# Optical audio: delayed start after pause when Dolby enabled



## russellg99 (Apr 5, 2012)

When I pause playback and then start it again, the video resumes immediately but it sometimes takes about five seconds before the audio starts again. When the audio finally does start, it's always in sync with the video.

This only happens with an optical audio cable to my amplifier, on both live TV and recorded shows. It happens about every other time I pause playback, but sometimes it works normally, with both audio and video resuming immediately after hitting Play.

It does not happen with RCA red/white cables to the same amplifier. It also does not happen on my Series 3 TiVo with the same optical cable and same amplifier.

I've also discovered that it only happens when Dolby audio is enabled on the Roamio. It does not happen when I select PCM.

First, has anyone else seen this?

Second, I have a Sony 5.1 amplifier with Dolby, so I assumed I'd want the TiVo to be set to Dolby as well. Will I still get 5.1 sound if I use PCM? What, if anything, will I be losing?

Thanks!
Russell


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## mrizzo80 (Apr 17, 2012)

russellg99 said:


> When I pause playback and then start it again, the video resumes immediately but it sometimes takes about five seconds before the audio starts again. When the audio finally does start, it's always in sync with the video.
> 
> This only happens with an optical audio cable to my amplifier, on both live TV and recorded shows. It happens about every other time I pause playback, but sometimes it works normally, with both audio and video resuming immediately after hitting Play.
> 
> ...


I'm not an audiophile, but here's my take.

I don't use optical so I can't comment on the issue, but it sounds like the consensus is that TiVo (at least up to the S4 line; haven't seen anything definitive on Roamio models) sends PCM output as 2 channel audio. If that is the case, the audio quality would be lesser than the Dolby setting. You would need to tell your AVR to apply processing via Dolby Pro Logic II in order to separate the audio stream into 5 channels when it hits your AVR. I don't know if turning on PLii would negatively impact other audio sources hitting your AVR (like if you have a DVD or BluRay player that sends native Dolby to your AVR - would it recognize it as pure Dolby and leave it alone or would it down-convert it to 2 channel and then apply PLii?).

PCM by itself is not bad -- it is just uncompressed audio. Many BluRays came with uncompressed PCM when BluRay was still relatively new.

Sounds like TiVo just never implemented multi-channel PCM.


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## mjcxp (Nov 22, 2013)

I emailed Margret about this. It occurs for me only when watching SD channels. 

She responded with the following:

I am sorry you are experiencing this issue! It is something we are aware of, and the team is working on a fix. I don't have an ETA yet.

Matt


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## wpatters1229 (Nov 11, 2003)

I have the same problem with the sound in dolby giving (off and on) a stuttering sound...really annoying. I have to either change channels or sometimes if I just turn off the TV and back on it clears. I have the TV feeding my A/V receiver with a optical cable. Should I try changing to a red and white cables? If I turn from dolby to PCM is stops. Any ideas? Should I just use PCM and change my receiver to Dolby Pro Logic II for the TV? My receiver allows me to have a unique setting for each input


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## jayerndl (Aug 20, 2003)

wpatters1229 said:


> I have the same problem with the sound in dolby giving (off and on) a stuttering sound...really annoying. I have to either change channels or sometimes if I just turn off the TV and back on it clears. I have the TV feeding my A/V receiver with a optical cable. Should I try changing to a red and white cables? If I turn from dolby to PCM is stops. Any ideas? Should I just use PCM and change my receiver to Dolby Pro Logic II for the TV? My receiver allows me to have a unique setting for each input


I recommend connecting the optical out of your Tivo directly to an optical input on your A/V receiver. I see no advantage of routing the sound through the TV and many possible disadvantages. If you sometimes want to use the TV speakers you could connect an analog audio output of your Tivo (red and white cables) into an analog audio input to your TV (this would be in addition to the optical connection listed above). Good luck

Jay


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## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

jayerndl said:


> I recommend connecting the optical out of your Tivo directly to an optical input on your A/V receiver. I see no advantage of routing the sound through the TV and many possible disadvantages. If you sometimes want to use the TV speakers you could connect an analog audio output of your Tivo (red and white cables) into an analog audio input to your TV (this would be in addition to the optical connection listed above). Good luck
> 
> Jay


Agreed. Many TVs will only pass 2 channel audio out through optical. There's no problem having HDMI and SPDIF connected simultaneously.


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

This has been going on with my Premieres since I first got it in 2010 on both optical and HDMI. I ended up just using PCM and the delay went away. Kind of a shame if you ask me.


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## dthomas1972 (Feb 21, 2013)

wpatters1229 said:


> I have the same problem with the sound in dolby giving (off and on) a stuttering sound...really annoying. I have to either change channels or sometimes if I just turn off the TV and back on it clears. I have the TV feeding my A/V receiver with a optical cable. Should I try changing to a red and white cables? If I turn from dolby to PCM is stops. Any ideas? Should I just use PCM and change my receiver to Dolby Pro Logic II for the TV? My receiver allows me to have a unique setting for each input


Does this happen with 20.4.1 as well?


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## ohboy710 (Jun 30, 2008)

Does anybody have the issue where the sound just stops all together? I'll go to play a show and it starts playing but there is no sound....and then if I go back to live tv no sound either. The only fix is to reboot. That I'm aware of. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## mrizzo80 (Apr 17, 2012)

ohboy710 said:


> Does anybody have the issue where the sound just stops all together? I'll go to play a show and it starts playing but there is no sound....and then if I go back to live tv no sound either. The only fix is to reboot. That I'm aware of.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I don't think I've ever lost sound to that extent. I've noticed occasionally I don't have sound while playing TV or a recording. Hitting the button that jumps back in time 8 seconds fixes things for me I think.

Have you ruled out all other quicker fixes...like powering your receiver off/on or using the HDUI "reset" remote sequence?


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## ohboy710 (Jun 30, 2008)

Just did it again today.... The 8 second jump didn't fix it but oddly enough just turning the tv itself off and back on worked! Much quicker. 


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## ohboy710 (Jun 30, 2008)

I still continued to have the issue where the audio just stops working after pressing a button on my remote, and then the only way to fix the problem is to turn the TV off and back on. It only happens when I'm trying to do something with the Roamio, like go into My shows or the guide.. and it only happens randomly. Never happens when I'm just watching the tv, only when I use the remote. Very very frustrating!


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