Has anyone run into this? Out of many installations with no issues just one is experiencing this problem. I'm told the audio drop outs are short, less than 1 second and completely random and on all sources. It definitely happens on Netflix through the Apple TV most frequently, but this could be because it's the most used source. Sonos see's the drops in the diagnostics and confirms its when Dolby Digital is in use.

Equipment list is as follows
Apple TV Gen 4
Fios cable box
Key digital 4x1 csk
Ethereal MHZ 5m, switch to TV
Samsung 60ju7100

Optical cable from TV has been changed. Firmware on TV is the latest, done through the flash drive not through the TV's network connection. My next step is to change the switch.

"Key Digital" . . . . Bingo!
If not that, then my next bet is on the Samsuck.

What have you done to troubleshoot?
1st thing would be to bypass the 4x1 switch and let the customer play with that for a day. See if it still does it.
If not, probably the 4x1.
If so, take audio straight to the SONOS Playbar and see if it happens then.
If not, Samsuck.
If so, could be a defective Playbar.

I was just going to suggest the client watch Netflix through the TV. With the TV connected via the optical cable as a test to see what happens.

KOT

I'm going to put in the pro version of the switch with an optical out and go directly into the Playbar with that. I can't have him use Netflix through the TV without confusing the hell out of him.

As far as what I've done, just changed optical cable and updated firmware in TV.

Did it work?

Sounds like a similar issue I had with a customer using a Tivo off air unit to the TV with optical out to the Playbar.

I finally just told him to change the TV audio out to PCM and the issue never came back.

Problem appears to be solved. Either the TV is bad or the switch is, or there was an edid issue. I won't be using the champion series switches going forward. Too many issues too often. This little issue nearly cost me a client and a lot of time, so what the hell did I save by not using the pro switch. The pro line has been great.

Have a similar dropout issue on a Samsung. Momentary, several times in an evening. Sonos says to set the Samsung to pcm instead of Dolby Digital. It's definitely a drop in sound quality and spaciousness.

BTW there seems to be a bunch of uncertainty about DD passing or not. Only on built in apps, some say. But tune to ESPN or any number of channels and go to Sonos settings/about and the PlayBar shows it is receiving DD.Even tech support has given me conflicting statements.

I don't hear it dropping out when I am on site.

It did it through a binary switch 5x1, still does it with DirecTV and AppleTV run direct and mounted behind the TV. Using 1 meter Binary cables.

Should I try some of Brent's DAD Jr's for test?

This is the only one out of many similar setups that is giving grief.

Well my clients issue is resolved. I have since spoken with Sonos and they told me there's a confirmed issue with the Ju7100 series and DD dropping on the Playbar. There may be a solution out now or one may be pending. On the other hand the switch I took out of clients I tested and the video portion of it began acting erratically so in my case it seems more like the switch was the issue. I have done plenty of Ju7100's with Playbars and haven't had an issue.

Anyone else experiencing this?

I have a client with a Samsung UN65JU6500 that I was going to install a Sonos Playbar for along with a Sonos sub and a pair of Play1 for surrounds. The customer found out there may be issues with drop outs and is concerned. As am I. He doesn't want PCM.

I don't know of any other sound bars that support both wireless subs AND wireless surrounds.

I plan to call Sonos tech support to see if they know if there has been a FW update to the Samsung units to resolve this.

Not sure why this would not affect any sound bar? If there are DD dropouts on the optical, would this not affect all sound bars using the optical audio out of these Sam UHD TVs? Why just Sonos? I realize some soundbars do all the HDMI switching but many only get a feed from the TV and the TV does all the switching.

I have one here as well. It's just a Playbar and a brand new Vizio TV that the customer supplied. I'm going to check it out later today.

There is a SAMSUNG firmware update that is reported to fix at least some of this. Make sure that the set's firmware is up to date. I have observed the drop outs with a cable box connected directly to the TV. [edit: without PLAYBAR] I think that it is a combination of the cable box and TV. Further, I think that PLAYBAR reacts poorly to the drops, making them more obvious.

Connecting PLAYBAR directly to the cable box helps, but might violate your idea about "how things should be done".

If I turn the television off, maybe the newer style cable box never turns off and always feeds audio. The TV will be off and the sound stays on. There is the violation. 😳