# Netflix app won't play sound



## chrispitude (Apr 23, 2005)

Hi everyone,

We've been frequent users of the Netflix app, both the old and (please why did you do this to me) new ones. Starting a couple weeks ago, the Netflix app has been giving us a difficult time with sound during playback. About 7 times out of 8, it refuses to play sound when a video is played. Worse yet, when we do get the sound to work, any disturbance to playback (like pausing or rewinding) kills the sound again.

One the sound stops working, I have to keep exiting out of the video with the up-arrow on the directional pad, then re-enter the video. If I do this repeatedly, eventually the sound will work again.

This problem happens consistently with all videos we play through Netflix.

Am I the only one with this problem?

- Chris


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## bbwizard95 (Aug 3, 2012)

Love TiVo but...
About three weeks ago sometime after the incomprehensible dumbing down Netflix App was forced on me I found that whenever I get to the actual "play" button all we see is the "loading" screen for 20-30 seconds with no change in the percent load, followed by a pop-up message saying they are having trouble playing this title now and please play something else.
Of course every title does this.

My ROKU and the Panasonic internet capable TV both work perfectly for netflix through my ethernet connections, and all of these are identical.

Here are just the answer emails between support and I. You don't have to read them just know it still doesn't work, and their comment in the last (yop) email of "as this is a known issue that we are having with the TiVo boxes" informs me this is THEIR PROBLEM.

Anyone else?

Hello Carl,

I would be glad to continue helping you with the updated information you provided. With the issue that you are having, we have reported this issue to be looked into further as this is a known issue that we are having with the TiVo boxes. We recommend trying the troubleshooting that we have recommend at least once a day to see if anything has change or the Netflix app has started working properly. However, we have no further troubleshooting to try and have put your information in with the engineers that are further looking into this issue. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any further questions, or would like to check on the issue at a later time, please contact us again.

Please continue to use reference number 120803-006278 for further contact regarding this request. In order to respond to this email, please log into your account 

Sincerely,
Sarah

TiVo Customer Support Representative

Response (Sarah) 08/16/2012 07:35 AM 
Hello Carl, 

Thank you for the updated information you provided. I have read through the previous contacts as well and would be glad to continue helping you with your questions today.

We are sorry to hear that you are having that issue with your TiVo box. With the troubleshooting that we have tried this far there are a couple things that we have not tried yet that we would like to see if that helps the issue that you are experiencing. First, I would like you try unlinking you account from Netflix on the TiVo box. Settings & Messages > Account & System Info > Netflix Account Info > Deactivate this device. Once you do that you will link the account again by signing in through your TiVo box. Once in, please try selecting a new title and see if it plays or you get the error message. 

Second, if that doesn't work I would like you to try unplugging the TiVo box for about 30 seconds and plugging it back in. Once restarted repeat the steps to see if Netflix will play a show or movie, if you still have issues, please let us know. 


Sincerely,
Sarah

TiVo Customer Support Representative

Response (Corina) 08/14/2012 08:00 AM 
Hello Carl,

Thank you for the updated information you provided. I have read through the previous contacts as well and would be glad to continue helping you with your ongoing Netflix issue.

Since we cannot see your Netflix queue specifically, could you test this with the program "Heroes" season 1, episode 1? This episode is known to be working on our in-house TiVo boxes.

Can you also please try changing your video output settings? You can do this from Messages & Settings > Settings > Video > Video Output Formats. Specifically, if you could try with as many of these settings as your TV would allow and let us know if you see any difference, we would greatly appreciate it.
-480i only
-720p only
-1080i only
-1080p only

Additionally, were you able to test YouTube? Could you play video there? Could you also please test one of the Hulu Plus sample videos to see if you receive the same error?

Thank you very much for your patience, and good luck.


Sincerely,
Corina


Response (Sarah) 08/13/2012 10:13 AM 
Hello Carl, 

Thank you for the updated information you provided. I have read through the previous contacts as well and would be glad to continue helping you with your Netflix issues. 

We are sorry to hear that you are having that issue with your TiVo box. In order to do some further research with this issue for you, what are some of the titles that are not working on your Netflix account through the TiVo box? Is this happening with all the titles that you are trying to pull up? We look forward to your response. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Sarah


Response (Corina) 08/11/2012 11:16 AM 
Hello Carl,

Thank you for the updated information you provided. I have read through the previous contacts as well and would be glad to continue helping you with your Netflix error message.

Can you please give us the full error message you receive when you get the blank screen? Additionally, can you check the standard definition menus to see if they have the same error when accessing Netflix? You can switch menus from TiVo Central > Messages & Settings > Settings > Displays > Choose TiVo Menus, and Netflix will be in the Video On Demand section.

Additionally, does YouTube seem to be working all right?

Please let us know, and good luck.


Sincerely,
Corina


Response (Janee) 08/03/2012 05:35 PM 
Hello Carl, 

Thank you for contacting TiVo Customer Support. I apologize for the troubles you've had with Netflix. I would be more than happy to help you with this! 

Please go to 'TiVo Central > Settings & messages > Settings > Channels > Video Provider List'. 

Once you have reached this menu, de-select Netflix from the list of Video Providers. 

Next, please go to TiVo Central by pressing the TiVo logo at the top of your remote. While on TiVo Central, press the following buttons in sequence on your TiVo Remote - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Play, Play. If entered correctly, the TiVo will appear to reboot.

Once you're able to access TiVo Central, go to Settings & messages > Settings > Channels > Video Provider List. Finally, re-select Netflix. 

Please contact us again if you have any questions or concerns and we would be happy to help you. Thank you for choosing TiVo and have a great day!


Sincerely,
Janee'


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## vectorcatch (Nov 21, 2008)

chrispitude said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> We've been frequent users of the Netflix app, both the old and (please why did you do this to me) new ones. Starting a couple weeks ago, the Netflix app has been giving us a difficult time with sound during playback. About 7 times out of 8, it refuses to play sound when a video is played. Worse yet, when we do get the sound to work, any disturbance to playback (like pausing or rewinding) kills the sound again.
> 
> ...


To the OP, if you TiVo is connected via HDMI, try turning the tv to another input and then back when you experience the sound problem. If you are connected to an AV receiver try changing the input on the receiver and then back.

Some devices do not do very well negotiating hdmi connections and netflix seems to exacerbate this problem due to quickly changing audio and video types. Switching inputs will cause a renegotiation of the stream, and hopefully get you back to a normal connection.

If you are not connected via hdmi you can disregard this information.


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## chrispitude (Apr 23, 2005)

vectorcatch said:


> To the OP, if you TiVo is connected via HDMI, try turning the tv to another input and then back when you experience the sound problem. If you are connected to an AV receiver try changing the input on the receiver and then back.
> 
> Some devices do not do very well negotiating hdmi connections and netflix seems to exacerbate this problem due to quickly changing audio and video types. Switching inputs will cause a renegotiation of the stream, and hopefully get you back to a normal connection.


You are correct. Changing sources restores the sound. All I can say is, I've had the same receiver since I owned this Premiere (a Denon AVR-2112CI) and the old Netflix client never did this.

The REALLY irritating part is I usually lose sound even if I just pause/unpause during playback! Very irritating.

Thanks!


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## shamilian (Mar 27, 2003)

chrispitude said:


> You are correct. Changing sources restores the sound. All I can say is, I've had the same receiver since I owned this Premiere (a Denon AVR-2112CI) and the old Netflix client never did this.
> 
> The REALLY irritating part is I usually lose sound even if I just pause/unpause during playback! Very irritating.
> 
> Thanks!


Try changing the HDMI cables. For some reason my cables which used to work just fine, one day started causing errors in the HDMI handshake, changing the cables restored the previous performance... ( This was to a non-Tivo device )


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## Ccampbell23 (Nov 25, 2012)

Just a quick note, I was having a sound issue on netflix. Turns out that I had 1080P selected in video settings, and when netflix tried to switch to that format it would cut off sound completely.
After a call to Tivo, they told me to turn off 1080P and leave only 1080i selected. That completely fixed the problem... although I don' t know why I can't use 1080P, but at least I can use netflix now with no sound or video switching problems...


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

chrispitude said:


> You are correct. Changing sources restores the sound. All I can say is, I've had the same receiver since I owned this Premiere (a Denon AVR-2112CI) and the old Netflix client never did this.
> 
> The REALLY irritating part is I usually lose sound even if I just pause/unpause during playback! Very irritating.
> 
> Thanks!


Is this because of DD+? I know the old Netflix app did not have access to DD+ tracks and only output stereo pcm audio which everything can play. WIth the new app it has been inconsistent. SOmetimes it will play DD+ and sometimes DD. If it is playing a DD+ track and your equipment cannot decode DD+, you will get no audio. ANytime I get no audio it is because of this issue when using my TiVos with devices that can't decode DD+. When using with devices that can decode DD+, I always have audio from Netflix, since whether it is playing a DD+ or DD track, it will always be decoded.


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