timothyhyde

Q: Apple TV 4th Gen - Audio buzzes after 15minutes of play

I just purchased the 4th Gen Apple TV.  It is connected to my TV via an HDMI cable.

 

I start playing a show or movie.  After about 15-20 minutes, the audio starts to "buzz" or "distort".  If I unplug the HDMI cable from the TV, then plug it back in, the sound is restored (for about 15-20minutes).  Also works to unplug the HDMI cable from the Apple TV, then plug it back in (sound again works for 15-20 minutes).  After 15-20 minutes, the audio starts to "buzz" or "distort" again.

 

I have tried two HDMI cables and two different ports on my TV --> Get the same issue

I have tried restoring factory settings --> Get the same issue

I have tried downloading the latest software updates --> Get the same issue

Apple was willing to exchange the Apple TV for a new one.  Tried the new Apple TV --> Get the same issue.

 

When I plug my old Apple TV back in (2nd Gen), the audio works fine without an issue.

 

Once the audio starts buzzing, the buzzing happens through all programs (even the Apple sound effects are screwed up and have the same distortion).

 

Thanks for the help and insight!

Posted on Jan 18, 2016 4:10 PM

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Q: Apple TV 4th Gen - Audio buzzes after 15minutes of play

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  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate Jan 18, 2016 6:39 PM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Jan 18, 2016 6:39 PM in response to timothyhyde

    What brand and model # TV do you have?

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 18, 2016 10:10 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2016 10:10 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    Sharp LC-32SB220U

     

    32" LCD TV by Sharp (circa 2010)

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate Jan 19, 2016 6:16 AM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 6:16 AM in response to timothyhyde

    One more question:  What speakers do you listen through?  The TV speakers only or do you have external speakers or a audio system hooked up via the optical output or the audio out port?

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 19, 2016 8:28 AM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 8:28 AM in response to Vinceassociate

    I have a Sonos sound bar hooked up via the optical audio output.

     

    Audio Path: Apple TV to TV via HDMI --> TV to Sonos sound bar via optical output

     

    Thanks for the help!

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate Jan 19, 2016 10:47 AM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 10:47 AM in response to timothyhyde

    Was the ATV2 plugged in the same or did you hook the ATV optical out directly to the sound bar?

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 19, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Vinceassociate

    When I was doing my testing, the Apple TV (2nd gen) was hooked up the same way (HMDI cable to TV, optical audio to soundbar).

     

    I think that is the most confusing part.  At first glance, it definitely points to as issue with my TV, except for the fact I can get the old Apple TV (gen 2) to work fine.

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate Jan 20, 2016 4:00 PM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Jan 20, 2016 4:00 PM in response to timothyhyde

    Not really confusing...

    If in both cases you use the HDMI output of the ATV into the TV and the optical out of the TV into the Sonos, that points at the ATV4, not the TV.

    Since it seems to be the ATV4, the question is what is different?

    Read this: Get help with audio, video, or power on Apple TV - Apple Support

    They mention static and suggest the 16 bit setting.  Did you try it?

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 23, 2016 11:14 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 23, 2016 11:14 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    Thanks for the suggestions.   I was able to try this a bunch of other trouble shooting this afternoon.  This is my findings…

     

    Changing the audio to 16-bit did no work - same issue

     

    If I plug and unplug any part of the audio path, the audio is restored (temporarily).

    • Unplug and plug the HDMI cable from the Apple TV
    • Unplug and plug in the HDMI cable from the TV
    • Unplug and plug in the optical audio out from the TV
    • Turn off then turn on the TV

     

    If I run audio ONLY to the TV (not through optical audio to the Sonos speakers) I don’t have a problem.

     

    Tried a new optical audio cable - same issue

     

    In the latest test, I had the Apple TV hooked up.  Once the audio started to distort, I played around with settings on my TV.  With the Sonos sound bar, I don’t want audio coming through my TV speakers.  Under the “Audio” output settings, there are two options “Fixed” and “Variable”.  Variable lets me control the sound output with my controller (and turns off the speakers on my TV).  When “variable” is selected, I hear the buzz.  When “fixed” is selected, I don’t hear the buzz.  I can turn the issue on and off.

     

    Guess the question is why I would start getting a buzz after a period of time?  Why turning off my TV, unplugging the HDMI cable, or unplugging the optical audio cable restores the audio?  AND why I didn’t have this issue with my previous Apple TV….

     

    Thanks again for the help!

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 23, 2016 11:30 PM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 23, 2016 11:30 PM in response to timothyhyde

    Scratch that....

     

    The "fixed/variable" audio output setting on my TV works temporarily.  Basically when the audio starts buzzing, that setting will turn it on/off.  However, after a while, both settings get the same audio distortion.  The "time" element is really stumping me....

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jan 24, 2016 6:00 AM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 10 (103,375 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 24, 2016 6:00 AM in response to timothyhyde

    An issue between the Apple TV 2 & 3's and some TV HDMI cards has been reported perhaps a couple of dozen times since the Apple TV 2 was released 6 years ago, whereby after a period of time the audio would start to cut out and become distorted over HDMI. The solution is to break the connection between the 2 devices (which it appears is the conclusion you have also drawn with your particular issue) I hadn't seen any reports of it yet with the Apple TV 4 and I'm not sure this is the same because you are describing it as buzzing rather than cutting out and distorting, but it does seem rather similar.

     

    I believe it is very difficult without proper test equipment to point the finger at a particular device and I'm not sure you will gain any benefit by doing so, since I suspect there is nothing you can do about it while you maintain your current wired configuration.

     

    I have 7 Apple TV's at home and a couple more in the offices at my business premises, I have the issue I describe with the TV I have in my lounge and nowhere else, I've tried swapping the Apple TV's round and the problem remains with the TV in the lounge. The configuration that caused a problem for me was HDMI from Apple TV to TV and optical from Apple TV to receiver, the audio from the TV speakers and the audio which was passed through the TV to the receiver was distorted, the audio which went directly from the Apple TV to the receiver was not.

     

    I've since changed my configuration to HDMI from the Apple TV to receiver and from receiver to TV, I've also since changed my Apple TV to an Apple TV 4. In this configuration I don't have a connection from the TV to the receiver or use the TV speakers, so I can't really say whether the problem has gone with this particular configuration or just worked around.

  • by timothyhyde,

    timothyhyde timothyhyde Jan 27, 2016 8:48 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2016 8:48 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    Winston,

     

    Thanks for the additional information.  The Apple TV 4 only has an HDMI for audio out (they have removed the optical audio out).  So I was stuck with sending audio through my TV to the Sonos sound bar. 

     

    Guess it is something with the audio signal processing in the TV (don't know if that is software or hardware related).


    Regardless, my TV was fairly old, so I went out and purchased a new one.  No issues!!  So that solved the problem.

     

    Thanks again.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jan 28, 2016 2:29 AM in response to timothyhyde
    Level 10 (103,375 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 28, 2016 2:29 AM in response to timothyhyde

    An expensive solution, but under the circumstances i couldn't see you resolving the problem without changing some equipment. Glad to see it's all working properly now though.