Optical Audio Hiccup

[Stuey]

I don't have all my equipment with me at the moment, but the thought of my problem from when everything was setup is bugging me.

The system in my sig is connected via optical cable to this Panasonic SC-HT05 5.1 system. (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=69738&catGroupId=25011&modelNo=SC-HT05&surfModel=SC-HT05&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702) I also have an analog 2.1 setup.

Now... periodically, when the 5.1 system was connected with the optical cable, there would be a pause in the signal. Even when I first started playing an mp3, the first second or so of the song would be skipped over. The most prominent problem is the skipping every now and then as it is annoying when watching a movie or playing a game.

I fiddled with so many audio settings and speaker settings but nothing seemed to work. When the analog system was attached as well, it filled in all of the pauses.

So, although my computer is currently not hooked up to the mentioned 5.1 system, does anyone have any suggestions as to what is causing the weird skips/pauses?

I have downloaded the most recent audio drivers for my mobo and it didn't improve anything.

[SonicVanguard]

I'm assuming this is on-board audio? What type/quality is your cable and is there anything in the cable run that might be kinking or otherwise hindering the cable?

[Stuey]

Yes, it's the onboard audio that I'm using. I've been using this Monster Cable interconnect. (http://www.monstercable.com/productPage.asp?pin=1861) I used one to connect my PC to the Panasonic receiver's optical inputs, and another to connect my DVD player. I have not seen the same effect when viewing DVDs.

However... you just reminded me of an odd abnormality I noticed as I was packing up my college apartment. I bought two of the same Monster Cables, but one is longer than the other by about 4 inches. At the time, I didn't notice any physical damage or thickness to the cables so I thought it was just a manufacturing error. I'm somewhat obsessive-compulsive so this is now starting to nag at me again.

The cables weren't noticeably kinked at all although I'm starting to wonder if there was strain placed on the cable due to it having to hang down from the receiver. The plug was of course horizontal while the cable hung down in a vertical orientation. Perhaps the curvature at the plug itself was too high.

Maybe it might help you help me more if I further describe the actual audible issues. When watching a movie, I'd miss a spoken comment or about half a sentence or some sound. I'd say this happened maybe two or three times in an hour. When I went to websites, I would only hear the speakers slightly click, instead of hearing the full "click" sound. With the stereo speaker setup, I heard the full sound. When I would start Windows, with digital only audio, I'd only hear the last third or maybe second half of the openning chimes. I'm not sure if I can better describe it. But that's why I thought it had to do with either the onboard digital hardware, Windows or device setting, or the receiver itself. For DVD playback itself, there is no flaw in the audio but I suppose it's because the audio track might be contiguous. Perhaps the receiver is at fault for causing the initial sound lags, and for periodically resetting itself? I purchased the whole 5.1 setup for about $200 since no computer speaker setup featured user-replaceable speaker wires and dual optical inputs.

Thanks again for any advice. If it's something that cannot be adjusted, so be it; for the amount I paid for a HTIB this is something I could live with a while longer.

[Stuey]

*Bump*

Can anyone confirm the validity or invalidity of my assumptions?

[Stuey]

New optical cable and the system still hiccups. I notive that the receiver says "digital input" when no sound is coming from my computer and that when I'm playing an audio source it changes to Digital Input L R, ProLogic II (the source is a stereo encoded mp3). When the mp3 is playing or soon after, I click on a link and I get normal system sounds. When the mp3 source is closed, the receiver goes back to idle.

I suspect that the receiver requires a signal of a certain length to acknowledge the source as something that should be amplified. Like... let's say 1 second or something like that because when I first play an mp3 from idle state, the first second or so is skipped. If I stop it and start it again like 5 seconds later, there isn't any skip since the receiver still recognizes an inputs or has a specified waiting time before it returns to idle.