wrote: Chelseafc,
Thank you so much for your response.
You know, that makes perfect sense to me. I double checked the internal speaker of the TV and it works fine on a sound test. Very loud. I watched a video on Youtube via the Smart TV function and it was loud on the internal as well as the soundbar. Something I noticed today is when I turned on the DVR and the sound bar for about two seconds it was at the volume it is set for and the sound dipped almost like the DVR controlled the volume.
Last week it was about that time you mention when the sound cut out and I exchanged units. The sound was fine on the new one until the software must have updated on the new box. Now I am not sure what to do.
In fact I have been having such trouble with signal strength, pixelization and assorted issues up to now that I am on a first name basis and have the direct number of the head of the tech department of our local division. I called and spoke to him and he didn't seem to know the problem and said the most they could do is come out and give me a new box but it would not be an enhanced one.
Do you think it could be related to me having an enhanced DVR? Do you think if I tested out one of their newer standard units it would make a difference or no? I had spoken to customer service about 'adding' a DVR to the account for the day and then returning it in order to test it out. Again I love the convenience of being able to record all the shows and would hope to not give that up. But if the update is systemwide for Spectrum regardless of equipment then it won't make a difference. Look forward to seeing what you think.
In my view,
Could you get your money back on the soundbar? Most companies that are TV Vendors are not very good with third party software applications and devices. Cable box, Internet Modems and Routers and Phone updates are designed to be specific to that vendor's own equipment and network. Software updates to any of the above could happen at any time, hardware changes could roll out and all of a sudden, you're sitting there with a Soundbar that won't work.
I would disconnect the soundbar from your TV and Spectrum equipment. Yes, it is likely that this latest cable box Navigator software update broke or misconfigured something. These are similar problems that cable providers have with Tivos and Cable Cards. Third party equipment is not theirs, so they only have limited knowledge of it. Third party equipment that once worked could get hosed by an update, and not work again. (Or you could try my recommendations in the last paragraph.)
Game Systems and Blue Ray plays have a wider range of support and they have to because they aren't tied into one vendor like a specific cable/dish. or U-Verse system And you have gone through multiple makes and models of boxes. It's very unlikely that Spectrum is going to roll out another fix for a product that is third party and isn't there's.
The only other thing you might try is list the make and model of your Soudbar and others who have gotten the Navigator 8.0 update could report and say, "Hey, I have this (list make and model of soundbar) and it works fine after the guide software update. I bought it from___________ and here are the Settings that you need to change."
Another thought, when you say, "The sound drops out" do you mean you got no sound at all, or the sound is much lower? Is this on playback of DVR content or all the time on the box?.
Try this- Go to Settings, and go to Devices. Look around in Devices for a Volume Control option and Set that to "Fixed." Now, look for another Audio option in there for Volume Control and see if you can set that to "Surround" with your Sound Bar connected. Save your changes. There is (I think) something called Audio Output or HDMI output that you can choose between "Mono" or "Stereo" set that to "Stereo." If your Audio output is set to "Normal or "Narrow" and you have the soundbar connected, set that to "Wide."
Play around with the audio settings in Device Settings with your Soundbar connected and please post for us the configuration that works best.
Satch