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  1. #1
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    TV Audio Question

    My television has a weird problem with regard to anything that comes through the my Comcast box.

    My PS3 and PS4 (both of which come through HDMI cables) don't have this problem at all. But with the Comcast box, I have one of two problems depending on whether I go through my surround sound or not.

    If I don't go through my surround sound, the audio is very low. To the point where I have to turn the volume up to the absolute max it needs to be in order to hear the TV and even then, I need a quiet room.

    If I run it through the surround sound, the volume on the dialogue varies from Off to Normal, depending on the show, whereas the background music/sound effects stays the same. The other night, I was watching live TV, and on one commerical, dialogue would be fine. The next commercial, you couldn't hear it at all. And it switched back and forth. Last night, watching Game of Thrones, I could hear the dialogue in the previews before the show just fine, but one GoT started, the dialogue was completely silent (although, again, music and SFX were fine).

    So I changed out my Comcast box a few months ago, and both old and new boxes have the same problem. I tried switching around cables (the 5-cord, not HDMI kind), but that didn't seem to change anything. Which leads me to believe it's related to the TV, because that's the only thing all problems have in common.

    I haven't tried switching the Comcast box to HDMI, as the back of the TV only has the two HDMI ports, and the PS3 (Netflix machine, as well was games) and the PS4 are using both of those.

    The dialogue / no dialogue thing makes me wonder if there's some setting somewhere that got tweaked. But the fact the problem repeats with different cables and different boxes makes me wonder if there's some problem with the connecting hardware on the TV itself (I've switched to Component 1 and Component 2 and had the same problem). It's an 8-year old 61" Samsung rear projection, if that makes any difference.

    Anyone have any suggestions? I'd be willing to get the TV repaired if I knew for sure that was the problem, but I don't want to spend $100 trying to get something fixed that may not be the problem, nor do I want to lug a TV that big around in the back of my pick up if I can avoid it.

  2. #2
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    Easy way to check if it's an issue with the component cables is to try HDMI first. If the same issue happens with the cable box in HDMI, it's got to be something on Comcast's end. If it works, you have two options, have someone check out the component connection on your TV, or get an HDMI splitter and have all 3 devices going into that. I bought a 5 port splitter for my TV and I can't even tell a difference in video quality, and it will also auto switch if you turn on a new device.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Melena View Post
    Easy way to check if it's an issue with the component cables is to try HDMI first. If the same issue happens with the cable box in HDMI, it's got to be something on Comcast's end. If it works, you have two options, have someone check out the component connection on your TV, or get an HDMI splitter and have all 3 devices going into that. I bought a 5 port splitter for my TV and I can't even tell a difference in video quality, and it will also auto switch if you turn on a new device.
    I don't know why I haven't tried the HDMI cables with the Comcast box, it only occurred to me to do so as I was typing this up.

    The splitter is a good idea, my concern in the past was that I really didn't want to have to get behind the TV and manually flip the switch around every time I switched inputs. But if there are some that automatically switch based on input, that seems very convenient.

    Thanks for the suggestion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Byrd View Post
    I don't know why I haven't tried the HDMI cables with the Comcast box, it only occurred to me to do so as I was typing this up.

    The splitter is a good idea, my concern in the past was that I really didn't want to have to get behind the TV and manually flip the switch around every time I switched inputs. But if there are some that automatically switch based on input, that seems very convenient.

    Thanks for the suggestion.
    I think I ordered mine from Amazon, let me see if I can find it.

    Here we go, I've had zero issues with this thing.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o07_s00

  5. #5
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    For the low volume when the comcast box isn't running through the surround sound system, check to see if there is a volume level on the box itself. They used to have their own (I think its a toggle-able option now) and if that is bare minimum you'd have to crank the tv up. If that is the case it may also affect hookup to the sound system.

  6. #6
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    Just as a follow up: I got an HDMI splitter, and it appears to have solved the problem, as both the Comcast box and PS3 go through the same HDMI port on the TV now. No sound problems for either device.

    Thanks, guys, for your help.

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