HDMI audio problem

[figsgrandpa]

When FIOS was initially installed in my home last month, I had a problem with the HDMI audio on one of my sets.  The sound would come on fine when the Motorola STB and TV were initially turned on, but the audio would drop out whenever I changed the channel.   The tech tried another STB box with the same result.  His only solution was to install component cables and tell me to use the component input, which had no problem with the audio.

I found the following solution on a technical forum:

"Power off the Set top box.
Hit Select
Hit Menu
You will see a white screen and an all text menu called USER SETTINGS. Use the arrow keys to move around.
Scroll down to a line that says "ADDITIONAL HDMI SETTINGS" and hit a right arrow to get into the next level of the menu
There is a sound setting called AUDIO OUTPUT It says AUTO Scroll to it and change it to L-PCM.
Exit out of the menus, power the unit off and power it on again."

I tried this and the HDMI audio is now working fine.  Some posters on the other forum suggested that this solution would eliminate surround sound.  I don't know if this is true, but it didn't matter to me because the set where I was having the problem is in the bedroom and isn't connected to a home theater system.

[BoxOffice]

I've had FIOS for a while, but noticed the same issue in the last 3 months, growing progressively worse. I think at least one cause is after a HD dvr ends, the HD programs (and HD recordings) lose all audio (also using hdmi). I have been able to channel surf about 20 channels until the audio comes back in HD, but that is obviously not a good solution.

I am also running hdmi audio to TV to an old bose (no 5.1 or 7.1 input), and did not want to use white/red inputs.

Verizon support call that lasted 30 minutes was no help. Tech kept suggesting the issue was low volume, a known issue relating to the sw upgrade done in March. I kept explaining NO volume in HD occurred sporadicaly (not low volume). Tech sent me a new (old) cable box (Motorola HD/DVR QIP 6416-2) but I would prefer to keep the new original box (...QIP 7216).

Just changed audio output to L-PCM, and ended a HD dvr recording, and volume remained on HD channels. Hope this solves all occurrences.

[bwwilco1]

I just had FIOS installed yesterday.  I'm having the same problem with sound.  I read your directions that appear to

be clear, but I cannot find the "select" button.

Please help

[Gus_Gutz]

the select button is on the bottom of the three right hand side buttons around the display of the set top box. It is not on the remote

[Pauly]

I have the same issue. When the sound goes out I hit the widget button and it brings back the sound. I am not sure if it will fix it for everyone, but it works for me.

[bwwilco1]

I was unable to get the "white screen".  After I power off the STB, then hit select, then hit menu...the program comes

on the screen...not the white screen.

[lasagna]

It's a very specific sequence ... it must be an HD box (SD boxes don't apply), the box must be ON when you start, and you must press in sequence about 1/2 second apart Power, Select, Menu -- exactly in that order, one button at a time, on the front panel (you can not use the remote).  If the box is turning back on when you hit menu, then you are likely not hitting the Select button in the right sequence (I note you indicated you could find the "Select" button in an earlier post).

Works on my 6200, 6216, and 7100 boxes.

-jk

[Yamatom]

I too just had a sound problem. It could be described as studdering, skipping. or chattering sound. The fix mentioned above worked good, but I feel that it is probably just a "quick fix". I would much rather have the STB work correctly. Interestingly, I had this problem a few months ago. After a couple of hours resetting boxes with the tech guy from Verizon, he said that it was a bad cable and sent me a new one. Low and behold, when the cable got here I plugged it in and it worked! Go figure.

[lasagna]

If by cable you mean an HDMI cable, that's possible.  Some people have used cheap quality non-HDMI 1.2 (or HDMI 1.3) compliant cables to go between the STB and the TV and yes, this can cause signaling issues.  

The issue many people are experiencing here however is that there are a number of different audio encoding techniques and as different providers use different ones and the TV and STB occasionally have trouble negotiating these switches between techniques as you go from channel to channel.   The result is missing audio, chirps, etc.   This is a well known issue with HDMI and is not unique to the STB's that Verizon is using.

The little "fix" that is outlined in this and other posts simply tells the STB to convert the providers encoding to a single encoding technique which eliminates the constant negotiating.   Purests might take issue with this, but really this is a perfectly good solution which you won't be able to detect -- particularly if your using the built-in sound in the TV.  Now, if you're feeding the sound thru a high quality Home Entertainment center, then yes it may well not be acceptable. 

[ekem015]

Lasanga nailed it - the HDMI standard is good, but different TV manufacturers have used different encoding techniques which have caused handshake/compliance issues with Verizon's STBs. Unfortnately it has fallen on Verizon to engineer their STBs to be compliant with all TV manufacturers, which is quite a task...