Amazon Video App Audio and ARC

[jdpjamesp]

Posting this on the basis we have a number of techie folk on here who seem to know a lot more than folk on other forums I frequent!

I bought a Panasonic TX-49DX600B TV just before Christmas. It's connected through ARC to a Panasonic SA-BTT350 system that I inherited from the FiL. The iPlayer app on the TV works a charm through the surround system, as does the TV, and anything connected to the other 2 HDMI ports. The Amazon Instant Video app though will not play through the surround. I've tried everything I can think of to make it work. I've tried Googling and mostly it seems something to do with the way the audio is encoded on Amazon, but I can't quite work it out, or work out a solution. It's a bit frustrating. I've reverted back to the Amazon Stick for now which means I get the audio but am limited to HD content. I can't get the UHD I would get on the app.

Any ideas?

 

[guest100718]

I've had problems with ARC and Google Chrome cast on my viera
I gave up trying to get it working in the end.

 

[jdpjamesp]

No worries. Thanks Paddy.

 

[jdpjamesp]

So the sound cuts out on certain HD programs as well which is a right pain in the rocks! Was fine for the fireworks last night, but the new Sherlock it didn't work. Right annoying.

 

[GreiginFife]

Is the problem app native to the TV it is it on an external device? If it's external have you tried it on the HDMI ports that have other devices that work?
Most TVs only have one Audio Return Channel enabled HDMI (yes some do have more) so it may be that you are using all of the available ARC enabled HDMI ins in the TV.

 

[jdpjamesp]

It's a native app on the TV.

 

[jdpjamesp]

After more digging, it seems to be that the TV is pushing out the audio in a format the amp can't handle and so it's just playing nothing. Unfortunately I can't find the option on the TV to force it to output a different audio format. On some TVs you can force it to output Stereo instead of multi channel and it just works.

 

[GreiginFife]

After more digging, it seems to be that the TV is pushing out the audio in a format the amp can't handle and so it's just playing nothing. Unfortunately I can't find the option on the TV to force it to output a different audio format. On some TVs you can force it to output Stereo instead of multi channel and it just works.

Pretty odd though that the TV itself and (assumed) native app iPlayer are both working fine. It's unusual, if not unlikely, that the TV would use a different audio format for different native functions.
Stereo and PCM are the most common outputs, outside of Dolby options, on today's TVs and there should be an audio menu that has the option to switch. Not sure it will help though if you already have apps and mainline functions that are working fine.

 

[jdpjamesp]

I've contacted Panasonic for support. See what they come back with if anything.