Interesting audio issue with my Sony receiver.

[Thorn2k]

At least I think it is.

I have a Sony 7.1 STR DG820. I have had it for a little over a year now I think. Been having some audio issues with it. Here goes...

At first:

I had all my componets hooked up through the receiver and then out to the TV. I noticed some audio problems with it not using all the speakers. Usually one of the front ones. (using 5.1 btw) I had a feeling it was because of the cheap HDMI cables I've been using.

I decided to connect everything directly to my TV. With the exception of the blu ray player audio to the receiver directly now. Also, the TV audio out going to the receiver now. So the only thing I'm using now is 2 optical cables going into the receiver.

NOW, when I watch anything on TV (cable) I lose audio to my front left and rear left speakers. No matter what sound setting I use.. PLII, 5 Channel Stereo, 2 Channel Stereo.. All of them. Like now, I'm watching the football game and I only got: center, FL, RL going. BUT, when I pop a DVD / Blu or turn on my PS3 or BR player. They all fire up. Even when I'm using the audio output on my TV they all work. When I switch to the dedicated out on my BR they work, when I do the individual test tone they all work.

The only time they do not work is when I'm watching cable, which is hooked up with component cables but, standard white/red audio. That shouldn't matter with 5 channel anyway though right???

Any thoughts.??

I reset the receiver and settings, did the auto callibration, and even called Sony tech. Might as well asked my 3 year old daughter for help. That guy was useless.

Gotta be a setting in the receiver right??? But what the hell is it?? I'm thinking even with the DVR box hooked up with analog audio, I should still be able to do 5 channel stereo right??


Blu Ray (HDMI) / PS3 (HDMI) / Xbox (HDMI) / DVR (Componet w/ Analog audio) / VCR (Comp w/ analog audio) / All audio and video ----> TV

Blu Ray audio (Optical) ----> TV
TV audio out (Optical) ----> Receiver


I know its a lot to read, but, tried getting as much for details as possible incase someone can help.

Thanks

[BIslander]

You have a cable set top box that does your tuning? You are using the analog stereo outputs from that box? What inputs are they plugged into on the receiver? From your description it sounds like they may not be attached to the correct L/R stereo jacks on the receiver. Or, there may be a problem with the wiring of the particular pair of input jacks you are using.

As a matter of curiosity, why aren't you using a digital output from your cable box? You'd get DD 5.1 on a lot of shows that way.

btw, HDMI cables would not be responsible for the lack of audio in some speakers.

[Thorn2k]

Originally Posted by BIslander

You have a cable set top box that does your tuning? You are using the analog stereo outputs from that box? What inputs are they plugged into on the receiver? From your description it sounds like they may not be attached to the correct L/R stereo jacks on the receiver. Or, there may be a problem with the wiring of the particular pair of input jacks you are using.

As a matter of curiosity, why aren't you using a digital output from your cable box? You'd get DD 5.1 on a lot of shows that way.

btw, HDMI cables would not be responsible for the lack of audio in some speakers.

The stereo plugs are connected directly to my TV, and I use the digital audio out from my TV to my receiver.

For a couple reasons I don't use the digital cable for my digital cable.. 1. My wife and I don't sit down to watch a lot of shows on TV. We DVR things like CSI and some sitcoms. 2. Most of the time when I do watch something else, its late at night and I just use the TV speakers as not to wake the rest of the family. So in the end I don't really care about 5.1 on those things. If it helps the problem I'd do it though.

As far as the HDMI cables causing the audio loss.. Well, I wasn't sure why the audio was intermitent. I bought these cables on ebay for $3 a piece or something like that. Couldn't find any other reasons before, thought I'd give it a shot.

The only plugs I have connected to my receiver are the digital audio FROM my TV into the receiver. And out from my BR player.

[BIslander]

Cable/VCR audio is OK when just using the TV speakers?

Since the audio from other devices being fed through the TV is fine, it would seem to be something about how the TV is routing the specific analog stereo input you are using from the cable box. Your initial post says you have the same kind of analog audio connection from a VCR and that it works fine routed through the TV. So, try swapping the audio inputs between the DVR and the VCR and see if the problem follows the DVR or stays with one particular input.

Meanwhile, I'd add a second, optical audio connection from the DVR to the receiver which you can use when you want surround sound. You'll get discrete DD 5.1 on channels that have it instead of having your receiver produce matrixed surround. Leave the analog connection to the TV in place for use when using the TV speakers.

Actually, if it were me, I'd go back and run all audio through the receiver. Audio from any device run through the TV is likely limited to stereo by the time it gets to the receiver.

[Thorn2k]

I was thinking about that, its almost easier to go get a $5 digital cable and switch it to my receiver when I do want to watch something, rather than dinking around with the settings. I also thought it was an audio setting in the DVR too. But, when I checked that out, there wasn't much to change and nothing happened.

Oh well.

[drummerboy_2002]

Sounds like you've got your speakers connected to the wrong terminals. When you run the test tones, do the proper speakers play along with the on-screen setup?

[Thorn2k]

Originally Posted by drummerboy_2002

Sounds like you've got your speakers connected to the wrong terminals. When you run the test tones, do the proper speakers play along with the on-screen setup?

Yup, they sure do. And they work flawlessly when I'm playing a movie from my BR or PS3.

[drummerboy_2002]

Originally Posted by Thorn2k

Yup, they sure do. And they work flawlessly when I'm playing a movie from my BR or PS3.

Then I have to agree with BIslander. It has to be an input/output/cable problem. Sounds like it might be trying to apply extra processing (like PLII) to a mono source, so only one side of the room is getting sound. Double check the output of the source component, input of your receiver, and try swapping out the cable. Maybe even swapping the left/right of either the input or output to see if the opposite side of the room now gets sound.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by Thorn2k

I was thinking about that, its almost easier to go get a $5 digital cable and switch it to my receiver when I do want to watch something, rather than dinking around with the settings. I also thought it was an audio setting in the DVR too. But, when I checked that out, there wasn't much to change and nothing happened.

So, did you try swapping the DVR and VCR analog audio paths to see whether the problem followed the DVR or stayed with a particular input?

[Thorn2k]

Originally Posted by BIslander

So, did you try swapping the DVR and VCR analog audio paths to see whether the problem followed the DVR or stayed with a particular input?

I will tomorrow night. I'm getting my new TV tomorrow. So I'll mess with it when I set it up since I'm going to be unplugging everything anyway. I'll let ya know what happens.