XfinityTV and Equipment

[alpine-al]

Two of my three TVs are working fine (one fed via a set top box and the other fed via a DTA).  But, the third TV, which is also fed via a DTA, has no sound on several channels (CBS, CNBC, NECN, Spike, and probably  a few others).  Sometimes (not often) I'll hear sound during a commercial.  Even weirder, on the History channel I hear the background music just fine, but no voices at all.  Last week, Comcast implemented the transition to all digital in my area.  The sound problem began last week as well.  I have unplugged the DTA, the TV, and the cable multiple times but the sound has still not returned on those specific channels.  Got any advice?

[WarEagle57]

Try swapping the good and bad DTAs.  If the audio loss follows the DTA, then trade the bad DTA for a new one.  If the audio loss stays with the TV (unlikely), then look for a problem with the TV.

[alpine-al · Accepted solution]

Problem solved!  And I feel like an **bleep**.  It seems that the "Lang" button on the remote got pressed by mistake.  It wasn't until tonight's Yankees/Twins game that I heard any Spanish from the TV.  Most of the channels have English in either lanuage mode, a few channels have nothing on the alternate language channel, and tonight TBS had Spanish.  So I pressed that darn "Lang" button on the remote and my problem was solved.

[Duchess523]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  What a simple solution - we were ready to replace our TV, thinking it was because our television was too old!  Sure wish I had known about this earlier, but thanks for posting the fix!

[vpdavidson]

Yes, thanks for the post. You never know when it might help someone, two years later... I have two identical televisions that bought the same day, so I swapped them out, swapped cable, pulled out hair, then found your post. There were two stations without sound, but the worst was that my favorite station was making a weird vibration. Seemed pretty random. Pressing that dang LANG button straightened it all out. Go figure...

[bflokids]

I thank you, thank you, thank you as well!!!! 

My transition to this digital nonsense has been fraught with all kinds of problems, including three hours on the phone troubleshooting setting up a set top box only to discover that the box itself was defective, necessitating a 20 mile trip to exchange it for another where, incidentally, I found myself in line with five other people with defective equipment. 

When I lost the sound on CBS, ABC, and a few other random channels on the TV connected to the DTA, I was ready to disconnect everything, cancel my Comcast service, and take it as a sign that TV is indeed the tool of the devil and that I should read a book for a change. 

Thanks to your oh so simple solution, I will be enslaved by Satan for yet another decade or two.

[slanqinyayo]

Well ironically im having this same problem, but no pressing of the mute buttons is working for me. Its TNT, ABC, Nick. and some channels that the sound just comes and goes. Im hopin there's a simple solution to this because I'm missing the good shows on the one Tv that happens to be in my room.

[JayInAlg]

If it is a DTA with the tiny remote, you should be trying the LANG button, not the mute button.

Please try that first.

[emsmedic]

I've got a new twist on this one.  I have an HD DVR and a HD receiver on the systems upstairs, and two less elaborate systems downstairs which use the Motorola/Comcast DTA 100 converter boxes.  One DTA works fine, as do the HD devices upstairs.  The remaining DTA consistently drops the audio signal.   It doesn't matter what channel I've selected.  When it first powers up, the audio is fine.  After a few minutes, it doesn't fade, it's simply gone.  For a while, I could turn the TV off, then back on again and the audio would return.  Not so any longer.

The TV's internal speaker is actually off, and it feeds the audio into a surround sound receiver.  I suspected the TV was the problem, because it's fairly old, but multiple other devices (DVD player, Nintendo Wii) use the same audio channel/setup with no problem.  For troubleshooting purposes, I re-activated the internal speaker, suspecting a bad output jack.  Nope - still no audio.

I've reset the DTA several times, and checked for loose connections.  The last time Comcast was out they checked the signal strength at the outlet in question and found no deficiencies.  I've swapped the DTA out once, and the problem disappeared for a few weeks but is now worse than before.  I tried the language button as well.  It's set to English, and doesn't appear to offer any additional selections.

Anyone have any suggestions?  Short of some hammer therapy, I'm at a loss.

[JayInAlg]

If your feeding the RF ch 3/4 output of the DTA to your TV, and then taking the audio outputs from the TV to your audio receiver, then here's what I'd check next. 

Since the TV is tuning RF ch 3/4 from the DTA, go into the TV menu or settings under the front panel on the TV, and check if the AFC is on or off and change it,  Also check that the TV tuner is on STD and not on HRC and / or IRC.  I'm just thinking that the TV's tuner is not locking on firmly to the analog channel on the DTA, and is drifting enough for the analog audio carrier to drift off.

You might also want to rescan the TV tuner (if possible) or change the DTA from Ch 3 to 4 or vice versa depending on what it is on now.

[emsmedic]

OK, at the risk of sounding incredibly ignorant (or at least acronym impaired), I have no idea what an AFC is.    I also don't see a tuner option.  The closest thing I've got is an option fot cable: on or off.  Obviously, it's an older TV. 

Can you sound out some of the big words for me?

[JayInAlg]

AFC means automatic frequency control.  On many TV's you can manually turn it on or off, and can affect locking on to channel, in this case your output channel 3 or 4 from the DTA.

Since the TV seems limited on it's settings, then try the cable switch on or off, and also if the DTA is on channel 3 move the little switch to ch 4 and change the TV channel to 4 also.  If the DTA is on ch 4 then move the little switch to ch 3 and change the TV channel to 3 also.

You might need to exchange the DTA for a different brand, as Comcast is using DTA's from 3 different companies on Motorola systems.

[emsmedic]

I appreciate all the help, but I think I narrowed the problem down to a broken TV today.  I pulled the TV out of the entertainment center and depending on where I picked it up or put pressure on the case, the sound cut in and out.  I swapped the DTA with another in the house and the problem persisted on the TV in question. 

It hurts me to admit it, but this one might not be Comcast's fault.  I guess I can't complain too much - the TV is probably ten years old and has survived a couple of moves. 

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[JayInAlg]

We appreciate you following up and letting us know what was causing it.  Feedback always helps us with similar issues later.

[Linda421]

Brilliant! and so simple! So glad I did a search for the problem before shopping for a new tv.

[Miscellany]

I was experiencing the same problem tonight and didn't understand why it only affected some of the lower channels. I'm glad I decided to run a search and found this forum because it was indeed the Language button that was at issue.

[Polyphemus]

Lang button solved the problem!!  THANKS.

[zephyrcjw]

I am having the same problem too, but I do not have the remote with the Lang button. How can i fix this another way?

[JayInAlg]

---

zephyrcjw wrote:

I am having the same problem too, but I do not have the remote with the Lang button. How can i fix this another way?

---

If you don't have a DTA digital adapter with the small remote, then please post the model of your set top box and what remote you do have.

[zephyrcjw]

Sorry my reply took so long. I was out of town. I am still having the same problem:

1. No sound on some channels

a. some channels have sound but the commercials do not (not such a big problem LOL)

b. some channels have dialog but no music

c. Some channels have narrative dialog but filmed parts of shows (documetaries, etc) do not

2. No sound when watching DVDs

3. No sound when playing Wii games

This all started out of the blue 3 weeks ago. Comcast had me unplug and then replug the box and then they sent a signal. This did nothing. They told me I needed to have someone come out but I've read on other boards that the techs can't fix it and you get charged anyway for this problem, and that sometimes they went to get a new box and it still didn't help. I am partially disabled and short on funds, so I can't afford a needless tech visit and I can't go down and get a box myself. Therefore i am posting here to see if we can get this fixed.

I have a Motorola DVR box DCH3416

I have the long, silver Comcast remote.

our setup is through my Yamaha receiver for sound and there is also a wireless network attached. Like I said before, this all started out of the blue...thanks for any help or advcie you can give me. All the channels I like to watch are not working properly and I feel as if I have wasted my entire cable payment this month, which is very frustrating as I am so tight on money anyway. I like to have cable to keep me company but if this keeps up it is a needless expense. I've been advised by many to go satellite or U-Verse, but I really don't want to as I know nothing abou them

Thank you,

Cori

[me8072]

Had a similar problem. They have a tutorial on the help channel on home set up. See if this works for you.

1. TV and cable box off.

2. With TV off, press "menu" button on front panel of box. Turn on your TV if it doesn't turn on itself. You'll see a white background set up screen.

3. Select about halfway down, "additional HDMI settings" (or something like that).

4. Select the sound option and change it to one of the other options.

5. Hit back and Menu to exit set up.

6. Try it out.

Good luck. Hope it works.

[Larxol]

When I replaced an old analog TV with a new digital model, I had no sound on any channel via the digital adapter, although DVD player worked fine.  Unplugging the Cisco DTA and letting it re-initialize solved the problem.

[afranklin7128]

I've got a DTA adapter on 2nd television and I have no picture or sound.  I've tried to connected thru VCR and have the same issue.  Changed Tv setting from 3 to 4 and on tv and adapter but still no help. 

[NiaSoul01]

Thanks a million for this. I had the same problem. The "Lang" button strikes again!!!

[codelady]

THANK YOU! so much! I've been going through the same thing for so long. I could not figure out why I was only getting sound on some channels and not on others and some only on the commercials until I read this. I hit the "lang" button and now I have sound on everything. I was about to call Comcast and have them come out to see what was wrong. This was on a TV in the bedroom we don't use often but I decided to use in my home office. You saved the day. Thanks for posting this!

[okinawahall]

You were correct, thanks

[dana816]

OMG! this saved my life!  Thought I was going nuts. First one tv and then another. Thanks!

[JimWin]

Thanks a ton!!! Worked for me also>

[Marshlab]

Thank you!!!  (Big Thank you)!  The Lang button had us foiled.  Fixed in time to watch the Tigers in Game 3 of ADLS!!!! 

[misslyssa2]

Thank You for sharing how you fixed your problem! The same thing happened to our new tv and thanks to your response, it was a quick fix!

[GazLamp]

Thanks here too!   The remote should have a warning label.

[WoodyHDTV11]

whats an RF

[JayInAlg]

---

WoodyHDTV11 wrote:

whats an RF

---

RF is the coaxial cable output from the box to the TV, used on older sets for Standard Def pictures.  RF gives the worse picture quality of the 4 types of connections to connect a TV to a cable box.

[YamileCC]

OMG!!!! This post saved my life!! I was about to return my brand new tv

[gmzn]

Thank you I had the same problem on a Dell Inspiron with tv tuner.  Now all the stations work.  Great,  Feel Dum.

[harrispictures]

Big Thanks!!  Same thing with my daughter's tv and after reading your post about the language button, I did remember having pressed it and it must have been on that one channel when I did it.  All fixed!!

[eireigo]

You are so very awesome... I was having the same problem, no sound on a few channels, no sound on commercials on others and one was in spanish. This came out of nowhere... I just pressed the lang button and viola... all better. Thank you so much for the post, this has been driving me crazy for 2 weeks! I had finally had enough and was about to call Comcast! Thanks again!

[tickyul]

Har Har, having the same problem..........read your post and that FIXED my little problemo!!!

[EricaMcC]

I feel like an *bleep* also!! Same thing happened to mine.. Thanks for posting! LOL I was going nuts!

[tickyul]

Too bad the donkeyburger guy at customer service did not know the pertinent information.

[Bible24210]

Thanks, WOW what a simple fix for such a perplexing problem.  Why did they even put such a button in such a easy place to mistakenly press.

[Bible24210]

Thanks!

[commanguy]

 Why did they even put such a button in such a easy place to mistakenly press.

---

Just for the record. The button getting mistakenly pushed does not have to happen to lose sound with the DTAs. They may get a signal error or coding error that causes this also.

I know, had it happen to me. Watching a program, in the middle it lost sound, thought it might be the station so I waited to see if it comes back. Other channels were fine. Pushed the LANG button after a few minutes sound came back on.

Did I push the button my accident. NO. The remote was lying flat on a table, not in my hands, with nothing around it to fall on the button by accident either.

Just so people know it can happen without anyone; young kids or adults; pressing the button.

[seashell55]

Another Lang button victim saved. Thought I needed a new TV. Thanks!

This post should be stickied and the solution plastered on all the Help pages. 

[JayInAlg]

We have found that no one looks at the stickies unless we point them to the link.  It's easier to search on google and it will come right to one of the many posts on the "lang" button.

[Essence8]

Thanks so much! The LANG button worked for me!

[arlesh]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! I've had no sound on half of my channels on the bedroom tv since Saturday. I was about to call today till I found this post. Indeed it was the language button! (The clincher was that I heard one local commercial this morning but none of the network ones).

[tyefox]

Thanks!  I feel like a Bleep too! The Lang Button; LOL!  Good thing I didn't waste too much time before finding this post.

[allhailqueenmum]

Many thanks for posting the 'Lang' solution!!!   I unknowingly must have hit the 'Lang' button while programming the remote for my TV.  Thanks!

[Success87]

The Lang button did it for me too! So glad I came accross this posting.  For the longest I thought there was yet another deficit in Comcasts service, but not this time!

Thanks so much! Now I can watch my shows