Surround Help Needed

[The Man]

I'm a pretty handy guy which is why I'm kicking myself for doing something so dumb....wasting money on paying a company to install my home entertainment system. I bought my first house so I thought a companyh could do the job better than me. I met this company at a home improvement show and hired them thinking they would be a credible company but I was wrong. They hooked up my system and a few days later my system started sounding horrible and they wont return my phone calls so I'm left fixing the problem.

As a result I'm left with a system that sounds terrible. I'm guessing they hooked it up wrong which is why I hear interference in my speakers. I hear a constant buzzing and high pitch sound when the receiver is set to cable/satellite.

The way it is set up is all HDMI cables go in to my Denon receiver with an HDMI cable leaving the receiver through the wall into the TV.

My 3 questions are:

1.) The buzzing only sounds terrible when in cable/satellite mode only. It sounds fine in any other mode (blu ray, xbox, Wii, etc). What can I do to correct the horrible buzzing sound?

2.) Do I need to run a fiber optic cable to the tv even though its already hooked up via HDMI?

3.) Would it be wise to find a way to hook the satellite directly to the tv as well as through the receiver? I'm concerned running everything through the receiver 100% of the time will burn out the receiver (Denon AVR-591).

Thanks in advance.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm a pretty handy guy which is why I'm kicking myself for doing something so dumb....wasting money on paying a company to install my home entertainment system. I bought my first house so I thought a companyh could do the job better than me. I met this company at a home improvement show and hired them thinking they would be a credible company but I was wrong. They hooked up my system and a few days later my system started sounding horrible and they wont return my phone calls so I'm left fixing the problem.

As a result I'm left with a system that sounds terrible. I'm guessing they hooked it up wrong which is why I hear interference in my speakers. I hear a constant buzzing and high pitch sound when the receiver is set to cable/satellite.

The way it is set up is all HDMI cables go in to my Denon receiver with an HDMI cable leaving the receiver through the wall into the TV.

My 3 questions are:

1.) The buzzing only sounds terrible when in cable/satellite mode only. It sounds fine in any other mode (blu ray, xbox, Wii, etc). What can I do to correct the horrible buzzing sound?

2.) Do I need to run a fiber optic cable to the tv even though its already hooked up via HDMI?

3.) Would it be wise to find a way to hook the satellite directly to the tv as well as through the receiver? I'm concerned running everything through the receiver 100% of the time will burn out the receiver (Denon AVR-591).

Thanks in advance.

Cab/sat systems are notorious for ground loops, which is what you have.

Do you have satellite or cable, as advice will be different?

The first thing however you need to do is to bond your cable or satellite feeds to your house ground with heavy duty copper at entry to your home, as required by code. Satellite and cable companies are more often than not negligent in this regard.

If you have satellite your solution ends there.

If you have cable, then you can add an isolating transformer, but you can not do this with satellite. However you still need to pay attention to the ground issue as above for safety reasons.

Sometimes the solution also involves upgrading the house ground.

 

[The Man]

Cab/sat systems are notorious for ground loops, which is what you have.

Do you have satellite or cable, as advice will be different?

The first thing however you need to do is to bond your cable or satellite feeds to your house ground with heavy duty copper at entry to your home, as required by code. Satellite and cable companies are more often than not negligent in this regard.

If you have satellite your solution ends there.

If you have cable, then you can add an isolating transformer, but you can not do this with satellite. However you still need to pay attention to the ground issue as above for safety reasons.

Sometimes the solution also involves upgrading the house ground.

I have DirecTv, so satellite.


I apologize for being ignorant, but what do you mean by bond satellite cable to house ground?

And do you have any suggestions for me other questions? Thank you in advance, I appreciate the help. I just find it so bazaar that the sound could be great for 1 week and sound so terrible out of nowhere.

 

[TLS Guy]

I have DirecTv, so satellite.


I apologize for being ignorant, but what do you mean by bond satellite cable to house ground?

And do you have any suggestions for me other questions? Thank you in advance, I appreciate the help. I just find it so bazaar that the sound could be great for 1 week and sound so terrible out of nowhere.

It might have been due to moisture conditions, in the ground that altered your results.

I have Direct TV and the installers are morons. You have to redo their work usually.

They should have installed a grounding block on the two feeds from the satellite. This grounding block needs to be connected to your house ground directly with No 4 copper grounding wire. That is called bonding.

You need to make sure your house ground is adequate and in a location that gets rain on it.

If in doubt, you or your electrician should install three large 7 ft copper rods, all bonded with heavy gauge copper.

Make sure all connections in your satellite system are tight.

I'm in the UK right now, but if you don't understand, I will photograph my grounding after I get back to Benedict at the end of the week.

 

[The Man]

It might have been due to moisture conditions, in the ground that altered your results.

I have Direct TV and the installers are morons. You have to redo their work usually.

They should have installed a grounding block on the two feeds from the satellite. This grounding block needs to be connected to your house ground directly with No 4 copper grounding wire. That is called bonding.

You need to make sure your house ground is adequate and in a location that gets rain on it.

If in doubt, you or your electrician should install three large 7 ft copper rods, all bonded with heavy gauge copper.

Make sure all connections in your satellite system are tight.

I'm in the UK right now, but if you don't understand, I will photograph my grounding after I get back to Benedict at the end of the week.

I guess I can't win. Between idiot satellite installers and home audio installers I guess I'm left doing it all myself anyways.

I've never heard of the term bonding but if it isn't hard to do then I don't see why I couldn't do it myself..........or is that a bad idea?

I guess I'm just concerned that I'll get ripped off again by hiring an electrician. But at the same time I just want it fixed because right now this is unbearable to listen to.

I wish this was an easier fix but if you have the time to show me how to bond the cables via pictures it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TLS Guy]

I guess I can't win. Between idiot satellite installers and home audio installers I guess I'm left doing it all myself anyways.

I've never heard of the term bonding but if it isn't hard to do then I don't see why I couldn't do it myself..........or is that a bad idea?

I guess I'm just concerned that I'll get ripped off again by hiring an electrician. But at the same time I just want it fixed because right now this is unbearable to listen to.

I wish this was an easier fix but if you have the time to show me how to bond the cables via pictures it would be greatly appreciated.

Bonding is just an electrical term for a tight firm electrical connection.

Your first steps are to identify your house ground and you satellite grounding block.

This job is actually something you should do yourself. Artisans seldom understand these problems or the physics behind them.

 

[The Man]

Post #4 (sorry I need 5 posts to post a link)

 

[The Man]

Post #5 (sorry I need 5 posts to post a link). Actual response:

 

[The Man]

Bonding is just an electrical term for a tight firm electrical connection.

Your first steps are to identify your house ground and you satellite grounding block.

This job is actually something you should do yourself. Artisans seldom understand these problems or the physics behind them.

Its a shame I can't solve it this easy:

http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/connecting-your-system/ground-loops-eliminating-system-hum-and-buzz


Sorry, I was searching the forum for pictures already posted to save you the trouble and ran across that thread. No luck with the pictures though so I'll wait for when you post them.

Thanks again and if you ever happen to be in South Florida the beer is on me!

 

[TLS Guy]

Its a shame I can't solve it this easy:

http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/connecting-your-system/ground-loops-eliminating-system-hum-and-buzz


Sorry, I was searching the forum for pictures already posted to save you the trouble and ran across that thread. No luck with the pictures though so I'll wait for when you post them.

Thanks again and if you ever happen to be in South Florida the beer is on me!

For satellite systems you have to do the grounding correctly. The roof receiver and multi switch are phantom powered. That is to say the cables up to the roof pass not only the digital data signals, but the DC power to drive the devices on the roof. There are 13 volts on one cable and 18 volts on the other. There are also control signals going up the cables. DC and the control signals will not pass through an isolation transformer.

Anyhow it is much better to get your grounding right.

 

[The Man]

For satellite systems you have to do the grounding correctly. The roof receiver and multi switch are phantom powered. That is to say the cables up to the roof pass not only the digital data signals, but the DC power to drive the devices on the roof. There are 13 volts on one cable and 18 volts on the other. There are also control signals going up the cables. DC and the control signals will not pass through an isolation transformer.

Anyhow it is much better to get your grounding right.

I'm in full agreement with you. Would me posting any pictures help you at all to help me figure this out or is that not needed?

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm in full agreement with you. Would me posting any pictures help you at all to help me figure this out or is that not needed?

Yes it would.

I will be leaving for LHR to fly back to MSP tomorrow, and will be at our Eagan town home to morrow night. We are traveling to Benedict Thursday, 215 miles.

We are five hours ahead of Eastern time in the UK.

 

[The Man]

Yes it would.

I will be leaving for LHR to fly back to MSP tomorrow, and will be at our Eagan town home to morrow night. We are traveling to Benedict Thursday, 215 miles.

We are five hours ahead of Eastern time in the UK.

What would you like me to take pictures of? The outside satellite box? Its 4:30am here and pitch black so I will have post them tomorrow.

 

[TLS Guy]

What would you like me to take pictures of? The outside satellite box? Its 4:30am here and pitch black so I will have post them tomorrow.

I need to see your house ground and your satellite grounding block. A picture of your electric panel might also be helpful, especially the grounding.

 

[The Man]

I need to see your house ground and your satellite grounding block. A picture of your electric panel might also be helpful, especially the grounding.

I think this is what you wanted to see:

^^^ you can see all the DirecTv installer did was coil the wires above my phone line box and ran the lines into the house. ITs the white cables above the phone line box (top box).

^^^ here you see all he did was run the ground and attach it to a pipe connected to my water softener. Green wire is the ground.

^^^ here is my breaker box. I'm not sure what it shows but I hope it helps.


Let me know if anything else would help you. Thanks.

 

[TLS Guy]

I think this is what you wanted to see:

^^^ you can see all the DirecTv installer did was coil the wires above my phone line box and ran the lines into the house. ITs the white cables above the phone line box (top box).

^^^ here you see all he did was run the ground and attach it to a pipe connected to my water softener. Green wire is the ground.

^^^ here is my breaker box. I'm not sure what it shows but I hope it helps.


Let me know if anything else would help you. Thanks.

You have done something wrong. There are no pictures, and all the links say Forbidden!

I will need to see your house ground also. From your description you have an improper Direct TV installation and a code violation. I would expect it to hum.

 

[The Man]

You have done something wrong. There are no pictures, and all the links say Forbidden!

I will need to see your house ground also. From your description you have an improper Direct TV installation and a code violation. I would expect it to hum.

Sorry about that. I hope the pics work now:

^^^ you can see all the DirecTv installer did was coil the wires above my phone line box and ran the lines into the house. ITs the white cables above the phone line box (top box).

^^^ here you see all he did was run the ground and attach it to a pipe connected to my water softener. Green wire is the ground. The pipe does go into the the ground so you would think the green wire would be grounded. Maybe not?

^^^ here is my breaker box. I'm not sure what it shows but I hope it helps.

 

[TLS Guy]

Sorry about that. I hope the pics work now:

^^^ you can see all the DirecTv installer did was coil the wires above my phone line box and ran the lines into the house. ITs the white cables above the phone line box (top box).

^^^ here you see all he did was run the ground and attach it to a pipe connected to my water softener. Green wire is the ground. The pipe does go into the the ground so you would think the green wire would be grounded. Maybe not?

^^^ here is my breaker box. I'm not sure what it shows but I hope it helps.

They don't. Use photobucket or Smugmug. If you do it right you will see the photos in your post when you press review, and on site when you look at your post.

 

[The Man]

They don't. Use photobucket or Smugmug. If you do it right you will see the photos in your post when you press review, and on site when you look at your post.

When I pressed preview they did show up. Oh well, I put them on photobucket so they should work out. Here's the link and tell me what you think:

http://s749.photobucket.com/albums/xx131/knobs27/Surround Sound/


I put a brief description under every photo.

 

[TLS Guy]

When I pressed preview they did show up. Oh well, I put them on photobucket so they should work out. Here's the link and tell me what you think:

http://s749.photobucket.com/albums/xx131/knobs27/Surround Sound/


I put a brief description under every photo.

You have loaded thumb nails with little resolution, and when you blow the thumb nails up there is no resolution.

You are making it really trying and difficult to help you. This is how the photos should look.

Get the images on photobucket to a size that fits on the page at good resolution. Then right click and click view image.

Now copy the link which should end in jpg.

Now put your cursor where you want the picture in your post. Now left click on the picture and copy the URL. Click on the envelope on the tool bar of your post. Paste the copied URL in the box. Click OK and you are done.

From what little I can see your grounding is a mess. You need to remove the ground from your Direct TV grounding block and replace it with No. 4 copper connected directly by the shortest route to your house grounding rod. You did not photograph your house grounding rod which will be the most important picture of all.

This is what No.4 copper looks like which is part of my star cluster studio grounding system.