Newbie audio options on freeview box - update

Recently, I posted a topic about digital audio options on a freeview
box (Daewoo DSD-9520) because its internal D-to-A sound converter
seemed poor. I have now discovered why - I think the firmware (?) may
be buggy.

Browsing its on-screen audio set-up options, the audio output is
clearly labelled "Stereo". However, I decided to toggle through all
of its audio settings, just to see what was available, at which point
the sound momentarily ceased. I toggled through these options again
(noting the choice marked "Mono"), and the sound returned. However,
the sound now seems perfectly normal, and not "tinny / thin / washed-
out" sounding.

I think, although the audio has *always* been labelled "Stereo", it
was for some reason outputting Mono. It's funny/strange, because I've
read some poor user reviews of this box's sound quality, and now I am
beginning to realise why!

Best regards, Robert.

On 17 Jun, 06:07, Dot Net Developer
wrote:
Recently, I posted a topic about digital audio options on a freeview box (Daewoo DSD-9520)

(snip)

PS - As the TV's internal subwoofer is hosed (I like that term from a
previous poster), it would be beneficial for me at some stage to
invest in some kind of dolby amp anyway.

Dot Net Developer wrote:
Recently, I posted a topic about digital audio options on a freeview
box (Daewoo DSD-9520) because its internal D-to-A sound converter
seemed poor. I have now discovered why - I think the firmware (?) may
be buggy.

Hmmm... I'm a software developer too. I'm always pointing fingers at
other peoples bugs... :-)

Browsing its on-screen audio set-up options, the audio output is
clearly labelled "Stereo". However, I decided to toggle through all
of its audio settings, just to see what was available, at which point
the sound momentarily ceased. I toggled through these options again
(noting the choice marked "Mono"), and the sound returned. However,
the sound now seems perfectly normal, and not "tinny / thin / washed-
out" sounding.

It could be you had a "two speaker simulated surround sound" option
enabled somewhere (which on my TV does sound crap) and your toggling
through the output options and selecting Mono has disabled the surround
setting. Going back to Stereo is now in normal mode without the surround
setting.

I think, although the audio has *always* been labelled "Stereo", it
was for some reason outputting Mono. It's funny/strange, because I've
read some poor user reviews of this box's sound quality, and now I am
beginning to realise why!

Best regards, Robert.


--
Adrian C

On 17 Jun, 13:12, Adrian C wrote:
Dot Net Developer wrote:
Recently, I posted a topic about digital audio options on a freeview
box (Daewoo DSD-9520) because its internal D-to-A sound converter
seemed poor. I have now discovered why - I think the firmware (?) may
be buggy.

Hmmm... I'm a software developer too. I'm always pointing fingers at
other peoples bugs... :-)

Browsing its on-screen audio set-up options, the audio output is
clearly labelled "Stereo". However, I decided to toggle through all
of its audio settings, just to see what was available, at which point
the sound momentarily ceased. I toggled through these options again
(noting the choice marked "Mono"), and the sound returned. However,
the sound now seems perfectly normal, and not "tinny / thin / washed-
out" sounding.

It could be you had a "two speaker simulated surround sound" option
enabled somewhere (which on my TV does sound crap) and your toggling
through the output options and selecting Mono has disabled the surround
setting. Going back to Stereo is now in normal mode without the surround
setting.

I think, although the audio has *always* been labelled "Stereo", it
was for some reason outputting Mono. It's funny/strange, because I've
read some poor user reviews of this box's sound quality, and now I am
beginning to realise why!

Best regards, Robert.

--
Adrian C

Actually, I don't think I have fixed it. Experimenting with the sound
again today on both freeview box and 'normal analogue' TV on the same
channel, there's a significant loss of sound quality when using the
freeview box. It's like the mid range (and also bass - but that's
prolly cos subwoof is broken) is missing. The sound is practically
all high frequency stuff - easy to listen to for dialogue, but zero
cinematic sound quality!

Regards, Robert.

What TV do you have?

On 17 Jun, 23:11, wrote:
What TV do you have?

Sony KV-28FX60U. It's a tube based 28 inch circa 1998. Top-of-range
when first came out. Annoying hiss from both internal speakers and
external bookshelf speakers plugged directly into back of it. Sub-
woof broken.

Regards, Robert.

Sony KV-28FX60U. It's a tube based 28 inch circa 1998. Top-of-range
when first came out. Annoying hiss from both internal speakers and
external bookshelf speakers plugged directly into back of it. Sub-
woof broken.

Regards, Robert.

Certainly go into the sound menus and switch off all sudo surround
settings as these almost always ruin the sound.
Havent looked up the model to see if it has Dolby Logic, but if it
has, try going into the surround menu and selecting "stereo", then go
to "balance" on the audio menu and move fully to one side or the
other.......does the sound quality improve?
There are reasons that it might if there is damage to the audio amps.
The sound you would be getting would be a "difference signal" between
the front two channels which often sounds very thin and tinny.

(Actually this effect can sometimes be used to create a very passable
feed for the rear speakers to make surround sound from a stereo source
and is called Haffler surround, by connecting the rear speakers in a
certain way and is similar to the rear output in a Dolby pro-logic
system) but thats another matter.

I also wonder if the hiss that you mention is crosstalk in the cables,
comming from the TV tuner picking up a "blank" analogue channel behind
the scenes when you are watching via the scart socket from another
source. This can also put "snow" on the picture when you are watching
via something else via scart. the scart socket.
Is the hiss there if you watch an analogue channel with all other
inputs unplugged?

On 20 Jun, 01:08, wrote:
Sony KV-28FX60U. It's a tube based 28 inch circa 1998. Top-of-range
when first came out. Annoying hiss from both internal speakers and
external bookshelf speakers plugged directly into back of it. Sub-
woof broken.

Regards, Robert.

Certainly go into the sound menus and switch off all sudo surround
settings as these almost always ruin the sound.
Havent looked up the model to see if it has Dolby Logic, but if it
has, try going into the surround menu and selecting "stereo", then go
to "balance" on the audio menu and move fully to one side or the
other.......does the sound quality improve?
There are reasons that it might if there is damage to the audio amps.
The sound you would be getting would be a "difference signal" between
the front two channels which often sounds very thin and tinny.

(Actually this effect can sometimes be used to create a very passable
feed for the rear speakers to make surround sound from a stereo source
and is called Haffler surround, by connecting the rear speakers in a
certain way and is similar to the rear output in a Dolby pro-logic
system) but thats another matter.

I also wonder if the hiss that you mention is crosstalk in the cables,
comming from the TV tuner picking up a "blank" analogue channel behind
the scenes when you are watching via the scart socket from another
source. This can also put "snow" on the picture when you are watching
via something else via scart. the scart socket.
Is the hiss there if you watch an analogue channel with all other
inputs unplugged?

When I watch terrestial telly via analogue aerial, sound is OK/not
tinny (although hiss is still present.) When I switch over to new
freeview box, sound is tinny. (I've scoured the TV's menu options,
and there's no mention of any surround sound or dolby logic options.)

Regarding crosstalk theory, there's no picture snow - in fact, picture
is excellent. I might try and pull out other scart leads, but I'm
kind of fed up with it ATM (that is, pulling and pushing in various
leads and stuff), that I might leave this for now.

I just can't tell if this damn box (new PVR) is broken or not. If
it's not broken, the sound quality would prolly get 1 out of 5 stars
in any equipment review! What concerns me the most is if I purchase
some kind of AV amp, only to find that the PVR box's digital output is
lousy as well.

Regards, Robert.

On 20 Jun, 01:08, wrote:
Sony KV-28FX60U. It's a tube based 28 inch circa 1998. Top-of-range
when first came out. Annoying hiss from both internal speakers and
external bookshelf speakers plugged directly into back of it. Sub-
woof broken.

Regards, Robert.

Certainly go into the sound menus and switch off all sudo surround
settings as these almost always ruin the sound.
Havent looked up the model to see if it has Dolby Logic, but if it
has, try going into the surround menu and selecting "stereo", then go
to "balance" on the audio menu and move fully to one side or the
other.......does the sound quality improve?
There are reasons that it might if there is damage to the audio amps.
The sound you would be getting would be a "difference signal" between
the front two channels which often sounds very thin and tinny.

(Actually this effect can sometimes be used to create a very passable
feed for the rear speakers to make surround sound from a stereo source
and is called Haffler surround, by connecting the rear speakers in a
certain way and is similar to the rear output in a Dolby pro-logic
system) but thats another matter.

I also wonder if the hiss that you mention is crosstalk in the cables,
comming from the TV tuner picking up a "blank" analogue channel behind
the scenes when you are watching via the scart socket from another
source. This can also put "snow" on the picture when you are watching
via something else via scart. the scart socket.
Is the hiss there if you watch an analogue channel with all other
inputs unplugged?

PS - I did notice that watching analogue terristial telly, the sound
is in nicam stereo, but using the freeview box, it only appears to be
stereo. Not sure if this would make a significant impact though?

In article .com,
Dot Net Developer wrote:

PS - I did notice that watching analogue terristial telly, the sound
is in nicam stereo, but using the freeview box, it only appears to be
stereo. Not sure if this would make a significant impact though?

Nicam is just the name for a compression method used when adding stereo
sound to analogue TV broadcasts. It's not relevant to Freeview, which
uses a different method.

-- Richard

--
"Consideration shall be given to the need for as many as 32 characters
in some alphabets" - X3.4, 1963.