The sound output for Apple TV 3 is distorted

I got this problem solved simply by tightening the hdmi cable both ends

What does that even mean?

I mean there was a loose connection at one of the ends of hdmi cable. So I just removed and fixed it properly.

Hi Niruv:

While your problem may have been a loose connection, there is a far more serious problem with this latest generation AppleTV. It seems that certain combinations of AppleTV and Flat Panel Televisons and/or AV Receivers/Processors get overloaded by the the audio output of the AppleTV over HDMI. The audio level coming from the AppleTV is fixed and is causing distortion in the downstream devices.

If you read through the entire discussion, a fix that works seems to be using the optical digital output from the AppleTV and NOT using the audio eminating from the HDMI cable. This certainly worked in my case.

I have to wonder what Apple is doing about this!

Hi guys,

I found a solution to resolve the sound problem in my specific setup.

I experienced the static noise on my HDMI and optical input on my Yamaha receiver.

In my setup I resolved it by changing the amount of dynamic range compression in my receiver.

Standard it's on MAX to preserve the greatest amount of dynamic compression.

By setting it to MIN the static noise is gone... but as said, maybe that is just the solution in my specific setup.

Hi VWI:

I'm wondering if when you say "static noise", you are referring to distortion, distortion meaning too high of a signal level coming into a device. I can see how/why you would describe this distortion as "static" sounding as it is really rough around the edges.

Compressing the audio makes sense as obviously it would tame the peaks. I find it interesting that this works for you and is something I hadn't thought of as a solution. There is a drawback however.

While compressing the signal in your setup may have removed the "static noise" you are hearing, you are still compressing the dynamic range of the audio, so you are in fact sacrificing something in exchange for removing this "static noise". Other solutions clean up the sound without resorting to compression and are therefore a better option, but good thinking on your part and if this works for people, so be it!

My problem is a little different. I cannot get sound from the optical output to my stereo system. I read older forums discussing this. But, not many newer ones. I have tried turning the DD off and changing the sound to 16 bit. Neither worked. Mine is not distorted, I get nothing, no sound. Going to try a different cable tomorrow, tired of messing with it today. (Using HDMI to TV and digital audio to Stereo)

Hi Vetteman01,

I am indeed referring to the distortion caused by the high audio level coming out of the ATV.

The question is if this is the right assumption. Because I do not experience the problem when I connect the ATV directly to my TV by HDMI and listen to the sound coming from the build-in TV speakers. I only have the problem when connecting to my Yamaha receiver by HDMI or Optical.

So maybe the standard MAX option for dynamic compression on my receiver is giving the sound a boost causing the problem. And by setting the audio compression on my receiver to MIN I get the normal audio level coming out of the ATV without a boost. Do you get what I mean? ... maybe nothing's wrong with the ATV.

Either way... as a sound engineer I rather have a bit of compression and dynamic loss then the constant feeling something is very wrong when hearing that nagging sound ;-)

Vincent

Hi Vincent:

My initial issue was distortion using the HDMI from the ATV to feed picture and sound to my 40" ProScan TV via the HDMI input. The audio coming from the TV Speakers and the analog (RCA) outs on the ProScan feeding my Stereo Amp were both distorted.

It would seem most TVs/Receivers can handle the output from the ATV HDMI ok (and therefore most people don't have the problem) or Apple would have by this time "fixed" the issue. It is also possible of course that some people just live with the distortion and aren't savy enough to know they even have a problem.

As stated in my earlier posts, I solved my particular issue by using the optical out from the ATV to feed the optical in on a 20 year old Sony DAT machine and then using the analog (RCA) outs on the Sony DAT to feed the Aux In on my old analog Stereo Amp, basically using the DAT as a D to A convertor. That got rid of the distortion.

It seems that some equipment handles the high output level of the ATV (both HDMI and Optical) OK and other equipment doesn't. There are different things one can do do get around the problem as this discussion shows. It just takes a lit bit of ingenuity.

As far as the Dynamic Range settings on your Yamaha go, I would have to say that setting it to Max must bring the quiet stuff UP in level to more closely match the the loud parts so you can listen late at night and not keep everyone else awake. This makes sense because it would leave the loud stuff just as loud as it was coming into the Dynamic Range processor on your Yamaha and therefore you would still hear distortion. Setting it to MIN must limit the loud stuff to more closely match the quiet stuff (the opposite of above) and therefore by knocking the hot stuff down, PREVENT overload on the Yamaha. This makes total sense to explain what you are hearing on your Yamaha. Nothing is actually getting "boosted" on MAX, it is simply not being "tamed", and therefore distortion is present. Your Yamaha, like many other pieces of good AV equipment can't quite handle the very HOT output of the ATV while your TV can handle it. It is not us, it is an issue caused by the HOT output of the ATV. Join the club!

Jeff P. Hollywood Production Soundman / Projectionist

Hi rdbrett:

This may seem obvious, please forgive me if it is. Please make sure you assign whichever optical input you are using on your receiver to the "source" you are selecting to listen to that input. On a sophisticated system, sometimes you have to "tell" the source you are selecting which input you are using, ie optical, digital, analog, etc.

I have been followig this problem for a couple of months (since I purchased the ATV) and I have had issues with it no matter I try. Apple told me to try and take the HDMI to the tv, then the optial audio OUT from the TV to my receiver. Same problem.

I am on my second ATV and i even purchased a new receiver and still I get horrible distortion. Funnt thing is, when i just listen through the TV, it sounds fine. All very frustrating. I am a bit of an audiofile and this has been quite frustrating that this has been such an ordeal to fix. I am about to just go and get a Roku and see if that will work.

Many thanks,

Houston

To add to the issue.

I use the lightning to HDMI adapter. Sound from my iPad works fine on two TVs. Sound from an iPad mini works properly on one TV, but not on the other. There is an issue between the iPad mini and just one TV. The sound is horribly distorted.

No idea how to resolve.

I have my apple TV hooked up via HDMI to a sony KDL-46X500 46 inch LCD.

I stream my ALAC files from upstairs downstairs via ethernet over the power lines.

The sound quality from the RCA ouputs on the sony are first rate!

In fact it is much better than my airport express was, via headphone jack to RCA.

Sorry I have yet to have a problem in this regard mp3 or otherwise.

that helped us, ty

FYI, I know this is old but fix for me was in the settings for audio. Turn off sound check.