Sonos playbar sound drops out randomly for a second or so.


Sonos playbar linked to samsung tv via optical cable. Sound drops out now and then, say once an hour for just a second, and then recovers. I am running the beta software but the problem was their before I changed to the beta. Any advise please.

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12 replies

Userlevel 7
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Hello User841304,

Do you have trouble when you're playing TV audio or another source through the TV such as a DVD or Netflix? Can you please submit a diagnostic from your system and reply back with your confirmation number within a few minutes of having an issue?

Cheers.
I also have a Samsung TV connected to Playbar via optical cable. My system uses two Play:1's for surround. I can repeat the audio cut out at will by starting up Archer Season 4 Episode 1 on Netflix. The audio encoding is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1.

Diagnostics Confirmation #: 3479638
Userlevel 3
Badge +3
Thus is because SONOS does not support Dolby Digital Plus or DTS. The only source that is OK is Dolby Digital which is not used that much by providers. Until SONOS upgrade the systems to newer CODECS this problem will continue.
My diagnostic submitted just a few minutes ago 3482794. Watching BBC1 at the time, seem to get the problem with freeview TV and the blu ray. Have to say that for me things like netflix, bbc iplayer, amazon instant all seem to be okay. Playing music through the playbar is also without any issues. Set the sound output on the tv to PCM or dolby with similar results. Jason
My diagnostic submitted just a few minutes ago 3482794. Watching BBC1 at the time, seem to get the problem with freeview TV and the blu ray. Have to say that for me things like netflix, bbc iplayer, amazon instant all seem to be okay. Playing music through the playbar is also without any issues. Set the sound output on the tv to PCM or dolby with similar results. Jason
Not all Netflix content is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1. I wouldn't be surprised if you booted up Netflix and had the cutout problem with Archer Season 4 Episode 1.
My diagnostic submitted just a few minutes ago 3482794. Watching BBC1 at the time, seem to get the problem with freeview TV and the blu ray. Have to say that for me things like netflix, bbc iplayer, amazon instant all seem to be okay. Playing music through the playbar is also without any issues. Set the sound output on the tv to PCM or dolby with similar results. Jason
Unfortunately I don't seem to have series 4, anything else that sets it off for you?
I have sound drops when playing Netflix (using Samsung app) on m samsung Smart TV (I have playbar, sub, connect:amp)

Any advise please
I also have this problem when watching my Samsung TV. The drop outs are very short - less than a second, but annoying and not what I expected.
Initially I thought the problem might be my Humax PVR which plays through the TV, but if I rewind and play again the dropouts don't happen.
Need this resolving or the Playbar is going back.

Haven't noticed any problems when playing Google music.
Userlevel 2
I purchased the Playbar and Sub a few months back and soon discovered this dropout problem, but as I wasn’t going to buy the rear Play 1s for a while and the fact that Sonos said they were working on a fix I was happy to set my TV to PCM and wait for a while, the system is excellent especially with music streaming from my Nas and the internet radio, I’ve been extremely satisfied with it, now months later I’m ready to buy the rears to further enhance the system and enjoy surround sound, but a quick test shows the problem is still there despite another software update 5.1 which doesn’t address the problem. As a test I’ve tried connecting the Playbar directly to the TV, BluRay and PVR and the problem occurs with all of them.

The dropouts mainly seem to occur during quiet parts, if for example 2 people are quietly talking to each other and there is a pause between the speech, it’s as if the Playbar shuts down and then wakes up when the person starts to talk but the first 2 or 3 words are silent.

So having spent  £1200 on a soundbar and sub I don’t know what to do, wait for Sonos to deliver (pigs might fly), cut my losses and look for something else, stick with what’s a very good stereo soundbar and music streamer.

 

Tested with

LG 47LM670T TV (2012 model) which does pass through 5.1 sound

LG BP630 Blu-ray / DVD player

Humax HDR FOX-T2 freeview PVR
This is happening to me while watching HBO Now via a Roku Ultra and sound through a new Samsung ks8000 tv
Have you limited the Roku Ultra to Dolby Digital output only (not Dolby Digital + or DTS)?

Next time it happens, grab a diagnostic within 10 minutes or so. Here's instructions on how to do that:

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/142/kw/diagnostics

And then post the resulting number here, so that a Sonos rep can look at the log files to see what might be happening.

And just for safety, I'd make sure that both ends of the optical cable are plugged in securely between the TV and the Playbar. Wouldn't hurt to make sure the HDMI between the Roku and TV is secure as well.
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I purchased the Playbar and Sub a few months back and soon discovered this dropout problem, but as I wasn’t going to buy the rear Play 1s for a while and the fact that Sonos said they were working on a fix I was happy to set my TV to PCM and wait for a while, the system is excellent especially with music streaming from my Nas and the internet radio, I’ve been extremely satisfied with it, now months later I’m ready to buy the rears to further enhance the system and enjoy surround sound, but a quick test shows the problem is still there despite another software update 5.1 which doesn’t address the problem. As a test I’ve tried connecting the Playbar directly to the TV, BluRay and PVR and the problem occurs with all of them.

The dropouts mainly seem to occur during quiet parts, if for example 2 people are quietly talking to each other and there is a pause between the speech, it’s as if the Playbar shuts down and then wakes up when the person starts to talk but the first 2 or 3 words are silent.

So having spent  £1200 on a soundbar and sub I don’t know what to do, wait for Sonos to deliver (pigs might fly), cut my losses and look for something else, stick with what’s a very good stereo soundbar and music streamer.

 

Tested with

LG 47LM670T TV (2012 model) which does pass through 5.1 sound

LG BP630 Blu-ray / DVD player

Humax HDR FOX-T2 freeview PVR





I have the same problem and have switched my LG OLED B6 TV output to PCM to fix it like you mentioned (no dropouts). I would like to be able to use the Dolby output. I am using the latest 7.2 Sonos code