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Sound seems a bit off
#198440 02/29/08 03:34 AM
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Zarak Offline OP
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I finally have all of the speakers setup in the new house (waiting for one part to get the sub working without running a line across the room, but effectively I'm setup).

Anyway, I was watching Lost tonight and dialogue seemed a bit muffled and difficult to hear at times. I did a quick calibration during the commercial with the receiver white noise and the SPL meter, and I also bumped up the center a couple of db and it helped a little, but still didn't seem quite right.

I put on Floyd's DSOTM SACD afterwards to try out all the speakers to see if it sounded ok, and it was fine.

I'm not sure what the issue is, or if it was just Lost tonight. Anyone else have issues with it? I would tend to think it wasn't the show, only because it is pretty much the first thing I have watched since getting everything setup. Planning on a movie tomorrow night, so we'll see how that goes.

I was thinking during Lost a wire maybe wasn't hooked up right or something, but I should have noticed problems with DSOTM as well if that was the case.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Re: Sound seems a bit off
Zarak #198442 02/29/08 03:53 AM
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I had the same problem tonight. Fiddling with the Audio settings of the cable box helped (making sure the digital out is set to DolbyDigital, not the non-descript "other" setting)

I find I need to crank the volume WAY up when using my receiver with the cable box just to be able to hear it clearly. All my connections are secure, so I think it's just a lousy cable box. (Pace 551).

I also notice that even though the guide says lost is in 5.1, my wonderful cable provider (Rogers Canada) seems to only provide it in 2.0.

Hopefully there is someone who can help us both out... Tonight's Lost was great, though.

Re: Sound seems a bit off
Bennett_Marco #198451 02/29/08 04:24 AM
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What center do you have Zarak? It could have been she Lost show. Where is your center, on a shelf, down low, up high?


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Re: Sound seems a bit off
Bennett_Marco #198452 02/29/08 04:26 AM
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I'v never watched one episode of lost. Is it good?

Its funny that your center channel sound seemed to be lost

Probably not coming in Digital 5.1 but 2.0

I watched a T.M.L hockey game a few years back in HD and there was no anouncer only the sound of the players and crowd! Very odd but cool.

I hate when watching HD channels and then switching to SD channels and having volume jump up by a 1/4 or even 1/2









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Re: Sound seems a bit off
arcticair #198473 02/29/08 11:56 AM
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Zarak Offline OP
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I have the VP150, M22, QS8, VTF-2 (this all used to be in my profile, but it appears that info was lost during one of the board upgrades).

It does days DD on the receiver, and I could tell that there was sound coming from all 5 speakers. I'll have to see if it is better with a movie tonight, and then if it still isn't good via cable it might just be something with the cable box. They did make me get a new box when I moved, even though it is still Comcast. Since it is a different county, they said the cable system was different so boxes needed to be switched out. I'll have to look up how to get into the cable box settings. I seem to remember an option to change the settings in there.

Re: Sound seems a bit off
Zarak #198497 02/29/08 04:22 PM
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I found this link helpful.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17870

Apparently HDNET is the best channel to test 5.1 on because its 24/7. The guy claims that others (including ABC) sometimes mess up the 5.1 encoding.

"HD ABC is usually DD5.1 all the time (if the affiliate has DD5.1 capability), but only Network-originating programming is DD5.1, so the dialogue won't be out the center channel with local programming typically with sound only out the LF & RF speakers. Sometimes the sound comes out the rears, instead. I call this "improperly encoded DD5.1". It happens a lot on ABC, as well as Seattle NBC (Jay Leno) and now also on PBS Buffalo. "

And yes, Lost is good...but frustrating to watch because they take so long to reveal what's happening. If I had the self control, I'd forget about it, then buy the whole thing on DVD once the series was over.


Last edited by Bennett_Marco; 02/29/08 04:25 PM.

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