HDMI sound problem.. sound drops out every 1 or 2 minute and comes back

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HDMI sound problem.. sound drops out every 1 or 2 minute and comes back

I've recently changed from using component/optics to using the hdmi connection to connect my appletv to my stereo samsung ht-txq120t surround sound system...

after changing it to hdmi.. the sound will drop out from time to time..
the picture will keep going on fine.. but the sound would go away for a couple seconds and come back.. its really frustrating.

Originally i thought it was the hdmi cable.. but I've tried 2 other cables i own, and still to no avail.

My ps3 and my digital tv box both connect to the stereo system and have no problems like this what so ever...

when i switch back to the components/optics setup everything is fine again.

I've tried, resetting the appletv back to original factory setting and installing the update again.. but still no help.

anyone knwo what to do?

imac, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Aug 27, 2008 9:16 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 28, 2008 4:44 AM in response to bentl78

Welcome to the  Discussion Forums.

If restarting the tv doesn't help, try restarting the tv/receiver.

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Answer 2

Sep 10, 2008 4:48 PM in response to bentl78

For what it's worth, I'm having something very similar.

I have two Apple TVs. One in my bedroom has an HDMI to DVI connection cable, with RCA cables for audio. No problem. But in the living room, which has just an HDMI to HDMI connector, no separate audio cables, I have sound dropping off from time to time. It only seems to be when I've got reasonably high definition stuff, stuff I've ripped with the Apple TV settings in Handbrake, or the High definition Life episode I downloaded. I'll be experimenting tomorrow with the cables, see if going to composite or something makes a difference.

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Answer 3

Sep 10, 2008 5:14 PM in response to GadgetDon

Found a hint somewhere else (after seeing the suggestion that it was the HDMI audio, searching based on that found something more fruitful in the macrumors forums). Go to settings, audio, and turn Dolby Digital Out off. It seems to have solved the problem (I'll know more after more use tomorrow). But if you are only using the HDMI connector, and don't need surround sound, turn off the Dolby Digital Out. (There used to be a way to only shut off the optical out, and that's what I saw as the suggestion.)

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Answer 4

Sep 13, 2008 2:04 PM in response to GadgetDon

I am having the same problem and will Disable Dolby Digital Out as well but this must be a small bug Apple might not be aware of.
Restarting only works for a while then the problem reappears making me think it's an Audio timing issue that briefly shuts off Audio Out via the HDMI connector.
I found if I have the Optical Out to my Stereo on simultaneously that keeps working when the Audio on the TV goes off briefly.

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