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03-Aug-2021, 09:30
(This post was last modified: 03-Aug-2021, 09:34 by kantblue.)
Hi Pioneer123
Have you checked the optical output setting on the TV - it needs to be set to PCM I believe? Are there any other optical out settings on the TV you could 'tweak' What is the make/model of the TV and is the firmware up to date - I mention this because my Sony TV had some issues with optical out that were fixed in an update.
If you can it might be worth trying a different cable or a different source input using the optical input.
kantblue
PS just noticed you are on DOS2 - have you tried bipassing the dialog completely and using the one of the Phantom's own optical inputs - at least this would help establish if it was the Dialog that was at fault?
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Hi Kantblue,
Thanks for the suggestions. Yes I checked the TV (85” Sony Bravia KD-85X9500G), optical is set to PCM. There are not many other options to change optical settings except for pass through which I have tried in both in on and off conditions with no change. The TV software is up to date so no luck there.
I have tried a different cable but no luck there either.
As for optical direct to the Phantom I have not tried because I was led to believe that as my Phantoms are older model they dont support stereo without the source being connected to the dialog, so connecting the optical to one Phantom would not solve it either.
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Hi Pioneer123
I think the effect you are describing can happen when the incoming bit rate is higher than the input device can reliably support - it can work for a short while as you describe. There has been some discussion on this very forum which would seem to suggest that some Phantoms can support higher bit rates than others even in the same range.
Got a few questions for you if that's OK.
1. Has this EVER worked and now its not or is this something you are trying for the first time?
2. Have you tried setting the 'Digital Audio Out' setting on the TV to Auto1, Auto2 etc?
3. Have you tried using any of the Apps on the TV (youtube etc) to see if its any different?
4. What is your input device for the TV picture/sound - eg cable box, Skybox, Free to air?
5. If its cable or sky have you tried optical out from these to the dialog?
If this has never worked, it might still be worth you trying the optical out into one of your phantoms direct - at least that might establish the dialog as being the problem - if you get the same result direct you would know that messing with the dialog won't fix this.
If all else fails and you didn't want to go down the direct optical route you could consider the elevate program though I'm not sure how that would work out cost wise compared to Dante etc. I'm assuming its available for the Silvers though?
Finally if you look on the Sony Forums I have seen some discussion in the past about issues with the Sony Bravia optical out being a bit flaky - I know I had to try all sorts of settings to get mine to output optical reliably with my system - eventually I got it to work and I still don't really know why - my problem though was with NO SOUND so not like yours.
kantblue
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06-Aug-2021, 08:46
(This post was last modified: 06-Aug-2021, 10:53 by Pioneer123.)
Thanks Kantblue and Ragwo,
I connected the TV optical output to one of the phantoms directly and bingo it worked and no more drop out. Both Phantoms are working with optical connected to one only.
I am keeping the dialog in the system as I need it for airplay from my server for music.
So for some reasons it seems dialog was not happy with the PCM optical signal coming from the TV. Strange as I would had thought it was a common design in the phantom and dialog.
After a few hours of testing what is interesting is that Airplay has become a bit flaky. I have listened to 3 albums in full which have all stopped at least once during playback. This has never happened before and the only change has been to move the optical cable from Dialog to phantom. Im not sure if there are any tools to investigate why this has happened but its a bit annoying.
I noticed the “optical auto switch” was in the on position on each Phantom which might explain the problem as when it stops playing the menu on the app always shows optical as the connection. I’ve switch the auto switch off on both and hope that fixes it.
So now while I have the switching sorted out the problem now is that the audio (PCM) from the TV is distorting and sounds crackly through the phantoms. This might have been the reason why the dialog was having problems with it. I can turn down the PCM level from the TV but that just lowers the input level to the phantom but does not solve the distortion. I have switched off everything from the TV (sound effects compression etc) and just left with basic optical PCM output and the sound is still pretty crappy. Running out of ideas so any suggestion is appreciated.
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Hi Pioneer123
Sounds like the usual Devialet one step forward ......
Is the sound from the TV bad no matter what the INPUT on the TV is, eg freeview, cable, apps ?
Is the TV sound set to external speaker in the sound settings on the TV and sound setting not on Dolby or surround? I know you said you had tried all the settings - I found the sound menu baffling and I kept coming across sound related settings in the oddest places - this is with a 65" bravia TV. I assume you have tried auto1, auto2 etc in the sound settings.
Are you able to try another Optical input to the phantom - eg cable box? Might help to remove the Phantom as the culprit.
Hopefully turning off auto select has fixed your airplay issue - if it hasn't does it make a difference if the TV is on STANDBY or completely powered off when it switches back to optical?
Might be worth looking on the Sony TV forums - I know there has been issues in the past with optical out on the Sony's?
Kantblue
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07-Aug-2021, 10:22
(This post was last modified: 07-Aug-2021, 10:50 by kantblue.)
Hi Pioneer123
One other suggestion is to make sure your 'Audio Output' is NOT set to "Dolby Digital +" - it should only be on "Dolby Digital".
Do you know what the specification is for your TV's optical out? Bitrate etc? I'm guessing your home receiver is more recent than the phantoms - does it support higher bitrates? Although it does point to the Phantoms being the problem I wouldn't rule out the TV completely - its a shame you haven't got a way to try the Phantoms with another TOSlink input.
My setup is different to yours but I do remember having horrible distorted clipping sound when I first connected my Sonos Playbar to the optical out and it took some messing about to sort out but the setting that fixed it was (I'm fairly sure) buried somewhere in the Sony's setup - might even have been in a maintenance menu but then I also have a vague memory of having to mess with the headphone output setting - sorry I can't be more helpful.
If autoswitch doesn't activate when the TV is completely off I wonder if in standby the TV has a 'Keep alive' pulse it sends periodically down the optical out switch.
You could also consider a "HDMI to Optical" or "HDMI-ARC to Optical" converter and bypass the Sony Optical out completely - they are fairly cheap and might be worth a go.
kantblue
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Just in case it helps anyone:
I have a PC using AIMP and a NI TRAKTOR S5 DJ deck. If UPnP sounds very nice, the lag is just unbearable... The BT is not up to par... but maybe its just me.. and waiting for the connection between apps... well it needs work.
BUT once DIALOG is updated as well, in DOS 2 app just make sure you go into setup (not a very user-friendly when you just use it for the first time...) for the DIALOG as well... And online/email "help" is a mere restating of what I just ask for and their inane web attempts to explain... anything simply and clearly.
Anyway, set it to minimum delay. The app will set it up and recognise the optical connection (if all goes well) to whatever your source is. For good measure I use 3 x Ethernet cat 8 cables (future proofing...who knows) between DIALOG and each PHANTOM PREMIER 1 GOLD to my router. Cabling is not an issue in the office...The App should say Audio Stream Dialog.Optical. That's it...
So far I resolved ALL drop outs and hiccups I had with DOS 1 regardless of the connection... The "nice" add on to DOS 2 which allows us to continue to use DIALOG is appreciated... It's fast, accurate and stable.
