Audio distortion in Netflix

I have the same issue! It also happens in rented iTunes movies and airplay. I even retuned first box and have issues with second unit as well! Back to Roku!

I have narrowed down solutions. It seems the problem might be with the HDMI port on the AppleTV. When you get the distortion unplug the HDMI cable from the AppleTV and then plug it back in. Problem with distortion goes away. You have to do this every time the sound goes bad :(

Thanks ... I have a Panasonic. I appreciate the easy fix

Same problem here w/Apple TV hooked to a Sony TV. Sometimes the sound is distorted -- actually, I wouldn't say distorted. More like nothing but loud static. Just tried the switching-inputs boogie and it worked. Switched to the Sony Blu-ray & back and the sound is normal. Thanks!

Ironically, I also have a problem with the Sony Blu-ray and the Sony TV. Randomly there's no sound from the Blu-ray. Switching to the Apple TV & back seems to fix that as well...

I have this issue with a Panasonic TV. Drives me nuts. I will try your

solutions!

THANKS! I hope I don't have to give it back!

I have a 3 year old Panasonic TV and noticed sound distortion/echo with streaming Netflix or Hulu. Called Apple Support 3x's. They recommended changing my tv sound settings, switching my HDMI output, trying a more expensive HDMI cable, then exchanging for another Apple tv. None of that worked. The only way to fix it is what was suggested above: to pause what I'm watching and switch the input on my remote, then back. But it's ridiculous that I have to do that. I don't like Roku's interface compared to Apple tv, but I can't deal with this issue so Roku it is!

I will have to try the switching the HDMI inputs. What I have been doing is stopping my playback and putting the device to sleep through the settings window, which helps reset it all.

Just in case you are wondering, have the 2nd gen I believe (for sure not first), and have a Viso, but it is about two to three years old. Issues happens with Netflix, YouTube, music through AirPlay, and video played through iTunes. Pretty much I haven't found anything that this doesn't happen with. I was thinking of replacing the HDMI cord thinking it was an issue with a cheep wires. Now, will wait on that.

I exchanged my AppleTV for a Roku a week ago. Haven't had a single problem with the sound!

Same problem Toshiba TV too.

Just to add, I also have this problem with a Toshiba Regza tv. switching HDMI channel and back again fixes it. It seems to be a Toshiba problem.

I disabled some of the TV's audio settings, such as the built in 'stable sound' and 'voice enhancement' features and it seems to be working now.

*Update: The previous settings did not work, but updating the TV's firmware seems to have done the job.

The USB stick you use must be formatted as FAT16, not FAT32, in case anyone comes across this and wants to try it.

I was looking for a solution to my problem being related to the roku box and found this thread.

I have not had this issue with my apply tv unit, but I do have this issue occassionally with my Roku 3 box.

I usually need to unplug either my television (Vizio) or the roku box or change the input, and the problem is temporarily fixed.

I believe its from the audio and video signals both being sent out through hdmi. Try turning off "sound check" and "sound effects" in Audio/Video settings. If that doesn't work, use an additional toslink/optical audio output cable for your audio, so hdmi is used exclusively for the video.