I have question about using Scientific Atlanta’s 3100HD Coax Digital “OUT” to my new Outlaw 1050 Digital “IN”. I’m getting audio out of channels 2-13 (analog) and channels 100 and above (Digital). I’m getting no audio out of channels 14-99 (analog).

Has anyone experienced this situation? I emailed Time Warner and they said that not all the channels broadcast Dolby Digital. I felt their answer still did not address the question. Even if the channel broadcasts 2-channel stereo, the Digital “IN” should be able to process the audio, right? Do I have to switch the “Digital select” from coaxial to analog? Is there a tweak I need to adjust?

Thanks for the input!!!


Jon


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Your Scientific Atlanta box is not providing a digital audio output at all on channels 14-99. Those channels broadcast only in analog audio, leaving the digital output from the cable box blank. It's woefully common (actually, universal) among digital cable services.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

One of the 'pro' sides of a satellite feed. Although it has its cons.

The 950 'sees' whatever the feed is for my digital capable/HD STB. All I have to do is overlay my preferred SM at the moment for that particular BC.

Just helped the neighbor cable his new HTIB to new HD display. Glad I did not have to deal with that, I have a great lack of knowledge on dealing with a Cable feed. He does not use a descrambler his cable coax is straight from the wall. He not getting digital (but he's blissfully unaware for the moment) and loves the hall/etc modes applied to analog and the addition of his new .1 which came in the box. It's an improvement over what he had before (mini 5.1 Vs Display speakers) and he can surf any channel without audio interruptions.

I don’t think I have his progressive feed from the Sony HTIB DVD player portion going for him yet, (I’m not seeing his screen lock to full during DVD playback and it should). Got to figure out what, I’ve missed
And spend some time figuring out his display/player native resolution and menu setup. Although I enabled all the menus I could find. I don’t’ think it is a prog feed yet. (He doesn’t understand why I ‘want’ to make sure he is getting his prog feed during DVD playback). Looks ‘great’ to him !

Scrid:

Gronk summed up the situation currectly. I contacted TimeWarner Customer Support regarding this exact same issue and was told there are no workarounds with the SA box. However, they are supposedly implementing a new box from Pioneer which will route the analog signals to the digital connector. However, I have also been told by another TW employee that this was not for HDTV (go figure). The new box was supposed to be ready for June, so try calling them then.

In the interim and as long as you are going to have to switch something on the 1050 to hear every channel, you may want to split the antenna input from the cable before your cable box (with a splitter that supports 900mhz or higher) and feed one side directly into your HDTV. You can then feed your HDTV's speaker outputs (which I presume you have) into the 1050. You may find this has several advantages:
1) I believe you get a better picture on the analog channels as your HDTV probably has a better comb filter than the SA 3100HD.
2) You should be able to get Pictue in Picture as well.
3) You can record one station on a VCR (fed off of the SA-3100HD) while watching analog on your HDTV.

73Bruin -- That is some interesting news about a new box from Time Warner. I don't have HDTV, so I'm using an Explorer 2000 and 2100 (2000 in the main system, 2100 in the bedroom). A new box would be mighty handy. I'll start checking in with my local Time Warner in June, as well, and keep folks here informed of what I discover.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Here is the link to the press release that Pioneer put out. Whether TWC enables all of these features (or is using a downgraded unit) is probably a local franchise issue.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/Pioneer/CDA/CompanyOverview/PressDetails/0,1479,92868,00.html

Our digital cable box is a Motorola, and it may not work the same way as the SA. I have a digital coax from the box to the 1050, but the Motorola manual says to also connect RCA audio cable which I have done. With this hookup, I need do nothing to the 1050 to have sound on all channels.

With this hookup, I need do nothing to the 1050 to have sound on all channels.

True, but you will need to activate back and forth from the coaxial to rca with the "digial select" button, right?

Now you have me questioning whether I am getting an analog signal on all channels, even though I have a digital coax connected. Will check to see what indicator lights are on when and then update.

It's possible that the Motorola always provides a digital output by including some A/D conversion for stations with only an analog feed, in which case the analog audio cables would be there solely for recording to a VCR -- since many people's systems (the 1050 and 950 included) do not convert digital audio inputs to analog for the receivers's VCR audio record output.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

One of the things that I have found is that the 1050 (and I believe 950 as well) is marginal when it comes to signal switching capabilities. Specifically, it can only send to the VCR the signal that is currently being sent to the video monitor and line outs.

My old Yamaha by contrast had a output source selection switch so you could record on a VCR or tape deck, remember those :-), while watching or listening to something else. Now that we have moved to a home theater environment with multiple simultaneous sources signals being available, I look at the 1050 and wish it had this capability.

I realize next time I make a purchase, I will need to be a lot more careful about making sure what capabilites are on a unit. My computer based experiences had led me to believe that I would not miss anything when upgrading from a 8 to 10 year old Yamaha to the 1050.

73Bruin: I have stepped in it on this thread once already (see above--still need to check as noted), so maybe I'm off target here too.

Our cable box has a "pass through" mode so that one can watch one channel while recording another. In this mode, the TV receives the signal from the box, but the TV tuner is used for channel selection. Are you sure your box doesn't have this capability?

michaelstano:

My version of the SA 3100HD box mentions an optional passthrough capability for the cable feed but it isn't included in the base unit. My reading of the manual (online) leads me to think it wouldn't solve my problem.

What I miss from my old unit is that I could watch a DVD on TV with the sound going through the receiver at the same time that the VCR was receiving input being routed through the receiver from the cable box. In other words it could do signal switching independent of its signal processing and amplification functions. This makes the wiring a whole lot simpler.

RE: Digital coax and RCA.

Once again, I have learned something on this forum I would otherwise have never figured out.

As noted above, I have both digital coax and RCA connections from my cable box to the 1050. I do have sound on all channels via the RCA connections, but the digital channels (for me, mainly music) aren't digital until I switch the input on the 1050. So, my original comment is correct--I have sound on all channels, but, were it not for this forum, I wouldn't have been smart enough to switch to coax on the 1050 and get the best sound possible on the digital channels. Thanks for the education!

"I tweak therefore I am."

I know Time Warner in Memphis is now using a Pace cable box in addition to the SA. The Pace 's digital connection is always on - even for analog signals. I had forgotten how happy I was to have that until I switched this week to the SA 3100HD box. Now if we can only get TW to start broadcasting local channels in High Def and add ESPN HD before the Stanley Cup is over...

OK, I fired off an e-mail to my local Time Warner office a few days ago, asking about the Motorola box and the possibility of getting a box that provides a digital output at all times (including the stations that don't include a digital feed). I was rather pleasantly surprised to get a reply this morning (the local tech support / customer service department has a pretty bad rep, particularly the first tier call center, which is why I didn't call with my question) -- check out the reply:



It appears that Time Warner has started using a couple of new boxes from Pace Micro , including the DC-550 HD for HDTV users (which does not include me, alas) and the DC-510 or DC-511 for standard-def digital cable. I'll try to swap mine out next week and will report back with my findings, but others in a similar position may also want to check it out.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Did they confirm to you that they are using the Pace DC-550 HD box? I followed your link and saw that the Pace box has a DVI port - perfect for my HDTV. I never even thought to ask the installer Monday if I had choices other than Scientific Atlanta. Gonk, I would absolutely recommend you pick up a Pace box over the old Scientifc Atlanta for the Digital Audio alone. The only problem I had with it was finding the remote codes for my ReplayTV.

TurnerF -- Two Memphians posting in the same thread at the same time... Whodathunkit? Unfortunately, I wasn't inquiring about HD, so I'm not sure if TW Mid-South is starting to use the 550 or not. The latest news at Pace Micro did include an entry from 5/12 that TW had begun to deploy it so I suspect that even if they are using it, they are just starting to get their hands on the first units.

I guess I'll take a trip down the street on Monday and trade out my Explorer 2000 for a Pace. I'm not worried about remote codes -- I'll just teach the 950's remote the necessary commands. Thanks.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

[This message has been edited by gonk (edited May 16, 2003).]

I'd be grateful if you could inquire about the Pace HD box while you're down there - actually if you have any plans to upgrade your set to High Def in the near future you might just want to start with a High Def box. It was a no-cost switch for me - the installer told me it was a free replacement as long as you are currently getting either HBO or Showtime (currently our only High Def channels). On a side note - I watched Spiderman late Wed. on HBO HD and... Wow....

I'll make the switch on Monday (or perhaps Saturday, depending on Mrs. gonk's plans since they're only open from 8 to noon), and when I do I'll ask about the HD box. If they don't know, I've got an e-mail contact now that should be able to tell us.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Gonk,
Did you ever have a chance to swing by Time Warner and pick up a Pace cable box? Was it as easy as they made it sound? Time Warner is now showing ABC and CBS in High Def so I might swing by Saturday and see if they will exchange my box.

TurnerF -- I did finally get a Pace box earlier this week, and have been meaning to post here. As far as I can tell, none of the payment centers have any Pace boxes normally (the one at Mendenhall and Winchester may have now started keeping a couple handy for folks like us). The service trucks seem to have them -- I ended up swapping my box that way (along with the accompanying afternoon at home waiting for them), and the truck had at least two of them. I'd say to call the payment centers, but I never was able to track down phone numbers for any of them.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

What model Pace did you get? Isn't the all digital all the time sweet?

It's the DC-510 I believe (could be the 511, I suppose). Yeah, the digital output is definitely a handy, handy thing.

I thought it was interesting that when switching between channels, there is no loss of signal when going between channels of the same format -- i.e. channels with a native digital signal, or channels that are converted to PCM by the box. There is a several second delay when switching back and forth between native digital and PCM -- seems to take the box a second to shift gears, and then another couple seconds for the 950 to detect and switch. Don't know what sort of delay the 1050 might introduce. I'd expected the longer delay when switching every time, so I was pleased. Of course, since there are two different formats being used, the 950's format lock can't be used.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review