Sony 301 - digital optical audio goes on and off for Bluray discs only

[JeffGott]

Originally Posted by jfrankowski

Just talked to B&K Components Ltd., the manufacturer of my audio gear, and they said they started noticing this audio problem when the lastest batch of Bluray players came out - the Sony BDP S301 included. B&K said the issue is with the Blu ray players but B&K is actively trying to find a solution, so as not to loose their customers - B&K is high end expensive stuff.
I loaded the 2 firmware upgrades from Sony, 3.30 and 3.70, and they seemed to help a little.
Sony must know they have a problem, otherwise they wouldn't be putting out these upgrades, 2 in one month.
If any of y'all have any pull with Sony, can you yank their chain about this.
Besides, how many customers even understand what 'firmware updates' are.
I'm sure most would take the player back to the store.......
Thanks - Joe

I would tend to agree this is an issue with the player. I have a Sony BDP-S300 connected to a Sony STRDA4300ES receiver via Monster 1000 cables. I had audio dropouts and small video blips periodically while watching bluray moveis. I just upgraded to 3.70 and the problem is worse. Now the video goes to "snow" for a couple seconds and then everything returns.

If I connect via component cables, I don't see a problem. I am going to experiment more this weekend using different receiver inputs, cables, etc.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

[bds59]

I just got my Blu Ray palyer and hooked it up and I am having this problem also and it is very frustrating to me! My player is and S300, hooked up to a Sony reciever that is about 5 years old, it plays the previews on the discs just fine it's when it goes to the movie that the sound drops in and out, I have mine hooked via the PCM cable, I'm going to give the optical a try to see if that helps! At first i thought it was the disc themselves until it was several movies that I've tried to play.

Speaking of previews is there a way to skip past them? 10 minutes of them is just BS!

[GORT]

Originally Posted by bds59

I just got my Blu Ray palyer and hooked it up and I am having this problem also and it is very frustrating to me! My player is and S300, hooked up to a Sony reciever that is about 5 years old, it plays the previews on the discs just fine it's when it goes to the movie that the sound drops in and out, I have mine hooked via the PCM cable, I'm going to give the optical a try to see if that helps! At first i thought it was the disc themselves until it was several movies that I've tried to play.

Speaking of previews is there a way to skip past them? 10 minutes of them is just BS!

Yes its called fast forward

[jfrankowski]

Originally Posted by cawgijoe

My old Denon AVR-3300 works fine via Toslink and the PS3 set to Bitstream. No sound issues. I have a 5.1 system.

That being said, I would follow other's advice here and set the PS3 to output in Bitstream first......if that doesn't work, set the PS3 to only do regular Dolby 5.1.

Lots of good stuff going around here.
Like I say, i'm new in this forun and the lingo needs interpretation:
PS3 = ????
Bitstream = ????

Also, I'm listed as a junior member - how does one's status change?

[jfrankowski]

Originally Posted by cawgijoe

The upgrades.....firmware updates may not have anything to do with sound issues......

I have 27 Bluray movies aleady and after testing some of them, the intermittent sound is on of a few of them such as Black Book, Perfect Stranger, Gods and Generals, Casino Royale and Premonition.
The Blurays that played good are Br. Brooks, The Day After Tomorrow, Behind Enemy Lines - the good ones all have audio format of DTS HD 5.1.

The bad ones only have audio format of Dolby Digital. These also take a very time load.....

Seems to be the way some of the Bluray discs are created.

Now I'm gonna check other threads to see if members have already identified these specific movies. Can I get bumped up from a junior member.

I'm retired now, an 67 years old and I spent 30 years in testing UNIX based software, supporting UNIX, from 1979 at AT&T, supporting PCs, the network, etc.
Any jobs around for me with those talents, working from home of course. I used RDC (Remote Desktop Connectivity) for the last 3 years.

[bds59]

I sent off an email to Sony support on the issue that I'm having and thier reply was for me to give them a call since it was a problem they feel they couldn't resolve by email. So one of these days I'll give them a call to see what they have to say. I'm hoping they will be more willing to resolve this since I have a Sony reciever??

[Sailor-man]

New to the group and love the picture on my s300, but having some problems with 5.1 audio dropping out on occasion. Happens most fequently when there is an intense bit in a BP movie.

My s300 is connected to a Sony STR DB870 that's few years old using audio and optical cable. The Receiver is decoding and I am getting 5.1 audio, but it periodically drops. It's most noticeable playing a Blu-Ray disk such as the new Harry Potter film when there is an intense scene. It drops momentarilty (ie. the 5.1 light on the Receiver dims momentarily and sound stops, then resumes a second or 2 later).

So far, it doesn't drop any audio when playing a standard DVD. I have downloaded and installed the latest firmware fix (v 3.70).

If any ideas other than replacing the Receiver, sent along.

Have sent a couple of emails to Sony Tech support but getting nowhere.

[PhillyFan]

New member here... stumbled across this thread while researching similar problems with BD audio dropouts. My PS3 / Sony STR-DE885 receiver work fine together except for optical dropouts during dynamic portions of BD movies; experiencing no problems during subtle portions or with any other media format. After more than an hour on the phone with a variety of support people, I reached a second-level tech in the Home Audio support section who told me concluslively that my receiver's optical processing can handle a maximum of 96 khz (not sure if I got the units correct) which is equal to the max output of standard DVDs. BDs can reach a max of 128 (something like that) during the most dynamic portions. His suggestion was to change the PS3 audio output setting from bitstream to PCM. This solution of course will sacrifice 5-channel discreet audio, but will eliminate the dropouts. I'm not sure I'm happy with that compromise. I'm also not sure why it took so long to get that relatively simple answer (assuming it's correct).

[bds59]

I already figured out that if I change my player to PCM it is just fine, but most of the movies I watch are action flix, so the DD surround sound is part of the enjoyment for me. I will give them a call one of these days after the new year, and see what they have to say, I believe that my receiver is the same one.

[Brons2]

Originally Posted by JeffGott

I would tend to agree this is an issue with the player. I have a Sony BDP-S300 connected to a Sony STRDA4300ES receiver via Monster 1000 cables. I had audio dropouts and small video blips periodically while watching bluray moveis. I just upgraded to 3.70 and the problem is worse. Now the video goes to "snow" for a couple seconds and then everything returns.

If I connect via component cables, I don't see a problem. I am going to experiment more this weekend using different receiver inputs, cables, etc.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

I get the video blips as well. Have the BDP-S301. Don't have this problem with my roommate's PS3 when I hook it up to my TV (JVC HD56FH97).

Sigh.

I did update to the 3.7 firmware. That helped a lot over the 2.1 that it shipped with but it still stinks.

I don't care about the advanced audio codecs. My receiver is old, Sony STR-DE835. Plain old 5.1 is fine.

I just want a working BD player. I got this one for Christmas from my mom.

Is it really so much to ask that it works properly? Maybe I'll just take it back and get a PS3. Mom gave me the receipt. I can do it today Sony!!

I

[Manco]

Originally Posted by jfrankowski

Lots of good stuff going around here.
Like I say, i'm new in this forun and the lingo needs interpretation:
PS3 = ????
Bitstream = ????

Also, I'm listed as a junior member - how does one's status change?

PS3 = Sony Playstation 3 Game Console.
Bitstream = raw digital audio bits read from the disc and sent down the wire to be decoded by the reciever to analog (which is then sent to the speakers).

Your status changes as your post count increases. It's the same across the board for everyone.

[Sandman416]

I have a S301 over optical to a 8 year old Yamaha receiver. I have yet to have a video or picture issue. I player came with V2 code and I upgraded it to 3.7. How tight are your connections? I have plenty of cable so there is no stress on them. The Yamaha has a theater mode with the DD 5.1 and DTS. It was high end when I got it used.

I'm not sure the problem is completly with the players but the way it interfaces with everything else. Kinda trys to make you want to upgrade?

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by JeffGott

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

well if worse comes to worse, use Component for Video and Multichannel Analog for audio.

[Brons2]

I took my S301 back and got a PS3 on Sunday. No issues so far. The PS3 found my NAS without any fiddling whatsoever, which was nice. I played some MP3's from it and it works great.

[digibob]

Originally Posted by PhillyFan

New member here... stumbled across this thread while researching similar problems with BD audio dropouts. My PS3 / Sony STR-DE885 receiver work fine together except for optical dropouts during dynamic portions of BD movies; experiencing no problems during subtle portions or with any other media format. After more than an hour on the phone with a variety of support people, I reached a second-level tech in the Home Audio support section who told me concluslively that my receiver's optical processing can handle a maximum of 96 khz (not sure if I got the units correct) which is equal to the max output of standard DVDs. BDs can reach a max of 128 (something like that) during the most dynamic portions. His suggestion was to change the PS3 audio output setting from bitstream to PCM. This solution of course will sacrifice 5-channel discreet audio, but will eliminate the dropouts. I'm not sure I'm happy with that compromise. I'm also not sure why it took so long to get that relatively simple answer (assuming it's correct).

I discovered this same problem with my PS3 and Sony AVR this weekend. I think my receiver is the same as yours but I am at work and not sure of the model number. I just put in new front speakers and a sub woofer and wanted to crank up the audio. I watched my BD of Cars and the audio would drop out during race scenes and louder portions of the film. Then I watched Spiderman 1 that had the same problem. I did switch to PCM but stereo is not an option. I also started to play Flyboys and it would only play in stereo, no 5.1. The box said it was DTS HD MA for English and DD 5.1 for Spanish and French. The Spanish and French played fine but only stereo in English. Is there anyway to get 5.1 surround from BDs with DTS HD MA from a PS3 without buying a new HDMI Receiver? I never imagined there would be a problem with 5.1 audio from Blu-Rays.