Audio playback prob. on recorded shows. Help!

[f6487]

If this is in the wrong forum I apologize. Feel free to relocate it if neccessary. Here's my problem. When playing back a recorded program on my HR21 - 200 sometimes the audio will play and other times it won't. This just started happenning and it's pretty random. The HR21-200 was recently sent to me because my other model crapped out. The DVR is recording the show perfectly (so it seems) and I'll go into my playlist and hit start and sometimes it will start with sound and sometimes it will start without. I can't come up with a rhyme or reason for this. My DVR is connected to my Samsung HDTV via HDMI cable, my DVR is connected to my Marantz Stereo reciever via optical audio cable. I've checked all those connections. Checked batteries in remotes. Just don't understand why sometimes I'll hit start and the program plays back perfectly with audio & video and other times it will play back with perfect video but no audio.

Well, I just found something out and I'm possibly even more confused. While the video was playing back with no audio I dissconnected one end of the optical audio cable that runs from the DVR to the Marantz reciever and plugged it back in and the audio comes on. I've done this ten times with two different brand new optical cables to rule out a bad cable. The audio kicks in every time when I unplug and the plug back in.

The box was just sent to me. Could it be a bad optical connection on the HR21-200? It took me months for them to send me a black DVR. I hate to send it back.

Any help guys? Can't figure it out. Thx. Frank

[gameguru1360]

it has to do with the hdcp handshake via the hdmi connection and optical cable.

My audio kicks in every so often, more so on the speed channel and food network. I even tried switching to a digital coax audio cable and I still get the audio going out. Some people have said to disable the dolby digital from the dvr box.

[f6487]

Originally Posted by gameguru1360

it has to do with the hdcp handshake via the hdmi connection and optical cable.

My audio kicks in every so often, more so on the speed channel and food network. I even tried switching to a digital coax audio cable and I still get the audio going out. Some people have said to disable the dolby digital from the dvr box.

Thanks for the reply. What I don't understand is why this is doing this now. It's never done it before and I've had things hooked up the same way. No audio problems whatsoever when I'm watching regular programs but it's when I go to watch something that's already been recorded. The video comes on but no audio and it's hit and miss. Sometimes the audio is there and sometimes it's not.

Does it make any sense that using my Marantz remote if I turn the reciever off and then back on while the recorded show is playing it somehow makes the audio kick in. That's alot easier than reaching behind and unplugging the optical cable and plugging it back in. Something is disrupting the audio and I can't stand it when it's not working perfectly.

I guess I'll keep tinkering with it. Can't imagine I want to turn the Dolby off on my DVR.

Thanks and anything you want to add is appreciated. Frank

[ouneday]

Originally Posted by f6487

Thanks for the reply. What I don't understand is why this is doing this now. It's never done it before and I've had things hooked up the same way. No audio problems whatsoever when I'm watching regular programs but it's when I go to watch something that's already been recorded. The video comes on but no audio and it's hit and miss. Sometimes the audio is there and sometimes it's not.

Does it make any sense that using my Marantz remote if I turn the reciever off and then back on while the recorded show is playing it somehow makes the audio kick in. That's alot easier than reaching behind and unplugging the optical cable and plugging it back in. Something is disrupting the audio and I can't stand it when it's not working perfectly.

I guess I'll keep tinkering with it. Can't imagine I want to turn the Dolby off on my DVR.

Thanks and anything you want to add is appreciated. Frank

....

The hard drive in your DVR is going bad... if it were a cable when you watched Live TV you'd be missing audio.

You need to do a refresh on the hard drive... hit the reset button, then after it begins to reset simultaneously hold down the Down button and the Record button on the recevier until you see it begin to scan the drive...

If you still have this problem you'll need a new receiver.

[f6487]

Originally Posted by ouneday

....

The hard drive in your DVR is going bad... if it were a cable when you watched Live TV you'd be missing audio.

You need to do a refresh on the hard drive... hit the reset button, then after it begins to reset simultaneously hold down the Down button and the Record button on the recevier until you see it begin to scan the drive...

If you still have this problem you'll need a new receiver.

Ouneday, Thanks for your input but I have to agree with what Gameguru posted in his reply, and here's why. After speaking with a few Advanced Tech Support people at D* and doing some research on Handshake problems I'm almost positive that I don't have a bad HD DVR. The way I understand it is that certain channels that aren't broadcast in HD or 5.1 will record with audio and video but sometimes during playback the audio will not kick in do to the optical cable connection. It makes sense to me. Anything that I record in HD plays back perfectly but every once in awhile a program like Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation which is broadcast in SD will record but when you go to play it back sometimes it plays back with audio and sometimes without. But other SD recording will also play back with no problems. D* say's that as more and more channels and programs become HD 5.1 you will see much less of this problem. Honestly it doesn't happen often now, just a few programs that are in SD.

Well, if anyone thinks I might be on to something and have this properly diagnosed, let me know. I was ready to return my HD DVR and buy all new optical cables but I don't think that would have solved the problem.

Thanks, Frank