Audio dropouts over optical output

[Ex-Pat]

I recently bought a Samsung UE55M5512AKXXH HDTV. I previously had a Samsung UE47F6200 HDTV.

With the older TV, the sound was set to the optical audio output with PCM. The optical cable was then connected to a small digital-to-analog converter, which in turn was connected via standard RCA cable to the input of an analog receiver. On the imput side, in addition to live TV, I used an nVidia Shield connected to the TV viad HDMI dable. I did not have any problems with this setup.

Now, fast forward to a few weeks ago when I got the new TV. Old TV is removed. New TV is dropped in to the existing system. Everything else is exactly the same. nVidia Shield connected to TV via HDMI on the input side and optical audio output using PCM to the DAC, then analog audio from the DAC to the receiver.

Now, with this new TV installed, I'm experiencing audio dropouts, but only on content from the Shield - Netflix and Amazon streaming, local video files and even audio / music files. Live TV does not produce any dropouts, and so at first I could have something to do with the HDMI link between the Shield and the TV, maybe some HDCP handshake issue. But then I tried listening to the audio through the TV speakers, and there were no dropouts, even with input from the Shield.

And so now I'm wondering if there is some incompatibility between the TV and the DAC. But again, this all worked before - the nVidia Shield with optical audio to the DAC - with the old TV. And at the same time, the optical audio is OK with live TV. It's just with the Shield that I have this problem.

The only thing that has changed is the TV.

This does not make sense to me. Does anyone else have any ideas?

[Ethylee]

Hi i’m Having a similar issue

I have just purchased a new Samsung 4K TV and  amplifier (audiolab).  When I connect the Samsung One connect box via optical to my amplifier I get split second audio drop out every few seconds.  

If I connect the virgin V6 Box directly to the Amp using optical its fine with no drop out.

If I watch any other source, iplayer, netflix via the TV its fine and only happens when the using virgin TV V6 and connected via the Samsung optical port?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

J

[ben789]

Hi, just in case anyone else is interested.

I too have an Audiolab DAC / CD (8200CD). Not Samsung, but (new) LG TV and Panasonic TV decoder. I have intermittent audio drop outs lasting half a second or less when using the optical output on both the TV and the decoder. Mostly affects streaming services like youtube but also affects digital files on USB.

I just hooked up the Audiolab, and I thought it must be faulty because I have a different DAC that works fine. BUT the Audiolab DAC seems fine with an extrenal CD feed. Weird. I'm starting to think this is a specific problem with the Audiolab hardware.

HTH

[Ethylee]

Hello 

I actually swapped my audiolab amp in the end to a Quad Vena ii and had the same issue with that.  I think they both have the same DAC  though so maybe too high end for the tv output .'I ended up buying a cheap DAC from amazon and used that from tv to Quad.  Not ideal but works fine.

Thanks 

[ben789]

Thanks for the fast and useful reply!

Yes, intiially I thought the Audiolab was faulty (2nd hand) gear, but now I'm thinking it is probably a synching problem with the DAC (I think it is "Sabre" chip) and the TV / decoder. I have another cheaper DAC but it has developed a separate problem.

My DAC sounds lovely, and works with some sources, so a real shame to ditch it. Maybe I can find a solution....

Cheers

[Ethylee]

If you do please let me know 

[ben789]

Hi - looks like the Audiolab DAC has an adjustable bandwidth to correct for jitter in the source. Not sure if this applies to the Amplifiers (presuambly it does if they have the same DAC). Anyway, problem solved!

https://www.avforums.com/threads/audiolab-dac-cd-player-8200cd-dropping-optical-input-momentarily.22...

[david_h]

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@ben789 wrote:

Hi - looks like the Audiolab DAC has an adjustable bandwidth to correct for jitter in the source. Not sure if this applies to the Amplifiers (presuambly it does if they have the same DAC). Anyway, problem solved!

https://www.avforums.com/threads/audiolab-dac-cd-player-8200cd-dropping-optical-input-momentarily.22...

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I have had the same problem with the optical input to my Audiolab 8300CD. When using Samsung apps (All 4, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub) the sound was fine but when using an Amazon 4K Fire Stick I got occasional dropouts which were almost tolerable. However, terrestrial TV was so fragmented that it was unlistenable. I, too, found the item relating to the Audiolab 8200CD but my 8300CD didn't have a setting for jitter. However, setting the Digital Filter to "Slow Rolloff" has more or less fixed the problem. If I listen very carefully, I think that I can hear a little "choppiness" on terrestrial TV, but that may be my imagination. Your mileage may vary- good luck!

[almico]

Same issue. So no reply from Samsung on the cause? 

[wyup]

Same issue here with two different DACs and optical cables (SMSL SU-8 and Aune X8 XVIII) with S95B over toslink: micro-dropouts every 2-3 seconds, until some minutes idle on a channel that alleviates somehow.

However, I made a relevant discovery: it only happens with DVB antenna connected. Pull out the cable and dropouts disappear after a few seconds (on internet apps or usb media, tv channels evidently go off). Restore the antenna and dropouts come back. It is no-doubt related to the tv internal processes that trigger antenna detection, that add jitter to the optical signal.

Come on, it is 2024 and still getting audio dropouts on expensive tvs over optical for years? Samsung, fix Tizen on firmware update and make optical signal stable for standard devices. These dacs work ok over optical with other sources (blu-ray players and older tvs).