I have an audio hum w/ my new DVDR... [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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swwdts
01-20-2007, 11:55 PM
I bought a Samsung DVDR 2 weeks ago & when I turn it on,I hear a loud humming sound.I only hear the hum when I turn on my HT items to watch TV but,when I watch a DVD-R or a DVD movie I do not hear the humming sound.The Optical cable is also 2 weeks old.If I bought & installed a Dayton Isolation Transformer will or should that get rid of the humming sound.I do not have any cables that are touching or laying on each other.The cables are the Acoustic Research brand.Inc. the F type cables leading to the TV & coming out of the wall to the DVDR.The (5) 16 awg speaker wire is also made by AR.Everything that is HT audio wire ( to & from speakers) has banana plugs on them.That humming sound is driving me crazy! Thanks for your time!

Mr Peabody
01-21-2007, 12:19 PM
Interesting problem. So the unit makes noise until you push play? The only time I have ever had any noise from a DVD player,it was a bad cable. I wonder if the unit has a problem with you using both digital (optical) and analog (F) audio outs?

Why don't you use a better video connection from DVD to TV? F cable is your worst option.

swwdts
01-21-2007, 09:41 PM
I need to have the Acoustic Research F type cable hooked up to watch local TV & I also need the F type cable to record the local TV/cable tv shows onto my DVD-R discs so, that I am able to record TV shows.Going from my video output I am using a S- cable which hooks up to the back of my TV.The S-cable is also made by Acoustic Research.

Woochifer
01-21-2007, 11:48 PM
If that DVDR uses a three-pronged plug, I would try out a "cheater plug" (one of those plugs that converts a three-pronged plug to a two-pronged plug). If that "cheater plug" remedies the humming, then you know for sure that the DVDR is creating a ground loop somewhere.

If that's the case, then you might need to isolate the different components that are plugged into the same electrical circuit and see if you can eliminate the loop by taking a component off the system. First, try unplugging the cable TV or satellite connection. If those eliminate the humming, then you might need to call your provider. Another solution would be to find out if any plugs in your room are on a different electrical circuit, and put the DVDR on that circuit and see if it helps.

Otherwise, I would guess that you have a bad connection somewhere. If you're using a digital audio connection, it sounds more like a ground loop. With an analog output, it's likely a connection issue. Try plugging the DVDR into a different input on your preamp/receiver and see if that changes anything.

swwdts
01-23-2007, 04:40 PM
Thanks alot ! That was/is alot to think about & try.I will try all your info. to see if I can find out where or what is that hum sound.I have the audio set up to play dts & other Digital sound formats.Thanks again!

musicman1999
01-23-2007, 05:45 PM
Does this unit have a hard drive?Might be a spinning sound or maybe a fan for cooling.

bill

swwdts
01-23-2007, 07:30 PM
Nah,it goes not have a hard drive.I am going to buy 5 banana plugs & 5 flat pin plugs to see if it was just a speaker wire hook up problem.I hope that it is not my THX opital wire which is hooked up for my dts sound.DVD movies & DVD-R recordings.If it is,I will have to use/buy 3 THX RCA wire. 3 6' THX RCA wire will run me $ 300.00. $ 100.00 a THX wire.

Resident Loser
01-24-2007, 05:18 AM
...dumb question time!

Hum on turn-on but no hum while viewing? Are you quite sure the hum is actually goes bye-bye...or is it just being masked by the soundtrack?

Like shooting any trouble, it's time to sectionalize...Is the noise source dependent? If yes, start disconnecting things starting with your source, then the wires, etc. There's no "easy" way to do it...

jimHJJ(...simply process of elimination...)

Robert-The-Rambler
01-24-2007, 10:19 AM
I bought a Samsung DVDR 2 weeks ago & when I turn it on,I hear a loud humming sound.I only hear the hum when I turn on my HT items to watch TV but,when I watch a DVD-R or a DVD movie I do not hear the humming sound.The Optical cable is also 2 weeks old.If I bought & installed a Dayton Isolation Transformer will or should that get rid of the humming sound.I do not have any cables that are touching or laying on each other.The cables are the Acoustic Research brand.Inc. the F type cables leading to the TV & coming out of the wall to the DVDR.The (5) 16 awg speaker wire is also made by AR.Everything that is HT audio wire ( to & from speakers) has banana plugs on them.That humming sound is driving me crazy! Thanks for your time!

You will probably notice that the hum is gone. There are two ways to solve this problem. You can connect a ground loop isolator at the cable wire. If you have a cable box connect a product like this one I use just before the cable into the box. It has a male and a female connector so just connect your cable wire to the female end and the male portion to your box.

http://axiomaudio.com/groundisolator.html

If you don't have a box simply connect it before the cable connects to your TVs coax/cable input. That should cut this crap off at the source.

Another way to fight off this hum without having to disconnect your cable wire is to get RCA ground loop isolators. I went the cheap route and got 4 of them from Radioshack for only 16.99. Luckily they had them at the store so I could test them and return if I did not like them. I like them and they do the job admirably. I use both type for my 7.1 setup with multiple separate amps. No hum at all will ever be heard again. It is well worth the $130 total to be sure you have all sources of ground loops eliminated.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062214&cp=&sr=1&origkw=Ground+Loop+Isolator&kw=ground+loop+isolator&parentPage=search

It sounds like you really need to cut the ground loop at the cable wire.

Good luck.

hydroman
01-25-2007, 12:21 PM
My digital cable box RCA audio inputs fro the stereo hummed terribly. If i took audio from the TV output - i was fine...

[shrug]

swwdts
01-25-2007, 11:48 PM
I have video F type cables hooked up to my DVDR just like someone would have the older VCR's F type cables. Here is my VIDEO set up :main line to DVDR & from the DVDR video output to the TV. As,far as the audio set up: DVDR optical output to Pioneer Amp optical dts input. I tried the Dig. PCM intput w/ a dig. cable & it did not get rid of the hum so, I stayed with my dig. optical cable hook up to dts input set up. The cable company that put in an extra line to the basement did it very badly.Although,upstairs there is no problem w/ the audio sound.

swwdts
01-25-2007, 11:50 PM
Thanks ! Robert the..... your info. has helped me alot !

musicman1999
01-26-2007, 08:03 AM
The coax and optical inputs on your reciever are not limited to dts or pcm,the same signals can pass throufg either input.


bill

swwdts
01-26-2007, 05:23 PM
Yap.I know of that. It also had 3 other optical inputs none of them got rid of the hum either.So,if the Dayton isolation Transformer does not work,I guess I will live w/ the hum.Thanks everyone for your help!

Robert-The-Rambler
01-26-2007, 05:53 PM
Thanks ! Robert the..... your info. has helped me alot !

I just recently solved my hum problem and I know how frustrating it can be. Glad to be of help.