a35: direct audio on but lpcm output?

[vertigo]

So I have a bit of an annoyance. I have an A35 and onkyo 605, i have the A35 set to bit stream the HD audio, and the Onkyo will light up as it should (after months of it being "repaired" and then "updated"), but sometimes the A35 stops bitstreaming on its own. It won't do it mid-movie, only when I turn it on and put a movie in. Then I have to stop the movie, go into settings, and even thought direct audio is already set to on, I have to reselect it. Does anyone know what is causing this problem and how to fix it?

[blasto172]

ya I had this same problem with an a35 I bought of amazons warehouse deals and my 805. I think it was almost every time I used it I would have to stop then start the movie again to get dd +, ddtd. Also mine wouldstart playing static I you let the menue loop. It also played static at the begining of my import of the Island ( all the bs screens before the acual film)

[CochiseGuy]

You need to have your receiver and TV powered up to the A35's output before powering on the A35, otherwise the A35 can't detect a receiver with HDMI 1.3 & THD/DTS MA decoding during power up, and reverts the direct audio mode back to off.

My A35 did the same thing until I figured out to have everything powered up first - that thought occurred to me as if I don't have everything powered up to my Panasonic BD30 blu-ray player's output before turning on the BD30, it loses my 1080i video output setting (my display's max res.), reverts back to "Auto" mode, and decides 1080p is just fine - which results in a blank screen on my display. Welcome to high def.

[vertigo]

i figured that out after about a couple of weeks. I noticed that if i was watching tv or playing my 360 before I turned the A35 on it would bit stream. so i tried turning the receiver and tv on before I turned on the a35 if everything was off and that worked too. I programmed in a delay on my remote's macro so that everything else is on before the a35 powers up. but thanks for the reply! i'm glad to see people are still on here.

[CochiseGuy]

Well, vertigo, I hope I'm not about to experience what you went through - I think I fried my 605!

I tried to update the DSP firmware to avoid possible loud booming noises when bitstreaming DTS-HD MA (see thread "Loud Popping Sound When Bitstreaming DTS-MA" in blu-ray hardware forum). I hadn't had any problems and I'm one of those "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" kinda guys, but folks say you never know when it might hit. So I downloaded the FW update and tried to update via burned CD and mine got stuck. Now when you go through the steps to display the DSP FW it displays ????????? and there's no audio.

I'll play with it some more today, but I think it's fried. Mine's covered by a 3rd party warranty (I bought it from a non-authorized Onkyo dealer, an eBay Power Seller), but I imagine they will have to send it to an Onkyo service center for service. I'm glad I kept my old receiver, but it's back to 5.1 analog connections and no bitstream audio for all my imports with DTS-HD MA.

[vertigo]

i hope you don't end up in the boat I was in. But atleast you have a back up. I do, too, now. After 2.5 months I went on craigslist and picked up a decent sony receiver with 5.1 that I used. Good luck with it and if you need any advice on working with Onkyo I know who is actually helpful at their customer service number.

[CochiseGuy]

Originally Posted by vertigo

i hope you don't end up in the boat I was in. But atleast you have a back up. I do, too, now. After 2.5 months I went on craigslist and picked up a decent sony receiver with 5.1 that I used. Good luck with it and if you need any advice on working with Onkyo I know who is actually helpful at their customer service number.

Well, I won't have to deal with Onkyo directly. I've never been able to register the receiver with them - it always comes up as "invalid serial number". So I called them & the rep tried to key in my serial # with the same result and asked where I bought it. When I told him eBay, he got all snotty saying I wasn't covered by any Onkyo warranty as authorized Onkyo Dealers don't sell on eBay.

But the eBay seller provided me with one of those 3rd Party Extended Warranties - Consumer Priority Services. I just logged & retrieved my account info. I thought it was up in June (1 year), but it's actually a 2 year warranty, yay! Filed a claim and already got an email response with a claim #, saying I'll get a response from a claims agent in 1-2 days.

Yep, good to have a backup receiver. My old receiver is a 10 yr. old Sony 5.1 with optical & 5.1 analog inputs; works fine & I didn't think I'd get much for it, so I kept it in a closet. Watched Cloverfield upconverted on my XA2 with optical audio out to my old receiver and it sounded pretty damn good.

[The_Doctor]

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

Well, I won't have to deal with Onkyo directly. I've never been able to register the receiver with them - it always comes up as "invalid serial number". So I called them & the rep tried to key in my serial # with the same result and asked where I bought it. When I told him eBay, he got all snotty saying I wasn't covered by any Onkyo warranty as authorized Onkyo Dealers don't sell on eBay.

But the eBay seller provided me with one of those 3rd Party Extended Warranties - Consumer Priority Services. I just logged & retrieved my account info. I thought it was up in June (1 year), but it's actually a 2 year warranty, yay! Filed a claim and already got an email response with a claim #, saying I'll get a response from a claims agent in 1-2 days.

Yep, good to have a backup receiver. My old receiver is a 10 yr. old Sony 5.1 with optical & 5.1 analog inputs; works fine & I didn't think I'd get much for it, so I kept it in a closet. Watched Cloverfield upconverted on my XA2 with optical audio out to my old receiver and it sounded pretty damn good.

Sorry to hear of your trouble. I've got some problems with my 605 (Losing HDMI in the middle watching something, some sound issues when not using HDMI), I'm so used to it now I can't imagine doing without it
I contacted Onkyo via email and they said I have a certain specific problem (a board is defective) and I need to contact an authorized repair center, which apparently is in New York Why no local deal I don't know. Maybe it is better to send it to NY

How do you do an update to it? last I read only the UK/EU receivers could do that and the US receivers required sending them in to the factory.

The only thing I've had to cheer me up today is an article that Blu players sales are falling.
Now that I think of it I have trouble with the Onkyo responding to the remote Damn it! I think I going to have to send it in despite not wanting to. I guess I have to call NY to set it up, hope these guys are better than the CC repair team.

[CochiseGuy]

Originally Posted by The_Doctor

Sorry to hear of your trouble. I've got some problems with my 605 (Losing HDMI in the middle watching something, some sound issues when not using HDMI), I'm so used to it now I can't imagine doing without it
I connected Onkyo via email and they said I have a certain specific problem (some board is defective) and I need to contact an authorized repair center, which apparently is in New York Why no local deal I don't know. Maybe it is better to send it to NY.

Check that your HDMI cables are securely connected. I was getting a gray screen fading in & out watching a movie, on both HD DVD & blu-ray. I took the HDMI cables out of the 605 & reconnected them & still had the problem. So I wheeled out my HDTV (it's a 300 lb. rear projection behemoth), and took out the DVI connection, I'd forgotten to screw it in (DVI cables have two screws, like a PC VGA cable). Screwed it in tightly and the fade out problems went away.

Originally Posted by The_Doctor

How do you do an update to it? last I read only the UK/EU receivers could do that and the US receivers required sending them in to the factory.

Onkyo recommends sending it in for the update - if you do have to send it in for the board problem, ask them to update the DSP (Digital Signaling Processor) software. There's a bug in the original DSP software that can cause a loud popping noise that can damage speakers when bitstreaming DTS-HD Master Audio. It's affecting mostly BD players & Onkyo receivers, but some reports of the bug happening when an XA2 or A35 is bitstreaming. But the update is up there for downloading, it's a .wav file that you burn to an audio CD and then playback via optical 1 audio input. The receiver is supposed to display "updating", then "writing" and turn itself off. Mine just stuck at "updating" after repeated attempts.

Originally Posted by The_Doctor

The only thing I've had to cheer me up today is an article that Blu players sales are falling.
Now that I think of it I have trouble with the Onkyo responding to the remote Damn it! I think I going to have to send it in despite not wanting to. I guess I have to call NY to set it up, hope these guys are better than the CC repair team.

The batteries are OK on the remote? Never any problems with mine. Yeah, that is a damn shame about slow BD player sales - guess those poor consumers weren't so confused with having two formats after all.

I never will feel any love for BD. I have 100+ HD DVDs and 6 BDs - I mostly rent BDs. If I'm going to do without my Onkyo 605 for a month or so, I might just go ahead & sell my Panasonic BD30 player. I've been tempted to sell it as I can get almost what I paid for it, it gets so little use, and it can't decode shit internally - DTS & DD is all I'll get.

[CochiseGuy]

Phew! After reading through the AVSForum thread on the FW updates, I thought to try a reset to factory defaults. That did it, it re-loaded the original DSP firmware & I have audio again. I ain't messing with it again.

[vertigo]

Onkyo originally told me there wasn't a service center by me either. Well after a couple of other phone calls it turns out there was one 20 minutes from me. I did take it there, but it ended up getting sent to new york anyway. So I guess what I'm saying, is if you want to find some place local keep talking to them and maybe one of them will tell you

[The_Doctor]

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

Check that your HDMI cables are securely connected. I was getting a gray screen fading in & out watching a movie, on both HD DVD & blu-ray. I took the HDMI cables out of the 605 & reconnected them & still had the problem. So I wheeled out my HDTV (it's a 300 lb. rear projection behemoth), and took out the DVI connection, I'd forgotten to screw it in (DVI cables have two screws, like a PC VGA cable). Screwed it in tightly and the fade out problems went away.

The connections are ok, the first thing I assumed was wrong. Found no problems except the HDMI Input closest to the output is wiggly. I looked at the display model at CC about 3 weeks ago and theirs had no play in the connection.
I've used both inputs and inexplicably we will lose the picture and sound will still be there or we will lose sound and the picture is still there, sometime we lose both.
It does this for the HD player and the Cable Box (and the region 2 DVD when I had it hooked up via HDMI)

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

Onkyo recommends sending it in for the update - if you do have to send it in for the board problem, ask them to update the DSP (Digital Signaling Processor) software. There's a bug in the original DSP software that can cause a loud popping noise that can damage speakers when bitstreaming DTS-HD Master Audio. It's affecting mostly BD players & Onkyo receivers, but some reports of the bug happening when an XA2 or A35 is bitstreaming. But the update is up there for downloading, it's a .wav file that you burn to an audio CD and then playback via optical 1 audio input. The receiver is supposed to display "updating", then "writing" and turn itself off. Mine just stuck at "updating" after repeated attempts.

Cool glad to know it should be possible to update without sending it in. If it does go in and I'm thinking now it should, then I'll ask them to make sure everything is updated. Still not happy with the idea of living without it. That and pulling it all out to setup up the old SOny and then setting up the Onkyo when it returns

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

The batteries are OK on the remote? Never any problems with mine.

Put new batteries in it twice, although the Onkyo is very sensitive to other remote signals. Like if i am trying to turn the TV volume down and the Receiver volume up , the receiver always pauses and doesn't like to obey the remote until the TV remote stops.
It may not be a remote problem, I had a TIVO that was very sensitive to any other remote.

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

Yeah, that is a damn shame about slow BD player sales - guess those poor consumers weren't so confused with having two formats after all.

I just remembered WB had a performance clause in the exclusivity contract. Oh well, too little too late. Everything has been done to destroy HD and now its has no chance to be brought back. Althou I do thinks it is poetic justice that Blu sales have hit the skids.

Originally Posted by Blu ray player sales fell in february and now struggle

...standalone Blu-ray player sales tumbled 40% between January and February and then improved by only 2% in March.
So far the NPD has decided against releasing sales figures for Blu-ray players for April due to how low Blu-ray player sales have been, as it fears the updated figures would make it easy to identify individual retailers.

The only way HD can be brought back is if china adopts it big time, and if warner sees Blu stagnating for another year or 2 they might give it some thought. And If WB brought back HD as a bonus feature with all DVD sales then it might have a chance. I think China may stay with HD although their pirates may want to produce some blu. Then again if Blu isn't that big a deal worldwide their pirates may not want to bother with it. Incidentally I think their pirates may be the reason the rest of the world might encourage China to adopt the HD standard.
The biggest problem for Blu is DVD upconverted looks damn good. There are some movies I wont be buying because they look so good on the A35

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

I never will feel any love for BD. I have 100+ HD DVDs and 6 BDs - I mostly rent BDs. If I'm going to do without my Onkyo 605 for a month or so, I might just go ahead & sell my Panasonic BD30 player. I've been tempted to sell it as I can get almost what I paid for it, it gets so little use, and it can't decode shit internally - DTS & DD is all I'll get.

I've got no plans for a Blu player, IF I ever do get one it will have to have HD play back. Not crappy play back like the early LGs but Xa2-A35 quality. Something like the rumored hybrid HTPC from Toshiba Spectra.
Although now that the format war is over, I find my interest in it waining. This Saturday I'll be watching The Astronaut Farmer in HD, not sure I'll like it and it is only 720p but it wont cost me $30 either.

If one of these downloads like VUDU or apple can get 1080i and trueHD I'll probably jump in.

[The_Doctor]

Originally Posted by vertigo

Onkyo originally told me there wasn't a service center by me either. Well after a couple of other phone calls it turns out there was one 20 minutes from me. I did take it there, but it ended up getting sent to new york anyway. So I guess what I'm saying, is if you want to find some place local keep talking to them and maybe one of them will tell you

how was the service form New York?
Did they get it right the first time?
Give a hard time about anything?
I;ve some people have said when they sent it in to NY they got a new unit back because the old one had enough wrong to warrant a replacement.

[vertigo]

nope not a new unit. if you check my thread(last, desperate attempt: A35 and Onkyo 605) you can get a chronology of everything that went on. I will say once they got it in new york it stayed there for only 2 days. But it took them forever to get it there.

CochiseGuy, how do you check the dsp version. I have a couple of imports I wanna watch with DTS-MA this weekend, but would rather not destroy my speakers.

[The_Doctor]

Originally Posted by vertigo

nope not a new unit. if you check my thread(last, desperate attempt: A35 and Onkyo 605) you can get a chronology of everything that went on. I will say once they got it in new york it stayed there for only 2 days. But it took them forever to get it there.

CochiseGuy, how do you check the dsp version. I have a couple of imports I wanna watch with DTS-MA this weekend, but would rather not destroy my speakers.

Holy crap! That was an odyssey!