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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Double sound tv program and nowtv

I have recently discovered that my Samsung TV is a smart tv and I have downloaded the nowtv app , logged in to my account and the started to watch a program.

There is still the sound from the actual TV program as well as the sound from the NowTV program. How do I eliminate or mute the tv program sound, or separate them, as one is sounding over the other.

 

My tv goes through a Pioneer amplifier, as does other media equipment.

 

Thanks

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
RoyB
Legend

Hi again @Anonymous User 

 

That’s good news you have CEC and ARC set to On.

 

However, re Optical, we can see that the sub wire is on the left of your picture, under the blue HDMI cable.

 

On the right of your picture, though, there is unquestionably a cable in the port shown as

DIGITAL IN

OPTICAL

1 (TV)

ASSIGNABLE 

in the diagram of the back of your amp on page 19 of your manual.

 

Your amp is a tricky beast, and I know that things on it are endlessly reassignable, or renameable, but I am hoping you haven’t done much, or any, of this.

 

Your TV input function, though, it also says on page 19, is assigned to Optical, and refers us to page 59 to change this.

 

I would be inclined to pull out the cable that is in the Optical port, the more so that we do not know where it goes; even if it goes to the TV, and if you switched to TV, would give the TV sound, using it would not mute the TV speakers, and the slightest timing difference would produce a strange hollow sound.

 

So let’s go to page 59....

where there is a note suggesting that if you have ARC ON, you can’t make the Optical assignment.

 

Which is absolutely as I would expect, but it doesn’t tell you what you can do.

 

With things as they are, with the Optical cable pulled out, I would expect that choosing the TV (not TV INPUT) button on the remote, or choosing TV on the amp itself, would now give you the sound from the TV, and hence the sound from NowTV when you choose that app on the TV, through the amp, via ARC. Without further configuration.

 

But if not, you will need to do the configuration as per page 59, for the TV input, and hope you are offered HDMI OUT 1 MAIN as an option.

 

If none of this works, I am all out of ideas, and I would suggest that you contact Pioneer support by email or by phone, and ask them how you get this working.

 

But whatever the outcome, we have come a long way, and I think we can all agree that NowTV is exonerated from any blame here 🙂

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.

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24 REPLIES 24
Anonymous User
Not applicable

There was a bog standard tv cable with a bnc plug plugged into a bnc socket, which is for freeview. This is built in to a DVD recorder we have, so I unplugged it from the tv, but it made no difference.

 

The HDMI input is marked HDMI IN/DVI, coloured yellow, which is where the hdmi cable connects into from the SAT/CABLE socket on the amplifier. There are 2 other HDMI IN sockets on the TV which are not used. There is no HDMI port called ARC on my TV that I can see, even though it says that it has. Maybe because it is integrated into the HDMI socket????

There is an optical socket on the back of the tv but this is not in use.

 

The amplifer is a Pioneer vsx 930, and has 7 HDMI inputs including SAT/CABLE , DVD and Blu-ray, which I don't have.

 

Thanks

 

RoyB
Legend

Thanks @Anonymous User 

 

The TV cable won’t affect things, except that with it unplugged, the double sound from the TV won’t be heard, as there will be no signal being received. So with it disconnected, and with the Pioneer amp on, check you just get the NowTV sound; and then plug the aerial cable back in and check that you get the double sound again.

 

If you get the double sound without the TV aerial connected to the TV, then it’s not coming from the TV, and we will have to start investigating the inputs to, and the settings of, the amplifier.For the DVD recorder for instance.

 

But either way, let’s get you using the correct HDMI socket on the TV.

 

Here’s a picture of the back of your set, I think.

 

You need to be using HDMI IN 3 (ARC), the top HDMI input, not HDMI IN 1 (STB/DVI).

 

Can you now see an HDMI labelled ARC on your TV, or is it different from this picture?

 

If you can now find this ARC HDMI input, please try it instead of the STB/DVI one, with amp on and TV aerial plugged back into the TV, and let us know the results.

 

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

With the TV cable from the DVD recoder removed, and the HDMI cable from the amp moved to HDMI 3 ARC, there was still double sound with NowTV with the amp turned on.

 

I never realised that the HDMI for the TV should be in the HDMI 3 ARC socket, and I didn't see it very well when I looked earlier.

RoyB
Legend

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

Good progress then, with the HDMI cable from the amp now in the correct input on the TV. So next, we need to sort out the amp end.....

 

If there is double sound when there is no aerial lead into the TV, then the TV programme sound can’t be coming from the TV. So I suspect it must be coming from the DVD recorder, or some other input into the amp.

 

Would I be right in thinking that when you are getting double sound, the NowTV sound is coming from the TV speakers only, and the TV programme sound from the amp only?

 

If so, I would suggest that with the aerial still disconnected from the TV and the TV not playing NowTV, you try changing the TV channel on the DVD recorder. I suspect that you will then notice that the sound from the amp changes to this new channel.

 

Or if not the DVD recorder, try removing the inputs from the amp one by one until the sound stops. This will tell you what’s doing it. Though, if the double sound is indeed from a TV programme, my money is very much on the DVD recorder doing it.

 

And if so, ‘all’ we need to do now is to get the amp configured correctly.

 

So, while I read your amp’s manual, what devices have you got as inputs to the amp, what input sockets on the amp are they plugged into, and what sort of connections are they (HDMI, SCART, Optical, Phono (RCA) plugs, etc.?)

 

 

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
RoyB
Legend

Hi again @Anonymous User 

 

Having looked at the manual for it, I like your amp, but boy are there a load of options, and ways to get it wrong!

 

But straight off, you have it connected incorrectly; the HDMI cable to the TV shouldn’t be plugged into HDMI IN 2 SAT/CBL on the amp, it should be plugged into HDMI OUT 1 MAIN ARC CONTROL.

 

This single change may be enough to fix everything; if your amp is anything like my YSP2500 in operation, then it will now default to ARC connection to the TV, will receive and amplify the TV sound and put it out through your speakers, muting the TV speakers so only the amp speakers are playing, will play the sound from the TV channel on the TV when you are watching TV, or the sound from NowTV on the TV through the amp if you switch to the NowTV app on the TV, and will ignore all other inputs on the amp, so you don’t get double sound.

 

To watch stuff from the other devices plugged into the amp, you just choose the relevant input, probably as you did before; but the amp will henceforth default to the TV (which is probably what you want it to do) when first switched on, or when the TV is switched on.

 

I can see, though, that there are all sorts of clever input configuration options on the amp, so if you have tried any of these in a bid to get it working how you want, and it doesn’t quite work as above, it might be best to undo them, as described on page 59 of your manual.

 

Hopefully, though, you won’t need to do any more than move where the HDMI cable to the TV is plugged in on the amp, as above.

 

Do let us know how you get on.

 

(NB: there’s nothing here that any engineer worth his salt shouldn’t have been able to fix in five minutes for you, without the manuals, just by looking at how that HDMI cable was connected wrongly. I do hope you didn’t pay him anything.)

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

The NowTV sound is coming from the TV speakers, while the TV program sound is coming through the amp.

Changing the channel on the dvd recorder with the aerial disconnected from the tv, didn't seem to make any difference, or non that I could hear or tell.

Apologies for the confusion, as the tv is connected to HDMI OUT 2 (ARC) on the amplifier, while it is the satellite box which is connected to SAT/CBL on the amplifier.

 

Inputs to the amp are, from left to right:
1 DVD Recorde/player
2 Satellite box
3 TV box
4 NowTV box, which I want to do away with.

BD has a HDMI cable plugged in but not connected to anything.

The above devices are all plugged into HDMI sockets, as you can see in the picture.

 

The amp controller has the relevant sources already programmed into it. Press DVD button, brings on the DVD player etc, then to go back to the TV press the sat button.

 

The only thing I haven't done yet is to pull each HDMI cable out 1 at a time to see which one cuts the sound. But surely the only one to do that would be satellite box hdmi .

 

This is the HDMI cables plugged in amp.

 

IMG_20190709_093909.jpg

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

Just wondering does the other Apps on your Samsung TV behave the same way with regards to double sounds has the NowTV App on your TV ?

 

Been reading this thread with interest and something is not quite right or weird in your setup.

 

Must admit @RoyB has been doing a sterling job helping you out on this one and totally agree to everything he has said and suggested to try.

 

Looking at your photo, i am assuming that the Blue coloured HDMI cable connected to HDMI Out 1 (ARC) on your Pioneer AVR is going to the Samsung TV labelled HDMI 3 (ARC).

 

Also looking at the photo you have a optical input cable marked Digital TV on the Back of the Pioneer AVR which i am assuming is going into the optical sound out on your Samsung TV ?

 

I would be inclined to temporarily disconnect this optical cable between your TV and Pioneer AVR  when going through the testing process.

 

Also, you could then try plugging in the optical cable again (making sure in the Samsung TV sound menu settings that you set the sound to something like audio out, external out (not familiar with the  wording used on Samsung TV 's) and avoid things live headphones out, TV speakers etc and then go to your Pioneer AVR and under the input source control knob on the front off the Amp turn it until Optical Digital Source is shown on the Amp Display and then check for the double sound issue (maybe also temporary disconnect the blue HDMI cable between the Amp and TV identified has HDMI (ARC).

 

You will need to go through a process of trial by elimination unfortunately.

 

I would also suggest go into the Samsung Sound and HDMI Anynet settings and play around and test different variations with the NowTV App and the Pioneer AVR.

 

I can see that your Pioneer AVR is Bluetooth and Internet compatible, again i would be inclined to try switching off or disabling these two features during your testing.

 

Also if the Samsung TV offers Bluetooth connectivity turn it off, but obviously leave the internet working on the Samsung TV to utilise the smart Apps and again see what happens during your testing.

 

Anyway i hope between you and Roy that you get it sorted.

 

If it was me i would have lost patience by now and would have said to myself screw it i will just keep using the NowTV box instead.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi@schnapps

Yes, the other apps on my Samsung smart TV behave the same way as the NowTV app

 

@RoyBhas certainly being doing a great job of trying to help me and I cannot fault it.

 

You are right, as the blue HDMI cable does go to the HDMI 3 Arc on the TV.
Regarding the optical cable, mmm , well I'm not sure now where it goes to, as it doesn't go to the TV. I'll have look later now to see where it goes to.

 

To be honest it is getting a bit of a pain having to pull out the cabinet which has all my media equipment in, each time to check or do something, then push it back again and check nothing is trapped etc.

 

There isn't any HDMI Anynet settings option in Samsung Sound. Last week or so when I was in contact with Samsung Support UK, they told me to reset the sound, which I did, but it didn't change anything.

 

Using the Input control knob on the front of the amp does not show any Optical Digital Source, probably as the said cable is not connected to anything???
If it was connected to my tv would that solve my problem with the double sound

 

I'd be interested to know when the NowTV app is running on other user's TV's does the sound from the app just come through the tv speakers or whatever is used, and no sound from the tv program.

 

Regarding your last sentence, yes I was thinking along the same lines earlier, as it's been going on now for over a week and doesn't seem as though it is easily fixable.

 

Trying the trial and error is not really an option for me as I don't have much of an idea what will do what if I do this etc.

Thanks for your input, anyway.

RoyB
Legend

@schnapps 

 

I don’t think @Anonymous User has ever heard the TV sound, or the sound from any apps on the TV through his Pioneer amp, as up until now, he has not been using the correct HDMI input on the TV.

 

So I think this is worth getting right, as it will really maximise the use of the amp, which has not up until now been showing its full potential.

 

I think the double sound is as a result of his setting the amp to SAT, not TV; the amp will then of course play the SAT sound. And the SAT picture will appear on the TV screen, so it will look like he has TV on, but then when going to the NowTV app, it shows the ‘TV sound’ is actually SAT sound.

 

But now we have the HDMI connection between TV and amp correct at last, with both ends in ports that say ARC.

 

Hooray, and please don’t ask him to pull this one out again Smiley Tongue

 

 

But still no ARC working. Why not? Well a very plausible theory is that it’s not turned on, because this amp defaults, for some weird (or possibly logical) reason to not using CEC (called HDMI Control here, and also Kuro Link, but it’s the same thing that Samsung call Anynet+, because nobody wants to just call it CEC).

 

However the Samsung TV defaults to having it on, so it just needs turning on for the Pioneer amp, and the two bits of kit can at last talk to one another.

 

But that’s not the end of it, because the Pioneer amp also defaults to having ARC turned off. The Samsung, again, has it turned on by default; but when it talks to the amp over CEC (which we have hopefully enabled just above) the amp says ‘ARC? No can do’, so the Samsung stops trying to use it.

 

However, on the same page of the manual where we got CEC turned on for the amp, it also tells you how to turn on ARC for the amp.

 

So now, hopefully, when the Samsung asks ‘Do you do ARC?’ the Pioneer amp will say ‘Yes - bring it on!” at which the TV will mute its speakers and feed its sound, TV programme or NowTV app or whatever, to the amp, which will autoswitch to playing that sound, loud and clear (and unsullied by other sound sources) through the speakers connected to the Pioneer amp.

 

Thats the theory, anyway, laid out as simply as I can manage.

 

And If I were @Anonymous User , I’d be tempted to leave my AV cabinet pulled out until we finally get there 🙂

 

 

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi@RoyB

It isn't an optical cable plugged in to the amp, it is a Audio out Subwoofer cable to my Yamaha subwoofer, so that discaounts that.

 

Yes I watch Satellite, Freesat, to watch TV, and yes it does play the signal from the satellite box which is a Mutant HD51.
If that is the source of the problem, which does seem likely, then so be it.

 

I checked or setup HDMI , to find it was already set to Control ON and ARC was ON as per Section 6 of HDMI setup on page 82 of the manual. I'm only clutching at straws now, but maybe the problem is related to the HDMI setting . But it's a bit over my head so it may not be.

 

I then switched off both tv and amp at the mains then back on again, and removed the satellite HDMI cable. Obviously there was neither sound nor picture from the satellite box, but there was only sound from the NowTV app.

 

The connection between tv and amp is ARC to ARC, ARC is turned on in the amp, and as far as I can tell, there is no sound from the tv speakers when satellite tv is playing. As ever, there is only sound from the tv speakers when the NowTV or any other app is playing.

 

The manual does say the some time may be required after ARC etc is turned on on the amp. I did try again after about 15 minutes, but still the same

 

Unfortunately, it's neithere feasable nor practical to leave the AV cabinet pulled ou until the problem is is fixed.