# Problems with Onkyo 709



## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

Hi again 

So, I've just purchased the Onkyo 709 receiver. Had it for a few days, just really listening to music, which works like a charm. Today, I was going to start calibrating it a bit for blu-ray, DVD and Xbox playback.

Had a few hick-ups, which kind of annoys me. 

First thing is the black-level (blackness, darkness, not sure about the proper English term). Before the receiver, when watching blu-ray, I got a decent depth on my SONY EX510 TV. Now however, where there should be black, it's just soggy gray, kind of like a washed out black t-shirt. I'm not sure what to do here, and I honestly don't even know where to begin looking. Been cruising around the menus trying to figure something out, but nothing.

Second is the HD-sound, DTS MA and DD THD. Tried two movies (300 (DD THD) and Pans Labyrinth (DTS MA)). None of the movies want to output the HD formats. Playing 300, I check the source information and it just says "DTS 5.1". The little red DTS-indicator is shining bright, but no DTS-MA  I don't THINK it's the blu-ray, since there isn't that many changes to be made in it. One option gives me PCM, the other one DTS.
And I get the same problem with my Xbox.

I would be ever so happy if anyone could shed some light upon my problems!:sweat:


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

As far as the audio make sure your sending bitstream audio not PCM Are you using HDMI?


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

I dont think I'm sending PCM, well, when I change the output from the BR, it says PCM, otherwise nothing. And yes, I'm using HDMI from all devices. I checked the picture from my mediaplayer now aswell and still grey, even with passthrough.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

On the video problems are you letting the 809 do the processing? If your sources are HD then let them do the video processing. I believe the setting would be "through". On the audio problem Tony most likely diagnosed that with setting to bitstream.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Check again in the players menu (should be under audio settings) there will be a "Bitstream" option somewhere also do not have any dynamic compression turned on.
Did you make any adjustments in the 709 user menu video settings? it sounds like you have something changed thats giving you this "grey look" on the blacks


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

Fixed the audio. Couldn't they just name it bitstream in the first place? Grr.

As for the video, I've done what you said. Went to Sorce Set-up for BD/DVD, moved to Picture Adjust. The choices there are: 
Trough
Direct 
Custom
Cinema
Game

I had it set to Direct,changed it to Through. The grey color took a turn for the worse and became even brighter and got a slight red-ish tint. I have no idea whats going on.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Hmmm, thats not sounding good. Try unplugging the receiver from the wall for 10 min and try again.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

iskra said:


> Fixed the audio. Couldn't they just name it bitstream in the first place? Grr.
> 
> As for the video, I've done what you said. Went to Sorce Set-up for BD/DVD, moved to Picture Adjust. The choices there are:
> Trough
> ...


When you set it to through the video processing should be from the source. The 809 shouldn't be affecting it at that setting.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

So, theres been some development. 

I noticed something weird last night. You know the black, thick horizontal lines in the top and bottom in a movie (way to explain!)? Well, and the movie picture got brighter, so were those lines. It was almost as the black lines laid on top of the movie itself. Kind of hard to explain, but bottom line is that those line change in blackness level depending on how bright the actual movie is. Never seen that before.

And another thing. I turned on the system when I woke up this morning, and the blackness seemed to be quite good. I compared it by just connecting the BDP to the TV without it going through the receiver. I don't exactly know that the blackness is totally fine, since it was pitch black when I wrote the above stuff and this morning it was very sunny and bright.

But then I noticed that even though the receiver had been turned on for only five minutes, at low volume, it had gotten quite warm - could this have something to do with the problem? 

I also just now remembered how the whole thing started. It was when I first started to calibrate my Xbox. The receiver (or Xbox, don't know) didn't recognize I used HDMI so the pictures was small (think 800x600). After a few resets here and there, one of the devices finally recognized the HDMI and thus I set it to 1080p. But while the screen were set to 800x600, the blackness levels were really bad.

Edit: I know it's not the TV, since my cable-box isn't connected to the receiver and gives me good blackness.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

do you have any sort of link (that will talk to other devices through HDMI) turned on on the TV?


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> do you have any sort of link (that will talk to other devices through HDMI) turned on on the TV?


Do you mean something like BRAVIA Sync for SONY TVs? In that case no. Both my mediaplayer and BDP is from LG.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

Right, I'm really quite embarrassed now. It WAS my TV. Well, actually, it was the settings on the HDMI input. I swapped from HDMI1 to HDMI4 and poof, black as night. 

I used to have my Xbox hooked up to the HDMI1 before I got the receiver and suppose I never really noticed the greyness. Last night when we were about to watch a movie and the receiver was processing (yes, it was) the picture, the blacklevel became increasingly bad, which I guess made me aware of it.

Sorry for the ruckus and a BIG thanks for all the help. This forum is by far the nicest I've been at.

A mod is welcome to edit the title to avoid confusion


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Your very welcome  we are here to help not cause confusion, a bad question is only a question not asked.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

Hello again!

Well then, now I have another problem (if the first ones were even considered as such), figured I'll just use my old thread. 

So, I've just gotten me two basspumps (Sinus III) and an extra stereoamp (Dynavox Spark II). I'm having trouble getting them to work though. The main subwoofer is connected to the 709 and works fine. 

The Spark II one is connected to the other subwoofer input (709 > RCA > Y-split > Spark II). However, the pumps just wont pump. Cant see anything in the set-up meny on the 709 about a second woofer either.

Any ideas?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

If the sub is working then its not the 709s issue. I would suspect that it may be your amp thats driving the "basspump" does it show its getting a signal?


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> If the sub is working then its not the 709s issue. I would suspect that it may be your amp thats driving the "basspump" does it show its getting a signal?


So there's no option I need to tick to let the 709 know I use 2 subwoofers?

I don't think I can see if the basspump amp is getting a signal. Though I know several people who use this very amp for pumps, so I believe it's me missing something obvious or less obvious.

Edit: It's getting a signal. Everytime I flick it on, it vibrates my sofa (you know, like pof, kind of like when you turn on your subwoofer). That's the only vibration I get. Can't figure out wth is wrong.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

If your using a "Y" splitter then no. I dont think Audyssey can detect a "bass pump" I am assuming this is a Bass shaker?


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> If your using a "Y" splitter then no. I dont think Audyssey can detect a "bass pump" I am assuming this is a Bass shaker?



I'm not using a y-splitter into the receiver though, there i'm using a normal subwoofer cable, from there is splits into two just before going in the stereo amp.

Yeah, it's a shaker 

This is driving me mad!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

How many watts is the stereo amp your using to drive the shaker?


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

About 30

Edit: Got them to work now, but it's not in a satisfying solution. I swapped the subwoofer-input between the kickers and normal subwoofer. The kicker now kicks the living out of me but the subwoofer is quiet. In other words, the other way around. Something is obviously amiss.

Sure, I could just use another Y-split (Male > 2 female) from the working output. However, I should be able to use to woofers, so that's what I intend to do. 

I must really overlook something here?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

There is nothing amiss, Lets go back to the hooking up. 
The 709 has two subwoofer outputs. You have one cable going to your sub from the one sub out and another one from the second output to the bass shaker. The problem is that Audessey will not hear the bass shaker so it turns off that output. The only way to do this is to put a "Y" on the one thats working and then attach both the sub and the shaker to that output only.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> There is nothing amiss, Lets go back to the hooking up.
> The 709 has two subwoofer outputs. You have one cable going to your sub from the one sub out and another one from the second output to the bass shaker. The problem is that Audessey will not hear the bass shaker so it turns off that output. The only way to do this is to put a "Y" on the one thats working and then attach both the sub and the shaker to that output only.


Hm, you might be right. Although there's been some changes. Bear with me when I explain, I can be at it.

So now, I swapped some cable and so on. Turns out I had the wrong pre-out. Owell, problem is not over though.
I connected my subwoofer straight from the receiver with a normal RCA-cable and then hooked up the Spark II the same way as before (RCA>ysplit>spark2). 

As soon as I turn on the Spark amp, the shakers shake constantly and the sub is giving a humming noise. I've tried to just use the main SW preout, which works fine with my sub, but as soon as I connect it to the Spark (no sub connected at all) it still vibrates the shakers constantly. As I said, it works fine with the sub.

Do I make any sense here? :crying:


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Is the power for the shaker on the same circuit as the rest of the equipment? sounds like a grounding problem.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> Is the power for the shaker on the same circuit as the rest of the equipment? sounds like a grounding problem.


I thought of that, and no, it's on another power outlet. Could that be it..?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Yes, very possible. Try temporarily running an extension cord to where the rest of your gear is plugged in and see if that helps.


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## MikeBiker (Jan 3, 2010)

It seems that you do have a ground loop problem. Do a search on ground loops and try a few of the many fixes that are recommended. Usually one of them will work.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> Yes, very possible. Try temporarily running an extension cord to where the rest of your gear is plugged in and see if that helps.





MikeBiker said:


> It seems that you do have a ground loop problem. Do a search on ground loops and try a few of the many fixes that are recommended. Usually one of them will work.


Tried to change the power outlet and it did nothing at all. Still the same problem.

I just noticed that the Spark doesnt even have to be turned on (just plugged in) to get the subwoofer to hum when it's turned on.


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## iskra (Jan 30, 2012)

Finally. You were so right. It was a ground loop problem. Spent all morning crawling around changing cables and turning knobs. When I removed the cable TV-chord the humming went away.

Really didn't have anything to do with the 709 (which I think we established quite early), but better to have the discussion here than spamming threads all over the place.

Thanks again, for all your knowledge and help!


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