Nextbox 3.0 audio drop

[jimboden]

JimP:

Yes, Other audio is 2 channel Linear PCM. The reason it doesn't matter to me is that I don't have a surround system and use headphones most of the time. My AVR has a virtual surround setting which does a remarkable job of simulating true surround sound, so I don't really need 5.1 audio. I don't notice any difference between Dolby Digital AC3 and Linear PCM except for volume, where PCM is much louder than AC3. Also, PCM is uncompressed audio and AC3 is heavily compressed. I don't know if the Nextbox has to work a lot harder to decompress AC3, though.

[Steveburgess123]

I just returned my third Nutbox 3.0 and went back to a Nextbox 2. After two service calls and techs telling me to replace cables, blah...blah...blah..., I reached my limit last night trying to watch CBC news at 5. The dropouts were so bad I had to bail. That was at approx. 5:30. By 6:30 the Nextbox 2 was up and running. Good thing there is a Rogers store around the corner. Tech support on the phone is a joke. They kept telling me bad signal, something is knew to be nonsense. Rogers has to deal with this problem soon. 3 boxes in a row is not a random problem.

[johnnyDX9]

sounds like I'm having the same problems that others have... Had the new nexbox3 3 weeks now and audio is starting to drop out both on live and recorded shows...It also turns on to a black screen, I have to select a menu or press ch up-down to see a picture every time I turn the system on.

I have whole-home PVR and recordings are fine on the other set..

[Gdkitty]

The audio dropouts are one thing.. but they are not a full audio drop, they are a drop from 5.1 to 2.0.. so usually really only noticable if you have it into a AVR... if its right into a regular TV.. its not normally heard.

If you are getting the black screen too.. its likely something else.

I have heard in at least one case, it was a BAD HDMI port.  So could be the box.  Also, dont use the provided rogers HDMI cable, they are garbage.. and try with another one.

Most LIKELY what is the issue, especially with the blank screen on power on.. is the HDMI CEC issue.  While the box is suposed to support it via its specs.. it doesnt work.  And also seems to cause some issues.

Unless you are particularily using this feature for other devices like your DVD player, etc... all in all, best to turn the feature OFF on your TV.

[pkcrawford]

I experience the same audio dropouts with my 8642.  I even have an old 1820 SD box I use for listening to the music channels and it also has audio dropouts, but seem to be confined to the Galaxie stations - the local AM/FM stations seem to be fine.  Numerous technicians have verified good signal levels to the boxes.  They even charged me $50 to tell me everything is OK with the signal.  The last suggestion was that the boxes are bad (and out of warranty), so buy new ones.  Are people still experiencing regular dropouts?  What to do...

[Gdkitty]

I would (unless it was too long ago) call back and fight the $50 charge.

UNLESS there is a problem found within the house causing the interfearance/problem.. which was introduced by YOU (putting in your own splitters, etc), they should not be charging for the call.

[TF1]

I too have been experiencing the audio drop out problem since I switched to NetBox 3. It only occurs on replaying of a recording although when it goes, that kills the cable TV audio as well. It can be fixed by disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable at the TV end, also turning off the system and restarting will also do it.

I can semi-reliably reproduce the problem by fast forwarding the recording for some time at high speed then pressing play. The exact timing of the speed and length of fast forward is not clear to me, but I am convinced in my case its linked to this.

[Jimp]

Rogers finally admitted today that they are now aware of the audio drop issue and they will work to having it fixed before next software update which they said was end of January.  I have been in contact with Rogers techs, senior techs and CAT team over the past two months becuase of my audio drop issues. They have sent senior techs out, changed all connectors, checked signal strength to each box using booster or filters and a month ago  they said notning was wrong amd everything was perfect.  I continued to have audio drops. They seem to be more pronounced  through my AVR.  I found a recorded show that had drops played with NExtbox3.0 if played through my 4642 box the drops would not happen which showed to Rogers that the Nextbox 3.0 must have software issue with it's processing and output of audio.  After a few calls this week a tech from the CAT team told me today that they have had many complaints and are now in the process of trying to resolve.

Hope the next software upgrade solves this lingering problem.

Jim

[57]

I've had a NB3 for about a month (3 different ones due to the PCM issue discussed elsewhere - purchased from FS).  Anyway, I've noticed more dropouts in the past week or so on recordings.  I don't watch much live TV.  Up until this week, I may have had a dropout every 10 hours or so. Now I'm getting one every hour or so.  I'll keep track.

My SA8300HD was always rock solid with very few dropouts (except for Galaxie, discussed below)

There are some audio/video dropouts on Galaxie, but that affects my other STBs too - one that I use specifically for Galaxie in my living room.  Those dropouts have been present for many months and affect me once or twice an hour.  It was really bad when Galaxie changed their presentation format and went SDV many months ago, but it's beem (mostly) OK recently.

[mellontes]

Jan 16, 2014, and my NB3 has been experiencing audio dropouts for a week now.  It seems to vary from channel to channel.  My AVR is a Yamaha RX-V671.  The NB3 goes to my HDMI 2 port.  I have one HDMI cable to my TV from my AVR.  Netflix (HDMI 5) runs flawlessly as does my DVD (HDMI 4).  I switched the cable and tried other HDMI inputs to no avail.  The problem is with the NB3 or Rogers itself.

What I find VERY STRANGE is that the TV upstairs is able to play the recordings PERFECTLY as well as viewing live TV.  But if I play the same recordings or view live TV from the main NB3 it has all the audio dropouts.  How is this possible?