Dish 6000 Question: garbled sound

[GadgetSurplus]

I have a Dish 6000 with the optional 8VSB receiver for off-air (i.e. local channel over-the-air broadcasts). I receive many local HD/Digital channels and they look great -- much better than the satellite signal broadcast, as many have mentioned. My problem is with sound on HD and Digital broadcasts; and the operation of the tuner without the satellite signal.

[A] Garbled Sound
I keep the 6000 in HD mode and only use composite and optical outputs. Dish Satellite and Analog stations receive with stereo sound which plays fine through my A/V receiver and surround sound system. My DVD plays fine through the receiver in 5.1 mode and uses optical outputs also. But Digital broadcasts from local channels on the 6000 receiver (HD and regular broadcasts) that use 5.1 sound all have the mid-range sound garbled. I have called the installer and Dish but no one seems to know anything about the hardware let alone what could be causing this. Signal strength on digital stations in 70% or higher (as reported by the 6000 setup menu). Any ideas from anyone?

I have tried swapping out the cables, using different inputs on the A/V receiver, etc. Everything continues to point to the 6000 unit. I have not yet been able to get an HD signal off of the satellite (the LA CBS station is the only possible as I have not subscribed to HBO; I receive 3 satellites now otherwise) to test this out. The lack of documentation and knowledge on the hardware has been frustrating.

[B] Stand-alone operation
Everyone claims that I should be able to use the 6000 as a digital tuner for local station broadcasts (including HD ones) without satellite service. To date though, nothing is clear in the documentation and no one can seem to get this "feature" working. It seems the 6000 needs to have a satellite signal acquired to simply tune and switch between local stations. Anyone get a different behavior? If so, how?

[Hook n Mouth]

I have noticed that Dolby Digital audio receivers have difficulty with the rear speakers when they are in Pro Logic (or Pro Logic II) mode. Check to see if your rear speakers are what is generating the garbling sound. When I get a Dolby Digital signal the sound is clear, and actually many Pro Logic signals are clear, but some stations send audio that Pro Logic cannot decode. I also notice that I get this when I use the analog audio input, and don't get it with an optical connection. Could it be that somehow your OTA signal from your 6000 unit is using the analog audio signal (component audio connections / red-white cables)? Finally, I have heard that you must have DISH satellite for the 6000 to get OTA signals with the 8vsb add on, so I think you are correct on that one. Good Luck...

[zarlor]

I can't speak to yoru sound issues, but I've also heard MANY times that in order to get locals through the 8vsb HDTV module you need to have a dish pointed at any of the Dish Network satellites. It does NOT require that you have a subscription to the service, however, only that the dish be picking up a signal from a Dish sat. Seems to me there should be some way to "fake" that signal, but I'm not even close to being any kind of electronics genius, so I have no clue how something like that might be accomplished.

[GadgetSurplus]

Thanks for the responses.

Originally posted by Hook n Mouth
I have noticed that Dolby Digital audio receivers have difficulty with the rear speakers when they are in Pro Logic (or Pro Logic II) mode. Check to see if your rear speakers are what is generating the garbling sound.

Actually, it is my front left/right (normally stereo) speakers creating the garbled sound. As I have the phono/CD/fm-tuner running through the same receiver, these speakers are large, full-dynamic range audio quality speakers. I use Polk for the center and surround. I replaced the left/right front with the Polk to make sure that was not the issue. Sound was garbled although less so as the speaker clarity is less. The rear speakers are rarely used with the HD/DTV broadcasts I notice (in fact, 5.1 broadcasts seem rare). If I simulate surround sound via a DSP mode on the receiver, I have not detected significant garble out of the surround speakers.

When I get a Dolby Digital signal the sound is clear, and actually many Pro Logic signals are clear, but some stations send audio that Pro Logic cannot decode. I also notice that I get this when I use the analog audio input, and don't get it with an optical connection. Could it be that somehow your OTA signal from your 6000 unit is using the analog audio signal (component audio connections / red-white cables)?

I do not have any output cables connected to the 6000 other than the component video and optical (Dolby Digital) audio. I keep the 6000 in HD mode as a result.

[speaky]

There is an audio set up for the 6000. Have you tried the PCM settings to see if they make a difference? I do not have a problem with mine run via toslink to a yamaha.

[GadgetSurplus]

Speaky,
I had not tried restricting the 6000 to PCM-output only. Will give that a try and let you know if it changes anything.