Hi all,

Yet another weird and wonderful doesn't seem to work issue.

Avant 32 Mark 3 with the Dolby DSS 5.1 module installed and upgraded Avant SW to 4.0, set the speaker types to Penta front and rear. This was an upgrade from the Dolby Pro-Logic module where all four speakers worked as they should.

No Beolab 2, so using the "Front" connector to daisy chain a pair of Penta 3's and all seems to work fine as ecpected.

While trying to use the "Rear" connector to daisy chain a pair of Penta 2's, it only sees the first one. It doesn't matter which speaker, which power link socket, if they are set to L or R it only ever sees the first one in the chain. The active speaker has a green light while the other is still red.

At first I thought it must be the new cable I was using (the old one is embedded) but after now trying 3, including a new one from Sounds Heavenly (very quick delivery!) I am now convinced its something else....

Does anyone have any ideas for me to try? or is it something simple like the DSS module only really works with Penta 3 or later.

Have you connected the speakers without daisy chaining them i.e. one speaker to one Powerlink socket on the AVANT ?

Hi Keith,

This version of the DSS card only has 1 Power Link socket for the Front and only 1 for the Rear. My other DSS in my RF Avant has 2 for the Front and another 2 for the Rear but not this version... :-(

Any other ideas?

Cheers

Of course you are right..

You problem is clearly related to the powerlink switch on signal which is a DC level signal of not more than 1.4 volts as referenced to signal ground

So, if the ground (o volt) line was not sitting at ground, then you would get this symptom. Note Signal ground and chassis ground are not connected and the chassis is not mains grounded anyway.

As a test, connect a wire between mains earth and the screen of the aerial plug into the AVANT, if the speaker now works then you have an earthing problem.

I need to be careful how I use the word "earthing" because the products are not actually earthed, the better word in this context is "zero volts potential difference"

Hi Keith, thanks for that,

When you say "As a test, connect a wire between mains earth and the screen of the aerial plug into the AVANT, if the speaker now works then you have an earthing problem."

Can you explain it any simpler? What sort of wire? Mains earth?

Sorry to sound so dumb... :-s

Cheers

Not a dumb question at all..

What I am suggesting is just a test to understand the potential problem

Any piece of wire will do, connecting one end to a mains earthed device or something you know to be earthed and the other end to the outer casing of the aerial plug which goes into the back of your AVANT

If your mains socket are in brick/solid walls then you will have a metal backbox which means the two screws either side of the mains sockets will be earthed, so one can be used as your source of earth.