Help with audio drop-outs

[Polonius]

I'm hoping someone has had a similar situation and can offer some assistance. I am getting audio drop-outs through my AVR and I cannot understand why. My equipment chain is as follows: cable-internet near 300mbps, an ASUS AX68U router, Apple TV 4K using wifi, quality audioquest HDMI to LG OLED tv, optical out to Rotel RSX-1055. When the drop-out occurs, the display screen on the Rotel resets and then shows the correct input info. It seems like the Rotel is losing it's signal. The Rotel works fine when streaming just 2ch audio, but when watching shows or movies, I get these drop-outs, which last a second or 2. I don't think the Rotel is the issue. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm hoping someone has had a similar situation and can offer some assistance. I am getting audio drop-outs through my AVR and I cannot understand why. My equipment chain is as follows: cable-internet near 300mbps, an ASUS AX68U router, Apple TV 4K using wifi, quality audioquest HDMI to LG OLED tv, optical out to Rotel RSX-1055. When the drop-out occurs, the display screen on the Rotel resets and then shows the correct input info. It seems like the Rotel is losing it's signal. The Rotel works fine when streaming just 2ch audio, but when watching shows or movies, I get these drop-outs, which last a second or 2. I don't think the Rotel is the issue. Anyone have any thoughts?

Does the picture drop out or freeze on the TV when this happens?

 

[lovinthehd]

Can you try hardwiring the Roku instead of wifi? This happens with any video streaming with the Roku? How about a disc player?

 

[Trebdp83]

What is the audio output setting on the Apple TV 4K? If it is still set to best available, it is converting the DD+ streams to multichannel LCPM which exceed the bandwidth of optical connections. The TV has a few audio output settings for externally connected devices but you first want to fix it at the source.

In the Apple TV 4K, go into the audio settings and select Change Format. Then, set it to Dolby Digital 5.1. The optical connection can handle the lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 signal as it will not be sent in a big LPCM container.

After adjusting the Apple TV 4K audio settings, move on to the TV. Bring up the settings menu and select All Settings>Sound>Select HDMI Input Audio Format and make sure the HDMI port used to connect the Apple TV 4K is set to bitstream and not PCM. Then, go to the Digital Sound Output setting and select Pass Through. These settings should result in a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal making its way to the Rotel without audio drop outs.

Double check the Optical Output settings in the TV. Many select it from the Sound Quick menu and don’t realize it sets sound output to Optical + TV Speaker. You want to set it in the sound advanced settings and select wired connection and then optical.

 

[Golfx]

I and many many others have had a long history of audio drop outs when using the Apple TV 4K when streaming atmos. We simply had to shut off atmos as an option on the audio out of the Apple TV. So like Trebdp83 said you should probably try that because your optical out will not support atmos either.

 

[Trebdp83]

I’ve heard of the Atmos issue with the Apple TV 4K Gen 2. Never experienced it with my Gen 1. Even with Atmos turned off in the Apple TV 4K, it will still send out a multichannel LPCM signal if the format is not changed to Dolby Digital 5.1. Optical cables cannot handle the bandwidth needed for multichannel LPCM and the TV will send a two channel PCM signal it converted on the fly out of the optical port.

 

[Polonius]

Does the picture drop out or freeze on the TV when this happens?

no, the video runs fine without stuttering or pixelating

 

[TLS Guy]

no, the video runs fine without stuttering or pixelating

Then you have an audio bandwidth issue. That is a very old pre HDMI receiver. Optical has limited bandwidth, so I suspect you need to reduce the bandwidth outputting from your TV, as Trebdp83 suggests. I think though that receiver is due for retirement.

 

[Polonius]

Then you have an audio bandwidth issue. That is a very old pre HDMI receiver. Optical has limited bandwidth, so I suspect you need to reduce the bandwidth outputting from your TV, as Trebdp83 suggests. I think though that receiver is due for retirement.

Thank you so much for the response. I'll research if there is a way to do that. Agree on the time for retirement, but I am about to pull the trigger on a replacement for my 2ch listening setup, one thing at a time

 

[Sledge1998]

Does the picture drop out or freeze on the TV when this happens?

I have a similar issue. I have a Samsung Q60A TV, Roku Ultra, Spectrum cable box, LG UBK90 4K UHD Blu-ray all connected to a Denon S960H.
I had a Harman-Kardon AVR1710S which was prone to get warm but never gave me any problems except for the annoying HDCP 2.3 error when I was using the Roku. Then the AVR got seriously hot one day so I replaced it with a Pioneer VSX-935. Immediately I started receiving audio and video dropouts intermittently that last about 20-30 seconds. It's a black screen with the white spinning wheel of death. Then it comes back on. It happens on all input devices. Since it didn't happen with the Harman I assumed it was the Pioneer. I returned it for another. Same thing. I swapped the cable for the ARC/eARC connection to an 8k cable even though it's overkill also with the Blu-ray player. Same thing. I exchanged the Pioneer for the Denon. Same thing. I even got the dreaded HDCP 2.3 error again on the Roku once. So I ripped out all the cables and did a completely new clean install making sure that no power cords were where they could be causing interference with the device input cables. Same thing. Last resort, since I bought an extended warranty for the TV Amazon was satisfied with my troubleshooting and gave me a refund for a new TV. I tossed the Roku and am getting a new one of those too. I don't want to keep this up after I get the new TV so at this point I'm soliciting suggestions.

 

[Trebdp83]

Yikes, that's no fun. 4K HDR settings are not for the faint of heart. Even when every device supports 4K HDR, certain settings will ruin everything. Samsung TVs, new models that is, must have Input Signal Plus ON so that "Enhanced" HDR signals can pass. It has everything to do with HDCP. Without Input Signal Plus activated, things can go south when trying to send the TV a 4K HDR signal. Other brand TVs will have other designations for 4K "Enhanced" mode. Then, there are the settings in the other devices to consider as receivers will also have video output settings that will cripple 4K HDR output when set incorrectly. The Roku Ultra X4800 is a frustrating little beast. Different Rokus have different features and abilities and different settings for them. My Rokus get used only when certain content is not available on any other platform.

 

[Golfx]

I had a terrible time with audio dropouts when streaming Atmos tv/movie tracks on Apple TV 4k, Also on Roku Ultras which also had an intermittent HDCP error page every 30mins or so and still does.

Remedies applied which worked over time: 1. Use 8K HDMI cables of AT LEAST 6 feet—not shorter. 2. Buy Bluejeans Brand cables—they are reliably honest. 3. Set audio (downgrade) on your sources to 5.1 instead of Atmos. 4. Never leave eARC “enabled” from the TV when you are watching another source device (when you are not using TV native apps). 5. CEC is also an enemy. Sigh