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Playbar: dropouts when the optical cable from TV is plugged.

  • 12 December 2019
  • 17 replies
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M
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Hi,

 

I have had dropouts when I stream content to my Playbar since the end of October. I have my Playbar setup as a home theatre with a sub and two Sonos One. I also have 4 more Sonos One speakers in different rooms. The dropouts only happen on the home theatre. I have never had a dropouts with the other speakers. 

 

I spent 3 hours on the phone with Sonos Support trying different options: Playbar wired to the routeur, changing channel of the SonosNet, changing the output format of my TV, etc. Nothing work. They asked to move the Playbar in another room because the support agent thought it was cause by interference. It worked but for me it doesn’t make sense that it was cause by interference. 

 

When I moved the Playbar in another room, I unplugged the optical cable. I figured out that the problem is when the optical cable from the TV is plugged to the Playbar. I put back the Playbar where it was (below the TV) without plugging the optical cable and then, no dropouts. The problem is really when the optical cable from TV is plugged in. I changed the optical cable, no success. I plugged the optical cable into the cable box instead of the TV, no dropouts.

 

On my last call with Sonos, I let them know that the problem is when the optical cable from the TV is plugged into the Playbar but they said there are no logs that can explain those dropouts. The beginning of the dropouts fits with the last release from Sonos. My TV software/firmware is up-to-date. On different Facebook groups for Sonos, I found out that there is other people having the same issue of me.

 

Diagnostic ID: 670512079, 82209604, 1235518346

TV Model: Sony XBR55X950G

 

Please, help me.

Thank you,

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Best answer by Anonymous 13 February 2020, 16:42

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17 replies

Airgetlam

So, what it seems that you’ve proven, by connecting the optical cable to your cable box and not having any dropouts that the problem is somewhere in the TV.

I would start by looking at the audio settings on the TV set. Turn off any audio options that might alter the audio in any way, as each one will cause a delay, for processing. What you’re looking for is as close to direct pass through as the device can get.

Another thing to check is that your TV is running the latest software from Sony. Many manufacturers have released updates in the recent months that address similar issues, I don’t know if Sony has.

I would also be contacting Sony’s customer service for assistance. You’ve proven that the TV is the issue, they need to help you fix the issue. 

Finally, many users who have posted similar issues in the Home Theater area of the forum have ended up pulling the audio off of the HDMI signal before it reaches the TV set, using an HDMI switch box that has an optical out port associated with it.

 

Bruce
M
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I tried every kind of combinations for the TV audio settings, nothing worked. For me, it looks like that the Playbar gets confused by some signal received from the TV.

To be sure, I did a factory reset on the Playbar and the TV. It didn’t work. The TV is up-to-date to the latest software from Sony which it has been released in September and I just updated my Sonos system to version 10.6 yesterday. I still have dropouts.

I would like to reminder you that I have had this TV since September 2019 and the the dropouts started after the release of Sonos software 10.5 at the end of October. The TV software hasn’t changed since September 2019.

The proposed solution using an HDMI switch can’t work. I have a smart TV then the audio doesn’t come from only the cable box. In addition, really, using a switch with a $3,000 setup! The TV is one of the most recommended on the market.

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

@method_ben 

It appears problems with the optical output is a known issue. Ironically one of the solutions mentioned by Sony is to connect the source audio directly to the soundbar being used.  Click the link 

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/xbr-55x950g/articles/00027069

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
M
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@AjTrek1 

The problem in the Sony article doesn’t reflect mine. I have no dropouts when I watch TV. I mean that the sound from the cable box is always good quality and there is no dropouts. TV does always output sound through the DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) port when I watch TV.

I have dropouts only when I stream music to the Playbar and the optical cable is plugged to the TV. It seems that the Playbar doesn’t manage well the signal from the TV when this one is in standby mode.

 

M
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Sonos are aware of this issue. This is the reply I got on Twitter. I’m awaiting, again, a solution from them.

M
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Here’s the last email from Sonos:

 

Hello Benoit, 

We appreciate the feedback and the steps you've taken so far. 

We also looked into the sound the TV is sending and it's unusable static. The TV is trying to send Dolby audio to the Playbar but it's not encoding correctly, which is why it's coming over as static. There's nothing to fix on the Sonos side - we can't magically unwrap static to make it usable. 

Previous technicians who looked at the diagnostics were looking for wireless interference, which you have proven isn't the cause, and we can see the TV sending a burst of audio to the Playbar. We can't create a fix for a third party device, like the TV. 

We appreciate the confidence in our ability to program a solution but it's beyond our ability to make a playable audio signal from corrupted static packets. Indeed, the first person or company who can will have an entirely open market because no one has yet found a way.

We have also investigated the issue as far as we are technically able and found that Sony is using an inappropriate encoding technique or program to make the audio Dolby Digital and it's causing the issue. As you have found, this is a known issue with some Sony TVs and they are aware of the issue. We are unable to effect or change the strategy of the TV maker, but we have made the issue clear to them. 

In the meantime, have you contacted Sony about a fix? They must also be aware, because as you have found there are others with this issue and it's probably not limited to just one speaker company.

Let us know what you find. If anything comes up, we're happy to help.

Thank you,

A

@method_ben 

 

It sounds like we have confirmed that the Tv is the source of the problem. We can offer this workaround of plugging the optical cable into the cable box and seeing if that fixes the problem. If that happens to fix the issue, I would recommend that you try checking for firmware updates on the Tv and hopefully Sony will have one that can resolve this issue with the decoding of the audio signal. If not, you could use a HDMI switch to extract the audio from the cable box and send it to the Playbar, bypassing the Tv.

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

@David C 

Thanks for confirming that the source of the optical  problem is the Sony TV. Ironically, that was my conclusion 2 months ago in this thread. LOL 😂 

Cheers!

 

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
M
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Hi,

I would like to do a follow up on my case. Since you informed me that the TV sends a bad signal to the Playbar when it's turned off, I have contacted the Sony Support Team several times. After many calls, I've finally been in touch with a high ranked technician who he switched ON the "Simple IP Control" and set the RS232C Control to "Via serial port".

 

IMG_0685.JPGIMG_0678.JPG

 

For me, this setting was totally irrelevant because it is related to network configurations. Since the Simple IP Control is turned ON, NO DROPOUTS! WTF (sorry)!

 

After a few searches, I discovered that the Sony Android TVs have some issues when they fall into deep sleep. What I understand is when the TV is turned off, it will fell into deep sleep after a certain period of time. That's the problem! The deep sleep mode has some issues and it can end it up with that kind of problem: TV sends bad signal when it's turned off/standby/deep sleep. Turning On the Simple IP Config prevents the TV from entering this sleep mode. When the TV is in deep sleep, it can send signal to wake up connected devices.

 

I think maybe the Google Wifi can be a plausible cause as well because the TV is connected to the wifi. The Simple IP Control can be used for wake on lan (WoL) and Google Wifi has some issues regarding that. What I'm surprised is there is not a lot of people complaining about that.

 

Bottom line, Sony has a good workaround for fixing this issue but the real problem is the deep sleep mode.

 

I'm still doing some tests but for now, so far so good.

I hope it will help you with further cases.

 

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/android-tv/android-tv-wifi-and-ethernet-issues/td-p/2144442/page/13

https://github.com/CiNcH83/sony_atv/issues/8

 

Thank you,

Ben

E

OMG THANK YOU Method_ben!! I have been dealing with this issue for months now. I have been in contact with sonos in numerous occasions and have tried everything Sonos suggested for you to do and I have had no luck. I still get the dropouts!! I’m supposed to temporarily relocate my entire surround sound (2 x play 5 second gen., sub & playbar) in another room to isolate the issue; however after reading your thread, I will switch on the Simple IP control on my Sony TV ( XBR-75X850G). I just wonder if ALL Sonos Support read these threads? If not, it will definitely be helpful as consumers spend a vast amount of time with them on the phone and online trying to sort out the issue when the solution has already been found. I will proceed with what worked for you since I am very confident it will solve my dropout issue as well. Thanks again! 

M
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Hi @EdDR2 ,

It has been 3 weeks without a dropout. I confirm, it works for me. I contacted Sonos to let them know the solution and I hope it will help with other cases. I’m very happy that thread helped you. I was on this since November and I almost ended it up crazy.

Smilja

Summarising, adjust the settings on the Sony TV set as follows:

 

  • Turning on IP Simple Control
    1. Open Settings
    2. Go to Network and Internet
    3. Go to Home network
    4. Go to IP control
    5. Go to Simple IP control
    6. Toggle On
       
  • Setting RS232C Control to "Via Serial Port"
    1. Open Settings
    2. Go to Remotes and Accessories
    3. Go to RS232C Control
    4. Set it to "Via Serial Port"
»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
E

Thank you method_ben & Smilja!!  It has been on for two hrs now and no dropouts yet. I will provide an update tomorrow. 

M
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@EdDR2 Did it work?

E

its been 3 days; no dropouts; problem solved Thanks again method_ben & Smilja!

C

I have had the same exact dropout issue with a Samsung TV plugged into the Sonos Playbar and this started even earlier than Oct 2019.  Does anyone know if there is a similar settings fix, as with the Sony TV’s?

E

Hello CGMac; during my research of this issue, I came across a thread of someone having the same issue and they solved it by hooking up a  Sewell Direct SW-30537 Lightwave 3x1 Optical Toslink Switch . The rationale behind it is that whatever the incompatibility is between the TV and the Sonos Playbar, will end at the Switch since the Playbar recognizes the signal coming from a different source.  Hope this helps. 

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