# Low Volume output from Roamio



## traveler100 (Aug 23, 2008)

We upgraded to a Roamio from a S2 TiVo and found that the Roamio's volume output is much lower than the old S2 or a direct line feed to our Sony Bravia. We have to double the TV volume to a 40 setting when viewing thru TiVo to get the same Volume as a 20 setting when watching a direct line in. I've set the Roamio Audio setting to high and this helped but it's still much lower than the regular line in volume. What's odd is the TiVO sounds while navigating program guides or other functions are at the much higher volume setting (Line in). Doesn't make sense that the program's volume are cut in half. Is this just a quirk of the Roamio box or have I missed something in the setup.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

The only volume setting I know of on tivo's is the sounds of the tivo "bloops", so you turned them up by setting it to "high".

What connection are you using for sound, hdmi? 

Is it a base Roamio? If not, then you could use optical digital audio or stereo outputs to test. Base model, you still can test with optical digital sound output.

Have you gone through the sound settings on the tv? Sometimes there are modes such as "midnight theater" that compress the sound, or different inputs can have sound level adjustments, or if it has dolby or dts decoding, it might have speaker levels that can be adjusted, or other sound modes and adjustments that could affect things.


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## traveler100 (Aug 23, 2008)

@Ignad, Thanks for the help. I have a basic Roamio with HDMI to the TV. I'll check the digital audio output to see if that corrects the audio levels and the TV audio settings.


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## LoPan12 (Jan 31, 2014)

I noticed the same going from a premier...went from 17-20s, up to 30s

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

When going from analog to digital audio, some tvs have totally different volume levels. There is generally nothing you can do about it.


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## humbb (Jan 27, 2014)

I noticed the same thing going from a Moto DCX3400 Xfinity DVR Box to a Roamio Pro with both connecting to TV using HDMI for both video and audio. Made me think that the CableCard could be the audio weak link difference.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

humbb said:


> I noticed the same thing going from a Moto DCX3400 Xfinity DVR Box to a Roamio Pro with both connecting to TV using HDMI for both video and audio. Made me think that the CableCard could be the audio weak link difference.


All the cablecard does is provide the ability to decrypt channels. It can not alter the audio.


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## johnmsch (Mar 5, 2004)

I've noticed the same issue since I purchased my Premiere XL. Been through all the settings and can't find any way to adjust this. I'm connected to my Sony Bravia via HDMI.


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## LoPan12 (Jan 31, 2014)

rainwater said:


> When going from analog to digital audio, some tvs have totally different volume levels. There is generally nothing you can do about it.


Both my premiere and the new Roamio were attatched to the TV directly through HDMI.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

LoPan12 said:


> Both my premiere and the new Roamio were attatched to the TV directly through HDMI.


The TiVo does not set the audio level as it is digital. Perhaps you have a TV that supports different audio settings per input.


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## LoREvanescence (Jun 19, 2007)

rainwater said:


> When going from analog to digital audio, some tvs have totally different volume levels. There is generally nothing you can do about it.


exactly

Both my S3 and Premiere have a much lower volume level then any other source.

When I was in college I had the S3 set up side by side by an old direct tv at my parents house in the summer to get HD OTA, and I would have to turn the volume way up on the S3, but once you switch back to the directive it would be so loud it was ridicules if you didn't turn the tv down before switching inputs.

With my latest set up on my new samsung plasma, the premiere bar far has the lowest volume levels, my apple tv has the highest, and my blu ray player, well, that's a mixed boar of always adjusting the volume. I keep having to turn the volume up during quiet conversations during a movie because you can barely hear it, but as soon as any action starts taking place and there is sound effects, background music or explosions it goes so loud it should be illegal.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

Guess I'm not the only one with this issue then 

I'm seriously disappointed by this... I had a perfectly working S3 and saw a great deal on the Premiere and when I called, the guy convinced me the Roamio was the way to go so I did it. But this audio situtation is killing it for me. I used to have my TV at 30-40, now it's at 60-65, and I still have issues hearing it (which is weird). Everything else about the box is better but this issue is a big, big downgrade.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

mrdazzo7 said:


> Guess I'm not the only one with this issue then
> 
> I'm seriously disappointed by this... I had a perfectly working S3 and saw a great deal on the Premiere and when I called, the guy convinced me the Roamio was the way to go so I did it. But this audio situtation is killing it for me. I used to have my TV at 30-40, now it's at 60-65, and I still have issues hearing it (which is weird). Everything else about the box is better but this issue is a big, big downgrade.


Are you sure both are sending the same audio? And one isn't sending pcm while the other is sending DD? Since when sending DD, if the TV applies dialnorm, the volume can be lower than when sending pcm output. Around here most stations use -7db dialnorm with their DD(usually it's between -4db and -7db). So the volume level will be that much lower on a device that applies the dial norm properly.

I've been dealing with this with receivers and watching TV for many years. I just turn up the volume a little. But it can certainly vary by station. So I usually use volume leveling on the TV that my TiVo is connected directly to. That way it evens out the volume on the channels.


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## rterzi (Sep 15, 2006)

The volume from my Roamio connected via HDMI seems low when playing all cable channels. (Time Warner Cable - TWC with cable card). On my Samsung TV I need to put the volume up around 70.

However, if I play other things including Tivo's Netflix app, the volume is higher. If I switch to one of the other HDMI inputs (Chromecast, mac mini, blu-ray player), I need to put the volume down at around 35. (Half of what's needed for the roamio playing cable.)


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## grit (Jan 1, 2008)

Sorry to rez an old thread. I'm in the same situation... Premiere XL4 is a good 6-12 db LOWER than EVERY other source. I went through with a proverbial fine tooth comb today and there are no setting differences in my equipment to account for this.

Is this a known bug? Is there a fix in the works?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Are you comparing it to other devices that use broadcast sources? Otherwise those other sources should be louder. With Dial-Norm applied from DOlby digital the broadcast channels are typically -4dB to -7db lower. Since the DD signal tells the decoder to lower the volume by whatever the Dial Norm is set for when they broadcast. Most stations are at -4dB. But some are at -7dB and some might be at zero.

To get around it with a TV you can us the volume leveling feature if the TV has it. That will keep the volume output level constant from the TV .


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## grit (Jan 1, 2008)

That makes sense. 

Is that something the cable company does? The problem (even with networked shows) doesn't seem to occur when I watch a show episode via Amazon.


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## JPA2825 (May 15, 2000)

Similarly, is anyone having problem with the volume level on Minis linked to a Roamio Pro? My kitchen and bathroom TVs both have to be turned up much louder (almost to MAX) to listen to them when watching the Mini.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

aaronwt said:


> Are you comparing it to other devices that use broadcast sources? Otherwise those other sources should be louder. With Dial-Norm applied from DOlby digital the broadcast channels are typically -4dB to -7db lower. Since the DD signal tells the decoder to lower the volume by whatever the Dial Norm is set for when they broadcast. Most stations are at -4dB. But some are at -7dB and some might be at zero.
> 
> To get around it with a TV you can us the volume leveling feature if the TV has it. That will keep the volume output level constant from the TV .


I checked my AVR for recorded and live broadcast channels in DD5.1 or DD2.0 and it indicated the dialog at -3db. I do find recorded content to sound lower. If I switch to PCM it gets even lower. Since I have mirror SD channels, some of them seem louder than the live HD channels. But who knows what my cable feed does to the raw feed.


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## richyhoward (Dec 9, 2016)

Same problem after my TiVo did an update. I had to turn TV sound up to 40 from a usual of 20. Also noticed that the TiVo Sound Effects were ON and louder than before. I went to Settings > Audio > Sound Effects Volume and found it set to MEDIUM. I turned them off and my Sound returned to the levels prior to the TiVo update.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

richyhoward said:


> Same problem after my TiVo did an update. I had to turn TV sound up to 40 from a usual of 20. Also noticed that the TiVo Sound Effects were ON and louder than before. I went to Settings > Audio > Sound Effects Volume and found it set to MEDIUM. I turned them off and my Sound returned to the levels prior to the TiVo update.


Welcome richy. I still need to boost my AVR level 6db to get a reasonable level on playback. I have the watts to spare, so I put this on my list of first world problems.


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## dobie_gillis (Mar 6, 2016)

Older thread. I have a roamio problem attached to a Sony HT-NT5 400w Sound bar with surround speakers. Tivo audio settings are confirmed Dolby. I can crank any channel to max and while plenty loud it is not "max". If I cast music from my phone I have to cut the volume in half or my ears bleed. WTF do I need to do with the tivo to get more volume? I don't recall this being a problem on my old onkyo hdmi amp. 

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk


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## DigitalDawn (Apr 26, 2009)

I noticed the same thing. My Premiere XL4 is almost twice as loud as my Roamio Pro. I haven't found a way to make it louder.


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## Nickipedia (Jul 18, 2015)

I've had a similar problem with 2 Roamios. They're both connected to the same Onkyo amp. One Roamio has a normal volume level at 25% of the amp volume. The other has to be at 60-70% of the amp volume to have the same perceivable volume. Both are running the same software version, connected to the same antenna, and connected to the same amp. Occasionally a restart of the box will bring it close to normal, but within an hour or so the volume is faint again. The problem follows to different inputs and amplifiers. It's VERY annoying. Almost as annoying as "support" saying "repeat guided setup..."


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