Audio dropout on Tivo 30 second skip with Dolby Digital enabled

  • 7 January 2017
  • 15 replies
  • 2658 views

Equipment:
- Tivo Premiere HD
- Sony XBR 65X850D TV
- Sonos Playbar
- Sonos Sub
- Sonos S1 [two]

Issue:

If Tivo has Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound enabled the sound drops out for a few seconds [2-3?] when a 30 second skip forward is pressed. This happens *every* time the 30s skip is used.

Actually, the sound drops out, then comes back momentarily, then drops out again for a very brief moment, then returns OK until the next time 30s skip is pressed

I have worked around this by switching the Tivo output from Dolby to PCM - but I would prefer Dolby obviously.

Any help? Known issue?

Thanks,
Jeff

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15 replies

I will echo Jeff's concern. I have the identical setup, with the only exception being the size of my XBR (55" 850D). I've tried running a direct link from my Tivo to my playbar and seen similiar results. It acts up less with the direct link, but still happens. Even if this was a fix, which it's not, it is very inconvenient swapping optical cables out from my TV (for streaming services) and my Tivo box. I will further agree that it happens, without fail, with the skip. Furthermore, it will also happen randomly just watching TV and sometimes for longer than the 2-3 second dropout which results in changing the channel back and forth until I get audio back.

It has resulted in the same conclusion....switching to PCM, which Is undesirable. Help Sonos!
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I get the same. Only on recorded programmes. Happens without fail in pcm or dd. Normal tv is fine. I put it down to the way Sonos buffers the sound. Everything else works fine. TiVo box software is shocking anyway!!!!
Userlevel 4
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Yeah, I have the same issue with my Comcast STB and my HTPC. It happens not only when I do a 30s skip, but even if I change the channel. The picture changes right away. However, the sound drops out for about 5-6 seconds each time. Kind of annoying.
Userlevel 2
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I have the similar issue with sound dropping for 2-3 seconds while watching tv and I have a sony and comcast. So far sonos is saying its the tv firmware and sony is aware of the problem. The strange thing is it got way worse after I upgraded to sonos 7.0 and although its still happens it seems a little better since 7.1
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Misery loves company. I too have the same issue. I notice it when I pause my Tivo. I too have a Sony XBR TV. When I unpause it takes a few second for the sound to come on and then when it does, in a few seconds it will drop out again. I am 100% sure I have the 3.1 system setup correctly. Sonos... $1400.00 of my dollars are in your bank account. Please respond with an update.
Userlevel 7
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Hi everyone, sorry for the delay. We'd love to get a closer look at what's gone on here. From just the basic read through here, it sounds like the audio for the Dolby isn't getting buffered properly somewhere along the line.

We'd like to get some more details here. Do you think you can submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system after this happens and let us know the confirmation number?

Also, can you please note if you've tried wiring the Optical from the source devices, instead of the TV? We've seen some TVs with processing trouble, the Sony XBR is one of those.

If you haven't had a chance to work with our support team yet, it'd be great to give us a call on our support line. That way we can get a good look at the system live and see what's causing the issues.
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Hi everyone. I also suffer from this issue. Specifically, when I pause or rewind live TV, there will be audio drop outs when the TV is played from the Tivo box. At first, for 1- 2 seconds, but more recently I have been getting longer drop outs.

My set up:

- Virgin V6 Tivo box
- Sony Bravia KDL-50W755C (the V6 Tivo is connected to the TV via hdmi. The TV is then connected to the Playbar via its optical out).
- Sonos Playbar
- Sonos Sub
- Sonos Connect:AMP driving 2 x rear speakers
Userlevel 7
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Thanks for the details Makker99. Does that Tivo box get its content? Does it connect to the cable directly or is it fed from another device?
Ha! is funny that I fund this thread, I have experience the same issue to the point I got used to it. I have T6 RCN Tivo (same as the TiVo Romio) and I experience this issue everytime I rewind, fast forward or pause

This is my setup:
- RCN Tivo t6 (is a Romio with an extra label)
- Sony XBR 55X810C TV
- Sonos Playbar
- Sonos Sub
- Two Sonos Play 1

The connection on my end is Tivo to TV to Playbar
I'm willing to bet that the issue is the dolby digital signal from the Tivo box. The way I'd test that is to connect the Playbar directly to the Tivo box, and see if that same issue occurs. If it does, then you've likely found the culprit, and would want to talk to the Tivo folks. Oh, and you could connect your Playbar directly to a DVD player, and do the same test, pausing, then resuming. If there's still that problem when you're testing against that, then it is definitely a problem with Sonos.

But I'm assuming it's taking a second or two for the Tivo box to rebuild the data stream for Dolby Digital, and it's causing a pause in the sound as it's being delivered out to the TV, and hence to the Playbar.

I sometimes get a slight delay when I'm switching between SD and HD channels on my DirecTV box (similar to a Sky box). But to me, it's just a matter of "wow, there's a lot more data to initialize" then a 'that damn Sonos isn't working right".
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Ha! is funny that I fund this thread, I have experience the same issue to the point I got used to it. I have T6 RCN Tivo (same as the TiVo Romio) and I experience this issue everytime I rewind, fast forward or pause

This is my setup:
- RCN Tivo t6 (is a Romio with an extra label)
- Sony XBR 55X810C TV
- Sonos Playbar
- Sonos Sub
- Two Sonos Play 1

The connection on my end is Tivo to TV to Playbar


Did you have a center channel (i.e. sound bar) before the Sonos? I had a Bose unit, that I took from a bedroom. It connected exactly the same and I used it with my Sony and Tivo (from Blue Ridge Cable) with no drops. It is hard to take it up with Tivo since it worked with the Bose. And... I was getting Dolby Digital before - the Bose was just underpowered and there wasn't a sub.
I've had this problem for a long time too. I get audio drop out for a few seconds when changing the channel or using fast forward, reverse etc...

My Setup:
-Tivo Premiere
-Samsung - PN64D8000
Monoprice 4x1 HDMI Switch
- Sonos Playbar
- Sonos Sub
- Two Sonos Play 1
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So I tried running the optical cable directly from my Virgin V6 Tivo to the Playbar, and the issue was resolved. It therefore appears that, in my case at least, the issue is in the TV's ability to pass through the Dolby signal. It is frustrating, as the TV didn't have a problem beforehand. Perhaps there has been an unhelpful software update.
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So I tried running the optical cable directly from my Virgin V6 Tivo to the Playbar, and the issue was resolved. It therefore appears that, in my case at least, the issue is in the TV's ability to pass through the Dolby signal. It is frustrating, as the TV didn't have a problem beforehand. Perhaps there has been an unhelpful software update.

That indeed is a "fix." It does require that you MUTE the Tivo Sound before turning off the TV; otherwise the sound continues to play... Ironic! 🙂 TIVO has Netflix and HBO Go, but not Amazon or Google Play (where I rent movies sometimes). My TV has the latter too, but I'd either have to get Optical Switch box (about 25.00) or re-route the cable. It is a pain, but I think this is the TV manufacturers fault and not TV. Dennon and their Heos has the same issue(s) I'm told. If you have a Sony, try this:

On the Sony remote:

1 – Press “home”

2 – Scroll down to “settings” (the wheel icon)

3 – Select Picture & Display

4 – Select the HDMI ARC connection (typically HDMI 4)

5 – Set to “limited”
I've plugged the optical cable directly from my Tivo unit to the Playbar (bypassing the Monoprice switch) and I believe the audio drops stopped. I feel like this has something to do with the ARC function through the Monoprice switch.