Sony soundbar issue

[mike.brew]

I recently purchased a sony tv and soundbar to replace my old Samsung system. The TV failed so I replaced that with a samsung but now the soundbar keeps dropping the sound when on Netflix. The code PCM-M shows on the Bar display and the sound returns after a couple of seconds but this occurs continually and the only way we can watch Netflix is to switch off the sound bar. We are connected with optical and HMDI-arc cables all in the correct positions. Has anyone got an y ideas please 

[IamNic]

Hello @mike.brew,

as you have connected both optical and HDMI (probably ARC) - to which input do you have the soundbar set? If it is optical, check whether the cable is slotted in on both sides. Sometimes optical cables can sit slanted in the connector, leading to the optical signal being very dim, causing the signal to drop out.

Also sometimes it can happen that you leave the little "protective cap" on the ends of the optical fiber - I would check for those as well and remove them if they are still on.

- Nic

[mike.brew]

Thanks for that. I have it set to HMDI(arc) but for some reason it would not work at all without the optical lead being connected which suggests I have a setup problem somewhere. Unfortunately the dealer has no clue either.

[royabrown2 · Accepted solution]

@mike.brew 

We would need to know the model of soundbar and the model of TV to comment in a more informed way, notably as to whether we are dealing with ARC or eARC.

If I were in your shoes, I would:-

disconnect the optical cable;

double-check that the HDMI cable between TV and soundbar was plugged into an (or the) ARC HDMI port on the TV;

check that the HDMI cable I was using is a ‘plus Ethernet’ one, if eARC is in prospect here;

maybe try a replacement HDMI cable anyway;

check, if the soundbar does not autoswitch to (e)ARC input, that you have switched it to that;

check that the audio from the TV (Dolby, DTS, whatever) is something the soundbar can handle;

set the TV to output PCM, not bitstream/passthrough, and see if you get audio that way.

And if you can still only get audio through optical, disconnect the HDMI cable to the soundbar, or at least, if you need video to come up it from the soundbar, plug it into a non-ARC HDMI input on the TV.

And see if this stops the audio dropouts, and let us know all the results from the above tests.

[mike.brew]

Thank you very much for your help with this and I am pleased to say that I have resolved the issue.

After changing the HDMI cable without success I was searching through Settings/ Expert Settings and came across a Digital Output Audio Format key which was set to Auto but gave me the option of setting to PCM. As the error code was showing PCM-MC I decided to change the setting and hey presto problem gone. Brilliant.

[Xabian69]

Where did you go to change the setting? On the TV itself or on the soundbar itself? I'm having the same issue. Drop audio. 

[royabrown2]

@Xabian69 

The starting point for any such query must be the make and model number of the TV, the make and model number of the soundbar, and some indication of how they are connected.

It would be vanishingly unlikely for you to have the same kit as @mike.brew , in a different country, after nearly three years. Even if we knew what that had been.

@mike.brew was kind enough to accept my answer above as a solution, but needing the two items to be connected by both HDMI ARC and Optical is unusual, and any solution that settles for PCM, even PCM-MC, should only be implemented if Bitstream has to be completely ruled out.

Which happens - my TV won’t pass DTS - but this is not anything that can be eliminated without knowing the full details of the equipment in use.