# DTV 6.3a Audio no hurry



## broken back (Nov 30, 2004)

Seems DTV is in no hurry to fix 6.3a problems. I received the 6.3a on 10-16 at 8:30 A:M. Started seeing audio drops Tuesday morning watching local news and afternoon watching local court show. I have not watched recorded OTA HD locals from Monday night yet. I called DTV Tuesday afternoon and talked to Tech . Seems I am first to called about this problem (We know that BS story) and could not find any complaints on computer of others. Seamed more interested in telling me about the 6.3 problems with audio on 70-79 HD channels. Looks like we may be stuck with the 6.3a considering the speed at which they are responding to complaints.
The guide is faster, folders are great, but at what cost, a ruined receiver most of paid for out of our pockets.
I have seen the Hr20 and hate the software on these receivers, and the remote sucks too.


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## DonQijote (Mar 2, 2004)

I do not believe that the Audio dropouts are necessarily* related to 6.3a. I started noticing audi dropouts a couple of weeks before one of my HR10-250 downloaded the 6.3a.

After a week of 6.3a, I have not noticed ANY audio dropouts. I am using Dolby 5.1 via optical cable.

I am still waiting for 6.3a on my other 2 HR10s.*


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## fjwagner (Jan 22, 2006)

DonQijote said:


> I do not believe that the Audio dropouts are necessarily* related to 6.3a. I started noticing audi dropouts a couple of weeks before one of my HR10-250 downloaded the 6.3a.
> 
> After a week of 6.3a, I have not noticed ANY audio dropouts. I am using Dolby 5.1 via optical cable.
> 
> I am still waiting for 6.3a on my other 2 HR10s.*


*

I too talked that line a couple weeks ago, but then I started getting them; particulary on Fox OTA. I did get acknowledgement from CSR that they were aware and were working on a fix.*


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

broken back said:


> Seems DTV is in no hurry to fix 6.3a problems.


You want them to rush out a fix before testing it? Or even before they figure out how to fix it?

I don't see how they are dragging their feet at this point. You don't just shove software out the door and cause more problems (and maybe not even fix the one you thought you did).


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## broken back (Nov 30, 2004)

I had no drop outs before 6.3a, Tuesday morning which was the first morning my wife said what the hell is going on. They are still going on in the evening. So if it was not the upgrade why did they not start on by machine before the upgrade? We watch between the two of us about 15 hours a day.


Maybe they should admit the problem , so we know they will do a fix and not act as if nothing is wrong, thats all I want so we are not left hanging. Wouldn't

You don't take your car in for repair and it comes out worse , and the auto shop says nothing is wrong. At least admit you don't know whats wrong yet and you are working on the problem.


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## broken back (Nov 30, 2004)

I do not use DD so maybe we are the ones with the problem., not DD. but I do use HDMI with the DLP.


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## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

Oh, the dropouts are real alright. I never had one prior to 6.3 -- as soon as 6.3 was installed, they started. I removed the hard drive from my machine and restored it from a 3.1 image I made prior to the upgrade. Dropouts ceased. To me, that seems like a pretty convincing argument that 6.3 has a problem.

I'm certainly willing to give them time to identify and solve the problem though.


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## judson_west (Nov 10, 2001)

I had dropouts before 6.3a and now have none. I don't believe it is 6.3a related. 

If there was a thunder clap as you turned on a light, you could make that association -- but you would be wrong. In this case, I believe there are as many people experiencing audio problems since 6.3a as prior to it that there is no association. Only coincidence.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

DonQijote said:


> I do not believe that the Audio dropouts are necessarily* related to 6.3a. I started noticing audi dropouts a couple of weeks before one of my HR10-250 downloaded the 6.3a.
> 
> After a week of 6.3a, I have not noticed ANY audio dropouts. I am using Dolby 5.1 via optical cable.
> 
> I am still waiting for 6.3a on my other 2 HR10s.*


*

Well, you can believe what you want, but the evidence is pretty clear that there is a problem with 6.3a. Of course, that doesn't mean that all people are having problems or that it will affect your unit. I mean, I'm assuming some beta testing was done, and the bug didn't appear for people who tested the upgrade. But a significant number of folks here are having problems that are obviously linked to 6.3. I'm one of 'em...and the problems immediately disappeared when I reverted back to 3.1.

Do you watch a lot of FOX OTA? That's where the issue has popped up for most people that have been bitten by the bug. If you don't, you may never be troubled by the upgrade, and that's great!

I'm interested in knowing how many people have the upgrade and watch a lot of OTA FOX without any problems.*


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## Bananfish (May 16, 2002)

It's interesting that everybody in this thread seems either to have had dropouts before 6.3a and now doesn't with 6.3a, or didn't have them before 6.3a and now does with 6.3a. I too had audio dropouts starting a few weeks ago *before* the box switched over to 6.3a (i.e., with 3.1.5f). Just got 6.3a yesterday, and haven't seen a dropout yet.

I wonder if these dropouts could be somehow related to which partition you are running your software out of? Or some other effect that depends not on the version of software you are running, but can be either started or stopped when you change the version.

Perhaps the *downloading* of the software installed something that could cause the dropouts depending on where the software is physically executing from, and the actual switch-over to the new version then causes the audio dropouts to either stop or start, depending on where the software is physically executing from after the switch-over?

Would this make any sense?


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## MBfromMI (Apr 13, 2004)

My tivo has been rock solid for a few years now. I received the 6.3 upgrade monday morning and within an hour I had dropouts all over the place. Anybody that thinks this isn't related to 6.3 has got their head in the sand. I hope they are working on a fix or this will be the last straw for this 10 year customer.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

Bananfish said:


> It's interesting that everybody in this thread seems either to have had dropouts before 6.3a and now doesn't with 6.3a, or didn't have them before 6.3a and now does with 6.3a. I too had audio dropouts starting a few weeks ago *before* the box switched over to 6.3a (i.e., with 3.1.5f). Just got 6.3a yesterday, and haven't seen a dropout yet.


I've always had the occasional dropout here and there.

The dropouts with 6.3a were quantitatively and qualitatively different.

There could be disk issues involved with the occasional glitches, but I honestly don't believe that's what is causing the specific new type of dropout that some folks are seeing with 6.3a.


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## pdawg17 (Mar 1, 2003)

Not only did I start getting dropouts after getting 6.3a, my machine also reboots at least twice a day...probably due to it getting installed on the other partition (and having some bad sectors) but in any event...


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## WeBoat (Nov 6, 2002)

I'm in the never had a dropout on the 3 HR10's until 6.3a. As each updated, the drop outs started, so I KNOW it's 6.3 a. They all share a common antena and everything else. The ones that had 6.3a had drop outs, the ones with 3.1.5f were rock solid. Now all are updated and all have drop outs.

Proves it's the software to me.


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## Sir_winealot (Nov 18, 2000)

bwaldron said:


> I've always had the occasional dropout here and there.
> 
> The dropouts with 6.3a were quantitatively and qualitatively different.
> 
> There could be disk issues involved with the occasional glitches, but I honestly don't believe that's what is causing the specific new type of dropout that some folks are seeing with 6.3a.


+1

Exactly correct...there is a very destinctive difference between these type dropouts, and they are without a doubt, a product of 6.3a.

I have 3 HR10's on 3 separate TV's, and only 1 of them has 6.3a. If I put all 3 on the same channel, only the set with 6.3a suffers from this malady.

Seems pretty clear to me.


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## hjones4841 (Jan 15, 2004)

TonyD79 said:


> You want them to rush out a fix before testing it? Or even before they figure out how to fix it?
> 
> I don't see how they are dragging their feet at this point. You don't just shove software out the door and cause more problems (and maybe not even fix the one you thought you did).


Why not - they have been doing that on the HR20 for weeks... almost every Wednesday morning (except today).


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## kbohip (Dec 30, 2003)

I just had my first three audio dropouts with 6.3a as well. So far it's only done it on an OTA program, interestingly enough, a Fox OTA program, Cops. In one half an hour episode the audio dropped twice. I then watched an episode of Cops on Court TV and didn't have a problem. I had NO problems with the HR10 and 3.1 software, certainly no audio dropouts. 

BTW, I had to do a clear and delete everything to fix some major reboot problems due to 6.3a as well. The reboots have not occurred since the C&D...yet. I'm hoping that problem is solved.

I LOVE the speed and folders but if I keep getting a lot of audio dropouts I might be forced to go back to 3.1f. I'll give it another week to give it a really good test though. It's a minor enough problem that I can wait for them to fix it, I just hope they're working on it.


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## broken back (Nov 30, 2004)

My drop outs are also FOX OTA, I did not put it in when I started the thread. Most of my shows are OTA HD Fox followed by CBS,NBC.
When I called DTV yesterday I was told by DTV Tech it was his first on audio drops and check computer and showed no others. I do not beleive that story, too many same problem on this site.
I wish they would at least publicly say they are looking into this, and that they are going to fix the bug.


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## kbohip (Dec 30, 2003)

A lot of the shows I watch are Fox OTA as well. I really hope they fix this problem.


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## lostman72 (Jul 12, 2003)

The 6.3a problem is only affecting some audio receiver. I have a Sony and have no trouble. My Friends that have a HR10 also have sony and no trouble. My point is DTV might have a few test units and don't see what you guys are talking about and why should they fix it, if it's not broken? Have you guys checked your optical cables? There might be a setting wrong in your receiver? I am not defending DTV but I just can't see how you can expect DTV to support every receiver made.


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## EMoMoney (Oct 30, 2001)

lostman72 said:


> The 6.3a problem is only affecting some audio receiver. I have a Sony and have no trouble. My Friends that have a HR10 also have sony and no trouble. My point is DTV might have a few test units and don't see what you guys are talking about and why should they fix it, if it's not broken? Have you guys checked your optical cables? There might be a setting wrong in your receiver? I am not defending DTV but I just can't see how you can expect DTV to support every receiver made.


The audio droput occurs in the recorded stream. It has nothing to do with cables, output type (DD, PCM) or what receiver you may have.


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## merlin803 (Dec 11, 2005)

lostman72 said:


> The 6.3a problem is only affecting some audio receiver. I have a Sony and have no trouble. My Friends that have a HR10 also have sony and no trouble. My point is DTV might have a few test units and don't see what you guys are talking about and why should they fix it, if it's not broken? Have you guys checked your optical cables? There might be a setting wrong in your receiver? I am not defending DTV but I just can't see how you can expect DTV to support every receiver made.


Just before I received the upgrade about 2 weeks ago I was also skeptical when I saw a few others talking about the audio drop outs but the first time I watched OTA FOX after getting the upgrade I experienced the 15-30 second audio drops and it has happened ever since then at some point when watching a show on OTA FOX.

I NEVER had this before the upgrade and I assure you my settings and optical cable are just as fine as they were before I received the upgrade.

When I called the DTV advanced support about it last week they said they were aware of the problem and are working on fixing it (ironically, I just had a drop out while watching the ball game while typing this...uggghhh).


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## paullfisher (May 22, 2003)

judson_west said:


> I had dropouts before 6.3a and now have none. I don't believe it is 6.3a related.
> 
> If there was a thunder clap as you turned on a light, you could make that association -- but you would be wrong. In this case, I believe there are as many people experiencing audio problems since 6.3a as prior to it that there is no association. Only coincidence.


 I had very few dropouts before 6.3. It dropped MAYBE once a night. I am watching the NLCS on Fox OTA and audio goes out every 5 minutes or so for 5 seconds or so.


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## paullfisher (May 22, 2003)

lostman72 said:


> The 6.3a problem is only affecting some audio receiver. I have a Sony and have no trouble. My Friends that have a HR10 also have sony and no trouble. My point is DTV might have a few test units and don't see what you guys are talking about and why should they fix it, if it's not broken? Have you guys checked your optical cables? There might be a setting wrong in your receiver? I am not defending DTV but I just can't see how you can expect DTV to support every receiver made.


I have a Sony receiver with the optical cable and it drops out.

It is definately a DTV problem.


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## Tony Chick (Jun 20, 2002)

If you sift through the threads the evidence is that its definitely a 6.3 problem & occurs on playback when Dolby Digital is selected as the output. People with hacked units have posted the logs showing audio buffer overruns coinciding with the dropouts. It really can't happen during record as all the unit does is dump the bitstream from the satellite to disk. It doesn't know what is video, audio or anything else until it decodes the stream on playback. 

For myself, I've never had a dropout or any other problem until today when I got 6.3, then during the Mets game on Fox OTA I got an 8+ second drop every 10 minutes or so.


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## broken back (Nov 30, 2004)

I have stated before I do NOT USE DD only thru tv and have the drop outs on FOX OTA, thats why I started the thread.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

Tony Chick said:


> If you sift through the threads the evidence is that its definitely a 6.3 problem & occurs on playback when Dolby Digital is selected as the output.


It's definitely a 6.3 problem, but it is not limited to DD output selection. The first thing I tried when I saw the problem was de-selecting that. I also switched from optical to analog output. The problems still occurred.


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## Juppers (Jan 26, 2001)

I had brief glitches before 6.3a on some OTA stations. Since 6.3a, instead of quick glitches, the audio drops out for 5 to 10 seconds or more, then a quick video glitch and audio returns. It appears they changed the way the OTA decoder works, so when audio and video lose sync, it drops the audio until it can sync back up, instead of an immediate glitch to correct the problem. Definately something the software introduced. I really hope they correct it soon.


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## Russelle (Oct 2, 2006)

I am getting drop outs on audio and video on OTA and it locks up occasionally and then reboots after awhile.


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## Heckmand (Mar 7, 2004)

I am trying out a potential work around. So far not positive it fixes the problem but....

Rather than watch FOX OTA in real time, pause the channel for about 15 secs (longer than the longest dropout) and then watch the show from there. So far it seems to stop (reduce?) the number of the dropouts. 

I was getting them every 30 mins or so and zero dropouts since I have been trying this. 

What the heck, at least this is a possible work around, more than you will get calling tech support.

Good luck!


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## drjjr (May 28, 2004)

I got the update on 10/21. I am watching game 2 of the World Series delayed by about 15 minutes and the dropouts are often. And I never noticed anything like this before the update. 
I have never seen anything like this problem prior to the update. It's as if someone presses mute for several (> 10) seconds and then the picture glitches a bit and it's back. I've seen it 4 times in the past 20 minutes or so with the game on the Houston Fox OTA.
But, hey, the guide is faster


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## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

By contrast, I've been watching the entire game with my 3.1.5f machine, and there have been no dropouts at all. (Sacramento FOX OTA).


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## FourFourSeven (Jan 3, 2003)

For what it's worth, I started getting dropouts tonight while watching the World Series on Fox OTA. Same as has been described here - 8 seconds, a video blip, then the sound comes back.

No DD set up, never happened until now, it's happening on Fox OTA. So it's another data point...

I was already getting close to making the switch to (gasp!) cable. This may push me over the edge.


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## elshagon (Aug 27, 2005)

FOX OTA, ditto same drop-outs. 10 seconds or so then the picture glitch and return of audio.


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## steven-h (Jan 8, 2006)

On top of the audio drop outs while watching meet Joe Black on Universal HD the picture went to black and the box rebooted. This has never happened before the update.


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