X1 will not pass optical audio out to my TV through HDMI

So my three year old X1 box died, took it to the local place and got a new box.

My setup is a multitude of devices (a blu-ray player, a DVD recorder (480P), the X1 and a ROKU box.

All are connected to a Sharp Aquos TV with HDMI. I have a soundbar (stereo) in front of the TV because it works far better than the built in speakers. I feed this soundbar with the OPTICAL AUDIO OUT from the Sharp TV. Has worked just fine with the old box for the past two years.

I get the new box and no sound into the soundbar. I do some trouble shooting (I have a recording studio in my basement so I am adept at this kind of stuff, routing, trouble shooting, etc.). What I discover is:

1. Optical Out to the soundbar works fine with the Blu-Ray Player

2. Optical Out (the same connection) works fine with the DVD recorder

3. Optical out (the same connection) works fine with the ROKU box

But if I use the cable box to view content on the TV I get NO audio from the optical out. I do get audio from the X1 on the analog out from the TV.

In addition check this out, my DVD recorder does not have HDMI input (I don't believe any of them ever did); so I feed the INPUT signal via the video and audio outs of the X1.

If I run live TV through the DVD recorder it DOES send audio through the TV optical out to the soundbar. That's obviously not a solution just stating if I send TV (analog feed from the X1) through the DVD recorder and then use the HDMI output from the DVD recorder, it also allows the TV to send optical audio to the soundbar.

There is NOTHING else left to check, this setup worked fine with my three year old X1, now it doesn't with a new box.

Here's where it gets weird, IF I connect the optical out of the X1 directly to the sound bar, then I get audio, so the actual optical out from the X1 DOES work.

The issue is for some reason, the X1 is not sending optical out audio to the TV via HDMI, so the TV can echo that audio to the soundbar. BUT the TV sends optical audio out from THREE OTHER DEVICES which are hooked to the TV via HDMI.

I feel like I would be wasting my time contacting Comcast Tech support, perhaps this can get forwarded to their engineering department.

Obviously the newer box is the problem but it's not like I can go there and tell them to give me an older box.

For reference the release version of my current X1 (the new one) is: 132.1.1

XRE Protocol Version: 2.8.0

Receiver Native Version: 4.8.0

Using the optical out directly from the receiver is not really an option, as that precludes me from using the soundbar for the other three devices I access frequently.

My only workaround at the moment is to tell my wife to set the soundbar to analog in when watching TV and switching it to Optical when watching the other sources but good luck with that.

Some channels via the analog input (CW is the worst offender) have some weird stuff going on, background music stomps on the dialog for example.

Thanks,

Analogeezer

Responses

Analogeezer

New Poster

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30 Messages

4 years ago

Wow no responses to this, it's like crickets around here. I did a Google Search and it seems this problem is somewhat common but people solve it by coming straight out of the cable box with the optical audio out. This is not a solution to me as I have to get audio from the three other digital sources going into the TV.

I guess I am going to have to contact Comcast Tech support but this issue needs to go to engineering, the "try rebooting your DVR" advice they always offer is not going to work.

Analogeezer

5

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XfinityDena

Official Employee

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3.2K Messages

I do apologize for the delay in reaching out to you but thank you for being a part of the Comcast family! I have a sound bar as well cause my TV speakers just didn't do the job like I felt it should. Have you checked the audio settings on the box? The link: https://comca.st/2UFIMxX can be helpful.

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4 years ago

0

Analogeezer

New Poster

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30 Messages

Thanks but I have been through all of that, multiple times.

For HDMI I have tried Auto-Detect, Stereo and even "Expert Mode" which is not that expert.

I know it's the DVR because all the rest of my system works fine and the DVR before this worked fine.

All I can figure is some sort of firmware issue which makes the unit ONLY send optical audio through the optical audio port, not through HDMI.

But "Expert Mode" offers no way to configure this.

I appreciate your reply though, is there a way to directly send this issue to engineering? If a swapout for another unit with a different firmware would work I would like to do that before we load up this unit with too much content.

As it turns out we lost a considerable amount of stuff in the old DVR, I don't know what the new one determined it should pick up from the cloud but it seems like if it was old, and not watched or part of a series it went away.

At least the General Hospitals were all in there, my wife would have gone Medieval had those been gone LOL

Thanks for replying

Analogeezer

4 years ago

0

XfinityDena

Official Employee

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3.2K Messages

If you would like to swap out the box you can visit a local service center to swap the box for free. If you are needing any assistance in locating a service center you can follow this link: https://comca.st/2U7yln6 to locate one near you! Do you know when you would be visiting the service center? I would love to reach out to make sure the swap went well and the new box and sound system is working for you!

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4 years ago

0

Analogeezer

New Poster

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30 Messages

Uhhh thanks for the suggestion but that is what created my problem to begin with. My 3 year old DVR died and I took it in and swapped it for another one.

While it is possible the problem is with the unit they gave me, it's not worth it to me to take it in (it is up to 15% loaded with content now) only to have a new one exhibit the same problem.

What I would like to do is escalate this to engineering; someone at a store is not going to understand an issue this technical.

The kind of answer I am hoping to hear would be something like "yes there is an issue with firmware version xx.xx.xxx, we can send you a new unit with an updated firmware that should work"

How do I escalate this highly technical issue to people who will better understand the issue?

Thanks,

Analogeezer

4 years ago

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XfinityMary

Official Employee

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271 Messages

I can understand your concern with the newer cable box. We would love to look further into this for you. Let's get this into a Private Chat Message so we can discuss your equipment specifically. Can you please send us a Private Chat Message with your first and last name along with your full service address?

To send us a Private Chat Message, select the message icon in the top right corner and then search for Xfinity support. With our new Xfinity support chat, you do not need to input the name of a person. Just select Xfinity support and you will be able to speak with the next available specialist.

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4 years ago

0

X1

Analogeezer

X1 will not pass optical audio out to my TV through HDMI

Analogeezer

XfinityDena

Analogeezer

XfinityDena

Analogeezer

XfinityMary

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