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Smart TV Netflix No Sound/Audio or Sound Out of Sync

Following every Smart TV purchase comes a great speaker system to go with it. Watching Netflix without sound, or with sound that is out of sync, is a completely different experience, especially considering music and sound effects are what make a movie so captivating in the first place. If you can’t get the sound right on your Smart TV’s Netflix app, this short guide will help you find a way to get it working again.

Some audio settings on a Smart TV can cause sound issues in Netflix. Try using a Stereo or PCM format and disable features such as Sound Optimizer. You should also make sure the volume is high and unmuted, and that your speakers are connected properly. Otherwise, reset the TV and audio settings.

Watching Netflix

I will explain each of these fixes in more detail throughout the article. There are also a number of audio settings you should consider when trying to fix the issue.

Smart TV Netflix Sound Not Working

Disappointed man while watching TV

If you’re not getting any sound on Netflix when using your smart TV, it could be due to a variety of factors, including a muted TV, incorrect audio settings, or a software glitch. First, check to see if the TV is muted or if the volume is turned down. Next, make sure the audio settings on both the TV and the device you’re streaming Netflix from are correct. You can also try resetting the TV and the device, as well as checking the HDMI cable to ensure it’s properly connected. If the issue persists, contact the manufacturer’s customer support for further assistance.

Smart TV Netflix Audio Out of Sync

Confused man while watching TV

Out of sync audio is mostly common when using a sounder or other external speakers. This is because the audio signal from the TV needs to be decoded by the speaker before the sound comes out.

With better quality sound, these signals can sometimes be more complicated than the speaker can handle, causing delays. These delays can often be fixed by altering the audio settings on your TV.

If there is a delay when using the TV speakers, this is more likely to be an error within your TV. For this reason, it is best to reset the TV to clear any errors that may have caused the issue. I will outline two ways to reset your TV below.

Change the Audio Format

All Smart TVs will have an ‘Auto Format’ setting, which allows you to cycle between more simple audio formats and complex formats, such as Dolby Digital 5.1. Simple formats include ‘Stereo’ or ‘PCM’. Selecting one of these settings will allow you to send a signal that is easier to decode, and therefore quicker to play through the speakers.

This should fix audio delay, but you may also be experiencing a delay from other audio settings on your Smart TV. The more functions you use, the more complicated the signal will be. This includes using equaliser settings such as ‘Theatre Mode’ or ‘Gaming Mode’.

As a baseline, you could try returning the audio settings back to their factory presets. This option should be in the same menu as these other audio settings.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on August 11, 2021.

Adjust the Audio Delay Settings

The ‘Audio Delay’ or ‘Lip Sync’ function on a TV is designed to counteract any kind of discrepancy between the video and audio output on your Smart TV. Not all TVs will have this function, but this will offset the sound or video by increments so that you can match them up once again.

Unfortunately, most TVs will only allow this shift in one direction, delaying the audio even more. However, if your TV allows you to shift this delay in both directions, you will be able to counteract the audio delay between the TV and the external speaker.

Hard Reset your Smart TV

Performing a hard reset on your Smart TV will completely discharge the TV, allowing it to fully reset. This process clears any errors that may have occurred internally, affecting the audio output. To perform a hard reset, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Unplug your Smart TV from its power source.
Step 2: Disconnect all devices from the TV.
Step 3: Press and hold the ‘Power’ button on the TV for 30 seconds.
Step 4: Wait another 10 minutes for the TV to fully discharge.
Step 5: Plug the TV back in and reconnect all devices.

Factory Reset your Smart TV

Performing a factory reset should return all audio settings back to their original presets. This will return all other settings to their presets, as well as delete all downloaded content and preferences. This may fix the issue by erasing anything on your TV that was conflicting with the audio output.

This can be a very effective troubleshooting method for most issues, but is more time consuming because you will need to set up your TV again and retrieve all lost data afterwards. If you would still like to try this reset, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Press the ‘Home’ button on your remote.
Step 2: Navigate to ‘Settings > Advanced Settings > Device Preferences’.
Step 3: Find and select the ‘Reset’ function.
Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the factory reset.

Each Smart TV will vary depending on the model and brand. Therefore, you may need to look at your instruction manual for the specific location of this function. Some TVs also require a passcode to restore to factory settings, which is usually ‘1234’ or ‘0000’ by default.

Smart Tv Netflix No Sound/Audio

Angry man while watching TV

The troubleshooting methods above will often also work when you have no audio at all in the Netflix app. However, there are a number of other things you could try to get the sound back on your Smart TV.

Basic Audio Checks

Some simple checks you can do include turning the volume up so that it is not too low and making sure the sound has not been muted. As a general rule, having the volume halfway should be enough to hear. Make sure you have tried this on both the TV speakers and any external speakers.

You should also make sure there is nothing connected to the headphone input, or the AUX input. Having headphones or a cable plugged into this input may automatically disconnect the TV speakers to channel the signal through the headphones.

Check Audio Settings

As well as changing the Audio Output from ‘Dolby Digital’ to ‘Stereo’ or’ ‘PCM’, there are other settings you can change that may be affecting the sound in the Netflix app. This will vary for different manufacturers, but below are a number of settings you should try turning off.

  • Auto Volume
  • 3D surround
  • Sound Booster
  • Smart Sound
  • Sound Optimizer

There are many more settings available among different TV brands, so it is worth having a look through all the options in your TV to make sure you have disabled all unnecessary functions. Some TVs will also have a function to channel the audio through a central speaker, even if there is no central speaker. If this is the case, make sure you opt to ‘turn centre speaker off’.

Check Speakers Connections

It is easy enough for cables to become loose between your Smart TV and speaker system. Make sure these connections are tight by reinserting the cables at both ends. You should also double-check everything is connected correctly, as per the manufacturer’s instructions, and ensure that the cables are not faulty/broken.

If you are able to, you could also try connecting the speaker via a different cable. Speakers can be connected via different methods, such as AUX, optical, RCA or HDMI (ARC). In general, HDMI or optical outputs are preferable over RCA or AUX.

If you are using an external speaker, you should also make sure that the ‘Audio Output’ settings are set to the speaker. If you are not using a speaker, this should be set to ‘TV Speakers’ instead.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on August 11, 2021.

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