Audio Problem: UMC-1 + ROKU (Ultra) via HDMI

[stephen]

Greetings all!

I recently transitioned video streaming duties from my trusty old PS3 to a current generation ROKU, connected via HDMI to UMC-1 (still love my UMC-1!).

Works great until the ROKU enters screen saver, has been on for too long without audio, or you pause a video -- when resuming or launching a new app there's no audio. Sometimes switching the UMC-1 to another input and back fixes the problem, other times we have to restart the ROKU. Any suggestions?

It seems the UMC-1 is muting, losing the current CODEC, or the ROKU is doing something different w/ HDMI than the PS3... The ROKU is also always on (or sleeps?) while we turn the PS3 off and on as needed. Fallback could be to go optical for audio, but I was reading about some codec and audio quality limitations.

This may accelerate plans for upgrade to an XMC-1.

Thanks!

[ÈlTwo]

It's probably a handshaking issue, as I recall I had many of those type issues with my UMC-1.
You could try searching the forum, but that was always a problem and I had to find work arounds (mine were mainly with UMC-1 to TV issues).
I recall having to switch inputs, but make certain that my equipment was turned on in a certain order, which I programmed into my remote.
Good Luck.

[creimes]

Have you tried simply connecting the Roku to a different input ?

[stephen]

Good suggestions. I tried a new HDMI cable, different port, tweaking settings -- discovered audio problems are ROKU app dependent.

Youtube and PBS audio doesn't work at all and send the UMC-1 into 'freakout mode' (menu navigation and remote input are very slow to respond,...), only fix is to restart UMC-1. Netflix and Amazon Video apps work for a while until you come back to them from screen saver, for example, requiring a reboot of the ROKU. Optical cable works great, except all I get is 2-channel PCM.

It appears there have been similar HDMI complaints on ROKU's forums, in one case drawing ire since a firmware update last year. Inspired by a friend's Apple TV 4K that 'just worked' and not wanting to hold out for a potential ROKU firmware update (unlikely the UMC-1 is getting one at this point) I returned the ROKU to Amazon and fired back up the PS3.

Keeping an eye on the market for next round of upgrades, maybe after the kinks are worked out of HDMI 2.1!