Alto Audio Drop Outs

[audioguy123]

Many of the movies I have downloaded from the K-Store have audio drop outs. Tonight we watched the downloaded HD version of ET and there were probably 10 drop outs. I find this more than unacceptable on a product at this price point.

Do I have a faulty product or is this typical?

 

[mbmapit]

No, this is not something that is typical of any Kaleidescape product.

Can we start by having your full equipment list and how everything is hooked up please?

 

[audioguy123]

The Alto is connected to a Datasat RS20i which is in turn connected to four amps which are in turn connected to 11 speakers and 3 subs.

The Datasat is plugged into an APS 2000 Power Conditioner. I also have an Apple TV Box, a DirecTV box; a Amazon TV box and a music server plugged into the RS20i.

This configuration worked flawlessly when an Oppo served duties as my Blu Ray player.

Specifically:

VIDEO EQUIPMENT: Sony 600ES w/ Powered Panamorph Anamorphic Lens and sled; Screen Masking System by Carada; Seymour Acoustically Transparent 2:35 120 x 51 inch screen (1.1 Gain - XD Material);

SPEAKERS: LCR: Triad Platinum LCR's; SUBS: DIY/Stereo Integrity HST18 Subs (2) and (2) Seaton SubMersives (Master/Salve with 4000 Watt Amp); Surrounds: Triad Silver In-Room Monitors; (4) Tannoy Di6 DC heights (Atmos/Auro)

ELECTRONICS: Datasat RS20i Surround Processor; APS 2000 Power Conditioner; Emotive XPA-5 driving the 4 ceiling speakers; d-sonic 7 channel amp (800 x 3 and 400 x 4); Peavey IPR 7500 amp for DIY subs

SOURCES: Music Vault Diamond Music Server (J River and J Remote for controlling my music server); Kaleidescape Alto Movie Player; DirecTV DVR; Apple TV; Amazon Fire Stick

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT: BlueJeans Cables (XLR and Single Ended) and Speaker Wire; Middle Atlantic Equipment Rack

 

[mbmapit]

What firmware version are you running on the RS20i?

 

[JerryL]

Very nice equipment there. This might sound absurdly simply but have you tried the following:

* Replacing the HDMI cables (it seems these new products are all very sensitive to HDMI cables)

* Are you feeding your processor with HDMI from the audio out HDMI?

 

[mbmapit]

I'm 99% sure it's either the RS20i or a cable issue.

 

[audioguy123]

Very nice equipment there. This might sound absurdly simply but have you tried the following:

* Replacing the HDMI cables (it seems these new products are all very sensitive to HDMI cables)

I have not but I will. I sure hate to sit through that entire movie again after replacing the cable. It's not that I'm not a Disney fan ..... These cables were all purchased new from a very reliable company (BlueJeans Cable) and are their highest rated HDMI cable - but I guess that doesn't mean I didn't get a bad one in the batch (I ordered 7 of them when I redid my equipment rack)

Yesterday I watched Olympus Has Fallen and not a single dropout. Could it be related to how the download from the K-Store went?

* Are you feeding your processor with HDMI from the audio out HDMI?

I am.

 

[MikeKobb]

Hello audioguy, sorry to hear that you've had some audio dropouts. In answer to your most recent question, no, it wouldn't be related to the Movie Store download.

Would you please send me (via private message) your Alto's serial number and the date and time when you watched the movie with the dropouts (as close as you can get to the correct time would be helpful)?

We'd like to take a look at your system's diagnostic logs to see if the player reported any issues during that time. It should help narrow down what was going on.

 

[AVphile]

I am probably going to get some negative feedback about this, but I suggest you look at the Ethernet cabling you are using. When I switched from Blue Jeans Cat 5 to their Cat 6a cables, my AV performance improved demonstrably (to my admittedly "golden" eyes/ears). I cannot assure you that this will be the solution to your problem, but this upgrade cannot hurt.

 

[mbmapit]

I am probably going to get some negative feedback about this, but I suggest you look at the Ethernet cabling you are using. When I switched from Blue Jeans Cat 5 to their Cat 6a cables, my AV performance improved demonstrably (to my admittedly "golden" eyes/ears). I cannot assure you that this will be the solution to your problem, but this upgrade cannot hurt.

That won't be the cause of this issue

 

[CeeDubya]

Audio drop out

Audioguy

Did you solve your audio drop out issue?

CeeDubya

 

[audioguy123]

I continue to have audio drop outs and freezes with my Alto with downloads. Just watched John Wick 2 and there were many (I just finished watching it. It is 1:54PM on Saturday, June10th.) This Alto is a replacement so is very new. I can only assume it has something to do with my internet connection but very, very very frustrating. Doesn't seem to happen (at least as fr3quently) when I load a disc or use the DV700. It makes me want to quit buying anything from the store and certainly never consider a Strato.

I know I can delete it and re-downlaod but that unacceptable - and may not fix the issue.

Any ideas anyone?

Someone said previously it might be the RS20i. I get no dropouts from an Oppo 203, DirecTV or Amazon.

HELP !!!

 

[MikeKobb]

Hi audioguy,

That behavior is definitely not normal. We should open a support case so that it can be investigated. A couple of things it's almost certainly not: it's not something where a new download will help. And, it's not related to your Internet connection (which is not needed/used at all during playback).

Could you please drop me a PM with your email address and the serial number of your Alto (which you can find in the System->Status->System Summary area of the Main Menu).

 

[cinelife]

Given that Mike indicated a new download will not help, you should contact your dealer and start a Support case. You indicate you want to quit buying from the store so I assume this is happening to most, if not all of titles you download, and that would certainly point to the equipment, especially given the number of downloads that occur on a daily basis that have no issues. I own both, Alto and Start, and every M-class player (and the RS20i), buy frequently from the Store, and have never experienced a problem with any downloads during playback. Have support take a look, and then RMA the Alto if necessary.


Jim

 

[audioguy123]

I will send Mike the information he requested. (a) this is a very new replacement Alto and had similar problems on the last one (it completely froze and had to be replaced) (b) when I posted this on an Alto thread on AVS, I got a response from someone who had the identical issue with the same movie [see attachment] (c) it does NOT happen on most titles I download but multiple issue on one title is too many and on multiple titles, unacceptable and that is why I will refrain from buying from the store until a solution to my issue gets worked out. And I have every confidence it will.

I have personal experience that K's customer support is incredible. I posted this to see if it is just me or other are having a similar issue. And as you can see from my attachment, at least one other person is!!

 

[SJHT]

I personally think it is playing Dolby Atmos (or the underlying Dolby TrueHD) movies from an Alto. I watched that movie from my Strato and didn't have a single dropout. It is Dolby Atmos. The reason it is not reported often is that most store movies are DTS and I've never had a dropout from that....

 

[audioguy123]

I personally think it is playing Dolby Atmos (or the underlying Dolby TrueHD) movies from an Alto. I watched that movie from my Strato and didn't have a single dropout. It is Dolby Atmos. The reason it is not reported often is that most store movies are DTS and I've never had a dropout from that....

In addition to the audio dropouts, I also had a complete freeze that EVENTUALLY started playing again.

 

[cinelife]

I will send Mike the information he requested. (a) this is a very new replacement Alto and had similar problems on the last one (it completely froze and had to be replaced) (b) when I posted this on an Alto thread on AVS, I got a response from someone who had the identical issue with the same movie [see attachment] (c) it does NOT happen on most titles I download but multiple issue on one title is too many and on multiple titles, unacceptable and that is why I will refrain from buying from the store until a solution to my issue gets worked out. And I have every confidence it will.

I have personal experience that K's customer support is incredible. I posted this to see if it is just me or other are having a similar issue. And as you can see from my attachment, at least one other person is!!

Sorry, reread my post, didn't mean to sound questioning, was intended to point out that Mike was likely correct about it being a hardware issue if you were experiencing the problem with most Store content. Support has often advised folks with a bad playback title to delete it, then download again. This has apparently solved some drop out problems in the past. If other folks are experiencing the problems with the same title, but others are not, then we should try to determine what these owners have in common to evaluate if that could be the cause. It's obviously harder to do if only a dozen or so folks report a problem while hundreds, or thousands, seem to be okay with the title. Audio dropouts are annoying, and frankly for me would be distracting to the point of taking me "out of" the story. Hopefully they'll resolve this for you soon.


Jim

 

[audioguy123]

Support has often advised folks with a bad playback title to delete it, then download again. This has apparently solved some drop out problems in the past.

I was told to do the same thing in the past as well. BUT --- I have now watched the movie so have little interest in deleting and re-downloading and then re-watching to see if the issue is resolved. But even if that eliminated the freezes/dropouts, it is not the solution I seek. It just should not happen. I paid a premium for the hardware (compared to an Oppo which never exhibits this issue) and typically pay a bit more for the movie than I pay for the shiny disc. And all of that is OK ---- AS LONG AS I GET AT LEAST THE SAME AUDIO/VIDEO QUALITY THAT I GET WITH SHINY DISC - and I am most certainly do not on a consistent basis.

Hopefully, the technical folks inside K will find a solution - sooner rather than later.

​

 

[cinelife]

Can't argue with that...



Jim