Digital audio annoying clicking

[erasmu]

I have my primary 921 audio (using DVI video) connected to my tv with an optical cable. The sound quality is great. However, whenever I skip ahead for commercials, etc. I get repeated unpleasant clicking. After about 2-3 seconds the sound returns normally. I have now connected RCA audio cables to a second tv input. While I do not feel the audio quality is as good during normal play, skip ahead is pleasant and quiet until the sound returns after the same 2-3 second delay. Is there anything that can be done about this? Is my only choice the annoying clicking or the lower quality audio?

[boylehome]

I have my primary 921 audio (using DVI video) connected to my tv with an optical cable. The sound quality is great. However, whenever I skip ahead for commercials, etc. I get repeated unpleasant clicking. After about 2-3 seconds the sound returns normally. I have now connected RCA audio cables to a second tv input. While I do not feel the audio quality is as good during normal play, skip ahead is pleasant and quiet until the sound returns after the same 2-3 second delay. Is there anything that can be done about this? Is my only choice the annoying clicking or the lower quality audio?
You may wish do a test. Switch your optical audio with the RCA (analog) audio. If you don't get the clicking problem by doing that, at least you will know that it is optical specific. If you determine that the clicking is with the optical connections, then you could try hooking the optical output to another source, such as a different monitor or stereo system. If the clicking is present with the other set-up then it is possible that it is a problem with the 921. If not then it may something with your monitor.

[erasmu]

You may wish do a test. Switch your optical audio with the RCA (analog) audio. If you don't get the clicking problem by doing that, at least you will know that it is optical specific. If you determine that the clicking is with the optical connections, then you could try hooking the optical output to another source, such as a different monitor or stereo system. If the clicking is present with the other set-up then it is possible that it is a problem with the 921. If not then it may something with your monitor.

I am sorry, but my connections are slightly different than I had described. I run the optical cable from the 921 to my home theater receiver. There are no other optical jacks to relocate to. The RCA connections that are quiet run from the 921 to the receiver as well. Have other 921 users with optical cable connections achieved quiet skips?

[boylehome]

I am sorry, but my connections are slightly different than I had described. I run the optical cable from the 921 to my home theater receiver. There are no other optical jacks to relocate to. The RCA connections that are quiet run from the 921 to the receiver as well. Have other 921 users with optical cable connections achieved quiet skips?
I see. I recall seeing months ago some posts where other users have experienced problems with the digital output.

[Michael P]

The clilcking might be caused by your HT receiver. When you use optical, you are sending digital data that includes clock data along with the actual audio data. When you are skipping forward the clock data may be corrupted by the skip function. This is normal for digital sources, the clock will correct itself once normal play is resumed.

Look in your HT receiver's user manual regarding digital inputs, look for references to "external clock". If it is set to external, the corrupted clock data is the cause. Try setting the clock to internal (however you risk losing all audio from the satellite IRD, not to worry just set it back to external).

Disclaimer: My experience with optical digital audio is with digital audio workstations and other digital audio devices such CD and DAT. I do not own an HT receiver, so I can only presume there is a similar setting on an HT receiver.

[SimpleSimon]

I don't get the clicks - just the dropouts that others have reported. It may or may not be the same problem, manifesting differently based on the audio receiver type.

I DO believe it's a 921 problem, tho, simply because it's so widespread, and, well, the 921 doesn't have a good history of doing things correctly.

[Slordak]

I actually had to replace my stereo receiver because the 921 was particularly bad with transitioning the digital signal between Dolby Digital and non-Dolby Digital. Hence, it would frequently "glitch" the line causing the receiver to drop the audio when changing between certain channels. I gave up on Dish fixing this and instead got a new stereo receiver which is more tolerant of this abuse.

With my new receiver, I just leave it on the "Digital Auto" mode. However, when watching programming which is a mixture of high-definition and low-definition, the stereo actually clicks a relay on and off to power the rear speakers when switching between the full Dolby Digital programming and the two-channel programming (e.g. the ads between the show). This causes the above mentioned "clicking" for me, but this clicking is the relay; it's not in the actual audio stream. This particular problem seems to be caused by the networks, though, not the 921 itself. Once the ads themselves are true high definition, with Dolby Digital audio, this problem should go away.

However, the problem with the 921 causing the stereo to drop out of Dolby Digital mode when fast-forwarding will remain an issue. The 921 could correct this by sending a silent audio stream using the same encoding scheme which was previously in use, so that fast-forwarding a Dolby Digital stream would cause the 921 to broadcast silence for all 5.1 channels during the fast-forwarding. However, this is an enhancement, so I doubt we'd ever actually get this functionality; sigh.

[mindedc]

I don't get the clicks - just the dropouts that others have reported. It may or may not be the same problem, manifesting differently based on the audio receiver type.

I DO believe it's a 921 problem, tho, simply because it's so widespread, and, well, the 921 doesn't have a good history of doing things correctly.


My 721, 7100 and 510 have all done this with two different B&K products (REF 30 and REF 50 Pre-AMP/Processor). I don't have my 921 (yet) and I presume it will do the same thing. I have learned to ignore it over the years.

I have been told that it is due to the fact that "high end" equiptment is more sensitive to corruption in the digital audio stream.

Such is the sad state of our digital age...