avr430 wont read dolby digital

[jravenger]

My hk avr430 wont detect dolby from my digital cable receiver. Works fine for dvds. Using optical connection reads in prologic. Do I have a problem with the cable box or the receiver. Had new comcast hd cable box for about 3 months only one time did the receiver read in dolby digital, then I switched to a analog channel and back to digital and lost dolby signal. Any suggestions.

[gmorris]

Perhaps all the programming you are watching is not in Dolby Digital? This is probably not correct, just a thought.

[gmorris]

Just had another idea.

On my Onkyo TX-SR601, there is a menu option in the setup menu called "Input Setup". With this option, I tell the reveiver what decoding format to use for each input. For example, for CD input, I choose Stereo. For DVD, I choose Digital Format. With the DVD example, when a DVD is playing with DD/DTS, the receiver plays the signal as DD/DTS. If I were to choose Stereo at the "Input Setup" menu, a DVD would play in Stereo even though the DVD is DD/DTS.

There are buttons on the remote & front panel that can override the menu pick. But the "Input Setup" option is the default, so if I switch inputs, then go back to DVD, the signal goes back to DD/DTS, even if I had previously selected Stereo with the override button.

The long and short of my explanation is you may have a menu setting on you HK receiver that is set to something other than DD/DTS for the input of you cable box.

[TheReaper]

On my TimeWarner/Pioneer HD Cable Box, channels that aren't Dolby Digital come accross as PCM 44 Khz on the digital input.

So I think gmorris is probably correct, check what that you have the input set correctly.

As I use component video on my HK AVR630, I have the Analog from the cable box connected to Vid2 and the Digital connected to Vid3, and I have both set to the same component input. To switch between analog sound and digital sound from the cable box, I just have to switch between Vid2 and Vid3.

[Toxis]

Why not just put both analog and digital inputs on Vid 2 and set the decoder to auto? Much easier IMO.

As for the original question, check to make sure your cable box can output digital. Go into the menu to verify or call your cable company to see what you need to do to get DD out of it.

[jravenger]

Thanks for the info I know all channels not digital, but I know my hd channels are, they show pcm 44 khz I will check if I missed something in the setup will try to override the auto select. My cable box does not have any audio options in the setup screen called comcast to verify. Do I have to and a analog hook up to my receiver as well as the optical cable right know just have the one optical connected to the avr430. I hear the analog fine through the optical do I need to add another set of analog plugs to the avr as well?

[TheReaper]

If all you have is an optical cable connecting your cable box to your avr, that simplifies things. Your cable box decides what to send to the avr430. If it is sending PCM 44khz, that is what you get.

My HD channels, HBO, SHO, ENC and Music Choice (recently switched) are almost always in Dolby Digital (either flash 2/0/0 or 2/3/1).

I don't think there is a setting in my cable box, so you may not find one in yours. If you don't, you may want to call up your cable company and find out if what you are getting is correct (or is there a newer HD converter box?).

The reason I hook up the analog outputs, is I have a graphic equalizer inbetween. Sometimes when I am listening to music choice, I will switch over to the analog. And to answer 'Toxis', on my avr630, it is easier to switch manually between analog and digital, if they are on separate inputs.