HDMI Audio Dropouts on DVR playback only?

I have the same issue. Audio dropping out only on DVR recordings. SJ

 

I wonder if anyone who is having this problem has tried the "Redmere" HDMI cables I see advertized? More expensive than standard but may be worth a try if one doesn't have the ability to use optical cables for the sound. (I use optical and have never had the problem, going to/thru an Onkyo receiver.

 

I'm getting the audio reductions when going to/from DVR'd shows. One fix suggested was to connect optical/coax audio and use that instead. I've done that. HDMI video to Denon to TV, Optical audio to Denon and out from there via HDMI. Problem still exists. I'm hoping that the latest firmware update for the HWS fixes it.

 

As an update, my Onkyo suddenly lost all sound and network connectivity. I googled it and found many Onkyo receivers were sold with inferior components. Onkyo is standing behind their equipment by offering free repairs and extending the equipment warranty. I was directed to a place to enter my model, serial number and entered the problem experienced. My receiver was one of the affected receivers. They sent a box for free shipping to a special repair center. I think they changed the hdmi board. Got it back 10 days later and the video was messed up. Sent it again and came back in another 10 days. I hooked it back up using hdmi cable and I have had not audio drop outs for over 2 weeks.

 

https://repair.onkyousa.com/na/003_2012.php?country=USA

 

Hello everyone, i would like to add my 2c to this topic. I stumbled across this issue when i switched from my old Visio TV to a new Samsung smart TV. The TV is connected to a Joey. I have been going through all of these posts on the Internet reading this issue and have tried everything possible to make this stop. I have called Dish support and reported the problem. They sent someone out to troubleshoot the issue but of course i didn't do it while he was here. Nevertheless, he did say this was a software issue and replacing the joey would not guarantee the problem would go away since they are all the same software rev.

That being said, i wanted to put some info out there that i noticed. i was watching TV this morning and was getting the sound going out every minute. I tried every fix listed in all these posts. One thing i noticed was unplugging the HDMI cable from the TV and plugging it back in made it stop. I have not seen the problem for the last 20 minutes. Im sure this won't be a permanent solution but at least it will kind of point us in the right direction as to what exactly is causing it. It defiantly sounds liken HDMI handshake issue. Hope this helps.

 

Just wanted to post my info.

I have Two Hoppers and 4 Joeys. Both Hoppers are tied together so that I can watch recording from either DVR. I was noticing the problem when watching live TV and watching something from the DVR. I also have a sling adapter connected to one of the Hoppers. I noticed one post online that mentioned that someone was having the issue even while using Dish Anywhere. That kind of moves away from the issue being related to the HDMI handshake though.

 

Just a follow up - this problem has finally disappeared for me, but I'm not 100% sure why. Here's what I think the possibilities are:

1. Dish recently updated the firmware - has the extra menus when you want to delete an item from the DVR, for example, and keeps offering to search for a different airing time when you start a show in the middle - just to give an indication of the version I mean. I think this might be the reason, but...

2. I got a Harmony Home Control remote for Christmas (and it works REALLY well - a little time consuming to set up, but way less than other universal remotes I've had).
Well, part of the directions for setting up the Harmony included disabling HDMI - CEC for all devices. My Yamaha amp did, in fact, have HDMI - CEC enabled. And so did my Hopper (Menu -> Settings -> HDMI CEC -> Off). While this shouldn't fix things if Dish was doing things right, it is entirely possible that this is the real issue.


But now that I have the latest Dish software upgrade, AND I have disabled HDMI - CEC everywhere, I no longer get the random audio dropouts while viewing recorded shows.

What a relief!

 

Thanks Bruce. How long has it been? were you connecting to the Yamaha with straight HDMI, no optical? I am going to try turning HDMI CEC off and see what happens. Should I turn it off everywhere or just on the problematic unit as a test?

 

CEC should have nothing to do with the problem.

 

yeah, made no difference. I think I am going to swap Joeys with another room and see if the problems moves with the Joey or not.

 

I think it has been established that while this issue is clearly something with Dish's software when playing back the DVR through a receiver, the problem does not affect all receivers. Some work fine.

Whatever is going on, the Hopper is (was?) delivering a different set of HDMI data to the receiver when in DVR playback vs. being live.

So there is some problem with the HDMI protocol with some receivers.

All I can report is that "all of a sudden" - which for me was a combination of the new Dish software update and turning off HDMI CEC - the playback problem is gone for me.

Because I have several devices connected through my Yamaha receiver, I really can't use the optical connection - all HDMI. My Yamaha has an HDMI pass-through when the unit is in standby mode. The drop out problem was terrible in active mode, was better, but still present in pass-through mode. So, there does seem to be an issue with the receiver, too. The receiver does have an HDMI - CEC off option, and at this point, I suspect that might be the real solution. I should test that on and off, and if I get time, I will, and report back.

 

I use the HDMI CEC feature so I hope that it doesn't have anything to do with the issue. However, that is really only used when you hit the sat button, turn on and off, etc. Not when just playing a DVR recording. SJ

 

I know the subject is more than sixty (60) days without any updates; but, I, also, have this problem and just spent the longest hour of my life with a Dish representative that had no clue.

My problem is very similar, Audio drops out for 10-20 seconds after a fast forward or 30 second jump on a recorded or paused program. Problem is remedied if I reboot Hopper and Joey. Problem does not occur in morning probably due to auto-reboot during night. Problem does not re-appear until system has operated for several hours during the day, usually at the start of Prime Time.

A Technician from Dish is coming to look into this. As it will be at Noon to 5:00 pm, it will before the requisite number of hours before failure. Possibly yielding a wasted afternoon.

The online chat representative did waive the additional fee for the repair call. Guess my 16 years with Dish and payment of the monthly insurance fee has a benefit.

Has anyone had a final resolution?

Thanks in advance.