DVR low volume

[joeldorfan]

Ever since we had the DVR installed we have had to have the TV volume set really high to listen to the output from the DVR.

The DVR volume is set to the maximum. The DVR is connected to the TV via HDMI.

Today I installed an AV receiver and fed the receiver using RCA's from the DVR and the volume problem is the same.

I need to turn the volume on the AV receiver way up to hear output from the DVR and if I forget to turn it down again end up nearly blasting our eardrums should we decide to listen to the FM radio or oither input to the AV receiver.

Is there any solution to this problem?

[BeeBeeSA ACE - Wizard]

The only suggestion I can think of is try using an optical cable from the DVR to the AV receiver and see if that helps.  If not I would call tech support and see if they can swap out your DVR as it might be defective.

I have a simular set up as you and mine works just fine.

[joeldorfan]

Yes thanks I have an optical cable on order. Hopefully it will make a difference.

[joeldorfan]

Optical cable made no difference. I was sent a replacement DVR and this also made no difference. If I am watching anything through the DVR via HDMI and then switch to say Netflix I need to reduce the volume from 50 down to 30 on the TV.

If play the audio through the surround receiver I need to turn the volume of the receiver way up such that if I play any other source it blasts the speakers. I have tested this via RCA and via optical.

Am I the only one finding this issue?

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

joeldorfan - How many devices do you have that you compare it to?

If only one, maybe that one is too high. Can you comare it to over the air.

Since the problem is a comparative one, can you swap the DVR with another STB that does not have other input devices??

[joeldorfan]

I have compared the audio from the DVR with the audio from over the air and Netflix using the built in app on the TV. In both instances the audio from OTA and Netflix is much louder.

Eliminating the TV from the equation I have tested the audio from DVR through the surround receiver and compared it with AM/FM radio from the surround receiver. Again the audio from the DVR is way lower than the audio from the FM radio.

[gregzoll_1]

I went in and bumped the incoming volume on my Denon 3 notches for digital input, and that solved my issue.

What AV receiver do you have?

[joeldorfan]

I have a NAD AV receiver. The gain setting works for the Tuner but not for the optical input.

I guess one could use this as a work around. However it appears that the audio level out of the DVR is low regardless of what output you use (HDMI, RCA or optical).

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

The optical and HDMI outputs are digital, and the digital levels sent by the U-Verse receiver are correct.

The likely problem is that your AV receiver is paying attention to the Dolby Digital dialogue normalization parameter. This is a parameter sent by the U-Verse receiver with the Dolby Digital audio that tells the receiver what volume level reduction to apply to the audio, in order to make it the same relative level as other sources that use this parameter.

I have seen on U-Verse that sometimes this parameter is incorrect or missing, and this can lead to lower-than-normal volume audio for AV receivers that process this parameter.

Look in your receiver's configuration manual to see if you can disable dialogue normalization processing and/or dynamic range compression (a related Dolby Digital parameter).

To verify is this parameter is causing your problem, temporarily switch the U-Verse STB to Stereo audio vice Surround. This will cause the U-Verse box to send 2-channel PCM audio vice Dolby Digital, and PCM audio streams have no dialogue normalization parameter.

[joeldorfan]

I tried switching between stereo and surround n the DVR but there was no difference between the two.

Taking the AV receiver out of the equation I still have the problem when switching between Netflix which is very loud on the TV speakers when compared to the DVR output using HDMI.

[gregzoll_1]

SomeJoe, actuallly a lot has to do with stuff like Audyssey, the room, etc..

[weimardog]

I've had Uverse for 2 years and the volume, for recorded programs, has always been low. Volume  for regular programming is 36, recorded is 46.  I don't have hd, so  the connections are just video cables. 

[rick_7425]

There is defiantly a problem with the output of the STB. 99% of the time I have to keep the volume of the sound bar at max or near max just to hear most channels. I have set the STB max volume to 25 and it didn’t make a difference. I do not have optical input on the tv although I doubt it would help. If everything else connected to the sound bar performs at proper output levels so why does AT&T assume it is the device connected to the STB  and not the STB ? This all started when commercials were blasting you out of the room. Something in the way sound is sent or leveled changed. I shouldnt have to buy a 600W receiver/amp to listen to a tv 4 feet in front of me.