14, 2004)

Count me as another having issues - never had an auto dropout in the past ~3months. Today while watching the superbowl, I had too many audio dropouts to count. Quickest way to get audio back was to hit the pause button twice (pause, unpause). The audio was recorded as on several commercials the audio dropped out and I wasn't near the remote, so we rewound and watched the commercial with audio.
Was a slightly annoying day.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

I've noticed that sometimes while playing live (or as close to it as you can get with a TiVo), the audio will get really choppy. Usually solved with an instant replay, or some other sequence to get it a little farther back in the buffer.


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## edubbrulez (Mar 5, 2004)

bsaunder said:


> Count me as another having issues - never had an auto dropout in the past ~3months. Today while watching the superbowl, I had too many audio dropouts to count. Quickest way to get audio back was to hit the pause button twice (pause, unpause). The audio was recorded as on several commercials the audio dropped out and I wasn't near the remote, so we rewound and watched the commercial with audio.
> Was a slightly annoying day.


The Superbowl audio was anything but "super". My receiver kept switching between Dolby Digital, DTS or plain old stereo. It appears this was a CBS problem and not a TiVo one. They should have broadcast every thing in the same audio format and it would have been fine. I literally watched my receiver during the commercials to try and figure out what the heck was going on. Shame on CBS.

Erik


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## bas1705 (Apr 30, 2006)

I have had the S3 almost a month now using Digital Cable through TIme Warner in New York. 

Less than a week after I flipped my series 2 box lifetime into my series 3 box, I noticed weird things happening while watching a HBO movie. 

I am finding delays in the sound and I noticed a few times that there are mini pixelated squares on my TV. I am not using a LCD and found this very weird. 

Someone mentioned that they are having problems with a delayed remote. This can be corrected if you point the remote to your TIVO 3 unit as many people forget and point the remote to there TV or some other place.!!


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## yanasina (Jan 12, 2007)

I just got my cable cards today and upgraded to digital and HDTV. Tonight is the first recordings on HDTV and now I am experiencing these audio dropouts for the first time too. ARRGH!!! I am only watching prerecorded material.


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## CheezWiz (Dec 30, 2006)

Just over a month of use and the audio dropouts have started on mine. They only occur on digital channels. My TV also has a CableCard and it has no dropouts, so it is not the signal.

The dropouts are constant occurring one or two times per minute, lasting a split second each time. Extremely annoying! Sometimes pixelation occurs and sometimes it does not.


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## sknesek (Oct 21, 2006)

I have the pixel issues and audio drops, but I have a different problem. when I connect tivo to my bose, I have no sound at all. When I bypass tivo altogether, the bose works fine. What could be causing this? I haven't seen any other post concerning this, so I'm wondering if the "wonder" fix will help me.


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## jkj (Sep 26, 2006)

To know what was causing the problem I got a Digital-HDTV box with a cable card (Comcast). And discovered the 2-3 second dropouts on HDTV channels occur just the same as with the Tivo. So it's the transmission or the cable card. I had every cable replaced between my TV and the the pole in my yard... no change.

SO it is not defective hardware unless it is somewhere beyond the pole in my yard... or it is the transmission. I hope the upgrage will help but I doubt it.


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## 444turbodiesel (Jan 30, 2007)

Mine does it during OTA or cable programs, with or without the CC's in place.
Usually at the most inopportune moment  


To me it seems to be a TiVo programming/hardware issue.


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## Necro (Sep 26, 2006)

Agreed again. Last night, worked fine on all HD channels that I didn't really care about... It only seems to affect the one thing I want to watch.


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## thepone (Feb 23, 2007)

I am now experiencing the same problem dianebrat is having/had


> I've had the audio cutouts today in the NASCAR race, but I used to have the same kind of issues with my moto..
> 
> The answer in the past was "change the channel and come back" and sure enough when I did that today it also worked.


Recently, I lost sound and had to change channels to get it back. i had another TV set on in another room, tuned to the same channel, so i know it wasn't a broadcaster or cable company issue.

Today the worst case scenario popped up. I lost sound while recording. With no closed captioning, i am forced to lip read the rest of my episode. Ok, i kid, but basically, I lost the last 20 min of my show's audio and thus the show. Has anyone experienced this? thoughts?

I saw a thread over on the TIVO UK forum exactly related to this-- they were talking about HD replacements, PSU's, "tweaking the blue dot", etc. I have no clue what all that meant. Anyone have any thoughts, in plain English? am I screwed? Will a power down and restart help this?

Help!


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## wrh30 (Sep 4, 2006)

Similar problem here on my new S3. Got the 8.1 upgrade still have audio and video glitches watching live TV.
I am running OTA HD UHF antenna only. I called Tivo tech today and got no where.
Trying to decide if I want to return the unit now. If its a software problem that will be fixed I can put up with it. Wish there was a way to find out whats causing this.


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## jkj (Sep 26, 2006)

RE: I accidently fixed my Audio problem

I had been having 1-3 second audio dropouts in HDTV from the first day I installed the new Tivo S3 (About 7 times per hour) .I then found it was a broadcast problem (not Tivo) after installing a Comcast box (with cableCARD). The audio skipped on Series3 Tivo recordings in exact same places on the live TV broadcast.

After having every wire from my TV to pole replaced... I gave up and called Comcast to TURN OFF my HDTV. All the HD channels went blank for 24 hours then the network HDTV came back on (ABC,CBS,NBC,FOX). Now those channels are working perfectly with no audio problems.

I strongly suggest someone else with a similar problem try this. (You may have to call comcast to turn HDTV back on for the rest of the HD channels.) The audio problems were only on the networks anyway so I am now satisfied.

~JKJ

P.S. I never had video glithces


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## Necro (Sep 26, 2006)

So, you get HDTV over cable without paying for HDTV? Explain how you told Comcast to turn off your HDTV service and still get HDTV channels.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

Necro said:


> So, you get HDTV over cable without paying for HDTV? Explain how you told Comcast to turn off your HDTV service and still get HDTV channels.


I won't pretend to know what's going on here, but a Comcast CSR told me that once you get cableCARDS, you get HD, on any outlet. You are paying for the upgrade in your installation, a one time HD upgrade fee. I tried to argue with her, but she insisted. And of course, if I test out my TV with no cableCARDS, I do get HD. So, it's possible, that once the switch to HD has been activated, they may just not turn it off since it was paid for at the time of installation.


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## jkj (Sep 26, 2006)

Necro said:


> So, you get HDTV over cable without paying for HDTV? Explain how you told Comcast to turn off your HDTV service and still get HDTV channels.


As for WHY I am still getting HDTV after I told them to turn it off... I have no idea. *My point is  * maybe having your HDTV turned off and on may reset it or something. It fixed my audio problem and seems to be the problem of a lot of people.

All my HDTV channels are turned off except the major networks. I don't know what would happen if I had ALL of them turned back on. The problem may come back or not. I am very happy the way it is now because I never watched the other HD channels anyway.

I would be interested to see what happened if someone else tried this. I assume they would want ALL their HDTV channels. So they would have to ask for all over them turned back on. It is worth a try if you are fed up with HDTV anyway as I was.

~JKJ


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## RichA (Nov 8, 2006)

Have had my S3 since 1st of the year. Just recently started getting the audio dropouts on all HD channels, often accompanied by pixelation. (May have started with the 8.3.1 upgrade, but not sure) Happens once a minute or so, and is present in the recording as well as the live version. Signal strength shows as 97 on all of the HD channels, so I assume I am OK there.

Has anyone gotten any feedback from Tivo about what they think is going on?


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## damonnoah (Aug 19, 2003)

Rich, have had the same problem over and over again. I've had the cable company at my house 5 times to help with signal because that is what TIVO is saying the issue. The strenght is fine, i've had power boosters installed, signal enhancers etc etc etc and still have it. Mainly o HD Channels but now starting to get it on some other channels as well. I'm going to return the TIVO box and get it exchanged and see what happens but its very annoying.


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## mgaulin (Nov 9, 2006)

RichA said:


> Have had my S3 since 1st of the year. Just recently started getting the audio dropouts on all HD channels, often accompanied by pixelation. (May have started with the 8.3.1 upgrade, but not sure) Happens once a minute or so, and is present in the recording as well as the live version. Signal strength shows as 97 on all of the HD channels, so I assume I am OK there.
> 
> Has anyone gotten any feedback from Tivo about what they think is going on?


Eventually my s3 needed to be replaced. It started with this problem, then got more frequent, and eventually the box would just reboot during playback. I suspect the root problem was a bad hard disk. (I still get very minor audio dropouts and very brief pixelation, but it is like night and day vs my original s3.)


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## proudx (Sep 16, 2008)

anyone with a s3 notice this problem with latest v11


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## SunshineSLM78 (Jan 24, 2009)

I have the s3 HD TiVo with 2 Verizon FIOS cable cards plugged in. I also have both SDTV and HDTV.

When watching LIVE tv the sound is 80% of the time choppy no matter what channel I'm on or the definition I'm watching the channel in.

However, if I "rewind" 5 seconds the sound is crystal clear! When watching recorded programs, the sound is crystal clear. Scrolling through the guide feature does not affect the sound either way.

I've rebooted my TiVo a bunch of times for one reason or another including this problem yet it doesn't clear up... What do I do to fix this? Has someone from TiVo addressed this problem already? If so, where can I find that response?


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## tamon77 (Feb 3, 2008)

audio is fine from TivoHD to HDTV over HDMI
Audio cuts on live and recorded tv when going through a receiver using the digital connection. Have had the tivo for about 2 years and this just started 1 month ago... today (christmas of all days) it has gotten worse. At least I can watch through my tv speakers but it just aint the same. Someone please tell me there is a way to fix this!!!


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## MERVERNATOR (Jan 4, 2010)

I have the same issue. at first I wasnt sure if it was just my Tivo, but I now have a second one in the house with exactly the same problem. both are Tivo HD's with Multistream Cablecards. When the Cable tech came to install the cablecard in to the new Tivo he checked the lines and found a lot of noise. we rewired the entire house and got everything to what he described as "perfect signal" according to his monitoring equipment. I was excited that this may fix, or at the very least reduce the sound problem, but it didnt make a single bit of difference.

here are a few things Ive noticed which maybe will help someone in figuring this out.

when it happens, its ALWAYS for 10 seconds exactly. there is no apparent reason for this. Ill just be watching TV and out of no where, the audio goes silent for 10 seconds and comes back. if its live TV and you change the channel quickly and go back to the one you were on, the sound will come back immediately. if it was recorded that way, its gone and will always be gone in that spot.

it seems to be worse at night. as if during a time when more people in the area might be watching TV, I have the problem easily three times as often. if I happen to take a day off from work and have the TV on, it happens way less.

it definatly happens on some channels more than others.

at this point I have to believe this is a Tivo issue, probably with this model. I really hope something can be done about this because it sure is aggravating. its amazing too how it always seems to happen at the worst points in important dialogue. (and rarely during a commercial! (though it does happen.))


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

It pays to read the stickied *TiVo Owners FAQ*. From the Known issues section:



> *TiVo's default audio output setting causes dropouts with HDMI connection to some newer TVs.*
> 
> Out of the box, the TivoHD is set to output Dolby Digital audio through HDMI to devices that support it. When the connected device does not support Dolby Digital, the TiVo sends PCM as per the HDMI specification.
> 
> ...





> *Partial recordings, audio dropouts, and/or pixelization with 500GB My DVR Expander*
> 
> Many using the 500GB My DVR Expander report audio dropouts, pixelization, and partial recordings after 12-18 months. These issues occur when the drive inside the My DVR Expander starts to fail, or more commonly when the power supply inside the Expander develops a problem. The latter issue does not show up on any of TiVo's QuickStart diagnostic tests.
> 
> ...





> *Audio dropouts, pixelization, partial recordings, and poor responsiveness due to failing drive on an older TiVo*
> 
> The average lifetime of a hard drive inside HDTV DVR is 3-4 years. Some will start to fail earlier than that, while others will last much longer. This is true of all cable and satellite DVRs, not just TiVos.
> 
> ...


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## MERVERNATOR (Jan 4, 2010)

bkdtv said:


> It pays to read the stickied TiVo Owners FAQ. From the Known issues section:


hey, thanks that for post. Im sure that will explain certain issues for some people, however, Ive seen those writings before, and those issues are not what this audio problem seems to be. Ive been following these forums since I got my Tivo in June 2009 and first had this issue that first week. It seems most of us have had this issue from the day the Tivo is removed from the box, and we have tried the PCM option within the Tvio settings. the PCM switch made no difference for me. I cant speak for all of us, but I am not using HDMI... just straight output with RCA cables. this issue is most likely happening within how the Tivo is actually decoding and using the signal.

if the 2 I have werent brand new, I could almost believe the bad hard drive explanation, especially since I know they are Western Digitals. working in IT for 20 years, Ive seen more WD failures than all other brands combined... but that aside, if that IS the issue, I find it kinda crapy that people would have to buy a new drive so soon. Im actually planning a TB upgrade to mine this month so if the problems lessen after that, I will post those findings here.


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## jparizona (Apr 1, 2010)

I picked up a used TiVo HD (TCD652160) recently and have been very happy with it except for the audio drop out problem. It is very brief lasting about 1 second and random. If I rewind the audio dropout will occur in the same place.

It does not occur on VOD movies that I download from Amazon.com, just recorded shows.

I read this entire thread and was just about ready to order a 1TByte upgrade disk to see if my hard drive was the problem but decided to give some of the suggestions in this forum a try. 

Here are my particulars:
-Comcast Cable in central Pennsylvania
-No cable cards and no HD service from Comcast
-Receive "Clear HD" for local broadcast channels but no guide information on the clear HD channels (no cable card)
-Cable signal splits immediately in the house to go to the cable modem and to the whole house TV distribution. The home distribution has various splitters and amps to keep the signal strong enough to go to 8 or so different TVs
-My signal is very strong, particularly in my home theater room. Every Clear HD channel has a signal strength of 100&#37; on the TiVo box. In the past the cable service tech has measured the signal in the home theater room and indicated it was at the upper end of what they like to see.

So, I switched some splitter connections around in the distribution system to drop the signal going to the TiVo 3.7db and added a splitter right at the TiVo box to drop the signal an additional 3.7db (with a terminator on the unused output). The splitter I added at the TiVo box is supposed to be an "isolating" splitter. It was in my grab box of stuff but I think it was the original splitter that Comcast provided for the cable modem to keep DC voltage from the cable modem getting to the TVs. It was replaced sometime back when I was having cable modem problems. It was not the problem but the cable tech never went back to swap it out again and just pitched it. I of course added it to my grab box.

So, in total my signal was reduced at the TiVo by 7db and I have some DC isolation in the last splitter. Well I have recorded several show since making these changes and not one audio drop out. The TiVo still shows a signal strength of 100% on the clear HD channels so there is still a strong signal getting to the TiVo. I may still be a little hot signal wise and if the audio dropouts come back I will try reducing the signal a little more.

I don't think the TiVo unit should have audio dropouts just because the signal is "hot" and I think it is a design issue. But if you are having the audio dropout problem it can't hurt to try some signal reduction and/or DC isolation. Both suggestions I got from reading this forum.


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## bocktar (Sep 24, 2001)

By 'clear hd', do you mean OTA? If so, does the problem occur for both cable and OTA?

If only OTA, you may want to see if the dropouts correspond to devices like air conditioners, refrigerators, or washing machines turning on or off. Some of these devices can emit noise in the frequency range for OTA channels and get picked up by the antenna.

I guess the same could happen over cable, but that might 
mean you have a shielding problem somewhere along the way.



jparizona said:


> I picked up a used TiVo HD (TCD652160) recently and have been very happy with it except for the audio drop out problem. It is very brief lasting about 1 second and random. If I rewind the audio dropout will occur in the same place.
> 
> It does not occur on VOD movies that I download from Amazon.com, just recorded shows.
> 
> ...


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## jparizona (Apr 1, 2010)

I mean the digital channels of the OTA broadcast stations that are included in my cable signal. For example, CBS comes in on channel 10 on all my NTSC (analog) TV tuners and it also comes in on 10-1 on the QAM tuner in the TIVO. The 10-1 channel does not require purchase of the Comcast HD package. I have always heard these channels referred to as "Clear HD" or "Free HD". The term "Clear HD" seems to be the preferred term as the signal is clear and not encoded (scrambled).

So, I mean the digital channels I can receive on Comcast cable that originate from OTA broadcast stations in my area and that do not require me to pay anymore to Comcast than I already am; which is a lot in my opinion.



bocktar said:


> By 'clear hd', do you mean OTA? If so, does the problem occur for both cable and OTA?
> 
> If only OTA, you may want to see if the dropouts correspond to devices like air conditioners, refrigerators, or washing machines turning on or off. Some of these devices can emit noise in the frequency range for OTA channels and get picked up by the antenna.
> 
> ...


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## KLFLoyd (Apr 15, 2005)

Unfortunately, I'm just here to say, "Me too." 

I've had a TiVo HD for about 2 years. The first year and a half I was on Comcast and don't recall having any issues with audio dropout. About 8 months ago I relocated and now have Cox Digital Cable and the problem occurs frequently. Audio dropout on most of my recorded shows lasting a second or two and then the audio cuts back in. 

This Christmas I bought my parents a TiVo HD as well. They live in the same area and have the same Cable provider and package and also have the audio dropout. I can't say whether or not our dropouts occur on the same programs at the same time or not, only that we're both regularly having this issue.

Seems to happen on recorded programs across several different channels on a fairly regular basis. In neither case are any stereo systems involved, just direct connected via HDMI to the TVs.

Perhaps unrelated - I also have trouble from time to time with no audio when navigating the menus. (No bleeps and bloops.) But as soon as I play a program the audio starts right back up and from there on the audio comes back when I navigate the menus again.


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