Retired Sonos Staff

Answered

Samsung JS/JU Model TVs Audio Issue with PLAYBAR

213 replies
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We've determined there to be an issue with Dolby Digital playback devices (including the Sonos PLAYBAR) and Samsung televisions in the JS and JU series. An example of a TV model number of this line would be the Samsung UN55JS8500. The optical output from these televisions doesn't pass a consistent signal to devices wired in through that connection. This could present when you're watching any Dolby Digital content through the TV's optical connection.

As a workaround if you're using one of these TVs, you can set the output of the TV to PCM (Stereo). There isn't any issue currently with that TV streaming stereo content to the PLAYBAR through the optical. Otherwise, you can look into using a different device. Some suggestions for setups and community recommended devices can be found here on our megathread.

We are working with Samsung on this issue, but there isn't currently a timeframe for a resolution. We'll update you as soon as there are any further details.

Because of the nature of this issue, we've added these televisions to our PLAYBAR Compatibility page which can be found here.

Samsung

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Ryan SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi everyone,

We've been testing the firmware of these TVs with some of you and have verified that the Dolby handling issues of the past with these TVs have come back as of software version 1510. We're going to work with Samsung to see about sorting out the issue, but we've been able to replicate the cut out issues on both Sonos hardware and other soundbars too. The PLAYBAR has gotten better at handling poor audio signals in recent updates, so this issue is less noticeable than before, but it's happening.

You can verify the installed firmware version by pressing the MENU/123 button on the remote, then selecting Menu, Support, and then highlight Software Update.

For workarounds, while they sort out the firmware, you can either bypass the audio coming from those JS/JU model TVs by plugging your Sonos directly into the source, or an HDMI switcher, or go into the TV settings and set the audio format to PCM instead of Dolby Digital.

I'll let you know here when we've gotten confirmation that the software has been updated.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

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BoredofBalham

Prodigy II

Switch your TV and playbar off at the wall for five minutes.

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LeftMyWallet

Trending Lyricist I

Just updated to 7.0 this morning. Will report back. However my JS7000 has been dropping like gangbusters ever since I got Sonos, so I'm not hopeful anyhing got fixed.

Nando010

Chromatic Producer I

Switch your TV and playbar off at the wall for five minutes.

i have a ks9000 and mine has started droping out like a mofo to the point playbar drops for about 3 seconds then comes back on. this is since last night when i done the update. Its starting to get me down.

Nando010

Chromatic Producer I

Anyone notice an increase in dropouts with the release of Sonos 7.0 update? My JU6400 was working perfectly after I updated to the latest Samsung firmware, but after updating to Sonos 7.0 yesterday there was a huge increase on dropouts - they were happening every few minutes.

I have a ks9000 and mine has starting droping out since i updated it yesterday to the point everything will stop for up to 3 seconds then it will come back on then might not happen again for a while. Its starting to get me down as i have tried everything and nothing helps.

inopinatus

Prominent Collaborator I

I have a KS9000 and do not experience this issue.

Revising this; I have now experienced this issue. During a 5-hour playback yesterday we noted a 1-second dropout. KS9000 running software rev.1142.

uncooked meat prior to state vector collapse

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

Anyone notice an increase in dropouts with the release of Sonos 7.0 update? My JU6400 was working perfectly after I updated to the latest Samsung firmware, but after updating to Sonos 7.0 yesterday there was a huge increase on dropouts - they were happening every few minutes.

I have a ks9000 and mine has starting droping out since i updated it yesterday to the point everything will stop for up to 3 seconds then it will come back on then might not happen again for a while. Its starting to get me down as i have tried everything and nothing helps.

It'd be best to give us a call on our support line for this one. We're continuing to test the Samsung TVs to make sure there isn't an issue hitting all of them, but so far we haven't identified an issue that hasn't been unique to the home setup. There was a big issue that we found and helped Samsung fix, but there are many other things that can cause audio cutouts on Sonos regarding the handling of the audio, starting from a potential issue with the stream you're getting to the home, and then from that point to every component that touches it up until it plays at the PLAYBAR. A lot of factors get involved here, and any one of them could cause audio to cut out. We'll help you in every step of the way investigating the issue and helping to find where it's breaking down.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

Nando010

Chromatic Producer I

I have a KS9000 and do not experience this issue.

Revising this; I have now experienced this issue. During a 5-hour playback yesterday we noted a 1-second dropout. KS9000 running software rev.1142.

Im on 1142 aswell and its not the telly, as i have tried direct from the sky Q box and it was still happening. Everything was fine till the update.

L

LeftMyWallet

Trending Lyricist I

I have a KS9000 and do not experience this issue.

Revising this; I have now experienced this issue. During a 5-hour playback yesterday we noted a 1-second dropout. KS9000 running software rev.1142.

Im on 1142 aswell and its not the telly, as i have tried direct from the sky Q box and it was still happening. Everything was fine till the update.

Oh, that's rich.

Sonos has been blaming this solely on Samsung (read through the thread), but c'mon man..... Do people with Vizio soundbars complain about dropouts? Oh, and what's that, Vizo can do DTS over optical? It's like the person they paid the least was the guy who had to design the input controller....

inopinatus

Prominent Collaborator I

It's like the person they paid the least was the guy who had to design the input controller....

I'm inclined to agree, this was not an issue with my Denon AVR. The number of consistent complaints indicates something about the Sonos input optics, circuitry or firmware or software isn't as robust to external imperfections as it could be.

I don't discount for a moment that Samsung's optical output might be flawed, but the lack of robustness to such is indicative of how young Sonos is to the home theatre market, compared to the likes of HK, Denon, Yamaha &c who are decades along the learning curve and whose kit doesn't flip out when the source isn't perfect.

uncooked meat prior to state vector collapse

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LeftMyWallet

Trending Lyricist I

Right? Shouldn't there be some sort of error correction on the Sonos end that fudges it's way around a bad packet?

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