DirecTV Genie upgrade, no optical audio jack

[OutHouse]

I think its really suspicious that DirecTV puts out a new receiver and all of a sudden mine starts to flake out. pixulated picture on a cloudless day, sometimes unresponsive, slow channel changes.

so i looked online at upgrading to the Genie, it has some nice new features but the one thing they did not add is a Optical audio plug. WTF? its digital coaxial only.

i know i can get a coax to optical converter for about 30 bucks but why didn't they include the optical? is it on its way out?

Plus the other downside is that they want a 2 year commitment to upgrade.

 

[dainthomas]

I got the Genie right when it came out (even before it was called the Genie). I absolutely love this DVR than any of the garbage I've ever had from Dish, FIOS, or Comcast. It's not even close.

Maybe if you pay cash for it you won't have to do another two year deal, but would it be worth it?

It wouldn't bother me to keep them. In terms of channels, hardware, and price they're the best IMO.

 

[Drako]

You're one of the .5% of customers that still uses optical audio?

 

[alkemyst]

This is a conspiracy OP, cover your head in tinfoil.

 

[WT]

You're one of the .5% of customers that still uses optical audio?

76% of percentage figures are made up on the spot.

Count me in as another TOSlink user. :thumbsup:

What do you damn dirty heathens use ?? :sneaky:

 

[OutHouse]

You're one of the .5% of customers that still uses optical audio?

maybe, i didnt know it was a dying technology whats wrong with optical for digital sound?

 

[Drako]

76% of percentage figures are made up on the spot.

Count me in as another TOSlink user. :thumbsup:

What do you damn dirty heathens use ?? :sneaky:

Lies, damned lies, and statistics.

I've moved beyond the 1990s, and I am now using HDMI (2.0 for that matter).

 

[Vdubchaos]

maybe, i didnt know it was a dying technology whats wrong with optical for digital sound?

It's not dying, most people don't give a shit about Audio quality or don't posses decent audio equipment.

I use optical...

 

[TerryMathews]

maybe, i didnt know it was a dying technology whats wrong with optical for digital sound?

There are ICs now with SPDIF straight to jack with no mid circuit conversion. You can't do that with TOSLINK.

 

[Drako]

maybe, i didnt know it was a dying technology whats wrong with optical for digital sound?

Yes, it is a dying technology.

The bandwidth of the optical link does not support newer audio CODECs like TrueHD for example.

 

[Crusty]

It's not dying, most people don't give a shit about Audio quality or don't posses decent audio equipment.

I use optical...

Uhhh... coax vs optical is just a different cable. The audio signal is still the same when it gets to the other side of the cable.

 

[Doppel]

Plus the other downside is that they want a 2 year commitment to upgrade.

HAHAHA.

NONONONONO

I got out of my DirecTV relationship last month and I am shocked how little I miss it (read: literally not at all).

It's not dying

I can't find stats but I assume it is dying.

/HDMI

 

[OutHouse]

There are ICs now with SPDIF straight to jack with no mid circuit conversion. You can't do that with TOSLINK.

here is what i was looking at.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c...d=1011405&p_id=5369&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

 

[bearxor]

Uhhh... coax vs optical is just a different cable. The audio signal is still the same when it gets to the other side of the cable.

Well... I wouldn't say it's the same. They accomplish much the same thing. The coax jack is, typically, more reliable over greater distances.

As for the main question, it's probably a scale thing.

Think of the number of directv subscribers. Now think about hoe many of them own home theater systems. Then think about how many out of there have a cheap htib that gets it's audio off the hdmi feed. Now think about those with a little bit better system that have AVR's made in the last 5 years that also pull audio off the hdmi cable. Now think about people like you, who have a bit older avr that required a separate audio connection.

I don't want to put percentages on it, but I imagine that the last category, which I presume you fall in, likely consists of single digit percentages. But I don't have any data on that. Just a gut feeling.

 

[MotionMan]

I got out of my DirecTV relationship last month and I am shocked how little I miss it (read: literally not at all).

What did you switch to?

MotionMan

 

[alkemyst]

What did you switch to?

MotionMan

He discovered 4chan and PornTube

 

[alkemyst]

HDMI is really the way to go today, plus it supports lossless multichannel where TosLink and Coax do not (they do support lossy multichannel and YMMV if you can 'hear' a difference).

I need to upgrade my receiver to HDMI, I just recently got a HDTV and now have gaming consoles in the home.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Uhhh... coax vs optical is just a different cable. The audio signal is still the same when it gets to the other side of the cable.

Who said anything about Coax?

 

[alkemyst]

Who said anything about Coax?

Did you bother to read, ummm say; the first post in this thread?

 

[Rage187]

What did you switch to?

MotionMan

I'm about to buy out the last 10 months of my contract. My bill is $100 and we have zero movies channels. Not putting FXX in my current package was the final straw. Even after the first year, Uverse is $30 LESS a month and comes with more channels.

Fuck Directv.

 

[OutHouse]

I'm about to buy out the last 10 months of my contract. My bill is $100 and we have zero movies channels. Not putting FXX in my current package was the final straw. Even after the first year, Uverse is $30 LESS a month and comes with more channels.

Fuck Directv.

sadly uverse is not available in colorado