Sky stream - live TV - sound cutting out

[gmhaggis]

Yet another problem with Sky Stream!!

When I am watching live TV the sound is nearly always cutting out when going from program to adverts.  The only way I have found to fix this is to switch the puck to and from standby using the remote  (switching back to home screen and then back to TV doesnt resolve) . If I do this while adverts are on, when the content then returns from adverts to program the sound cuts out again!!    This has been happening for the past few weeks.  

The system version info on my Stream puck:

 - Entertainment OS: 1.2

 - Build version: QS018.009.00P

 - UI version: 20.263.018.06

My broadband is stated as 150MB (symmetrical)

 - Netflix app speed test shows 87.38 MBs

[Fothergill1]

@gmhaggis Trey a proper reboot, instead of switching it on & off with the remote, turn it off at the wall socket and wait for a minute before turning it on again.  It will take about a minute to reboot.  This frequently clears minor software glitches.

[mobjam]

I've also been experiencing this issue ever since I've had Sky Stream.

The issue seems to happen when the audio codec being used by the broadcast changes for the adverts. For example, when watching Sky Sports Main Event UHD, my AV receiver shows 'Dolby Atmos' as the codec for audio, but when the adverts come on my AV receiver shows Dolby Surround for the codec. My guess is that the issue is with how this change in codec is handled by either the puck or the receiver.

I don't have any other solution other than resetting the puck like you mentioned, but I'm glad to see it is not just me experiencing this issue. Do you use an AVR/soundbar? Or is your puck connected directly to your TV? My AVR is a Marantz (in case this is an issue with the AVR and not the puck?)

[fleaboy]

I have a similar problem when using passthrough as an audio setting on the puck; when I change audio on the puck to Auto I no longer experience this. My guess is the soundbar doesn't need to spend time working out the detail of the audio stream (hence the audio drop) as it's 'told' by the puck what to expect. I have puck going into hdmi in on soundbar and then an e-arc link between soundbar and tv. My preference is to cable puck to TV hdmi in then e-arc to soundbar but when I do this I get an audio drop every 20ish minutes and the audio re-syncs - very frustrating....

[gmhaggis]

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@Fothergill1 wrote:

@gmhaggis Trey a proper reboot, instead of switching it on & off with the remote, turn it off at the wall socket and wait for a minute before turning it on again.  It will take about a minute to reboot.  This frequently clears minor software glitches.

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Tried that a few times now, yes it resolves the issue but only temporarily.   Still getting sound cutting out when ads start while watching live TV.  Same happens when watching content from the play list.

[gmhaggis]

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@mobjam wrote:

I've also been experiencing this issue ever since I've had Sky Stream.

The issue seems to happen when the audio codec being used by the broadcast changes for the adverts. For example, when watching Sky Sports Main Event UHD, my AV receiver shows 'Dolby Atmos' as the codec for audio, but when the adverts come on my AV receiver shows Dolby Surround for the codec. My guess is that the issue is with how this change in codec is handled by either the puck or the receiver.

I don't have any other solution other than resetting the puck like you mentioned, but I'm glad to see it is not just me experiencing this issue. Do you use an AVR/soundbar? Or is your puck connected directly to your TV? My AVR is a Marantz (in case this is an issue with the AVR and not the puck?)

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Never mind with channels using HD sound formats, I get the problem with Sky News.  Tried with sound set to both Auto and passthrough and always the same. 

Yes, I do have the puck connected to an AVR (Denon).  When using passthrough, I can see the audio format changing from DD Suround to Stereo  on the AVR, when the ads start,  When set to Auto, the audio format remains as DD Surround.  I dont think this an issue with the AVR as it has no issues with other connected devices  when the audio content changes.  Often happens on BD disks as content changes between ads, trailers, movie (and I can see the audio format on the AVR changing)...and no issues  I have previously used a BT TV box and a Freeview box without issue.

On a previous thread when I had an earlier issue with live channels just not loading, there was a comment that many of the technical isses with the puck were due to the cheap low spec hardware being used, and always having to overcome these issues in software.   Would be interesting if Tom's Hardware did one of their reverse engineering jobs on the puck.

[Rick+Shaw]

I have exactly the same issue, not every time but maybe 1 in 3 or 4 times when coming back to UHD channel from adverts the sound is missing. Changing to a non UHD channel then back again generally solves it. Really irritating, I do not use as sound bar or amplifier, just the TV sound. I have done a full reset but didn't seem to improve anything. Any other ideas anyone, be sorry from ditching the Streaming puck?

[Andygroove]

We suffer from this as well....Sky News to adverts  is especially bad.....

interestingly I've just got a new TV and cabled it all completely differently and the issue persists

previously Sky Puck > Denon Av Reciever > TV

now Sky Puck > Tv > eARC to Denon

same issue both ways.

[GD1]

@Andygroove  Try adjsuting the TV sound settings for the HDMI arc, it may will be you need to adjust the sound to PCM etc as the sound issues are not related to the puck directly but to the sound setting you've got on the TV going to the amp.

You should see settings for HDMI Input Audio Format & Digital Output audio format both should be pcm (assuming this is a samsung set you have.

[Matt+Nunns]

Yep, same here and it is 100% when the audio codec changes! Come on sky, this is rubbish!!

[Nigelb1972]

@fleaboy my set up is similar. HDMI to TV and then eARC out to Sony Soundbar. There's no audio drop outs at all. The audio on the Puck is set to Auto on Digital Audio output HDMI and then I have the TV set to pass through...  I get a short blank in the Audio when I change channel or start an On Demand recording but this is standard with eARC as it's syncing the Audio as part of the protocol is that the Audio stays in sync. If you're getting regular drop outs, it's probably something to do with your settings 

[Nigelb1972]

I forgot to add, if you're using eARC try changing your cable that goes from the TV to your soundbar to a HDMI 2.1 cable as it has a larger bandwidth. I picked one up for £10 and it solved a loads of problems 

[Groove07885]

So Ideally I want my AVR to do all the decoding and not the puck or the TV. Changing the TV to PCM (Its a new LG G3) will force the decoding on there, so its currently set to bitstream out, as is the puck. In theory all the audio should just be flowing through untouched until the AVR which then decodes. 

THats how I want it to work anyway 😉

I need to get Atmos from all sources (puck and LG apps). However I do see the AVR flicking between formats when the puck is on bitstream and adverts come on, however ive just tried on Auto and the AVR does not register a codec change this way, but the adverts still stutter at the point the audio normally drops out. Its the same point on every single advert break on Sky News...a few seconds in

[Nigelb1972]

@Groove07885 ahh I see. I've got my TV set to pass through on Audio so the decoding is done by the soundbar and I get no drop outs other than the initial bit which is an eARC thing but after that it's rock solid. 

[Groove07885]

Its bizarre as it doesnt matter if i go Puck > AVR and then video only to TV , or Puck to TV and then audio only to AVR.....its exactly the same.

To be honest we dont watch a lot of 'TV with adverts' so im not sure if its the same on every channel , we only ever notice it on Sky News. Maybe ill test some other channels and see if the issue is there as well.