Dolby Digital audio drop-outs on Nvidia Shield live TV

[rastevensplex]

Server Version#: 1.26.0.5715
Player Version#: Nvidia Shield 2017 & 2019 with 9.0.2 update
Tuner Make/Model: HDHR Prime
Guide/Lineup name: Spectrum, Alpena MI
Using XMLTV?: No
Channel number/Name: Any with Dolby Digital 5.1

Whenever I tune a live tv channel that has Dolby Digital 5.1 on the Plex App on either NVidia Shield, the audio is intermittent (cuts out every few seconds). The network is all 1 Gbps wired. Shields are connected via hdmi to Yamaha and JVC receivers connected to TVs via hdmi. When using the HDHR app to watch the same channels, there is no audio skip (using the exact same network cables and hdmi cables). Using audio passthrough on both Shields. The receiver lights show DD 5.1 when the sound is working, then drops out to stereo when the sound is not working. Seems lots of other users have reported this issue but I have tried all the suggestions I could find and none of them solve the problem.

Interesting fact - If after loading a channel or changing to another channel and the audio is skipping, If I rewind the show one key press (back 10 seconds), the audio no longer skips. There appears to be some kind of timing issue with the audio/video that is causing the problem on Plex but doesn’t happen with the HDHR software (which is also doing audio passthrough). Other Plex clients (iPhone, ONN) do not have the audio dropouts.

[XDUDE3D]

Having the same issue on the shield. If I let it play for a bit it sometimes works itself out but can take a bit. All other players (Phone, Web) seem to be fine. Officially bumping this.

[kegbeach]

Try purging everything in the Codecs folder inside your PMS data directory then initiate playback again. Report back here with your results.

[rastevensplex]

Deleted everything in the Codecs folder, rebooted, folder was repopulated (except for easyaudioencoder). Made no difference in audio drop-outs on dolby digital on Nvidia Shield live TV in the Plex app.