(ARC) Sound Issue with NEW Sony OLED TV

[tobias07]

Hi all,

 

I have recently bought a new Sony 4K OLED TV (KD-77A9G) and connected it via HDMI to my amplifier (Integra 50.3) through the EARC/ARC connections. I have just used an ordinary HDMI cable. The picture plays beautifully without any issues, however when watching Netflix, Youtube, Spotify etc. the sound keeps cutting out for a second and then the audio goes louder and then reduces to normal. I have tried replacing the HDMI (standard HDMI), but the issue still occurs. I have tried using the optical cable and this works fine but I would prefer to use the single HDMI if possible as I don't think this is meant to be an issue on a brand new TV. This did not occur on my old Panasonic LED LCD TV; the arc connection for the audio and video worked perfectly.

Can anyone please help me diagnose the problem as it is worrying me to think after spending so much money on a new TV that this issue will go on forever. I don't know whether it is worth contacting Sony or whether it just requires a software update etc. If anyone knows anything about this issue or has experienced this themselves, it would be greatly appreciated if you could please help me out.

 

Cheers.

Edited July 30, 2020 by tobias07

[cwt]

The thing with hdmi 2.1;s E-ARC Tobias is that its supposed to be compatible with the earlier ARC protocol ; apart from the different proprietary types like simplink; bravia link anynet etc 

But as it is linked to 2.1 it requires the complete ecosystem to communicate with edid;s so it depends on an E-arc input on your avr [ and they are very rare atm with Denon/Marantz among the 1st]

Do your hdmi cables also have ethernet built in? Note the different methods ;

 

Quote

 eARC no longer relies on HDMI CEC (control protocol) for discovery and pairing. eARC has its own dedicated data channel, which allows connected devices to exchange information about which audio formats are supported – and not supported – at each end. The system will automatically select and use the optimal format.

Quote

The “e” in eARC stands for enhanced Audio Return Channel, and is a new standard feature of HDMI 2.1 that aims to provide the best possible audio resolution from your TV. The new configuration requires eARC support from both your TV and your audio device, which means both devices must support HDMI 2.1 — older HDMI versions do not support eARC. You’ll also need an HDMI cable with support for Ethernet, like the newer Ultra High-Speed HDMI cables, which do include Ethernet support.

https://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1534479331

Edited August 4, 2020 by cwt

[tobias07]

Hi mate,

Thanks for you reply.

 

No I only have standard HDMI cables connected at the moment. I didn't know whether it was just the cables that I needed to replace or what. I will probably try upgrading the HDMI cables to ultra-high-spead ones with ethernet. The Sony TV has the EARC connection but the amplifier only has the ARC connection as it is a couple of years old. Is this causing the issue you reckon?

 

Cheers.

[exitguy]

12 minutes ago, tobias07 said:

No I only have standard HDMI cables connected at the moment.

There's your problem, get HDMI + Ethernet and your good to go - I use Alogic cables for all my connections with their USB, Ethernet and HDMI (Carbon Series with Ethernet for 18Gbps) and never had an issue. Devices (Beyonwiz T2, Foxtel IQ3, Panasonic UB420 4K UHD) -> Onkyo NR696 (1Mtr) and Onkyo NR696 -> Sony KD65X9000F (3Mtr) all via the Carbon series cables.

 

24 minutes ago, tobias07 said:

The Sony TV has the EARC connection but the amplifier only has the ARC connection as it is a couple of years old. Is this causing the issue you reckon?

No, the Sony can do ARC/eARC depending on what is connected. It's the cables that don't have the capacity to carry the bandwidth

 

[tobias07]

Hi @exitguy,

Thanks for your reply.

 

Alright, I will invest in some good quality HDMI cables with ethernet and see if that helps. Will look into Alogic. Thanks!

 

Last question, I have mounted my TV on the wall and have run the TV power cable, HDMI cable and TV antenna through the wall and coupled together (basically touching each other). Is this an issue with them running along side each other or should they be separated with a minimum distance between the cables?

 

Cheers

[exitguy]

10 hours ago, tobias07 said:

Is this an issue with them running along side each other or should they be separated with a minimum distance between the cables?

Shouldn't be, I don't have them in the wall but running on the outside behind an entertainment unit. Have Power, Antenna and HDMI tied together with cable ties [1] behind the TV, [2] about 250mm down from there and then [3] another 250mm down from there - no issue and all signals A OK.