SKY HD box volume output

[admin_exported]

I Upgraded to Sky's HD package a while ago and have noticed that when watching sky the volume level is very low when compared to my DVD/Blue Ray or TV tuner or in fact my old Sky+ box. Although not a major problem (I can cope holding down the volume up button a little longer) having to turn the TV or Amp volume up significantly higher seems odd.

My old Sky boxes had an option to increase the volume ouput but cannot find one on the new EPG. (any hidden menus to for this?)

Just wondered if this is a generic issue of just me!?

For reference I have a Sony W4500 TV, Pioneer amp and a pace Sky HD box.

 

[Anonymous]

Just did a google search about the volume of Sky HD. and it brought up many comments from this forum.

Has there been a fix or is there a fix coming for the low volume on the new Sky HD boxes with the new EPG?

On all our Denon amps in the house you have to have the volume very loud to get a nice experience. Much louder than anything else and you cannot anymore change the volume levels on the Sky HD box.

I have tried HDMI sound as well as Optical Sound with the same results.

Any help or updates?

Sorry if this has already been resolved - im lost myself.

Thx

 

[Anonymous]

Just noticed that when you go from a Stereo Channel (Normal channels) and change it to a 5.1 Channel (HD Channel) my Denon stats. :

Dial.Norm Offset -9db.

What the heck is that lol

 

[pete.g]

was actually going to get on to Sky about this very issue as i thought it was just my system. DD soundtracks are incredibly low on my Denon 2310. Have to crank it up to over 70 just to get the full benifit which is a pain when you forget and change channel.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Vinny7:Just noticed that when you go from a Stereo Channel (Normal channels) and change it to a 5.1 Channel (HD Channel) my Denon stats. :
Dial.Norm Offset -9db.

What the heck is that lol

Dialogue normalisation, along with dynamic range control, is built into all Dolby encoders, and is designed to give the content creator some control over the sound of the material on playback, and the audibility of dialogue. It's embedded into the metadata of the movie when it's encoded, so you have to blame the studio or mastering facility for this one, not Sky.

To the OP: which Pioneer amp do you have? Does it not have some kind of input trim/gain system to allow you to match levels between sources?

 

[Anonymous]

Oh I often wondered what that offset -n display was that flashes up occasionly.

I have the opposite effect. I have to turn up dvd/blu-rays as sky is louder (or maybe I just listen to films louder?)

Perhaps I'll have a little play with the input gain settings on the amp, which are all currently set to zero.

 

[GazzyP]

I have just had the new Amstrad 250GB box installed and also suffering from low volume levels. However if I go into SETTINGS and switch the sound output from DOLBY D to NORMAL and then back to DOLBY D the sound level slowly recovers to a normal higher level. They remains until the box is turned off. Does anyone elses box do this too??

For the record I am using optical out.

 

[Andrew Everard]

barnsleydave:Perhaps I'll have a little play with the input gain settings on the amp, which are all currently set to zero.

Ah, there's your answer then...

 

[Anonymous]

My Sky HD arrived today and I have the same problems. I have a Sony STR-DG520 and all worked great on my old sky+ box. I have found that all is ok until I turn on my LG TV. If I just have sky box and amp switched on its ok but as soon as I switch TV on volume decreases significantly. Only way to get round it is to either do as above or change channels on Sky. After that it works great until you switch it all off and have to repeat the process.

PreviouslyI was running S-Video from my old Sky plus box directly to TV with optical between sky+ and amp. Also have PS3 connected to Amp via HDMI into BD input for video and via optical to BD digital input for sound.

Have had to move cables around so Sky HD goes HDMI into amp on DVD input with Digital coax for audio into DVD digital input. Also tried SKY HD HDMI into amp on BD input and optical into BD digital input. Makes no difference.

Unfortunately my amp doesnt support hdmi input on SAT input but it does have a optical digital input for SAT !!!! Which is why I had to go S-video on Sky+

Sounds like something to do with audio HDMI between TV / amp / Sky HD dragging signals down.

Of course the problem is if you turn up the amp to compensate and then switch Sky channels.......

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Andy

 

[Andrew Everard]

The HDMI connection through from the Sky+HD box through the amp to the TV can't affect the sound: it's just a simple pass-through switch, and the Sony does nothing at all to the audio. What maybe happening is some kind of volume control signal is being sent back from the TV through the HDMI to the Sky box, but I haven't encountered this before.

Make sure any kind of HDMI control on the LG TV is switched off, as this may be affecting things. LG calls this SimpLink, and it's worth checking it's turned off, as clashes in HDMI CEC operation do tend to give strange results.

Might also be worth checking what happens when the TV is connected directly to the Sky+HD box via HDMI.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick response.

I dont remember seeing Simplink options on the TV, its about 6 - 7 years old, but will take a closer look. I think there is an automatic volume level or something like that so will see how its set. Will also try bypassing the Sony AV receiver.

Will let you know.

Andy

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah right, well if it's that old I'm amazed it has an HDMI input, let alone SimpLink.

 

[Anonymous]

Seems to be some form of interaction between the TV and the HD box.

Plugged directly via HDMI into TV. Switch off Sky box or TV and then back on again, sound is correct level for about 1 to 2 secs and then fades away. Change channels on HD box and it comes back to normal level.

Other thing I found when going through the amp was that once the level has gone down withe the HDMI cable plugged into the TV it stays down until you change channel even if the HDMI is no longer plugged into TV. With the HDMI still unplugged from TV change channel, volume comes up and stays up until you try it with the HDMI cable plugged into TV.

Sort of proves the point.

Any suggestions welcome........apart from buying a new TV, which I cant afford to do.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Update from further testing this morning.

Volume is low, low, low irespective of what is plugged in where. To get an audible level I have to have the amp cranked up to 30 (15 on the old Sky+ box and the PS3 was sufficient). When I go direct into the TV HDMi, volume is set at 50% to even hear it. Even changing channels no longer increases the volume.

I am going to ask SKY to replace my box and then if its still bad go get my ears tested.....might be full of wax.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

I have the new amstrad and have the SD channels at 25db out of 90, but HD is 50+ out of 90, so I have the same problem.

I am not sure if sky is aware of this, but people have been talking about this since 2008 from what I can see.

 

[Pindi]

There's an option on my receiver called D. Comp (I think), I have mine set to Mid. The volume level is now virtually the same on all channels.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the same D. Comp with the same settings, don't have a problem with SD or HD being at different volume levels. On ALL channels I have to wind the amp up. Not a problem in itself until I switch to playing a CD and forget about the volume and it nearly blows the windows out.

Thanks for everyones input.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

According to Sky, you just need to turn your tv or amp up more, thats their only solution. They know about the problem but the impression I got was that they dont intend to fix it.

Now also getting a "click" when I switch channels, this is possibly the amp syncing to the audio signal, I probably never heard it before but because the amp is wound up so high its now annoying me.

 

[Anonymous]

Check your model number in the system details (this is actually the firmware version)

It appears that if you are running1.0.240 then you get this difference in level between SD and HD. Dont do what I did and upgrade to 1.0.260 as bothe levels will be the same........extremely low.

See this link for more info.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1216039

 

[Anonymous]

I'm running 1.0.260 and I get the difference in volume.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have 1.0.240 firmware, 250GB Amstrad, Sony Bravia KDL-40W2000 with a Yamaha RX-V1800 amp and have the volume problem too. It is not a problem with a specific model of amp given that we both have the same issue. Changing channels fixes the issue (until next power on). Connecting Sky directly to TV via HDMI does fix the issue, but that's no good for me. Used to have a really old Sky HD box and that was fine. Sky engineer said the issue was due to some compliance issue with the AMP (four letter acronym, but can't remember the name). They said if the amp does not support it, then tough!

 

[Anonymous]

Ok,

I had a new amstrad box fitted last week and noticed this problem.

I was just watching something off the palnner and went to bookmark it for my son (first time i have used bookmarks !!!) Anyway, when i pressed back up, the volume suddenly went back to how it used to be on my thomson box!

Doesn't appear to work on Live TV though. I have mine going through optical to a Sony amp and used to have it around 25 with the Thomson Box and now around 43 with the new box.

Try it, press pause during playback off the planner, press green to go into bookmarks, then backup