I need help resolving a no audio problem I just discovered on my 990. I want to use a TOSLINK connection to connect my new Series 3 Tivo using the Optical Digital output. Here's what I discovered. The audio will work fine using this connection until... When I select the TIVO main menu I still have audio because I can hear the beeps from the menu system as I navigate the Tivo menu system. The minute I return back to TV by pressing the "Live TV" button the audio disappears. I've tried a different TOSLINK cable and I've tried multiple OPTICAL ports on the back of my 990. The solutions I've found is one of the following four: 1.)Power the unit on and off, 2.)choose a different input and go back to Tivo input, 3.) go to input selection of Tivo {from Outlaw Input Configuration menu} and change the audio input from current Optical input # and return to the Optical input # I'm currently using the TIVO with, & 4.)unplug the TOSLINK cable from either the Outlaw or the Tivo and plug it back in.

I have updated the firmware of my 990 to the one before the LFE no audio problem I remember being described if you turn your Sub's volume level too low. Before I go messing around re-flashing my 990 I'd like to know if anybody has any ideas for me or if the lastest firmware addresses this issue. Thanks in advance. By the way I've had my 990 almost a year now and I never experienced any no audio problems using TOSLINK with my DVD player or any other source for that matter.

When the audio disappears, what does the 990's front panel display show? If the little "Digital" indicator is flashing then the 990 is unable to lot on to the digital audio bitstream, but if the indicator is illuminated then the 990 recognizes a digital input and simply isn't doing anything.

While I'm pestering you with questions, does the 990's front panel indicate "PCM" (near the top left) when in the Tivo menu but not when in normal viewing or playback modes?

When the audio works (by the way all tv channels audio seems to be flawless until I return from Tivo menu system) PCM is displayed on the 990 front panel and stays illumined when I press Menu (audio is still functioning properly in menu.) As soon as I press Live TV button from the TIVO main menu the display returns to TV, audio goes out, & PCM icon disappears. "Digital" icon is steady throughout this process even after audio has dropped. Hope this sheds some light because I'm out of ideas.

So you are always outputting PCM, it sounds like. Interesting - I'd have thought it would have used Dolby Digital at least some of the time, and was wondering if it was failing to flip between modes. Below is a quote that I found here :

What if you try making two changes on your Tivo to see what effect they have on the 990? First, try turning the menu sound effects off (Audio Settings | Sound Effects Volume). Second (and this may be a worthwhile change in general, particularly for HD content that is will come through in Dolby 5.1 on at least some programs), try changing the audio format from PCM to bitstream. It's not clear to me how, but I think it's under "Audio Settings" and "Dolby Digital."

You found what I was looking for!!! What actually fixed the problem was I changed audio setting in the Tivo Menu from Dolby Digital to Dolby Digital =>PCM. Once I made this adjustment everything works fine. I played with the volume setting of the menu and I can turn it off if I want but right now I've got the volume turned to low and when I return to Live TV - WOLA! I have sound the way I should. I never knew my TIVO had this adjustment, I thought for sure the problem was with a setting on the Outlaw. I can't thank you enough gonk!

Glad we got it working, Cisco!

I was having the same issue myself, and i know about the settings for the DD -> PCM within the Tivo box. My issue is this however:

The 990 only outputs a dolby pro logic signal, i can not use the DD 5.1 signal. Once i change the tivo back to just DD, 5.1 works fine till i change the channel or watch something recorded. Then i am back to no audio till i unplug the connection or change the tivo back to DD -> PCM.

The 990 will detect and decode whatever format the digital signal happens to be - Dolby 2.0, Dolby 5.1, PCM, or whatever. It sounds like something really odd is happening with the Tivo's output. Unless somebody has a good explanation for just what the Tivo's output is doing under these different scenarios, I may have to track down a Tivo manual to figure out what they're doing with the digital output.

Hi,

I'm bumping this to the top as I am having similar issues with my new 990 and I am wondering if anyone has found anything on this issue yet.

My Tivo S3 is set to Dolby Digital output. After powering up the 990, every channel on Live TV plays fine, Dolby Digital and PCM. As soon as I try to access any recorded PCM encoded program, the audio for all PCM encoded programming is gone (both Live and Recorded).

I can surf around in Live TV or recorded programs. The only items that play audio at this point are Dolby Digital encoded programs(They don't have to be 5.1, even digital channels with DD 2.0 play just fine).

The LED display is normal for Dolby Digital material but when I change to a non DD encoded program, digital glows steady but no PCM, no Dolby mode, no LFE, no speaker labels at all.

A power cycle or changing inputs provides a fix until I try to play a PCM encoded recording.

As far as something weird on the TiVo side...This TiVo unit in this configuration worked fine with my 970.

I've been through the TiVo manuals and searched on the TiVo community forums to no avail... I can't find anyone else having this issue. Except for us.

I opened a ticket and am working this with Scott as well.

Quick update:

I found a couple of people on the TiVo community forums having the same exact issue that I am.

I did some further testing:

With my 970, I have no problem playing ANY recording or live TV audio stream, PCM or Dolby Digital.

I borrowed a friends Denon AVR-987 receiver and it does not exhibit this problem either.

When the issue happens with the 990, changing inputs at ANY point in the recorded or live program fixes the issue and restores audio.

I have reported this to Outlaw CS. I think this likely points to an issue with the 990 locking on to the signal rather than an issue with how the TiVo outputs.