Hey everyone!
I’m helping a friend here. Ever since the latest updates, he’s been having two main issues: audio sync and his Beam 2 cutting in and out.
He asked me to come over and be a second set of eyes to make sure he wasn't crazy or missed anything when he did his own troubleshooting. We spent a good 6 hours going through everything top to bottom. From WiFi, to TVs, to HDMI Cables, the only thing we did not try was an Optical Cable because we didn’t have one handy. We also did not do a complete “burn it down” and rebuild. He’d already done it 3 times already and I didn’t want a chance of his system ending up in the infamous “Sign In as Owner” error. Here’s the specs for his current system:
- TV: Samsung
- Model: UN75TU700DF
- Firmware: 2501 (up to date)
- Audio Settings
- eARC Mode: Auto (we tried Pass-Through, had no effect, was actually more glitchy. Also tried it on the Sonos App’s end, also no luck)
- Digital Output: Auto
- Digital Output Delay: 0 (we tried, had no effect)
- Dolby Atmos Compatibility: Enabled
- Audio: Beam 2, 2X Era 100s, Sub 3, Running on SonosNet
- Sonos App Version: 80.02.07-release+20240605.39fbb8f
- Firmware, All Devices: 79.1-53290
- HDMI 1: Sony Playstation 5
- Audio Output: Dolby Audio
- HDMI 2: eARC Connection to Beam 2
- HDMI Cables:
- WiFi: Google AC 1200 - Mesh WiFi System
- UPnP: Disabled
- Beam 2 hard-connected to Gateway/Main AP, not a Satellite
- Internet: Xfinity Modem
- WiFi on unit disabled
My friend said that all of this started once his system updated to the new 80.x App and S2 firmware. He was not able to stop the update in time. Prior to this, everything was running 100% perfect with zero issues. I can corroborate this since he showed it off when I was over a few weeks prior. There’s nothing in the hardware chain at this moment that would suggest to me that the issues is anything other than the Sonos software on his devices.
The sound cuts in and out a few seconds at a time. The App would loose the audio format tag for minutes on end before it would come back. Eventually though, it would “settle” (if we were lucky, but usually we had to power down things and or reboot them) and play as if nothing was wrong. But once something was disconnected, powered down, or put in rest mode, the problem came right back.
Tracing the chain of connections, we started with the built in TV Apps, then moved onto streaming Apps on the PS4 and PS5, even some Blu Rays on either PlayStation, they all have the problem. Originally, he had a cheap and old HDMI splitter in the mix. I had hoped that it was not passing the higher eARC audio correctly, but alas, even when removed, the issues persisted.
His audio sync issue strangely did get cleaned up a fair bit once we ripped up and rebuilt the WiFi network and connected the Beam 2 to enable SonosNet. I say “strangely” because SonosNet should have no bearing on audio sync being supplied by the eARC connection. If it’s going HDMI out from the Beam and right into the eARC HDMI port on the TV. At that point, the TV is routing the audio to the PS5. But for some reason, audio sync got better, but it did not impact the audio cutting in and out.
In the end what seemed to be the most consistent “fix” was once the audio had issues, to pull the power on the Beam and power it back up with all of the TV equipment running. But I stress this did not always work 100% of the time.
So Sonos and Forum Members, anyone think we missed anything? We’re also going to send this to Support with a Diagnostic Number and see if they can find anything wrong on their end.
–Brian
PS: The Era 100s are NOT hardwired to the Network either, just the Beam 2. We did also try the Beam 2 with WiFi disabled and enabled, no difference in behavior.
--Brian
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