I am losing audio output from the PC when running on HDMI2 @ 4K.

I've read through a few threads similar to my problems, but not quite the same (mostly with display, not audio issues).

My old 1080p TV recently died, so I have upgraded to a 4K TV (Samsung UA55KS8000W).

I had previously had my computer connected via HDMI2 to the old TV, running at 1080p.

On setting up my new TV, I plugged in the computer using the same port and cable to the new TV.

The resolution updated to 4K (3840 ? 2160), all good.

I updated the refresh rate to 60p Hz in the Intel Graphics Properties and all looked good.

Watching a video for a while, I noticed that every 10-15mins the audio cut out for a second and then came back. Thought it was weird, so started looking into it.

I then noticed that if I left it for a while (turn off the TV and come back, or watch TV input and come back), I would still get the video from the PC, however audio completely stopped working. It's as though the PC just decides to stop sending audio over HDMI if not used for a while.

Looking at the Playback Devices for the TV in Sound, the green bars move which indicates that it thinks it is playing audio, but nothing comes out the TV speakers.

Restarting the TV doesn't change anything.

Turning the PC off and then booting up again, the sound does come back temporarily.

What I have tried:

HDMI2 4K at 60p Hz - audio stops working

HDMI2 4K at 30p Hz - audio stops working

HDMI1 4K at 30p Hz - I have no issues at all - audio appears to be fine.

I also tried disabling Realtek High Definition Audio under Sound, video and game controllers in device manager, but this didn't change anything.

I switched HDMI cables, and got the same result using two different cables.

I switched HDMI ports on the TV, and got the same result.

My computer is set to never sleep, and the screen turns off after 20 minutes.

I updated all of the drivers and UEFI when this started happening, but it hasn't made any difference.

UEFI: 7.10 (I was running 1.80 and getting the same problems) Maybe I need to try a version in between?

Intel HD Graphics 530 Driver: 21.20.16.4542 (24/10/2016)

Intel Display Audio Driver: 10.22.0.96 (5/10/2016)

HDMI Firmware (using the updater): 1.36

PC Specs:

OS: Windows 10

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac (onboard graphics)

CPU: Intel Core i5 6600

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4

PSU: Silverstone 600W ST60F-PS Power Supply, 80Plus Silver

M.2 NVME: Samsung 950 Pro Series 512GB M.2 SSD

3 other 3.5" HDDs

I've done some reading and it looks like HDMI2 has a different manufacturer than HDMI1.

But only HDMI2 can give me 4K @ 60p Hz, so I would rather 60p Hz than keep 30p Hz on HDMI1.

I am not sure why the audio completely cuts out on HDMI2, while it is fine on HDMI1.

Is anyone able to suggest what I am missing?

Turns out I didn't have the latest version of the HDMI firmware.

I was running on v1.36, however updating to v1.48 has resolved the issues.

I missed this, as the ASRock download page listed the date the HDMI firmware updater was updated was 9/9/2015. 

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty%20Z170%20Gaming-ITXac/?cat=Download&os=Win1064

I hadn't built my computer until Feb 2016, I thought that I had already downloaded the latest HDMI firmware updater. Turns out that that date on the website is incorrect and there was a newer firmware.

1.36 BIN file date: 26 October 2015

1.48 BIN file date: 10 March 2016

All working now. :D

SONY XBR55X930D will show scrambled screen for couple seconds then disconnected if I select 4K@59Hz or 4K@60Hz. But it works with 4K@30Hz (using Teamviewer to change the refresh rate). Before the firmware update, I just did a clean Windows 10 installation with the latest drives from Asrock website. I run the firmware update tool to check the firmware version and it is 1.48 now for sure.  I uninstalled the driver and updated to the latest Intel HD 530 driver, the result is the same. I even cleared CMOS and disconnected the battery for 5 minutes, the result was the same.

Any suggestion? I saw some posting mention, there are procedures you must follow when you execute the firmware update, like you have to set 4K@30Hz, dual channel memory and connecting to HDMI port 2.0 when executing the update. But I was running 4K@60hz while I executed the update. Is that causing my HDMI 2.0 failing to display in 4K@60hz?

tyeh101 wrote: http://forum.asrock.com/RTE_textarea.asp%3cmode=quote&ID=22141&CACHE=54" rel="nofollow - I have the similar audio and random disconnect issue on HDMI 2.0 port though it worked at 4K@60Hz nicely. After I saw this posting, I found my HDMI firmware was 1.36, then I updated it to 1.48. Now the HDMI 2.0 port no longer works at 4K@60Hz!

I am not sure if that would have caused your problems.

Glad it wasn't just me that had the audio issues though!!

Do you need to set something like "HDMI Deep Color" or "HDMI UHD Color" or "HDMI Enhanced" on your HDMI port input on your TV? Maybe this value reset when the TV picked up the new input source after the firmware update?

EDIT: I am now having other issues with the display not waking up after an extended period (computer has been on the whole time). Will be trying older UEFI versions to see if that works.

tyeh101 wrote: After "reset" the HDMI port on TV OR switch to different HDMI 2.0 port on my SONY TV, the TV still shows no signal when I select 4K@60Hz.

I contacted support of Asrock and they wanted me to send back my board and give me a replacement. I turned down the "offer". Then I asked where I can downgrade to HDMI firmware 1.36 or not. I got reply saying yes. Then I said I don't have the old firmware update tool for 1.36. After a while, I got an email telling me to BIOS download page!!

Thanks - I have a new 4K cable that I can try if rolling back the UEFI doesn't work.

I've had v2.10 of the UEFI on for 24 hours without experiencing the monitor wake problem, but I'll see how it goes over a longer period.

tyeh101 wrote: Then I asked where I can downgrade to HDMI firmware 1.36 or not. I got reply saying yes. Then I said I don't have the old firmware update tool for 1.36. After a while, I got an email telling me to BIOS download page!! Did any one try to downgrade their HDMI 2.0 firmware? Or I just have to wait for the latest firmware 1.61?

I have a copy of the 1.36 firmware from ASRock if you want it. I am not sure if there are any limitations if you try to downgrade it.

At the end, I might just get a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and leave HDMI 2.0 alone. I already spent too much time to troubleshoot the issues of this HDMI 2.0 port.

Update...

I switched to a brand new 4K rated HDMI cable and experienced exactly the same problems.

Using v1.48+ of the HDMI firmware and the latest Intel graphics drivers (21.20.16.4542), I kept rolling back to earlier versions of the BIOS.

I experienced the same wake issue on BIOS: 7.10, 2.30, 2.10, 2.00 and 1.80.

However, 1.80 was the most stable for me - I could go days without having an issue. I did start to notice a few times that I would lose sound occasionally - the display would wake up, but there was no HDMI audio playback device available. It just reverted to the Realtek playback device, because there was no HDMI audio device listed. Better, but not great.

Restarting the computer or disabling and re-enabling the Intel(R) Display Audio under Sound, Video and Game Controllers in device manager fixes this. Annoying to have to do this every time the sound disappears.

At least a simple restart fixes the audio issue - when losing the display I had to fully shut down the PC and turn it back on.

Anyway ASRock released HDMI firmware v1.61 for this motherboard over the weekend. I upgraded my BIOS to 7.10 again and installed the 1.61 HDMI driver.

So far with this combo after having it on for two and a half days, the display has always woken up, which by this stage on the 7.10 BIOS and 1.48+ firmware I would have usually experienced the wake problem.

However, after having this running for two days, I've experienced the loss of the HDMI audio twice.

To get around this, I've written a batch file which I can run to disable and enable the Intel(R) Display Audio device if this happens.

I have updated the graphics drivers direct from Intel last night to v21.20.16.4590. I'll monitor and see how these go, but nothing in the release notes would indicate it would fix my audio issue.

As a side note - does ASRock TSD exist?

I have raised two tickets and not got a response to either:

3rd Jan - about my initial sound cutting out at 4K (which I found the fix was the HDMI firmware 1.48+ update)

6th Feb - for the display not waking, asking if firmware 1.61 would be released for this board (now appears that HDMI firmware v1.61 may have actually improved, but not fixed the issue)

I don't usually have to contact the support desks so I am not sure if this is common behaviour, but the lack of response puts me off buying any more ASRock products.

At least this forum provides a lot of valuable info!

Display has come back every time after monitor sleeping, and no audio loss.

Think it might finally be working! :-)

You can use these test patterns: http://cellarcinema.info/temp/uhdtest.zip

Open the pictures with 'right mouse button' edit on W10.

I can't get 4:4:4 with ASRock and LSPCON HDMI 2.0

Yep I'll give it a go when I get home.

EDIT:

I have tried that Quick Brown Fox picture and all of it (including the last two lines) looked like it displayed properly.

The ChromaRes only shows 4:2:2 so I assume that this means I am not getting 4:4:4 then.

Thanks for checking...

ChromaRes.png... I also get 4:2:2 only

TextTest_1920x1080.png... red/yellow text is not vibrant, red/blue text font not pixel perfect

TintBlueRGB.PNG... the word red/magenta looks like 3D

My setup:

J3455-ITX FW 1.2

LSPCON FW 1.61

Club3D 3m 4K HDMI cable

Philips 43PUS6101/12 (HDMI 3 4:2:2/4:4:4 enabled)

I'm trying to get Intel to expand the features of the HD graphics control panel (force YCbCr 4:4:4).

https://communities.intel.com/thread/111279" rel="nofollow - https://communities.intel.com/thread/111279  

Please post too ;)

cu

They don't appear in the supported formats, however I am only running audio through my TV speakers at the moment, which doesn't support HD sound (DTS and Dolby Digital do work though).

I could get 4:4:4 mode on a Samsung UE48JU7580.

But I had to enable 'HDMI UHD Color' and change the HDMI input type to 'PC'

https://communities.intel.com/message/461468#461468" rel="nofollow - https://communities.intel.com/message/461468#461468

Seems to fix some frame rate issue.

Ah!

I had HDMI UHD Color set already. My Input type was set to "HDMI 2/DVI" so that I could set "Movie" picture mode. Setting to "PC" allowed me to get 4:4:4 chroma.

I have a Samsung UA55KS8000WXXY.