# Problem with Dolby Digital



## bdeco (Aug 3, 2005)

I just got the Dish 942 last week and have it connected to my HDTV via HDMI. I also have it connected to my Sony DDW660 system via the optical digital out. The problem I am having is that I have to turn the volume almost to the maximum (60+ out of 70) to hear anything broadcast in Dolby Digital. In PCM everything sounds fine with the volume level at 40. Has anyone else had this problem? I can't determine if it is a problem with my 942 or my Sony receiver. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

That's exactly the opposite that I see from my 942s - DD5.1 audio is louder than PCM when connected to my Harman Kardon receiver via optical. Have you checked your line input levels with your receiver connected via optical? I know with mine, I can adjust the individial speaker output levels independently of main volume.


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## bdeco (Aug 3, 2005)

I can adjust individual speaker volume, however doing that adjusts the PCM volume as well as the Dolby Digital volume, so it does nothing to decrease the huge difference between the two.


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## Paradox-sj (Dec 15, 2004)

Do you at least get 5.1 channels of sound...i.e does the reciever KNOW that it is recieving a DD signal?


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## bdeco (Aug 3, 2005)

Yeah, it knows it is getting Dolby Digital, it says it on the front of the reciever whenever I switch to a broadcast that is in DD. It also tells me whether it is 2/0 or 3/2.1 ie 2 channel or 5.1. When it is in 5.1 I hear sound coming from all 5 channels, the problem is just that I have to turn the volume up all the way to hear it while when listening in PCM, it sounds fine at a normal level.


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## Paradox-sj (Dec 15, 2004)

So the 942 is passing the DD signal with the right flags etc and its being understood at the reciever.

How many optical inputs are on your reciever? Have you tried anothe input?

Have you tried hooking up another DD device to the reciever (same input even) to see if the same issues comes up... say a DVD player or Xbox etc?

Have you tried switching optical cables?


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

ON both of my 942s and both of my a/v receivers , I get dolby digital sound lower than normal pcm sound. On my local digital stations my Cbs station is just as loud as my pcm Dish sat stations. On my Abc station it is as low as my dolby digital sound with Voom and other hd stations. It has always been this was , even when I had the 921 and I am using an optical cable on both. There is no uniformity with it from station to station.


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## Tom in TX (Jan 22, 2004)

Mike D-CO5 said:


> ON both of my 942s and both of my a/v receivers , I get dolby digital sound lower than normal pcm sound. On my local digital stations my Cbs station is just as loud as my pcm Dish sat stations. On my Abc station it is as low as my dolby digital sound with Voom and other hd stations. It has always been this was , even when I had the 921 and I am using an optical cable on both. There is no uniformity with it from station to station.


My 942 is the same way also. When you change channels, sometimes it will blow you away with the volume!
Tom in TX


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## bdeco (Aug 3, 2005)

I tried my DVD player and the volume still has to be fairly loud (though not quite as loud as the 942) to hear a Dolby Digital track. I guess the problem is with my Sony receiver rather than my 942. Thanks for all the help.


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## Tom-Tx (May 23, 2005)

bdeco:
I too have a Sony receiver and have the same experience as you. Up till now, I just assumed this was a caracteristic of DD. Now I'm thinking it is the receiver.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Mine is a yamaha a/v receiver and it does the same on my rca a/v receiver. I think it depends on the broadcaster and the company that does it. ON the Voom channels , Hbo hd , Showtime hd the sound is very low and I have to turn it up by about 15 degrees. On my local digital channels, the Cbs station does pure dolby digital 5.1 sound all the time and it is about the same level as my pcm stations from Dish. My Abc station is very low and it isn't in dolby digital 5.1. I think it really depends on the station itself.


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## bdeco (Aug 3, 2005)

After trying a few things out, I found out that the volume difference is more pronounced with the OTA Dolby Digtial vs. PCM. There is still a difference between Dish transmitted DD and PCM, but it is much worse with OTA. Has this been anyone else's experience?


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## DRJDAN (Apr 28, 2002)

I am always having to adjust the sound on my receiver. The Leno show requires much louder when he is doing the monolog vs. the rest of the program. I have a Sony 7.1 revceiver, have to use sound ranging from 40 to 51 on various shows. Only use 6 speakers (one on the back vs. 2)


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## softwiz (May 12, 2005)

bdeco said:


> I tried my DVD player and the volume still has to be fairly loud (though not quite as loud as the 942) to hear a Dolby Digital track. I guess the problem is with my Sony receiver rather than my 942. Thanks for all the help.


Make sure you don't have your A/V receiver in one of the night DD modes. Search around in the menus and you'll see a mode that will do this.

If it's set to night, set it to off


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