# Audio dropouts?



## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

Hi all, 
Long time TiVo user here... all the way back to 2000 timeframe or thereabouts when my college friend (then a TiVo engineer) brought over a "beta" unit! Since then probably 5 different generations have graced my family room.
Problem: I've had a Roamio for about a year and frequently we get audio dropouts. Rewinding and replaying seems to fix the problem, ie the audio dropout is gone the second time through the program material. So from this observation it seems like MAYBE it is a hard drive read problem. ???
I've searched this forum and apparently I'm not the only person to have this issue, but I couldn't find any fix.
Does anyone have some insight to this issue that I'm missing?
Many Thanks!


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Try go to settings>audio>Dolby to PCM.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

It's more than likely that using PCM will stop this (I will test), it's also likely this is a Roamio issue. I use a Premiere several hours daily and never hear any audio dropouts. I also use a Roamio for several hours every day and always get the occasional dropout. These happen every few hours, but one almost always happens when switching to a channel that has not been accessed and hence has to start buffering. The dropout happens within one to two seconds of the channel selection. I could only speculate on the cause, and the duration is not long enough to cause the speaker indicators on my AVR to blink (usually). I can never duplicate it by rewinding over the area, so from that I can conclude it's not a fault of the input or buffer, but because something happens during output. I am set for DD, and I would rather live with the minor audio problem than switch. I have switched cables and AVR inputs and TV inputs.


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## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

THanks guys...

ThAbtO: I'm already on PCM :-(

JoeKustra: I think we're experiencing different issues with our Roamios. In my case I only hear the drop out while playing back a recorded show. So there should be no issue of incomplete buffering. Also the drop out never occurs when starting a show's playback, but rather in the middle of it, minutes, even many minutes into the show. :-( 

Any other ideas of how to address this? Do I have a hard drive issue?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

RedCab said:


> THanks guys...
> 
> ThAbtO: I'm already on PCM :-(
> 
> ...


I'll agree that they are not the same since I can never recall a dropout during playback. I hope it's not the HDD. Best of luck.

I should mention I have a Mini connected also. It never has any audio problems and I use it for a few hours every day.


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## sjschaff (Nov 13, 2006)

Have to agree. Never had this with Tivo HD but with move to 4 tuners over the 2 in the HD it appears that splitting the signal has a lot to do with the problem. And going to PCM at least helps to mask the underlying symptoms.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

sjschaff said:


> Have to agree. Never had this with Tivo HD but with move to 4 tuners over the 2 in the HD it appears that splitting the signal has a lot to do with the problem. And going to PCM at least helps to mask the underlying symptoms.


Observation and update. I have changed the cables and HDMI port used on the TV. I was getting tiny dropped audio on HD or SD channels. I never had them on the Mini or Premiere. So what's different? Only the Premiere allows 1080p upconversion. I set to 1080i only, except for pass-through, and no more dropouts. Just saying, but now if TiVo would stop the delay when going to live TV.


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## samccfl99 (Sep 7, 2013)

first, tivo development support is useless when it comes to the audio delay when you are going in and out of tivo central. when i had my XL4 i had to run it in SD mode because it was just too darn slow in HD mode, so i never had this problem then, or maybe i did before i found out about SD mode. when i got my roamio pro in 10/2013 i started noticing this and have been complaining. they told me from the very beginning it was the flash interface that tivo central uses (i thought they were going to fix this and put tivo central on board somehow, but they obviously dont care (no surprise there). but they do not have any explanation why when you go into the HD guide interface that there is never an audio dropout. actually they ignore that line of thought completely. and of course this really is only apparent when there is an HDMI AV involved because the AV and the tivo have to sync up again when the audio drops.

as far as the main topic here, i have audio dropouts sometime and have gone back and they are usually there when replayed. but my RP is over 95% full alot of the times (yes, i like to store things). i think it is running out of good spots on the HDD, but i am not sure. 

hope this was informative....


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## NashGuy (May 2, 2015)

I have a new Roamio OTA and am experiencing several split-second audio drop-outs each day. I think I've only seen this happen with TV, not with streaming. I know I've seen it happen with live TV, not sure about recorded. I originally assumed this was a glitch in my antenna reception but then started hitting Instant Replay when it occurred and there is no drop-out on the replay.

I'm using Dolby Digital audio via an optical audio cable to my receiver. Video goes straight to the TV via HDMI. I've checked and the optical audio cable is firmly plugged in at both ends. My hard drive is only about 40% full. Giving up Dolby Digital audio is unacceptable to me as I have a 5.1 system in place.

Anyone else experiencing this? I'm still in my initial 30-day trial period (barely) -- should I send it back to TiVo for a replacement? My box came with Lifetime Service. Does anyone know what the warranty period is?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

NashGuy said:


> I have a new Roamio OTA and am experiencing several split-second audio drop-outs each day. I think I've only seen this happen with TV, not with streaming. I know I've seen it happen with live TV, not sure about recorded. I originally assumed this was a glitch in my antenna reception but then started hitting Instant Replay when it occurred and there is no drop-out on the replay.
> 
> I'm using Dolby Digital audio via an optical audio cable to my receiver. Video goes straight to the TV via HDMI. I've checked and the optical audio cable is firmly plugged in at both ends. My hard drive is only about 40% full. Giving up Dolby Digital audio is unacceptable to me as I have a 5.1 system in place.
> 
> Anyone else experiencing this? I'm still in my initial 30-day trial period (barely) -- should I send it back to TiVo for a replacement? My box came with Lifetime Service. Does anyone know what the warranty period is?


I still get a few. Using fixed 1080i and 1080/p24 pass through has helped. When testing, the Roamio wants to set it to 1080p60 only. If you want to see a really bad picture, try setting 1080p24 pass through only. I like the Amazon picture when 1080/p24 kicks in.

My audio is 5.1, except the LFE signal is needed for the sub to be enabled. I do use some DSP when the input is only DD2.0, but no LFE means no sub.


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## NashGuy (May 2, 2015)

JoeKustra said:


> I still get a few. Using fixed 1080i and 1080/p24 pass through has helped. When testing, the Roamio wants to set it to 1080p60 only. If you want to see a really bad picture, try setting 1080p24 pass through only. I like the Amazon picture when 1080/p24 kicks in.
> 
> My audio is 5.1, except the LFE signal is needed for the sub to be enabled. I do use some DSP when the input is only DD2.0, but no LFE means no sub.


OK, thanks Joe. I had my output set to only 1080p60 and 1080p24 pass-through. 1080p60 seems like the best single choice for TV but I just switched it to 1080i. (I then took a look at both ABC and Fox, which broadcast in 720p, and can't tell the picture looks any worse despite the fact that the TiVo is interlacing it to 1080i and then the TV is deinterlacing to 1080p.)

I'll monitor it for a day or two and see if this takes care of the problem. If not, I'm contacting TiVo and seeing about a replacement. This could be a glitch that affects all Roamios but if that were the case, I'd think there would be more complaints about it on this forum.


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