LG OLED 55C7P Audio Dropouts

BrianWestMI · December 2017

Hi.

I've had a 55C7P since early November and I continue to experience very brief (~ 1 second) intermittent audio dropouts when watching cable TV shows and during streaming videos from Amazon Prime. The picture is not affected when the sound drops out. This does not appear to happen when watching DVD's or streaming video from iTunes or Netflix. It definitely does not happen when streaming music from Pandora via Apple TV 4K.

I've switched out cables to no avail. I have isolated the problem to the TV rather than to ancillary devices.

I was told by LG that upgrading the firmware to version 40.70.36 should solve the problem - but it has not. The new firmware does appear to have fixed a problem wherein I couldn't always get audio from streamed movies that were in Dolby Vision or Dolby Surround format, but I'm still getting the random audio dropouts.

I'm wondering if anyone has any observations or suggestions.

Thanks

wizave · December 27, 2017, 9:44 pm

Does the audio drop out for a long period of time with firmware 04.70.36? How are you getting around this issue?

TheKat · December 28, 2017, 2:25 pm

I have set up my new television, am having a problem with in TV Playback using HDMI ARC to my receiver when streaming content.

Television: LG OLED65B7A Firmware 04.70.36

Receiver: Marantz SR6011 Firmware 1340-5946-9103-05

Symptom: While watching streaming content, the audio will occasionally drop out for a second or two. There is no stutter in the video, just the audio.

My old Samsung television did not have this issue. I even tried hooking it back up to be sure it was not a new symptom.

So far my only "solution" is to not stream with the B7A and use my PS3 connected to the receiver. As the PS3 does neither 4k nor any of the nifty things the B7A is capable of visually, this is not an "acceptable" long term solution.

wizave · December 30, 2017, 4:19 am

I am having this same random split second audio dropout issue after upgrading my OLED65C7 to firmware 04.70.36. Come on LG... one problem fixed and now this.

twarnoldky · December 31, 2017, 7:03 pm

LG OLEDC7P installed 12/27/17 and has new software update. Only hooked up to Directv receiver. Sound is repeatedly dropping out for a second. Video stays pure. I have turned off Dolby Atmos and Smart Sound Mode and it still drops out.

An update - starting to drop out for a longer time. When I hit skip back button on remote and jump back ten seconds the sound is there.

RickL · January 2, 2018, 7:58 am

I observed the same thing on OLED65C7P. Also audio is behind video and gets worse over time. Audio drop out problem seems to happen at the beginning of commercials.

stf7 · January 2, 2018, 2:49 pm

I would contact customer service via Chat method, provide the model number, your observations and request a firmware update to address the dropout

ammurad · March 2, 2018, 8:00 pm

I have exactly the same issue with my b7. Exactly the same dropouts around 1 second. Typically from devices connected via HDMI. Very annoying, I am also on the latest firmware .36. Did anyone find a solution or is this simply firmware related?

swrives · March 8, 2018, 2:52 pm

Same here with B7.

fernandocoutinho · March 14, 2018, 3:07 am

This Post help me too
Thanks for Sharing!

johnprigby · March 14, 2018, 7:39 am

I too observe this same problem. Feels like a buffer underrun issue. Has anybody tried tinkering with the sound settings to see if it makes any difference? The failure is unpredictable and infrequent for me (only a few events in any watching period) so it's going to take a while between changes to see if it works. Currently trying with Atmos turned off

johnprigby · March 14, 2018, 2:44 pm

lg care center forwarded to Head Office case number

VCU180314047713

I included a link to this thread

WADEW1LS0N · May 12, 2018, 6:36 am

I'm having this same dolby digital dropout problem on a brand new LG B7V bought 2 weeks ago, if I switch to pcm the sound runs fine, but obviously that means no dolby digital which basically negates the whole point of my having a dolby surround system and a supposedly dolby enabled tv. The firmware has been updated (04.70.85) and the sound system (an old Sony system with no hdmi) is connected via optical (and this same system worked just fine with the samsung mu6100 4k tv I traded in to get the B7, plus has worked just fine for 10 years on every other tv it was set up on). I've tried every possible fix, from the tv audio settings through the sound system settings to the cables used and still the same, momentary sound dropouts in dolby digital every few minutes on my wdtv live and (to a somewhat lesser extent) on my playstation 4. The tv's built in Netflix app seems fine with dolby mind, excluding the times it played with no center audio/dialogue at least.

DennisFlorida · May 13, 2018, 12:54 pm

I just switched soundbars from one with HDMI switching (hooked up to LG HDMI 2 ARC) to a soundbar with no HDMI at all (just optical out from the LG used).

I had no audio problems with the first soundbar - and I had used both HDMI ARC and Optical out from the TV to the soundbar. However, when I switched to the soundbar with only Optical, that's when I started getting 1-2 second volume reductions.

I'm experimenting with the sound settings on the LG....just changed to AUTO instead of PCM

rlink · May 18, 2018, 6:30 pm

Same here. Brief audio drop out and lip sync issues. Have LG 65C8PUA and LG SK10Y sound bar.

warwick · July 8, 2018, 8:41 am

My oled the same ..dops out for 1-second 3 or 4 time s a minute. Its getting worse!! Thought it was a sonos issue .So removed optical cable and play just through tv. Source laptop connected via hdmi. Laptop does not have issue . Its the tv . Play through old panasonic plasma ..no issues. COME ON LG

cartosco · September 2, 2018, 9:09 pm

Same problem here in SPAIN whit LG OLED 55C7V using Netflix with Denon X3300W, playing several contents like Ozark or Family Guy for example. The sound drop out several times ~ 1 second randomly. I've the latest firmware installed.

thesloth · September 7, 2018, 5:08 am

Any updates on this? I have a LG OLED 55C7P with the latest firmware in Canada and I get the random audio dropouts when listening to Dolby Digital sources from the HDMI through the TV into my Receiver via Optical.

I do not get dropouts when the audio is stereo or played through internal speakers and I do not get dropouts when playing Dolby Digital from the TV's internal Netflix app over optical to my receiver.

Here is a sample of the sound dropping:

Here is my setup:

Running the cable box through the receiver stops the audio drops but messes up the remotes such that nobody else can figure out how to use the setup and the receiver won't do 4K with the Apple TV.

Running the sounds over ARC doesn't work either because the Netflix App sends some weird Dobly Digital Plus signal that the receiver cannot decode.

This is driving me nuts and warranty is running out.
Any updates or suggestions?

Thanks.

ratlhead · December 28, 2018, 10:15 am

Have a new C8 and Denon X3500H - TV hooked up via HDMI 2 / ARC. Audio from any app on the TV does the same thing as mentioned here - random dropouts for a second or so.

Is the only real solution to abandon using the LG apps and use an external device like an Apple TV? I have the latest firmware, and if this is indeed an LG issue, it's still not resolved in Dec 2018.

cartosco · February 5, 2019, 4:45 pm

LG Service don't knows how to solve the problem. I contacted with them several times with the problem and the problem persist. I think that the internal API exposed by WebOS for 3rd parties apps, like Netflix or Amazon have issues with audio when the selected output is an external receiver, my case for example using HDMI ARC. Using DLNA everything works because I've seen a lot of contents without any audio dropout by this way...

HiRobert · February 13, 2019, 10:28 pm

I have the same issue. I've tested it with an Apple TV, LG's internal apps, and with/without external speakers (connected via optical cable). I've called LG twice. Interestingly, resetting the factory settings seemed to work for a small period of time -- until the firmware was automatically updated to the latest version. I suspect a problem with LG's more recent Dolby software?

I'm at a loss on what to do. LG wants me to take it in to have my board examined, but that'll likely cost $200-$300. My wife wants to know why we can't just buy a cheap Costco TV to replace it. I'm frustrated. A 16 month TV shouldn't be having these types of issues.

dtcary · March 18, 2019, 4:48 pm

I am having random intermittent audio drop outs for ~1 to 3 seconds. It’s driving me crazy. I’ve called spectrum and reboot my DVR constantly, but the problem appears again, sometimes immediately. It’s model OLED55C7P. I’m using a Yamaha soundbar with optical cable. Help. This is driving me mad. Spectrum says it’s not their issue. My other TV is an older Samsung and it doesn’t seem to have this problem, although I don’t watch it that often. It does not have a sound bar. I have called LG in the past about lip synch issues which has since gone away. But I dread getting the runaround from a level 1 support person who doesn’t know their stuff.

Has anyone resolved this problem?

pedalhead · March 29, 2019, 10:15 am

Same problem here with my brand new OLED65B8PLA. Short audio dropouts when using the optical output, multiple per minute. It's bad enough that I'll be returning the TV for a refund if it isn't resolved very soon.

Kegan · March 30, 2019, 1:58 pm

To LG support: I have an OLED65B7A that I bought in 2017 and still having issues with the audio drops when using ARC to a Denon AVRX1400H receiver and watching Netflix or Amazon prime. It is an ARC issue as I don't have the problems when watching Netflix or Amazon with my XBOX One X. It only seems to be ARC and those apps as it doesn't occur when watching DirecTV using ARC. Please offer a response to the issue that many are experiencing. Thank you.

grantg · July 30, 2019, 5:00 am

Has anyone found a solution? Any help would be appreciated.

Givara · August 6, 2019, 10:00 am

Same problem with my OLED 65C8- connected by optical wire to DCS Bartok dac and I’m getting audio drops every several minutes! Why there is no answer from LG? Lots of people for long time are having similar problems! Or is it now normal for LG to sell a 3000$ tv with such flows and just giving no f*ck on lots of people’s complains?

elliot · November 14, 2019, 2:18 am

Just bough a 65in C9 and having the same issue with latest firmware. Has there been any update from LG? The store has offered to replace it but I'm not sure if this issue is present on all models.

diz · January 7, 2020, 10:27 pm

I bought a 55 c9 a few weeks ago, same problem. Hulu seems to be the worst app on mine. It’s connected by arc to a Yamaha receiver and I was planning on trying optical until I ended up here. Maybe back to the Apple TV. Or lg tv back to Costco.

Mattio2187 · January 13, 2020, 4:17 pm

Same or similar issue here. Audio skips or glitches every 10 seconds or so and is very distracting. But only when using the optical connection from my C9 to my amp. Doesn't matter if it's coming from my PS4, Nvidia Shield, or one of the built in apps, if it is passing through the tv via optical it glitches. Direct connects (like PS4 to amp) do not have this issue.

They really need to fix this and hopefully they can via the firmware.

To get around it for now, the analog out does not have this issue. But be sure to set the TV to "Wired Headphone" and not line out which will allow you to turn the volume down to around 65 otherwise the signal clips. ugh.

ErnieS · January 21, 2020, 3:53 am

Same issue with LG 65C9 OLED. Maddening!

Forrell1992 · January 28, 2020, 10:23 pm

Confirmed - I’m getting it with the 2019 55 C9 on my soundbar connected with optical out. 1 second ‘dips’ in audio that are very noticeable , several per minute.

I can bypass the audio dips by using my sound bars auxiliary 3.5mm Jack instead of the optical port but why should I have to use analogue over digital because LG can’t fix what is clearly a widespread issue??!

LG OLED 55C7P Audio Dropouts

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