PHILIPS 55 PU7334/12 & Yamaha RX-V377 strange 'Decoder off' ARC issue

RinseOut

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Hi all,

Had the TV for a couple of months, and the receiver for a fair few years. Finally got a new HDMI cable yesterday and attempted to set up ARC.

For the most part, it's fine. The RX-V377 responds to TV power up & down, volume and input changes from the Philips remote. I was watching some youtube videos whilst testing and all appeared fine, audio was coming back from the TV down the HDMI cable (receiver set to AV1 for TV audio). We then settled down to watch a 5.1 movie on Netflix, Dolby Digital+ flashed up for a second on the V377, then it swiftly switched to 'Decoder off' and no audio was coming through.

I've been pulling my hair out ever since - I finally figured out a workaround; I switch the V377 to another input for example HDMI1, then back to AV1 and the 5.1 audio starts coming through fine. If I stop/start the 5.1 source on the TV, or even simply pause it, the V377 displays 'Decoder off' and doesn't let any audio through till I cycle the inputs as described or change to a 2 channel source.

Any ideas guys? I was really hoping to be able to put the Yamaha remote away :/
 
The Decoder Off message would suggest that the AV receiver isn't receiving any audio.

I'd suspect the HDMI cable between the AV receiver and the TV. Most ARC issues are due to the cable being used not being up to the task.

If only getting this behaviour in association with the Netflix app on your TV then it could potentially be an issue with that app? Not a lot you can do about it if it is and you'd need Netflix to address the issue and revise the app accordingly.

Decoder Off simply indicates that there's nothing for the decocder to decode, basically indicating nothing is being received by the AV receiver.
 
The Decoder Off message would suggest that the AV receiver isn't receiving any audio.

I'd suspect the HDMI cable between the AV receiver and the TV. Most ARC issues are due to the cable being used not being up to the task.

If only getting this behaviour in association with the Netflix app on your TV then it could potentially be an issue with that app? Not a lot you can do about it if it is and you'd need Netflix to address the issue and revise the app accordingly.

Decoder Off simply indicates that there's nothing for the decocder to decode, basically indicating nothing is being received by the AV receiver.


Hi Dante,

I think the cable is OK, it's an Amazon basics HDMI2.0 which I have heard good things about?

It's also the same when using the Prime Video app on the TV, basically any 5.1 source. Same behavior too, flicking to another input on the receiver then back to AV1 allows the 5.1 audio to come through no worries. 2 channel sources from the same apps all come through fine with no messing around?

I figured its more likely to be an issue with the receiver, since changing the inputs seems to sort the problem temporarily, but could it be the TV?
 
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I'd suggest the TV as being the issue then. Contact Phillips and repot the issue to them. I'd not however expect them to do anything to resolve the problem and they'll more than likely blame the AV receiver.
 
It is a common issue with the pre 2020 Yamaha receivers, irrespectively from the TV Model. Yamaha decoder crashes every time when the sound is fed through ARC and TV switches audio codec from anything else to DolbyDigital+.
 
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It is a common issue with the pre 2020 Yamaha receivers, irrespectively from the TV Model. Yamaha decoder crashes every time when the TV switches audio codec from anything else to DolbyDigital+.


Strange how I've never experienced it.

You say "irrespectively from the TV Model. I've never had iussues with using ARC with older ARC enabled Yamaha AV receiver with Samsung or LG TVs.

My setup in my bedroom uses a 6 year old Yamaha receiver and a 5 year olde LG TV. I previously had aan even older SAmsung model in that setup. My main room is using a TYamaha RXA1050 and an LG C9, again there's no issue with ARC from either setup.
 
As said, I've never experienced any issues either with an LG or a Samsung TV using older Yamaha AV receivers.

The issue may be specific to the RXV377 as opposed to all older Yamaha models as you implied?

My second AV receiver is an RXA1050, older than the model specified in the issue you lonked to.
 
I linked already RX-v377, RX-v373, RX-a3070. I came across RX-s600D, RX-v575 and RX-v581 as well.
 
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And why would it be the AV receiver at fault?

Again, I've an older and a more recent Yamaha AV receiver as well as an older LGE and a recent C9 model TV. I've also used an even older Samsung TV with these AV receivers and never had the issues you suggest are endemic.
 
And why would it be the AV receiver at fault?

Three things suggest that:
1. The issue resolves when you simply switch sources on the receiver. Swap to HDMI1 and then back to ARC - and miracously sound reappears.
2. I haven't had that issue with four different receivers in same setup: two Onkyos, Sonos Beam and Samsung soundbar. Granted - with the Samsung I cannot be sure it actually received the DD+ signal - but the sound was there. Rest did receive DD+.
3. There are reports of exactly same way to reproduce this issue among many different brands of TVs.
4. One of the posters did upgrade to v585 and their setup is behaving fine now.

Again, I've an older and a more recent Yamaha AV receiver as well as an older LGE and a recent C9 model TV. I've also used an even older Samsung TV with these AV receivers and never had the issues you suggest are endemic.

I have an LG B8 - model from 2018 - and observe the same issue. There are reports of it with 2020 CX as well.

It could be oversensitivity of the Yamaha to some cable issues that other brands don't care about.

Might not be endemic, but common enough to came across.
 
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You appear to be looking for specific issues relative to Yamaha models. THere are just as many similar issues reported relative to other makes of AV receiver. SAmsung in particular has a bad reputation as regards its implementations of ARC.

Suggesting that Yamaha has this issue and not other AV receivers is incorrect. Nor do older Yamaha moels predominantly all have such an issue.

I'd suggest the issue to be as likely to be with the TV's own implementation of ARC or even HDMI CEC as opposed to it being catagorically an issue associated with and isolated to Yamaha AV receivers.

Again, my older A1050 has never exhibited any issues associated with ARC using either a recent C9, an older LCD LG model or an even older Samsung TV.


It also has ro be said that many instances where ARC isn't functioning ends up to be an issue with the cable being used as opposed to the TV or the AV receiver.
 
You appear to be looking for specific issues relative to Yamaha models. THere are just as many similar issues reported relative to other makes of AV receiver. SAmsung in particular has a bad reputation as regards its implimentations of ARC.
True. I am trying to prove that it is a common issue with those receivers. The more issues I find, the stronger my case.

Siggesting that Yamaha has this issue and not other AV receivers is incorrect. Nor do older Yamaha moels predominantly all have such an issue.
I am only saying that Yamaha receivers have this issue. I have never implied that ARC implementation of other receivers is perfect.

I'd suggest the issue to be as likely to be with the TV's own implimentaion of ARC or even HDMI CEC as opposed to it being catagorically an issue associated with and isolated to Yamaha AV receivers.
Yet the same TVs work perfectly fine with other receivers...

Again, my older A1050 has never exhibited any issues associated with ARC using either a recent C9, an older LCD LG model or an even older Samsung TV.
Lucky you :)
 
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Lucky you :)


Not really, there are plently of other Yamaha owners who also haven't experienced such issues. People are more inclined to post that their devices have an issue than they are to post when there isn't one. There are as many reports of DEnon, Marantz and other makes of AV receivers having ARC issues as there are relating to Yamaha AV receivers.
 
I have the exact same problem with RX-V377 and a 2020 TCL/Roku TV. Thank you grogi for the solution, it works.

dante01, stop being an ass.
 
I'm seeing this problem with an LG OLED CX and a Yamaha RX-V473 Receiver. Switching inputs every time I pause is driving me nuts!

The most frustrating thing is that it was working before. I was able to switch to Netflix, Amazon Prime, pause a movie, etc. and the Surround Decoder would always pick up the signal. This only started happening after I changed the CX's audio output temporarily to Bluetooth and then back to ARC. After that the devices seem to have lost whatever handshake was stable before, and I can't get it back to where it was. I've tried all kinds of power-down/-up combinations, disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable, resetting the receiver, etc.

So I know it's possible for this combination to work. I just can't get it back! If anyone has any magical incantation to recommend I'm all for it.
 
I've seen members who've unexplicably lost ARC post that they regained it after unplugging their JDMI cable between the TV and their AVR and then reataching it again. I'd suggest you power down the 2 devices if trying this though. HDMI cables are not as hot swoppable as some may suggest!
 
I'm seeing this problem with an LG OLED CX and a Yamaha RX-V473 Receiver. Switching inputs every time I pause is driving me nuts!

The most frustrating thing is that it was working before. I was able to switch to Netflix, Amazon Prime, pause a movie, etc. and the Surround Decoder would always pick up the signal. This only started happening after I changed the CX's audio output temporarily to Bluetooth and then back to ARC. After that the devices seem to have lost whatever handshake was stable before, and I can't get it back to where it was. I've tried all kinds of power-down/-up combinations, disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable, resetting the receiver, etc.

So I know it's possible for this combination to work. I just can't get it back! If anyone has any magical incantation to recommend I'm all for it.
Have you tried temporarily setting the audio out on your tv to pcm/ stereo & trying with arc - just to see if that works. Might eliminate some possible causes.
 
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Have you tried temporarily setting the audio out on your tv to pcm/ stereo & trying with arc - just to see if that works. Might eliminate some possible causes.
Yes. Switching to PCM works (with the downside of losing the original multi-channel encoding). But it also works in Passthrough if I do the input switcharoo. The signal gets recognized and the receiver shows "Dolby Digital +", etc. The annoyance is having to do the input switch every time the play state changes on those titles.

By the way, I noticed that the "Decoder Off" problem doesn't happen with all codecs. Some apps that use an older codec don't cause this. But on the Netflix app, for instance, the preview trailers (while stepping through the options) sound fine, but as soon as I play a title with Dolby Digital it happens. Going back to the preview trailers or a different app works.
 
This is an issue with early implementation of DD+ over ARC and not only Yamahas have issue with it (early Marantz and Denon with ARC support will have similar issue).

Just connect the AVR with an extra optical cable and disable ARC on the receiver. HDMI-CEC will still work, so one remote operation will be fine. The TV will not try to push DD+ over ARC and simply do old-fashioned DD. It is much more predicable setup.
 
Interesting to see that I'm not the only one experiencing this issue!
 
I'm seeing this problem with an LG OLED CX and a Yamaha RX-V473 Receiver. Switching inputs every time I pause is driving me nuts!

The most frustrating thing is that it was working before. I was able to switch to Netflix, Amazon Prime, pause a movie, etc. and the Surround Decoder would always pick up the signal. This only started happening after I changed the CX's audio output temporarily to Bluetooth and then back to ARC. After that the devices seem to have lost whatever handshake was stable before, and I can't get it back to where it was. I've tried all kinds of power-down/-up combinations, disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable, resetting the receiver, etc.

So I know it's possible for this combination to work. I just can't get it back! If anyone has any magical incantation to recommend I'm all for it.
Sorry, I can't help but I thought you should know I have the exact same receiver and the same problem with a Sony X90J TV I just got (though I never had a stage where it worked properly with this TV). It worked fine with my previous Panasonic dumb TV. Did you ever manage to get it working again? If so, please let me know how. I have resorted to just outputting Dolby Digital for the DD+ signal (an option in the TVs menu).
 
I have resorted to just outputting Dolby Digital for the DD+ signal

That's about it if your TV allows for such customization. If not, resorting to using optical cable might help as well.

DD+ over ARC will not work reliably with those receivers.
 
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I have been asked privately many times how to setup the HDMI-CEC + Optical, with LG TV combination.

This is based on my unit, so might be slighty different with older receivers. But in principle it's the same...


Connectivity:
1. Use a HDMI cable to connect the receiver to HDMI-ARC input on the TV. In LG it is port HDMI 2 typically.
2. Use an optical cable to connect the TV to the reciever port Audio1.


Setup on Receiver:
0. You go to the setup screen, and find HDMI setup option.
1. Click on HDMI Control
2. Select On
3. In a new menu that opened, select OFF for ARC, and keep Audio1 as TV Audio Input.


Setup on TV:

Enable the ARC in the TV (Select HDMI ARC or Optical/HDMI ARC (various options in various generations) - both work effectively the same. Digital Sound Out should be set to Auto.

This will allow the TV to talk to the receiver over HDMI-CEC, but instead of relying on HDMI-ARC, it will use optical cable to send audio.

Many people simply use the Universal remote capability of LG remotes to control the volume of the receiver.
 

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