Intermittent Problems with Sound after Connecting to a TV Via HDMI cable.

[Mobi]

I have been wrestling with a sound problem using HDMI cables to connect my Acer to a TV  for months and it is slowly driving me round the bend.

 

On a daily basis I connect my laptop to a variety of TV screens via an HDMI cable so that I can watch and listen to movies, music vids etc on a larger screen.

 

 

My lap top is an Acer and I use a small Samsung Screen on my desk every day as a desk top. When I want to sit down and watch a movie, I connect the Acer to my 36 inch LG screen in the lounge, and these days, I also connect the Acer daily to a 42 inch LG screen in my bar to play music vids.

 

Finally, when I come home from the bar I watch some Vids on another Samsung TV screen in my bedroom.

 

All connections are made via HDMI, and my W7 display is set to the ‘Extend Screens’ options and works very well.

 

EXCEPT!!!

 

Very often the sound does not work. Sometimes the sound remains on the Laptop’s internal speakers after connecting the HDMI and occasionally there is no sound at all - either from the connected TV or the Acer’s internal speakers.

 

The only way to solve this problem is to re-boot my Lap top, sometimes two times, before the sound eventually comes from the TV.

 

I have tried every way which to make the sound active by fiddling with the sound /playback devices but to no avail.

 

I have tried inserting and removing the HDMI cable at different stages – i.e. before or after turning on the laptop, and connecting the TV input at different stages in the process but there seems to be no discernable pattern as to what will make the sound work and what won’t.

 

I never have a problem with the small Samsung on my desk, I occasionally have a problem with the LG screens, but not too often, but almost every time I have a problem with the Samsung in my bedroom.

 

It drives me nuts as all I want to do is watch a bit of TV before I sleep after a long night at the bar, and I nearly always have to re-boot it at least once, sometimes 2 or 3 times before the sound magically comes back.

 

Does anyone know a quick fix to this problem, or is it just general W7 crap which is un-fixable?

 

Thanks for any replies

 

Mobi

[Totster]

I haven't used Win7 for a while, but I'm sure you can choose the the sound output device.  Maybe this will fix it where the laptop is having trouble choosing for itself.

 

totster :)

[Chicog]

Totster's advice is sensible. Also make sure you have the very latest drivers for all PCs (Windows Update + apply the ones Slimdrivers suggests).

 

And have a look at Chromecast as an alternative to avoid buggering about with wires.

 

In fact there is already a conversation on this very subject :)

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746933-best-pc-to-the-tv-video-stream-device/#entry8206183

[RichCor]

 

[...]

The only way to solve this problem is to re-boot my Lap top, sometimes two times, before the sound eventually comes from the TV.

I have tried every way which to make the sound active by fiddling with the sound /playback devices but to no avail.

 

 

I haven't used Win7 for a while, but I'm sure you can choose the the sound output device.  Maybe this will fix it where the laptop is having trouble choosing for itself.

 

totster

 

 

Looks like he tried that Totster, but it is the place to start.  

 

Might also want to see if there are any Sound or Video Driver updates on the Acer Website.

 

 

Anyway, the problem will soon resolve itself, as the MTBF of some HDMI ports is like 5,000 mating cycles (out-in).

 

Some people recommend putting a short HDMI pigtail cable on any TV you frequently connect with to redirect the mating cycle wear to the extension connector and not the high-end TV. No easy solution for the laptop.

[phazey]

Right click on the speaker icon in your task bar (near the clock) and select "Playback Devices" - in there you should see something regarding your Samsung TV. Highlight it and then at the bottom select "set as default"

 

Robert should then be your fathers brother.

[Mobi]

Right click on the speaker icon in your task bar (near the clock) and select "Playback Devices" - in there you should see something regarding your Samsung TV. Highlight it and then at the bottom select "set as default"

 

Robert should then be your fathers brother.

 I am 99% certain I have tried this before and the computer refused to let me select the Samsung as default (or maybe didn't even show it as an option), but I will try again tonight and report back.

[dinger]

Had the same issue with my Acer. Sound off and on for no real reason, plus sometimes would loose the picture. Tried everything, finally figured out that the HDMI connection was loose and any movement of the cable or computer would result in lose of sound. It's the actual connection slot on the computer that is loose so I still have the problem but now know how to deal with it.

Just my experience

[Mobi]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I MAY have cracked it.

 

It is not a loose or dodgy HDMI cable - I use many different cables for different TV’s and the picture is always fine.

 

As I suspected, I tried right clicking etc on the speaker icon and that does not work. When the choice comes up for ‘playback devices’, it will not allow me to select the Samsung speaker option (which is shown). The selection options are frozen. Even if I deselect the Acer speaker option, I cannot then select the Samsung Speaker option.

 

However, if I click control panel and then under ‘Hardware and Sound’ I then click on ‘adjust commonly used mobility settings’ and then click on the speaker icon, 2 times out of three it changed the setting from Acer Speakers to the Samsung speakers and the sound was transferred. On the time that it didn’t work, I repeated the procedure from the start and it worked.

 

It is very time consuming to keep replicating the problem by re-booting , (as sometimes the sound works fine), so I will leave it that for now and see if the control panel solution works every time.

 

If not, I will look into the driver situation, but presumably as I get all the regular updates from Microsoft, they should be up to date….

 

Or maybe not…???

[Chicog]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I MAY have cracked it.

 

It is not a loose or dodgy HDMI cable - I use many different cables for different TV’s and the picture is always fine.

 

As I suspected, I tried right clicking etc on the speaker icon and that does not work. When the choice comes up for ‘playback devices’, it will not allow me to select the Samsung speaker option (which is shown). The selection options are frozen. Even if I deselect the Acer speaker option, I cannot then select the Samsung Speaker option.

 

However, if I click control panel and then under ‘Hardware and Sound’ I then click on ‘adjust commonly used mobility settings’ and then click on the speaker icon, 2 times out of three it changed the setting from Acer Speakers to the Samsung speakers and the sound was transferred. On the time that it didn’t work, I repeated the procedure from the start and it worked.

 

It is very time consuming to keep replicating the problem by re-booting , (as sometimes the sound works fine), so I will leave it that for now and see if the control panel solution works every time.

 

If not, I will look into the driver situation, but presumably as I get all the regular updates from Microsoft, they should be up to date….

 

Or maybe not…???

 

Slimdrivers. It will find the drivers that MS Update doesn't.

[Mobi]

Yes thanks, I decided to go ahead with the drivers update and I have 17 drivers out of date. Currently downloading and installing them - looks like it will take all day.

 

Anyway, between the new drivers and the control panel option, I will hopefully solve this long standing problem once and for all.

 

I have had a quick look at Chromecast and it looks interesting. I may look closer at this  later.

 

Right now my bar, house and bedroom all have 'hardwired' HDMI cables, and if the internet drops out (which it does every now and then), I would be screwed, although I suppose if I went the Chromecast route I could use the HDMI cables as back-up.